Glad you've joined the ranks, optikhog!
Thanks for sharing your impressions. The Neo-Pak is a sweet bass amp.
Thanks for sharing your impressions. The Neo-Pak is a sweet bass amp.
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Genz Benz Neo Pak 3.5
- Thread starter i_got_a_mohawk
- Start date
I hereby 2nd these emotions, my new 3.5 is sooo great, I quickly had to order another for a spare in an alternate location!
and now I have actually ran out of amp GAS
and now I have actually ran out of amp GAS
I'm with you - after several rehearsals I'm hooked, no need for anything else. I'm using an old Fender head as my backup so my Boy Scout needs are covered.
I now find myself on the quest to find the perfect cabinet(s) to go with my Neo-Pak. My madisons continue to make me happy but I'm listening to see if anything else strikes me...
After reading this and all of the related threads, I bought a Neo Pak on the Bay. Haven't had a lot of time to play with it but it sounds great with my lakland JO5 and Ric. I'm currently running it through a SWR 15 @ 8ohms and it seems plently loud but since most of my gigs use a PA I don't think power will ever be a problem. I love the weight compared to my GK. Interstingly, with this head, i can hear the difference in my Rics p/u's when switching between the neck,both, and bridge, something I didn't hear with my GK. Not sure why this is so unless it has something to do with the tube preamp but I get much better deliniation between p/u's.
Anyone have some suggestions of what cab's mix well with the amp besides the GB cabs?
Anyone have some suggestions of what cab's mix well with the amp besides the GB cabs?
I haven't tried my Neo-Pak with all my sundry cabs, but it sounds good with the following: Bag End S15s, EA Wizzy M-line 12, Carvin LS1503, and Dr.Bass BL1260. Different sounds, but the Neo-Pak controls allow all to sound great, and the EQ and preset buttons do different, but good things with each. The distinctive modern voice of the Neo-Pak shines through with just about any cab.
I'd like to hear from someone who's tried the Neo-Pak with Bill Fitzmaurice cabs such as the Omni 10/12/15, or the DR250.
After several weeks of using my Neo-Pak in my classic rock/pop and church bands, the day finally came for an audition I've been waiting two months for - a chance to work with some of the best musicians in the area making some music I could really sink my teeth into (hard rock with pop hooks). I brought my Douglas MM knockoff to the audition knowing that the hot pickup would give me a plenty of tone while not fighting for space with the 2 flashy guitarists. (I received BIG compliments for the bass' look and only disclosed that it cost me a whopping $89 at the end of the night, but that's a different story.)
I thought I might be in trouble as I brought in the Neo-Pak with my trusty 4-ohm Madison 210 cab and set up on the far side of the room, facing the drummer, probably 30 feet away. He yelled to me, "am I gonna be able to hear you at all?" and then glanced at the Marshall and Randall half-stacks on either side of him. "Let's find out", I yelled back. I put the 'volume' knob at 10:00, brought the 'gain' knob up to around 3:00, pushed the middle tone shaping button, and set the master to noon as we tore into the first song. What came out was sonic bliss - we finished the song and the drummer yelled "Dude, where did that tone come from? It's downright amazing!"
After much showing off of the little GB unit, we spent the rest of the night tightening some of the tunes and the Neo-Pak held its own the entire time. When I picked it up and started putting it in my backpack, one of the guitarists (a former bass player) came over and said "You put that in a backpack? How much does it weigh?" I handed it to him and his jaw dropped - he couldn't believe that I was getting so much volume and dynamic swell for the entire night out of something <9 pounds.
I can now say with GREAT certaintly that this is the amp I've always wanted. I spent years carrying around ridicously heavy racks with more watts than I've ever been able to use and still coming away unhappy with my tone. It took this little box to set me straight. Kudos, Genz Benz.
Oh, and I landed the gig. Woo hoo!
I thought I might be in trouble as I brought in the Neo-Pak with my trusty 4-ohm Madison 210 cab and set up on the far side of the room, facing the drummer, probably 30 feet away. He yelled to me, "am I gonna be able to hear you at all?" and then glanced at the Marshall and Randall half-stacks on either side of him. "Let's find out", I yelled back. I put the 'volume' knob at 10:00, brought the 'gain' knob up to around 3:00, pushed the middle tone shaping button, and set the master to noon as we tore into the first song. What came out was sonic bliss - we finished the song and the drummer yelled "Dude, where did that tone come from? It's downright amazing!"
After much showing off of the little GB unit, we spent the rest of the night tightening some of the tunes and the Neo-Pak held its own the entire time. When I picked it up and started putting it in my backpack, one of the guitarists (a former bass player) came over and said "You put that in a backpack? How much does it weigh?" I handed it to him and his jaw dropped - he couldn't believe that I was getting so much volume and dynamic swell for the entire night out of something <9 pounds.
I can now say with GREAT certaintly that this is the amp I've always wanted. I spent years carrying around ridicously heavy racks with more watts than I've ever been able to use and still coming away unhappy with my tone. It took this little box to set me straight. Kudos, Genz Benz.
Oh, and I landed the gig. Woo hoo!
I recently got a 2 ohm Neo Pak to replace my SVT-III Pro. I'm yet to gig with it through my full rig, but I can say running that amp side by side with the SVT into an old Peavey 115 that it kills the Ampeg. It has way more power/headroom. It even (IMO) has a better tube growl, which is just bizarre to me. I don't think it's as warm when set flat, but it seems like the warmth can be fairly well dialed in with a few ticks of low end boost.
The size/weight of this this is SICK when you hear it. I am salivating waiting to play it through my rig.
I'll write a better review once I gig it a full night through my full-rig.
The size/weight of this this is SICK when you hear it. I am salivating waiting to play it through my rig.
I'll write a better review once I gig it a full night through my full-rig.
Congrats brother!!
That's pretty awesome, the drummer commending you from 30 feet away!!!
I just ordered my Neo Pak as well! Can't wait to get it!
I used my Neo-pak outside Saturday at a city Easter event. I ran it a 2.67 ohms with a Neox 212 and 112. Had it cranked so that the output limit was flashing slightly, which is what I like as the soft limiter in the head is really something special and musical. I had the Lows boosted to about 3 o'clock, LF extension was on, and it was very deep and rich. Played a G&L L2500 and it was aggressive but with a vintage warmness. Just a great tone with this pairing!
Thanks, guys. I took my Neo-Pak and Madison 210 combo to a 250 seat room with high ceilings recently for a battle-of-the-bands audition and got the headshake and subsequent "that thing's fine for practice but it ain't gonna fly for a gig" speech from our guitar player with the Marshall half-stack, to which I responded "let's see".
The board op (only running vocals through the PA for this) came up afterwards and complimented our sound, but mentioned that the bass could be turned down a bit. I shot the guitarist a grin as I put the Neo-Pak back into my backpack. I love this thing.
The board op (only running vocals through the PA for this) came up afterwards and complimented our sound, but mentioned that the bass could be turned down a bit. I shot the guitarist a grin as I put the Neo-Pak back into my backpack. I love this thing.
Does anyone elses Neo Pak have a rattle? I thought it was room noise at first, but I get a rattle from the head when I hit certain notes. If I walk over and tap the top of the head a couple of times it goes away. I've already tightened all the screws on the top plate. It didn't help. Anyone else get this rattle?
Question for the GB guys
Can a NEO-Pak amp handle a 2.66 ohm load (an 8 and 4-ohm in parallel) as-is or does it need the upgrade?
I thought I heard it can handle sub-4-ohm loads if not driven to max volume. Even without the upgrade.
thanks
Can a NEO-Pak amp handle a 2.66 ohm load (an 8 and 4-ohm in parallel) as-is or does it need the upgrade?
I thought I heard it can handle sub-4-ohm loads if not driven to max volume. Even without the upgrade.
thanks
Manufacturer says it's a 4 ohm minimum load. Anyone who would tell you it would be okay other than them I wouldn't listen to.
Truth is, at a low enough volume, sure you can probably do it. What is that volume? How would you quantify it? If it blows up b/c you were running it at a load the manufacturer says it's not capable of doing, then you could void your warranty.
If you want to run it that low, just send it in for the upgrade.
I wonder if your tube has gone microphonic? Is the head sitting on your cabinet? Have you tried isolating it?
=wr=
Yes the head sits on top of the cab. I haven't tried isolating the head. Like I said, usually a light tap on top of the head stops the rattle temporarily.
I don't know anything about tubes, it seems like a physical vibration thing though. It happens more when I play particular notes.
I tightened all the screws that hold down the top access panel, it didn't help. It seems like it is inside.
Perhaps the fan is letting go? If a simple tap is fixing the issue then the tap may be putting it back on its bearings correctly while specific notes are causing it to vibrate off track?
I didn't know anything about tubes until I started looking around TalkBass.
Tubes can act like a microphone literally and convert vibrations into an electrical signal. I've got an SWR Bassic Black combo which has a tube in the preamp. At certain frequencies, the cabinet vibrates more than others and the tube picks it up and makes a rattling sound come from the speaker. I need to open it up and reinforce the cabinet when I have the time, sigh. It was worse with the original tube; on some notes it sounded like there was a tambourine sitting on top.
=wr=
I don't think that's my problem then. The sound does not come through the speaker.
