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Gallien Krueger Club. GK Rules !

#4,561
Can anyone advise if GK has any lighter weight cabs that sound very close to the 210RBH? I use one or two (vertically stacked) generally with a 700RBII, and while the weight is not that big a deal, I wouldn't pass up a lighter cabinet if I was able to get a chance at one. Couldn't care less what size speakers, but I want to keep my sound.
 
#4,562
Rickter said:
A question for those more knowledgeable in matters GK than myself..... Considering the legendary overhead that the RB line has, that they have much more power then they are rated at, would the 400RB be powerful enough at a 4ohm load to push two Avatar 2x12 cabinets decently?

Contemplating replacing my pre/power combo with a GK head. Am currently using an Avatar 212, but may be adding another 212 or a 410 in the future. Was debating between the MB500 and an 400RB-IV. I like the MB500 and obviously the sheer wattage would probably make it the leading contender in the fight, but to my ears there is a difference in the tone of the MB line versus the RB line, a difference which I (maybe inaccurately) attribute to the difference in power sections.

Years ago I spent a few hours playing an 800RB through an Ampeg 8x10 and loved the sound of it. To me it stands to reason that if the 300 watt 800RB could push the fridge, then a 400RB should be able to as well, or is there something I'm not considering?

As always, your advice and suggestions are appreciated.
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I use an 800RB thru an Acoustic 8x10 (cabinet brace modded) and a 400RBIII thru a pair of TL606 EV15L cabs,depending on what sounds I want with which basses.

400RBIII actually goes a bit lower on bass response (so I am told) than the 800RB.....both sound great though.
 
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#4,563
Rickter said:
More or less what I was expecting Razman. Tone-wise I was going for a warm clean, so just a bit of grind wouldn't hurt, but I'm not going for Billy Sheehan tone by any stretch. I figured that the 400RB would probably be too low a wattage to push cleanly at higher SPL for much more than a 2 speaker cabinet, but having no experience with the limitations of the GK power sections and how far they can peak out, I wanted to ask some folks that might know.

Looks like I may be trading/selling my Bmax-T/Crown rig to go toward a 700RB or 1001RB, unless there is a pre out there that gets the GK sound, aside from the PLEX which it looks like may never come out at the rate they're going.
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The PLEX looks very appealing as it would replace two of my pedals but I think I'll wait until someone gets one, doesn't like it, and decides to pass it on to someone else. Yeah, at the current rate I'll have plenty of time to save up...

RE: amps and such, the 1001rb will give the most clean, sustained volume. Why not try a Fusion 550? I would like to own one some day; I just can't go class D - I need that big iron initial whollop that they deliver that all the D amps I've tried cannot.

Raz
 
#4,565
Razman said:
The PLEX looks very appealing as it would replace two of my pedals but I think I'll wait until someone gets one, doesn't like it, and decides to pass it on to someone else. Yeah, at the current rate I'll have plenty of time to save up...

RE: amps and such, the 1001rb will give the most clean, sustained volume. Why not try a Fusion 550? I would like to own one some day; I just can't go class D - I need that big iron initial whollop that they deliver that all the D amps I've tried cannot.

Raz
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Agreed that the PLEX looks intriguing, but a big part of the GK sound to me is the power section, so it makes me hesitant. That said it could be a great product. One can only hope that the extended pushback on release dates means that they are working out the issues to make as great a product as possible.

I'm on a bit of a shoestring budget at the moment which is why I was considering the 400RB. It's the same pricepoint as the MB500, which I like fine, but the MB line is just missing that "grunt" that the RB series has. As for the Fusion 550, it seems nice, but two things hole me up. 1) the self-spinning controls seems kinda gimmicky, and to me seems like something else to worry about breaking, 2) for the price, might as well save a bit longer and get a 2001RB as there isn't much difference in price.

Looks like I'll probably be saving up a little longer and holding out for a 700RB or 1001RB.
 
#4,566
Rickter said:
Looks like I'll probably be saving up a little longer and holding out for a 700RB or 1001RB.
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When you are ready, sign up for VIP pricing from Jason at Bass Strings Online, if you haven't already. Best pricing on GK stuff around. Great store.

I was perfectly happy with the 700. PLenty of volume, great sound. I just more perfectlier happier with my Fusion 550
 
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#4,569
Rickter said:
Agreed that the PLEX looks intriguing, but a big part of the GK sound to me is the power section, so it makes me hesitant. That said it could be a great product. One can only hope that the extended pushback on release dates means that they are working out the issues to make as great a product as possible.

I'm on a bit of a shoestring budget at the moment which is why I was considering the 400RB. It's the same pricepoint as the MB500, which I like fine, but the MB line is just missing that "grunt" that the RB series has. As for the Fusion 550, it seems nice, but two things hole me up. 1) the self-spinning controls seems kinda gimmicky, and to me seems like something else to worry about breaking, 2) for the price, might as well save a bit longer and get a 2001RB as there isn't much difference in price.

Looks like I'll probably be saving up a little longer and holding out for a 700RB or 1001RB.
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I have a MXR di+ (and a Pitchblack tuner) that the Plex could potentially replace; mainly just looking for something with a good drive/distortion to it. It would replace those two items on my pedal board and might be something I could take home and/or use in the worship context I play in for the other features it has. I'm not necessarily looking for the GK grind, just a dist. that sounds good.

That said, what I need is an OD/Dist. pedal that can closely resemble the sound of my Mesa 400 when it starts getting a little saturated - problem is I have to run it so loud to get there it starts overpowering our drummer and two full Marshall stacks. Sure, I could use less speakers but what fun is that??

Regarding the amps, why not shop the used market (assuming you were looking at new)? I see 1001RB's under $400 frequently. And I wouldn't worry about the motorized knobs on the 550; GK makes solid stuff. Presumably they aren't hard to change out, but I've never seen the guts of one to confirm (that level of repair I usually do myself). A 2001 would rock. Best of luck on your search.

Raz
 
#4,570
Razman said:
I have a MXR di+ (and a Pitchblack tuner) that the Plex could potentially replace; mainly just looking for something with a good drive/distortion to it. It would replace those two items on my pedal board and might be something I could take home and/or use in the worship context I play in for the other features it has. I'm not necessarily looking for the GK grind, just a dist. that sounds good.

That said, what I need is an OD/Dist. pedal that can closely resemble the sound of my Mesa 400 when it starts getting a little saturated - problem is I have to run it so loud to get there it starts overpowering our drummer and two full Marshall stacks. Sure, I could use less speakers but what fun is that??

Regarding the amps, why not shop the used market (assuming you were looking at new)? I see 1001RB's under $400 frequently. And I wouldn't worry about the motorized knobs on the 550; GK makes solid stuff. Presumably they aren't hard to change out, but I've never seen the guts of one to confirm (that level of repair I usually do myself). A 2001 would rock. Best of luck on your search.

Raz
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Indeed, I was looking at new. We are on the same page, as I was looking at the TB classifieds this morning for 1001s and 700s.
Regarding the motor-knobs on the Fusion 550, that's just a personal thing that concerns me, as I tend to feel that extraneous things such as that are just something else that will eventually need repair. As you point out though, GK is quality so it's probably not something to be too concerned about. Just a personal quirk of mine. :thumbsup:
 
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#4,571
geoff_in_nc said:
Can anyone advise if GK has any lighter weight cabs that sound very close to the 210RBH?
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Too bad that GK doesn't make 210RBH's anymore, they are great cabs. Haven't played them myself but heard. While you probably won't get that sound with any other cab, I'd try the NEO 115-III. They're not quite that loud but 400 watts and lighter still. Cut treble and maybe some of the high mids, use plenty of boost (with GK head). But still, keep the RBH's. :)
 
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#4,572
Someone PM'd me about the difference between the 700 and Fusion 550. It ended in a gig report about the 550 so figured I'd post here in case anyone cared.


"So my general impression of the 550 is about right more refined so it sits a little differently in the mix but is still very present. 700 with a tube front end is accurate. Plenty of power on tap.

First set: I set it and went. P bass with flats. Just jamming with some dudes I just met. Played outdoors with 3 very loud guitar players and didn't have a problem hearing my self and the bass carried nicely through the space. The way things are setup it really sucks the bass so with other rigs I played here I had to really crank. Playing only tunes I didn't know. Bumped up the volume a bit and some mild EQ tweaks to get me to where I needed. EQ is predictable and easy to get the sound you want. Still had plenty of headroom.

Second set was played by another band been around for awhile. They have their sound down. Bass player playing an Ibanez BTB. Asked If we could get a dirty sound. We did. He played fairly dirty (gain around 2:00 and master volume in between 8:00 - 9:00 like on a clock) and probably wasn't as loud as me but he fit perfectly into the band. Fuzz territory for sure. He loved it. He used my 700 setup too and liked this much more (he calls it my Andy Loud rig, my name is Andy Proud)

Third set: Dudes I've played with many times back-lining a few local guitar players. This was the chance to really get it tweaked. Better mix, more controlled players and familiar environment. Sounded great. I can hear something I want more or less of and I can immediately get what I want from my amp. EQ is super intuitive and acts similar to the RB series.

This is the amp for me and here is the thing that pushes it over the edge. I can set the preamp to where it is still pretty smooth. All I have to do is dig in and I get that real tube dirt. I have had some other hybrids but the 550 feels like a tube amp in that way. The others felt like imitations. This is something I gave up on finding. So many amp just aren't sensitive to playing like that.

Recap:
It is predictable and easy to tweak effectively.
Plenty of power.
Tube front end is the cats meow. Sounds just right.
Love the control layout. (the micro amps compact controls cause me unneeded stress)

I love this amp. Paired with my Bass array's it is a potent and incredible sounding rig."
 
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#4,578
Hey everyone-- how does one get a number? I am the proud owner of the MB200 and MB500 and plan on buying the MB800 by Christmas. I'm pairing both with a 2 x AudioKinesis H1203 cabs by @DukeLeJeune. The combo of having two heads and two compact but powerful cabs gives me a lot of versatility.
Here's some pics....

IMG_0511.JPG IMG_0512.JPG
 
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#4,579
BlackCatBassman said:
Is there any notable difference with respect to sound/quality between an MB212 combo vs. an MB500 with two NEO112 cabs?

I know the combo comes in a couple hundred bucks cheaper, but I can't find one in stock anywhere to try OR buy haha
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Pretty sure not much difference in sound quality, but the combo is maxed out with the internal 4 ohm load. The separates you can drive two cabs.

alaskaleftybass said:
Hey everyone-- how does one get a number? I am the proud owner of the MB200 and MB500 and plan on buying the MB800 by Christmas. I'm pairing both with a 2 x AudioKinesis H1203 cabs by @DukeLeJeune. The combo of having two heads and two compact but powerful cabs gives me a lot of versatility.
Here's some pics....

View attachment 945036 View attachment 945037
Click to expand...

Page @Andyman001
 
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