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Gallien Krueger..
- Thread starter Flipper43
- Start date
The "Boost" is yet another gain control somewhere in the middle of the signal path. (I forget exactly where off the top of my head).
As far as "tube sound", some would say yes, some no, but what it does do well is produce the famous G-K growl you hear players talk about. Very effective feature for players who want a little dirt in their sound with some control .
As far as "tube sound", some would say yes, some no, but what it does do well is produce the famous G-K growl you hear players talk about. Very effective feature for players who want a little dirt in their sound with some control .
Oh awesome thanks. Because i sold my backline 110 a few years ago, and i'm saving to buy a tube rig (I don't know if i should go mesa, or ampeg? Help?), but i need something cheap and effective for right now since my band is starting to play bigger shows.
+1
Tubes are great & all, but you aren't playing guitar here, where you *need* tubes for the overdrive - you're playing bass. The obsession with tubes for bass is, to me, just silly.
Now that you bring it to mind, i geuss it is. Most of them are pretty damn over-priced. I was just looking for a really warm sounding amp, since that's the sound i want. From what you guys say, maybe if i crank the boost knob i'll get a tube-like sound out of it. If i need it warmer, i could always get a sansamp, but wouldn't that kind of defeat the whole purpose of the G-K sound?
Tubes for bass are useful for more than just overdrive- when I played bass through tube amps it was for the different dynamic response. Tube amps have a slower dynamic response when they are being pushed that give a very pillowy and compressed feeling to the notes. For me, the difference was enough that playing through a tube amp also changed the way I played and the lines I would write. Depending on the music you are playing, it can really fill in space and give oomph to the music in all the right ways (or all the wrong ones!).
That said, you also have to be willing to accept the weight of a tube amp, the sometimes inconsistent tone (depending on how long the tubes have warmed up, age of tubes, etc), and the fact that the range of tones and response tends to be a lot more limited than many current solid state heads.
I love both for different reasons, and have found the Mesa Walkabout to be the best of both worlds for my current uses! I really like some of the GK tones I've heard as well, though I wouldn't really consider them to be "tube-like"...
Karl
I play a 700RB (voiced like the legendary 800rb but with bi-amping, 5-string voicing, and -10dB pad) and although it's not tube sounding, I think it's the perfect blend of modern clarity with vintage warmth. I also like their pricing. That being said, I do plan on getting a tube amp just for that tube tone (probably an SVT). Gallien-Krueger has its own tone... I use it for ska, blues, punk, country, whatever. I think 90s alternative rock has the best example of GK tone.
The 700rbII is a great head. A classic as far as I'm concerned, and for the money, the best head out there. And what I really love about it is that it doesn't lock me into a "hi-fi" thing or a "vintage" thing. It allows my head, my hands, and my bass to deliver whatever tone the song is calling for. It took me some playing time to get there, and perhaps the same is possible with other gear after some familiarity, but the 700rbII just delivers for me. Once you've got the gain structuring all figured out, and what the boost/master relationship does to your tone, you're well on your way to making the head work for you. foo-foo and fluffy, I know, but it just plain works.
My band is currently in pre-prod stages of a disc. All original country, funky, soul thing.... think JJ Grey. I let a good friend listen to some of the rehearsal recordings, and he asked why I was using my '66 B15N on a couple of the tunes. I laughed..... it was just my 700rbII and GK Neo112. Now, I'm not saying this combination sounds like a b15.... not at all. But what it does do is allow me to convey that vibe within the context of the song. When you've got gear that allows you to do that, then you've found what you're looking for. IMHO.
Ljazz
My band is currently in pre-prod stages of a disc. All original country, funky, soul thing.... think JJ Grey. I let a good friend listen to some of the rehearsal recordings, and he asked why I was using my '66 B15N on a couple of the tunes. I laughed..... it was just my 700rbII and GK Neo112. Now, I'm not saying this combination sounds like a b15.... not at all. But what it does do is allow me to convey that vibe within the context of the song. When you've got gear that allows you to do that, then you've found what you're looking for. IMHO.
Ljazz
