• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Gallien Krueger Club. GK Rules !

#7,481
I played thru an old 400rb last night and wow, just like the old days. Gk's amps can't be beat for live shows. It's been a while since I heard myself that well in a mix. I'm struggling with class D amps lately. I play in the same club once a month and my E string sounds thin compare to the other strings. I had the bass checked, it was better but not perfect. I played with another bass and it was still thin sounding. I feel it might comes from the class D amp cause yesterday night was way better with the 400rb. Maybe i'm crazy but I think I wanna go back to heavier amps....

I wanted to buy a new rig for a while. I sold my D-800 because I didn't like the tone as much as I would like too. I am gigging with a fender rumble 500 combo right now. It sounds great home but it doesn't cut thru as much as GK.

My budget is actually pretty tight. I wanna buy new and not used because of the warranty.

I hesitate between a 700rb + cx115 cab or MB212. At first I wanted to go with the 212 but after last night, I'm not sure if should go with the 700rb instead.

Any comments? Or suggestions please
 
  • Like
Reactions: Afc70, son_of_mogh, BrentSimons and 1 other person
#7,483
bassman74 said:
I hesitate between a 700rb + cx115 cab or MB212. At first I
wanted to go with the 212 but after last night, I'm not sure if should go with the 700rb instead.

Any comments? Or suggestions please
Click to expand...
Go with a 700RB and NEO212 and never look back...
 
  • Like
Reactions: El Apestoso, bassman74, Mohawk and 4 others
#7,484
I had a neo 212, more than 10 years ago and at that time for what I was doing I prefered my neo115. I should have never sell that rig. But when you stop gigging who needs a 700rb with two neo cabs.

I find the mb212 attractive for it's practical size and its total weight but my experience with class d amp so far makes me doubt!

Thanks @TonyP-
 
  • Like
Reactions: son_of_mogh and TonyP-
#7,485
bassman74 said:
I'm struggling with class D amps lately. I play in the same club once a month and my E string sounds thin compare to the other strings. I had the bass checked, it was better but not perfect. I played with another bass and it was still thin sounding. I feel it might comes from the class D amp cause yesterday night was way better with the 400rb.
Click to expand...

I think your experience says more about how well you got along with that 400RB than any real deficiency from Class-D amps as a whole - and I get it, I get the same warm fuzzies every time I fire up a GK RB. Also, what cab were you using with it?

On buying new: you have to do the math. GK RBs are built like tanks, and so you have to compare the premium cost of a new amp vs. the cost of a used one + the cost of a potential repair. IMO, parts for those modern RBs are plentiful and relatively cheap, and GK customer service is top-notch.

Factoring that in with their reputation for reliability, and extremely low prices on used RB models may tilt things in favor of used.

Personally, over my bass career, I've bought and gigged 5 GK RBs - every single one used. If something does go wrong with one, odds are it'll happen early in it's life - get a well taken care of amp that's been used worry free for years, and it'll probably continue to do so for many many years to come.

Cabs on the other hand, those I like new. ;)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bassman74, son_of_mogh and SwitchGear
#7,486
Feralhog said:
So, I have been back and forth with my 700RB with a service center telling me there was nothing wrong with my amp even though it crackled and hissed every time I turned it on and played thru it. It sounded fine at the service center. All cables and cabs work fine with three other amps....no hissing or crackles......So I thought well if the service center, which is also a music store says it's fine, I'll just trade it in on something else.

Today, on a whim, I ran an extension cord across the building to another outlet and guess what. No hissing or crackling! ***? This amp must be extraordinarily sensitive to the power supplied to my Ampeg PF-800, Markbass LMT800 and Peavy MiniMega as they all have no trouble with it.

Guess I'll keep it until I can get the power supply figured out or get tired of running another cable across the place. Perhaps it's just a ground problem and I would be well served to run all of the amps via the extension! Weird.....
Click to expand...

Glad to here you got it figured out :thumbsup:
 
#7,487
Kro said:
Personally, over my bass career, I've bought and gigged 5 GK RBs - every single one used. If something does go wrong with one, odds are it'll happen early in it's life - get a well taken care of amp that's been used worry free for years, and it'll probably continue to do so for many many years to come.
Click to expand...
:thumbsup: I have a 400RB from 92 and I'm friends with the original owner.
It still going strong. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: RevGroove, wave rider, bassman74 and 3 others
#7,489
jb90 said:
The times when gear was made for quality not for 2-3 years and "you must buy new one". I must give back 1001RB and 212NEO to shop because there's a lot of problems with this gear.
Click to expand...
Interesting, I'm sorry to hear that.

I personally in the last few years Acquired (2) 1001s and (7) different cabinets from GK. I blew 1 tweeter once and that was it and was my own fault.

Everything else has been perfect and what I expected.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wave rider, bassmike2010, son_of_mogh and 1 other person
#7,493
Jus got a rumble 4x10 for my 400rb. I absolutely love this head
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6283.JPG
    IMG_6283.JPG
    172.5 KB · Views: 22
  • Like
Reactions: patzilla83 and kpc
#7,496
So playing my new 700 through a single 12" the other night for a few hours. Eventually filled the basement with burning electronics smell. So much so my dog went upstairs.
Fan never ran. Amp wasn't super hot but never smelled that without some sort of thermal failure.

Still sounds fine. Might test the fan before attempting to send to GK.
 
#7,497
Kro said:
I think your experience says more about how well you got along with that 400RB than any real deficiency from Class-D amps as a whole - and I get it, I get the same warm fuzzies every time I fire up a GK RB. Also, what cab were you using with it?

On buying new: you have to do the math. GK RBs are built like tanks, and so you have to compare the premium cost of a new amp vs. the cost of a used one + the cost of a potential repair. IMO, parts for those modern RBs are plentiful and relatively cheap, and GK customer service is top-notch.

Factoring that in with their reputation for reliability, and extremely low prices on used RB models may tilt things in favor of used.

Personally, over my bass career, I've bought and gigged 5 GK RBs - every single one used. If something does go wrong with one, odds are it'll happen early in it's life - get a well taken care of amp that's been used worry free for years, and it'll probably continue to do so for many many years to come.

Cabs on the other hand, those I like new. ;)
Click to expand...

Actually I have no cab. I am gigging with a Fender Rumble 500 combo. I plan To go with a GK cx115 cause usually 15 are my favorite standalone cabs and neo's are Out of my budget.

Regarding buying used, here in Canada used RB's are really expensive. I am a little nervous regarding GK's reliability over the past decade. Maybe I am wrong about that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: patzilla83
#7,498
Turned up to a gig last night and the supplied backline was a 1000rb. (Not II) and a 410rbh.

Wow.

More deep bass than my NEO cabs and a ballsy brashness to the mids that I just loved.

It just added up to being a very 'sonically rich' tone.

I hadn't really considered the RBH cabs before- but I certainly will from now on.

Awesome cab!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: son_of_mogh, Rickter, NDpeppers and 5 others
#7,499
Daniel Piper said:
Turned up to a gig last night and the supplied backline was a 1000rb. (Not II) and a 410rbh.

Wow.

More deep bass than my NEO cabs and a ballsy brashness to the mids that I just loved.

It just added up to being a very 'sonically rich' tone.

I hadn't really considered the RBH cabs before- but I certainly will from now on.

Awesome cab!
Click to expand...
Very cool. I had been wondering what the RBH series was like, especially since nobody seems to be using anything but the NEOs these days.
 
#7,500
Daniel Piper said:
Turned up to a gig last night and the supplied backline was a 1000rb. (Not II) and a 410rbh.

Wow.

More deep bass than my NEO cabs and a ballsy brashness to the mids that I just loved.

It just added up to being a very 'sonically rich' tone.

I hadn't really considered the RBH cabs before- but I certainly will from now on.

Awesome cab!
Click to expand...

I've always heard the RBH cabs were utterly bulletproof and sounded great, but at +46lbs each vs my Neo 212 II, my back just won't allow it. Heck, that one 410 is the same weight as the Neo 412, and that one has a handle and wheels. Now if somebody else was hauling my stuff for me, it might be a different story...
 
  • Like
Reactions: TonyP-, RevGroove, Rickter and 1 other person

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back