• 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.

Genz Benz Preamp settings

#2
Smidge,

I'm running two 1x12 neo cabs w/ a Neopak 3.5.
The Deltalites have a 6 dB response peak at 2-2.5 Hz... so I use the parametric mid set at 2k and cut the mids by 6-10 dB at that mid-octave point. I like a flat set up at the amp and shape the tone w/ the Tonestyler pot's on my bass.
 
#3
Hey Smidge-
I have the GBE1200 and a Epifani UL410 Series 2 cab. I have recently found a EQ Setup that is working VERY well for what I want to hear. I have everything except the low mids and the highs boosted to about 1 o'clock. The highs are set to 12 o'clock, and I have the low mids set to about 10 o'clock. This is due to the inherent low-mid push of the Epi SII cab that I am using. I play a passive Lakland DJ4 bass through this setup with both pickup volume controls on full, and the tone control almost on full (the bass does need new strings, so this tone control may vary according to the 'zing' factor of the strings that I am using.
The one thing that I love about the Genz head is that it is sooooo useful in the EQ section, a little bit goes a long way. I could probably attain the sound of a bass with new strings (or almost) by using the High Frequency boost in the Global EQ shaping section.
I seriously love this amp. It is so clean and responsive to EQing.
I am guessing that you are not 100% happy with the sound that you are getting? In my experience within the last year and a half of trying to attain the sound that I am looking for (i.e. purchasing a lot of different equipment) is that EQing the amp to your specific cab is key. I have always heard that boosting the low-mids helps you cut through, and boosting the High mids adds some growl to your tone, so that is what I did with this (and every other) amp/cab setup, but I really was very unhappy with the sound that I was getting out of this Genz-Epi rig until I cut the Low-mid EQ, and played around with boosting other frequencies. I realized that I had to just forget all of the basic sound suggestions that I heard and followed, and started from scratch with the EQ set flat. Just take some time and play around with it. I also purchased a Gramma pad to isolate the sound, and that may have also helped in getting a great tone out of my rig.
At this point, I am pretty much GAS-free, but I definitely will try this rig on a few more gigs, since I have only had it out on one gig and that was in a room that I have never played before.
Good Luck!
 
#7
Son of Bovril said:
Cool, thanx for the quick response! At least I know not to get my hopes up :bawl:

It would be a wonderful thing IMO, but I have noticed a trend in manufacturers to recently stop producing separate preamp strips...:confused:
Click to expand...


well for us, there are a couple of reasons. One, the market just isn't that big and I think, with all the lightweight stuff that's going on, the separates market is shrinking.

The other reason is that our design team only consists of four people- Jeff Genzler, Andy Field, Scott Andres and myself. We have a lot of new bass product coming out in January and there just isn't enough time in the day to develop all the things we'd like to.
 
#10
I have my GBE 1200 setting pretty much flat expect for low mid and mid, which I have at about 9 o'clock (give or take a click) on both channels, and I bump up the highs just a touch on the tube channel (maybe a click or two above flat).Thats pretty much it...When I first got this head I played with the Signal Shaping Circuitry (SSC) a bunch, using mainly the LF extend to add that extra thick fatness and "big bottom" tone for certain things, but over time I find that I don't use the SSC much anymore, because I really don't find I need to.

Personally, I think this is the most flexible, and at the same time easy to use EQ section of any amp I've ever owned! You can tweak knobs until the cows come home on this baby, and just keep finding cool interesting sonic ideas and styles with this powerful EQ section. And throw in some killer growl if thats your thing, by upping the gain controls.
 
#12
fenderjazz68 said:
So, ummm...

Gonna tell us first? :hyper:

edit - you know something that would be really cool! A speaker cab that you could drop the 3.5 head into, like mesa's scout...
Click to expand...

I'll leak something here first but it can't be this soon but the official launch. ...which is January NAMM. So, I can disclose info and pics in about early November.
 
#15
As great a product as the Neo-Pak is, and with all the wonderful reviews the GBEs are getting, one wonders what Roger, Jeff and company can do to top themselves.

Roger, since everybody's diligently prying for hints here, can you tell us something in general.. are the new products heads, cabs, or both?
 
#18
MichaelVee said:
As great a product as the Neo-Pak is, and with all the wonderful reviews the GBEs are getting, one wonders what Roger, Jeff and company can do to top themselves.

Roger, since everybody's diligently prying for hints here, can you tell us something in general.. are the new products heads, cabs, or both?
Click to expand...

Both heads and cabs. One, new line of bass heads and two new lines of cabs.
 
#19
I have a GBE750 into a NeoX212, and I generally run both channels blended. I don't recall my exact settings (been out of the country for a few weeks, so I haven't even seen my amp in a while :bawl: ) but basically I have the lows and low mids going through the solid state channel (ie, drastically cut on the tube channel - like 9 o'clock or lower) and the mids, high mids, and highs going thru the tube channel, with the gain set relatively high. I also have a moderate amount of the LF boost going, maybe 10 o'clock. This gives me a tight, full low end with the tubey grind higher up for a great modern rock sound with my roscoe. My buddy has played his Geddy Jazz through it with basically the same settings, and he gets very close to geddy's grindy sound.

The 2nd and 3rd soundclips on my band's myspace (linked in my sig) kinda show off the tone, but they're clips from softer songs, so I don't really dig in on either of 'em; the 1st video shows the aggressive tone a bit better, but it's recorded via the on-camera mic, so the quality isn't the greatest. (And please forgive the flubs in the video :ninja: ) but it should give you a vague idea...
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back