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Gallien Krueger Club. GK Rules !

#4,881
kleinenenten said:
Can't say anything about preferences, but I have or have had a few of those different lines. Here are the ones I've had, and my thoughts on them. Hope it helps.

I have a Backline 112, and think it's a great little combo. I wish it had the 4 band GK EQ, but it is perfect for my needs and expectations of it. For me, it is a small practice combo I can use without disturbing the wife/baby, as well as use the headphone out when I want to be totally silent.

I used to have the Backline 600 head, which is essentially a Chinese made 400RB (which RAG had meticulously monitored for quality) with a distortion channel. Not a single negative to be said about that head from me. I traded "up" to an actual 400RB.

The 400RB is my lower volume back up should my 700RB ever go down. It has done everything I need from it. I could likely just use this for most things, but I like the extra headroom and other options on the 700RB.

The 700RB is my main head, and a fantastic one. Never had a single issue, and can level the rest of my band should I need it to. The RB series is all that you hear, and their reputation is well earned.

The last one is the MB200. Also a great little head. It is my emergency back up and headphone amp. I keep it in the rack with my 700 should I ever have a problem at a gig (or have a gig!) and need the backup right away. Also amazing at what it does. It used to be on my pedal board when I lived in an apartment and wanted to have a practice option without cans, and it was a perfect solution for that.

If I had to comment on the differences between Backline and MB series, I would say they are both fantastic, and can get great sounds. The MB seems a little more hi-fi, and the Backline seems to be smaller RB type stuff. I actually think the OD on my Backline combo is pretty darn great. So if you need OD, go that route. If you want ultra clean (or use pedals for dirt like me), go MB. You really can't go wrong, as long as you make sure your volume needs are met.

If I were you, I would go MB combo and a dirt pedal (if you need dirt). Since weight seems to be your big issue, this would solve that.
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Thanks. That'll give me a lot to think about. I should be making a decision tomorrow. BTW, volume isn't an issue; this is intended to gig only at smaller venues (small bars, pizza joints, etc.) I have a 400RB for bigger things and if I need bigger than that, well, I'll worry about that when the time comes. I usually play Thursday nights at a country jam (and last night was no exception) that has a house Fender Rumble that I plug in to. It's nice but it's just not the same.
 
#4,882
Mike Wilson said:
Thanks. That'll give me a lot to think about. I should be making a decision tomorrow. BTW, volume isn't an issue; this is intended to gig only at smaller venues (small bars, pizza joints, etc.) I have a 400RB for bigger things and if I need bigger than that, well, I'll worry about that when the time comes. I usually play Thursday nights at a country jam (and last night was no exception) that has a house Fender Rumble that I plug in to. It's nice but it's just not the same.
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Then I'd go MB combo and a dirt pedal (if you need dirt).
 
#4,883
SturmUndDrang said:
Thanks, who the hell knows between a million other amps around that might have been plugged in and fluorescent lights and whatever else. Maybe I'll just order one new. Either way, I'd like to go with the 412 or two 212 neo cabs and they weren't in stock anyhow. The amp sounds perfect for the heavier group I'm playing with so I'm not going to worry too much about the minor noise issue.
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Indeed ordered the 4x12 neo and bought the amp I played through. The cab arrived and I just got to play through it for the first time at practice. Everything performed phenomenally with none of the hiss I heard at the shop. GK does rule!
 
#4,884
well, finally get around to posting this pic. Got this a couple of weeks ago...1001RBII and a Neo 212. This thing is amazing!
IMG_0394.JPG
 
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#4,885
Looks awesome!

I have a GK MB 200, which doesn't have a boost function. I understand that's a big part of the classic GK sound, is there a way to get that by adding a boost pedal like the MXR Micro Amp or TC Spark Booster/Spark Booster Mini? Or is really a GK-specific thing that would need me to upgrade to a 400RB or MB500?
 
#4,886
skydivingninja said:
Looks awesome!

I have a GK MB 200, which doesn't have a boost function. I understand that's a big part of the classic GK sound, is there a way to get that by adding a boost pedal like the MXR Micro Amp or TC Spark Booster/Spark Booster Mini? Or is really a GK-specific thing that would need me to upgrade to a 400RB or MB500?
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My personal thoughts as to whether it's possible to get the classic GK sound out of an MB amp (boost or not) aside, it sounds like the Plex may be in your future - or wait and see what they have up their sleeves at NAMM starting tomorrow.

^ Not a dig on the MBs - there's a familial GK sound that all of the GK amps seem to share, but the classic overdriven GK tone that I associate with the 800RB and later RB models, I find personally to be elusive outside of that specific line. I haven't tried a Plex preamp personally, but from clips I've heard, it seems to sound rather convincing...
 
#4,887
That's kinda what I figured, but thought I'd ask if an easy temporary solution would be to get a boost pedal. I was wondering how the bass player from the Jesus Lizard got that gnarly driven tone out of an 800RB, and only just learned today that the "boost" knob isn't a clean one as far as I can tell.

On the plus side, if I do need to upgrade, 400 and 800RBs are fairly affordable used. :)
 
#4,889
skydivingninja said:
That's kinda what I figured, but thought I'd ask if an easy temporary solution would be to get a boost pedal. I was wondering how the bass player from the Jesus Lizard got that gnarly driven tone out of an 800RB, and only just learned today that the "boost" knob isn't a clean one as far as I can tell.

On the plus side, if I do need to upgrade, 400 and 800RBs are fairly affordable used. :)
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Well, the boost knob definitely isn't a clean boost, but the RB amps themselves can get hairy (in a good way) when pushed. In my experience, the interplay between the boost and the amp itself is where the real classic GK magic happens (a boosted, pushed 800RB will sound different than a boosted MB500).

With that being said, if I had to choose between a relatively expensive pedal and a used 400 or 800RB, I know what I'd get :)

Not GK related, but this article in Bass Player also lists the Jesus Lizard bassist as using a ProCo RAT distortion pedal as well. Good luck with your tone quest!
 
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#4,890
skydivingninja said:
Looks awesome!

I have a GK MB 200, which doesn't have a boost function. I understand that's a big part of the classic GK sound, is there a way to get that by adding a boost pedal like the MXR Micro Amp or TC Spark Booster/Spark Booster Mini? Or is really a GK-specific thing that would need me to upgrade to a 400RB or MB500?
Click to expand...

Just parachuting in here to offer a quick correction...

Not a 400RB or an MB500. Only the RBs have that kind of boost function. It's the difference between a Class G (RB) amp and a Class D amp (MB). The RBs are designed to be driven hard and "hit the rails" of the power section - especially the lower-powered models, i.e. from the 700RB-II on down. The MBs are designed to generate hard-driven tones only from the preamp section - with the power section staying more clean, preserving headroom (especially the MB800 & MBF800).

MM
 
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#4,894
Mike Wilson said:
Thanks. That'll give me a lot to think about. I should be making a decision tomorrow. BTW, volume isn't an issue; this is intended to gig only at smaller venues (small bars, pizza joints, etc.) I have a 400RB for bigger things and if I need bigger than that, well, I'll worry about that when the time comes. I usually play Thursday nights at a country jam (and last night was no exception) that has a house Fender Rumble that I plug in to. It's nice but it's just not the same.
Click to expand...

Just a note, I finally decided that the pain in my knees wasn't worth the "tone" (as much as I love it) so I went and got the MB110. I'm glad I did. Besides being less than half the weight of the Backline 112, it sounds just as good, if not better. I mean, how can a smaller amp sound better, and louder, than a bigger one? And the tone is still, for the most part, there. I've already gigged with it and it sounds great and definitely caught the attention of the audience and my mates. And I can practically throw this around like a beach ball.

So, that gives me three: Backline 112, RB400-IV and MB110. I'm a very happy camper, indeed.
 
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#4,899
I found the following comment over in the Effects Forum, in the thread about NAMM 2017:

"A few things I saw yesterday at Namm:

Gallien Krueger scaled way back to only showcase the Plex Preamp. (they are set to revamp their entire line this year - according to the guy I chatted with)"

Anyone have any insights or particulars?
 
#4,900
RockDoc said:
I found the following comment over in the Effects Forum, in the thread about NAMM 2017:

"A few things I saw yesterday at Namm:

Gallien Krueger scaled way back to only showcase the Plex Preamp. (they are set to revamp their entire line this year - according to the guy I chatted with)"

Anyone have any insights or particulars?
Click to expand...

I feel like maybe they were optimistic earlier in the month about being able to show something new, and due to unforeseen circumstances it just didn't pan out. Just my gut instinct. Very curious about the revamp though.
 

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