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this looks sick too! never realized how cool the RB heads look with different knobs. all these years and i've really only seen them with the stock ones until this thread
- Aug 21, 2003
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I humbly submit the Trickfish Bullhead .5k.Lately, I've gotten philosophical about what makes an amp work in the mix...
I'm still recovering from injuring my left index finger in August.
For the past two months, I haven't been able to rehearse, gig, jam...nada
The last time I gigged, rainwater fell on my Legacy 800, and it seems like the fans might have been affected - so I sent it in for service, hence my pondering what might be a more suitable backup.
I'm a sucker for amps and cabs that have big lows and bright highs, but it occurred to me that some of the most revered bass tones are anything but "hi fi":
The Ampeg B-15 isn't huge down low, and there's only so much treble that a 15" can produce, but it's a classic tone that fits so well into the mix.
Another Ampeg example is the SVT 810 - which rolls off rapidly below 80Hz and above 4k - yet still became a rock and roll staple.
Similarly (and closer to home) I briefly owned an 800RB, 700RB-II, and Legacy 800 all at the same time.
The 800RB had a great sound, but the 700RB-II was my favorite due to its bigger lows and brighter highs.
The Legacy initially struck me as midrangey - but I've since come to love how it sits in the mix.
And there was something undeniably classic and tasty about that 800RB...
My "lightbulb moment" was that classic gear didn't become classic in spite of its limitation, but because of those limitations...and my conclusion is that gear that narrows the bandwidth tends to make the bass punch harder and slot into the mix better.
A literal punch feels VERY different from a slap delivered by the same hand - and that's all about concentrating vs. distributing the forces in question.
So whatever amp joins my Legacy 800, it's going to have to be a punchy beast - and I'll try not to get seduced by hi-fi tones that work best at home.
Just ignore some of the snap judgements floating around out there and instead ask Tom Bowlus what he thinks of it.
Damn. That looks better than the original! And probably more visible on a dark stage.... I checked the Davies web site and they have different variations of the 1510. What exactly did you order from them?
I probably ordered from a pedal-building website - just verify if the pot shafts are knurled or solid
Well, earlier today I purchased a used Legacy 1200. Got a killer deal and couldn't let it pass me by. Been playing through an MB-500. Hope I like it. Watched as many reviews as I could before buying. Besides a lot more headroom, what differences should I expect?
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Other than warning your speakers that it's coming, the whole Drive section of the amp is a very different way to achieve a boost vs the A/B of the MB series. The level/edge/drive trio of controls allows much more sculpting and EQ'ing of your boost tone. I consider it an upgrade of sorts, though the tone is still very much in the GK family. Also, the low end is a bit "tighter" IMO, more reminiscent of the earlier RB models than the MB's, which have a pretty fat bottom if you want it. Anyway, enjoy!
Finally got ahold of that Unicorn .... the Neo 810 .
WOWZA!
Ok I'm looking for a combo rig, and there's a 400RB 210 combo, with a GK410 cab- 6x10s and a head. How do you all feel this jig rates among the modern day offerings for similar combo/ext cab form?
I've cut the impression that GK cabs aren't as hefty down in the lows as some others in the same ballpark. Any truth to that?
I've cut the impression that GK cabs aren't as hefty down in the lows as some others in the same ballpark. Any truth to that?
The 400RB is by no means low end shy, the GK cabs it depends on the cab model. Some are quite deep (like the RBH series), others more punchy and still others more of a balanced voice. True stage rattle IMHO came from the RBH series, but wasted power was not high as a desired feature it was more quality sound that carries well out front (being heard).
That would be a keeper, I just bought a 4 ohms 410 Neo to go with my Fusion 550, been looking for one for years.
My first GK purchase 20 years ago was a 400RB210 combo. Fantastic amp. I paired it with a 115RBH cab. The RB series of amps was a great line had them all. I don't think you can go wrong with them. Tough for me to compare tonewise to modern combos as it was so long ago. The new stuff is lighter for sure.
Well, it came in yesterday. Plugged it up just to make sure ever worked. Need to spend some more time with it.
One thing I didn't know, and should have looked in the manual first, is the 1200 doesn't have a selectable ohm switch. I bought it used and thought somebody was trying to get one over on me when I observed a small dummy cover over where the switch would be. I thought why would they do that and I pryed it off with a screwdriver like an idiot. It kind of just fits in there, but guess I'll glue it back on!
Come to find out, that cover is supposed to be there. I guess the speakon jacks on the 1200 are wired in a way where the amp automatically configures the output depending on what you have plugged into? Not sure how that works exactly. You can see the back of mine is a little different than the 500 and 800 because there is a box that shows you the different configurations for output 1 and output 2.
Attachments
I posted the following on a similar thread, and will re-use, since it applies here:
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Before the Legacy, most GK amps were a bit mid-scooped with all controls at noon - so the settings above [bass and treble at 10:00, both mids at 1:00] were "GK flat".
I just alternated between the input and effects return (bypassing the preamp) on my Legacy 800, and the closest I could get them to sound was with:
lows at 12:00,
low mids at 11:00,
high mids at 10:00 and
highs at 9:00
For the trim control, I've noticed that the clipping is the most noticeable when I dig-in over the bridge pickup, so I start with the trim up all the way then play staccato lines and adjust the trim down until it sounds clean.
Those steps would give you a basic/flat starting point, then adjust to taste.
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The MB series, in particular, have huge lows and razor-sharp highs - so the Legacy sound won't be as immediately appealing.
But on a gig - the Legacy's stronger midrange and unique definition really show what it's there for.
My first gig with the Legacy was like my first time driving a German car.
You're thinking "OK, this is nice enough, but...what's the big deal?"
Then you merge onto the highway and get the machine into the environment that it was built for - and everything comes into sharp focus.
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