I've tried it both ways and really don't notice too much of a difference. I usually keep it horizontal, but will place it vertically if I am restricted with space.
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Gallien-Krueger MB2-500
- Thread starter deekay911
- Start date
- Status
I've tried it both ways and really don't notice too much of a difference. I usually keep it horizontal, but will place it vertically if I am restricted with space.
I did two gigs with my MB2-500 this weekend and I'm pretty happy with the way it performed. Friday was a mid sized room and Saturday was a smaller room. We're a classic/pop rock dance band with two guitarists and a drummer. Not especially loud but not quiet either. Both guitarists complemented my sound and they were amazed at how small the head was.
It was plenty loud with an 8 ohm 4x10 with the master volume up about 2:30 and the gain at around 9:00 if I remember correctly. The equalizer was somewhere around flat with the treble rolled off a bit, bass rolled off a bit more and the mids slightly boosted, contour at 0. Typical of what I normally do in most situations. It was not boomy at all. Very clear and cut through the mix nicely in both rooms.
I had the head eq'd within the fist couple songs and I left it that way for the night. Only played with the volume a couple times.
Here are a couple smiley's to sum up my feelings about this head in case you decided to skip to the bottom of my post:
It was plenty loud with an 8 ohm 4x10 with the master volume up about 2:30 and the gain at around 9:00 if I remember correctly. The equalizer was somewhere around flat with the treble rolled off a bit, bass rolled off a bit more and the mids slightly boosted, contour at 0. Typical of what I normally do in most situations. It was not boomy at all. Very clear and cut through the mix nicely in both rooms.
I had the head eq'd within the fist couple songs and I left it that way for the night. Only played with the volume a couple times.
Here are a couple smiley's to sum up my feelings about this head in case you decided to skip to the bottom of my post:
- Jul 15, 2003
- 901
- 65
- Disclosures
- I am a determined follower of Jesus Christ and am a Mormon.
so did those of us who want combos do enough convincing? will there be a combo (with the head being easily removed) or do those of us looking for a little combo need to look to something like the shuttle?
- Jul 15, 2003
- 901
- 65
- Disclosures
- I am a determined follower of Jesus Christ and am a Mormon.
ONE MAN SHOOTOUT: MarkBass F1 vs. Gallien-Krueger MB2 500
I hope this is helpful. I hope it will help ME decide! When I read the Bass Player shootout between the Eden WTX-260, EA Micro 300, and MarkBass F1, I thought the F1 was for me. BP clearly said it had the best tone and volume.
Then I sold my AI Clarus. Bass-amp-less!! So I escalated my research. That's when I discovered the GK MB2 500.
So I was deciding between the F1 and the MB2. I read lots of good things about both of them. Both will only push one of my 4 ohm Schroeder 1x10 cabs. EA and AI can do 2 ohms so this is a major disappointment. Nonetheless, I took my NYBW fretted and fretless 6-strings to GC and tried both heads through a MarkBass 4x10 cab with my trusty Evidence Audio Lyric HG cable.
So with the same basses, cables and speaker, I A/Bd the GK and the F1. The effect of the GC environ on the audio I dont know but I was uninterrupted for an hour or so even by other bassists.
The GK has a Mute button. It has a red light in the button when depressed for mute. This is a basic, handy feature for tuning or switching basses. Sadly, the F1 does not have one.
Another cool feature unique to the GK is the boost channel engaged by a front button or an included footswitch. It has boost (like gain) and master knobs of its own. It engages the GK G.I.V.E. circuit. With a low boost setting and higher Master setting it can be used for a simple volume Boost for solos or just two different levels. With a high Boost setting and lower Master, it can get some spunky tube-like attitude. I would use it clean for a volume boost.
Anything special on the F1? VLE. Virtual Loudspeaker Emulator. This is no gimmick. It is much like the passive tone knob on a Jazz bass. I would probably use it always; at a low setting to cut hiss and round it a bit without losing nice pristine highs and up more when needing a warmer sound. It is really sweet for rounding out a fretless. Big kudos for MarkBass on this one.
The F1 also has a Clip light. I've always liked this for setting my gain to as high as possible - right before clipping. [Strike-through: The GK does not have this (End strike-through](edit: Yes, it does. I am reminded that it does have it. I believe it was the light in the -10db pad button). The F1 does not have the pad.
Both heads have basic back panel features. Both have the newer combo 1/4"/Speakon speaker outs. The GK adds a 1/4" out with a toggle to switch between Line Out and Headphone mode. The GK has a pre/post toggle. The F1 does not and is fixed at post. I like it post but others dont hence the switch on most heads. MarkBass surprised me to not have one.
Both have very effective tone / voicing manipulation. The GK has a variable Contour knob. The F1 has its VPF (Variable Pre-shape Filter) knob. Both serve the function of scooping the mids for a more slap friendly sound. I don't use them much but they both worked well in testing.
They both have 4 band EQ - Bass, Low-mid, Hi-mid, and Treble. A slight treble boost or cut was effective on both.
The bass knobs had similar deep response. The F1 would be more likely to need a bass boost as the GK has more lows/low-mids to begin with than the F1.
The F1's upper mid control could cut just a bit of harshness from its extra mid-punchy voice. On the GK I would go the other way and boost - say just about 2 o'clock - the upper mid to give a bit more punch.
My favorite EQ knob on both amps is the low mid. I actually liked boosting on both amps even though their voicings are quite different. Go easy on the GK though as too much low mid boost could lose some focus because its circuit is tuned a little lower than on the F1. The F1 definitely needed low mid boost to smooth out its somewhat overly punchy tone. (Is that possible?)
Speaking of which, a little tweaking and the F1 just smoked for killer fingerstyle. But the slap tone was painfully harsh. Enter the VLE AND VPF. I don't like to scoop mids but to get slap tone on the F1 it needed something. So a judicious turn on the VPF - say just 9 or 10 o'clock scooped mids including some of the harsh ones to sound better. But it needed some VLE as well say about 9 o'clock again. That nailed it. I sure don't want to be tweaking that much live but the versatility was undeniable. The GK could manage a voice setting that worked well for fingerstyle and slap with little circular digit exercise... The F1 with a little more practice.
Overall, the GK had a smooth tone to it. I felt it needed less tweaking. I have a hard time describing the harmonic timbre of either amp. But the MB2 500 has admirable tone in the GK vibe.
The MarkBass had a less neutral midrange. It definitely had a punchy, burpy midrange. It was very pleasing though. With all the boom/click bass I have heard live lately, Im thinking MarkBass might be right on the money with this.
But the GK was better for higher notes and a thick hi-C string. It also had a really nice evenness to it that makes me think it would have more even mids and a great voice if the sound man is smart enough to not make the bassist fight the kick for sonic space!!!
The F1 was slightly better for a focused B-string. It was more articulate by nature. It is more likely to punch though the mix.
Both sounded great for fretless but the GK won that because of its balance and smoothness from string to string and note to note. It could do the burpy thing too (with an EQ tweak) that the F1 was so good at. But again the GK was more even.
Then there is the price tag. $499-599 for the MB2 500 vs. $799 for the MarkBass. $200+. That is substantial for most of us but when it comes to tone Ill come up with a little more if needed.
BUT I STILL CANT DECIDE!
I really would like one of each but that aint gonna happen.
I think the GK is a better match for my punchy basses and punchy Schroeder 1x10 cabs. I really enjoyed it a lot. But for some reason, I cant get the F1 out of my mind! Hmmm I could a get a Demeter Compulator as well if I got the GK
They are both awesome. But they are different enough that you should be able to choose the right one based on your music, your basses, and all the other pieces of your sonic puzzle. Good luck.
I hope this is helpful. I hope it will help ME decide! When I read the Bass Player shootout between the Eden WTX-260, EA Micro 300, and MarkBass F1, I thought the F1 was for me. BP clearly said it had the best tone and volume.
Then I sold my AI Clarus. Bass-amp-less!! So I escalated my research. That's when I discovered the GK MB2 500.
So I was deciding between the F1 and the MB2. I read lots of good things about both of them. Both will only push one of my 4 ohm Schroeder 1x10 cabs. EA and AI can do 2 ohms so this is a major disappointment. Nonetheless, I took my NYBW fretted and fretless 6-strings to GC and tried both heads through a MarkBass 4x10 cab with my trusty Evidence Audio Lyric HG cable.
So with the same basses, cables and speaker, I A/Bd the GK and the F1. The effect of the GC environ on the audio I dont know but I was uninterrupted for an hour or so even by other bassists.
The GK has a Mute button. It has a red light in the button when depressed for mute. This is a basic, handy feature for tuning or switching basses. Sadly, the F1 does not have one.
Another cool feature unique to the GK is the boost channel engaged by a front button or an included footswitch. It has boost (like gain) and master knobs of its own. It engages the GK G.I.V.E. circuit. With a low boost setting and higher Master setting it can be used for a simple volume Boost for solos or just two different levels. With a high Boost setting and lower Master, it can get some spunky tube-like attitude. I would use it clean for a volume boost.
Anything special on the F1? VLE. Virtual Loudspeaker Emulator. This is no gimmick. It is much like the passive tone knob on a Jazz bass. I would probably use it always; at a low setting to cut hiss and round it a bit without losing nice pristine highs and up more when needing a warmer sound. It is really sweet for rounding out a fretless. Big kudos for MarkBass on this one.
The F1 also has a Clip light. I've always liked this for setting my gain to as high as possible - right before clipping. [Strike-through: The GK does not have this (End strike-through](edit: Yes, it does. I am reminded that it does have it. I believe it was the light in the -10db pad button). The F1 does not have the pad.
Both heads have basic back panel features. Both have the newer combo 1/4"/Speakon speaker outs. The GK adds a 1/4" out with a toggle to switch between Line Out and Headphone mode. The GK has a pre/post toggle. The F1 does not and is fixed at post. I like it post but others dont hence the switch on most heads. MarkBass surprised me to not have one.
Both have very effective tone / voicing manipulation. The GK has a variable Contour knob. The F1 has its VPF (Variable Pre-shape Filter) knob. Both serve the function of scooping the mids for a more slap friendly sound. I don't use them much but they both worked well in testing.
They both have 4 band EQ - Bass, Low-mid, Hi-mid, and Treble. A slight treble boost or cut was effective on both.
The bass knobs had similar deep response. The F1 would be more likely to need a bass boost as the GK has more lows/low-mids to begin with than the F1.
The F1's upper mid control could cut just a bit of harshness from its extra mid-punchy voice. On the GK I would go the other way and boost - say just about 2 o'clock - the upper mid to give a bit more punch.
My favorite EQ knob on both amps is the low mid. I actually liked boosting on both amps even though their voicings are quite different. Go easy on the GK though as too much low mid boost could lose some focus because its circuit is tuned a little lower than on the F1. The F1 definitely needed low mid boost to smooth out its somewhat overly punchy tone. (Is that possible?)
Speaking of which, a little tweaking and the F1 just smoked for killer fingerstyle. But the slap tone was painfully harsh. Enter the VLE AND VPF. I don't like to scoop mids but to get slap tone on the F1 it needed something. So a judicious turn on the VPF - say just 9 or 10 o'clock scooped mids including some of the harsh ones to sound better. But it needed some VLE as well say about 9 o'clock again. That nailed it. I sure don't want to be tweaking that much live but the versatility was undeniable. The GK could manage a voice setting that worked well for fingerstyle and slap with little circular digit exercise... The F1 with a little more practice.
Overall, the GK had a smooth tone to it. I felt it needed less tweaking. I have a hard time describing the harmonic timbre of either amp. But the MB2 500 has admirable tone in the GK vibe.
The MarkBass had a less neutral midrange. It definitely had a punchy, burpy midrange. It was very pleasing though. With all the boom/click bass I have heard live lately, Im thinking MarkBass might be right on the money with this.
But the GK was better for higher notes and a thick hi-C string. It also had a really nice evenness to it that makes me think it would have more even mids and a great voice if the sound man is smart enough to not make the bassist fight the kick for sonic space!!!
The F1 was slightly better for a focused B-string. It was more articulate by nature. It is more likely to punch though the mix.
Both sounded great for fretless but the GK won that because of its balance and smoothness from string to string and note to note. It could do the burpy thing too (with an EQ tweak) that the F1 was so good at. But again the GK was more even.
Then there is the price tag. $499-599 for the MB2 500 vs. $799 for the MarkBass. $200+. That is substantial for most of us but when it comes to tone Ill come up with a little more if needed.
BUT I STILL CANT DECIDE!
I really would like one of each but that aint gonna happen.
I think the GK is a better match for my punchy basses and punchy Schroeder 1x10 cabs. I really enjoyed it a lot. But for some reason, I cant get the F1 out of my mind! Hmmm I could a get a Demeter Compulator as well if I got the GK
They are both awesome. But they are different enough that you should be able to choose the right one based on your music, your basses, and all the other pieces of your sonic puzzle. Good luck.
I'm not associated with GK at all, so take this for whatever it's worth, but with the super small size, what do you miss from a combo that's not solved by a cover for a nice 110 cab you already have but with a gear pocket you could shove this head and a cable into?
I used to do this with another micro head and 110 cab I had and it worked pretty well. Still a single object lightweight carry for the entire "rig", just the head isn't literally bolted on, is all.
Just askin'...
Great post. I have one correction please.
The GK MB2, does have a clip light and 10db input pad if
needed. The F1 has the clip light but not the input pad.
+1
I can understand the convenience of taking just a single unit and a bass, but is it really THAT much of a hassle to toss the amp into a gig bag? Or to carry a third item in a laptop case?
As far as cost-effectiveness and efficiency go, I don't think the merits of a combo are justified with a head this small...
- Jul 15, 2003
- 901
- 65
- Disclosures
- I am a determined follower of Jesus Christ and am a Mormon.
+1 :my bass/gig bag with a 4 lb 500w head in the pouch and one Schroeder 10+R - how cool is that for a portable rig!?!
yes, you can clearly get another cab. and clearly others like the convenience. if having a small head means you shouldn't ever have a combo i think someone needs to tell genz-benz to stop selling the shuttle as a combo. and gk needs to get rid of the ms150 combo. don't they know that people can just buy a cab. and markbass has a little 2x10 combo that looks to essentially have one of their little heads stuck in a 2x10 box. could someone write them a letter too. when will all these companies learn that if you have a small head you don't need to make it a combo.
i don't mean to be a smart aleck but there are clearly people who like combos. yes there are other options. and if they never come out with a combo i might have to go the route of getting the head and a schroeder cab. but the thought of being able to pick up one thing and have it all there read for me is a glorious thought.
i don't mean to be a smart aleck but there are clearly people who like combos. yes there are other options. and if they never come out with a combo i might have to go the route of getting the head and a schroeder cab. but the thought of being able to pick up one thing and have it all there read for me is a glorious thought.
...but you make it sound like people are saying GK should not have any combos at all... like they're generally anti-combo or something. I don't think I'm hearing that... at least I'm not saying that. Just like you pointed out, they already have multiple (actually, very nice) combo options, so I think the REAL the question is, should they have a combo version of every amp model they make? I really think that's what it boils down to.
IMHO, if you're a company that already has a bunch of combo offerings, I can understand why it might not be a priority to make another combo out of the latest amp you just came out with, especially noting it's primary feature is it's particularly portable size.
i haven't gotten anti combo from gk... only from individuals who post on here saying that gk doesn't need to make it a combo. their response is that it's a head, just get a cab. my response to that is that can be said about every head their is. yet companies still seem to make combos... including gk. why? if all you have to do is get a cab and it's just as convenient, they why do all these companies waste time making combos?
and you point out that gk shouldn't make a combo for an amp they just made who's whole draw is it's size. interestingly enough, there are those on here that want mounting ears to put it in a rack... which isn't exactly small.
please don't take any offense... it's just a little frustrating to hear all the head cab guys chime in when those of us who would like to have this in a combo speak up. it'd be the equivalent if they came out with a combo only and some started asking for a head. and as soon as they did all those who like combos jumped in and said "why? you have such a nice convenient package in the combo. if you want a head they have so many other options. and if you don't like the gk options, there are other companies that are making little heads." it would get pretty old.
edit: vic later pointed out that i didn't read his post clearly before i replied. i went back and re-read and realized he was correct. i'm leaving my original boneheaded post because his next one won't make since if i changed it. later, i'll reply to his message and hopefully get it right that time.
Maybe I missed the point on this one, but in the video from NAMM they showed the GK with a matched Neo210 cab that the head could be "clipped" in and out of, in a similar fashion to the Mesa Walkabout combos... Is this no longer a consideration for GK? Is it not a consideration for you dean owens?
oh, it'd be a consideration for me if they made it. yeah, i saw that video and had/have high hopes. but it doesn't seem like they are offering that combo.
I saw the 210 combo at NAMM. I thought it rocked. The
design for getting the amp in and out was simple and secure.
I didn't get to hear the box but the package looked very
sleek and nice. If GK does a small combo package with
the MB2 head and a great single 12 box, that you could take
the head out of, it would not only be a great small gig, large
gig alternative, it would knock many other combo's out of
the market, including some GK combo's.
design for getting the amp in and out was simple and secure.
I didn't get to hear the box but the package looked very
sleek and nice. If GK does a small combo package with
the MB2 head and a great single 12 box, that you could take
the head out of, it would not only be a great small gig, large
gig alternative, it would knock many other combo's out of
the market, including some GK combo's.
That's not what I said. I said you made it sound like OTHER people... the ones replying to you... are anti-combo... and at least in my case, that's not true.
You're oversimplifying which changes the meaning in an inaccurate way. Nobody is saying it shouldn't be made a combo in an unqualified way like that.
Folks are just saying, if they already have lots of combos, it doesn't need to be a priority to make a combo out of this one, and it might make perfect sense to not have a combo version of every amp they make. Also, it's being further qualified by the fact that it's a particularly small head... not just any new head.
Not quite what I said here either. I never said they shouldn't make it a combo. I only said I can see why they might choose not to.
For the record, and so you don't misunderstand me (again), I don't have any objection to a combo version of this head. None. I just don't see it as a priority... for two reasons... the fact they have lots of other combos already, AND the particularly portable form factor of this one. That's ALL I'm saying.
Oh, and no offense taken, none whatsoever... all I ask you don't put words in my mouth or paraphrase me to change the meaning to make your points.
The draw of this amp is more correctly its size and weight.
Being at least 7 pounds lighter than GKs current stable of Microbass heads, and 10! pounds lighter than their standard fare, using the MB2 in a combo would do just as much to save weight, if not more for a small combo than changing magnet types or construction or what not.
Once again, it's not just about size.
Big difference IMO. I've done both and loves me some combo action.
Heads this small (and light) are the best candidates for combo use....again IMO.
I'm guessing you guys have never dropped an amp.
I'm using a shuttle combo right now and find it super handy. I'd love to see a GK option like this. A smaller one (1x10, 1x12) that can be lifted easily with one hand makes more sense to me. I'd rather deal with separates when using a larger cab.
Since Mr. Gallien is reading some of this I just want to give a shout out to my Microbass combo. That thing has seen close to 2000 gigs and is still going strong! Thanks Mr. G!
Since Mr. Gallien is reading some of this I just want to give a shout out to my Microbass combo. That thing has seen close to 2000 gigs and is still going strong! Thanks Mr. G!
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