Genzler Amplification Club

[PotsdamBass8]

Thank you for the thoughtful response. Wonder why this one company (pretty highly regarded I think) moved forward. Tech breakthrough? Marketing differentiation decision?

Oh, and Go Aggies!

My guess would be marketing differentiation. Lots of people but with their eyes, and many companies have “features” that are not actually that unique or beneficial.

 

[dwellers]

My guess would be marketing differentiation. Lots of people but with their eyes, and many companies have “features” that are not actually that unique or beneficial.

I'm reminded of a real ad I saw-- the product I don't remember-- that boasted: "This is not just technical mumbo-jumbo, but is rather a true marketing breakthrough!"

 

[noahw1]

I have to say that I absolutely love the Crash Box after a weekend of playing around with it. It sounds great and there are so many different levels of distortion. Using the Drive Sensitivity you can get mild to grind in all the different gears. THe drive knob also has many levels of great. Between 11 and 3 o'clock there really is so much good and taking it towards 5 really opens it up. Then playing with the Clean and Drive volumes opens more doors and they all lead to great places. Those two knobs are really integrated beautifully into the tone. It's hard to describe but on some pedals the clean knob doesn't sound like it's part of the overall tone but this pedal it's great. Yesterday I was playing with the Drive around 11 and the Clean around 1:30 and it sounded great. Then I reversed the two and that too was great but with more edge.
This pedal is the first distortion or overdrive pedal that I've really thought could be an always on for songs that require it. In fact I spent most of yesterday with it on. I will say I don't think it does hair raising wild distortion like a Rat pedal but everything sounds good and is usable. The tone of my bass and amp is always coming through just harrier.
I honestly couldn't be happier.

 

[Joeykun]

I like your take on the Crash Box 4. It certainly is a pedal that the more you tweak it, the better it gets. There are so many options that it’s hard to choose one and call it a day. I’m still finding tones that I love.

I see a dedicated GENZLER pedalboard in my future!

 

[Keithunem]

I haven’t read previous posts, but I saw “ Genzler Amplification” and thought I might chime in. I play upright and electric. Among my collection of too many amps is a Streamliner 900. I find myself using this head more often than not to power either one or two Bergantino Reference 112’s. I was looking for a “back-up” head recently and the GB is the only Class D that I really liked playing through. I’m sure there are many other good ones, but having cut my teeth on Ampeg,etc the Class D’s just didn’t have the warm punch I desired. My favorite non-tube was a GK 800 RB that I gave to one of my son’s a while back. Anyway, looking for a decent gigging amp I threw caution to the wind and without trying it out first, I ordered a Magellan 800. Wow! I’ve only had it a couple weeks, but I’m in LOVE with this amp! Unfortunately, I find a tone I like and stick with it (I know), but what a tone I have found. I’m doing a concert in a little over a week and an old friend who runs the sound system (for regional and National artists) is extremely proud to be able to provide an SVT/8-10’s. Though I love that beast, I’m going to turn him down and use my Magellan! It also sounds great with the Krivo magnetic on my URB, but when I play in a more intimate setting with my piezo (Yamahiko), I have a smaller amp I like(though the Magellan works well also). All in all, the Magellan is an extremely versatile amp that is warm, punchy, and articulate…it really doesn’t get any better than that for me. PS: I’ve been playing professionally since 1975 (fwiw)

 

[Holdsg]

Magellan 800 thru an Ampeg 810 fridge is a life-altering experience.
I’d take him up on that offer an just put the Mag on top of the 810 an away you go.

 

[noahw1]

I haven’t read previous posts, but I saw “ Genzler Amplification” and thought I might chime in. I play upright and electric. Among my collection of too many amps is a Streamliner 900. I find myself using this head more often than not to power either one or two Bergantino Reference 112’s. I was looking for a “back-up” head recently and the GB is the only Class D that I really liked playing through. I’m sure there are many other good ones, but having cut my teeth on Ampeg,etc the Class D’s just didn’t have the warm punch I desired. My favorite non-tube was a GK 800 RB that I gave to one of my son’s a while back. Anyway, looking for a decent gigging amp I threw caution to the wind and without trying it out first, I ordered a Magellan 800. Wow! I’ve only had it a couple weeks, but I’m in LOVE with this amp! Unfortunately, I find a tone I like and stick with it (I know), but what a tone I have found. I’m doing a concert in a little over a week and an old friend who runs the sound system (for regional and National artists) is extremely proud to be able to provide an SVT/8-10’s. Though I love that beast, I’m going to turn him down and use my Magellan! It also sounds great with the Krivo magnetic on my URB, but when I play in a more intimate setting with my piezo (Yamahiko), I have a smaller amp I like(though the Magellan works well also). All in all, the Magellan is an extremely versatile amp that is warm, punchy, and articulate…it really doesn’t get any better than that for me. PS: I’ve been playing professionally since 1975 (fwiw)

Happy you found the Magellan. I had a Streamliner that didn't pair very well with my cabs at the time and I was always fighting the mids and then went to a Genz Benz ShuttleMax 9.2. For me, the Magellan fits right in between those two cabs, giving the warmth of the Streamliner and the tight punch of ShuttleMax in an easy to use, extremely versatile package. There seems to be only different flavors of good within the Magellan. Contour A or B. Drive Channel on or off.
Enjoy!

 

[Texican]

Decided to have someone watch over my rig to make sure the wife doesn’t sell it…

 

[Keithunem]

Magellan 800 thru an Ampeg 810 fridge is a life-altering experience.
I’d take him up on that offer an just put the Mag on top of the 810 an away you go.

I’ve thought about that also, but these Berg’s that I have are the top of the line ceramics and they sound glorious….still, the Ampeg 8-10’s do also, especially when I don’t have to move them myself.

 

[DeltaPhoenix]

I have a 15-3 cab that I am using with an Ampeg PF-50t head in my at home music room. At most, I turn this 50watt head up about halfway.
Whenever I play a D# or E the cab vibrates crazily with resonance, like the frequency of those notes just won’t work with this cab.
I know this cab is very well designed and built so I am a bit perplexed. Any ideas on troubleshooting?
If it helps, the only additional details that I can think of is it is sitting on top of an old Mesa cab that I am not using.
Thanks!

 

[Jfp]

I have a 15-3 cab that I am using with an Ampeg PF-50t head in my at home music room. At most, I turn this 50watt head up about halfway.
Whenever I play a D# or E the cab vibrates crazily with resonance, like the frequency of those notes just won’t work with this cab.
I know this cab is very well designed and built so I am a bit perplexed. Any ideas on troubleshooting?
If it helps, the only additional details that I can think of is it is sitting on top of an old Mesa cab that I am not using.
Thanks!

I have the same issue with my 15-3.

 

[PotsdamBass8]

I have a 15-3 cab that I am using with an Ampeg PF-50t head in my at home music room. At most, I turn this 50watt head up about halfway.
Whenever I play a D# or E the cab vibrates crazily with resonance, like the frequency of those notes just won’t work with this cab.
I know this cab is very well designed and built so I am a bit perplexed. Any ideas on troubleshooting?
If it helps, the only additional details that I can think of is it is sitting on top of an old Mesa cab that I am not using.
Thanks!

Have you tried it in a different room or outside? If you wanted to, you could probably filter out that resonance somehow. My Bergantino B Amp has a filter for notes that are very resonant. I’m sure this can be replicated somehow.

 

[DavidJamesNHBass]

I have the same issue with my 15-3.

I thought I did too. I was using an EA iAMP head. Same thing with a Markbass CMD102P with the 15-3 under it. Jeff reached out. It was not the cab. I had a Magellan 800 sent (purchased it) and voila, the entire rig was the best I’ve ever had. And I was one of the original GK800RB with the 1st gen then 2nd gen Guild Hartke cabs.
I am guessing here but those heads simply are not designed to clearly push those frequencies effectively.
Again, guessing, but since I went 100% Genzler my rig is incredible, clear and punchy.

Oh, and side note: If you have active pickups be sure your battery/batteries are out-of-the-box new. My rig started spitting crackles and gurbles. I though I had fried the 15-3! Nope. Both onboard battery sets showed ‘green’ on the battery meter but not pegged. New batteries-no more gurbles.

 

[Joeykun]

The 15-3 has a nice round low end to it. If your EQ is boosting bass it might be too much causing it to resonate on those notes. At times when I use this cab live, I would have to adjust the bass on the amp to eliminate unwanted bass frequencies from some stages.

However, I always use the 15-3 at our rehearsal studio and I never had an issue with it resonating on low notes.

 

[DeltaPhoenix]

What’s weird is that I don’t only mean low notes. It’s literally those 2 notes on any string, up high on the neck too. I just plugged back into the Mesa and it’s not happening. Is certainly not an issue with 1 bass because it’s all 3 of mine and 1 of the basses is passive.

 

[DavidJamesNHBass]

What’s weird is that I don’t only mean low notes. It’s literally those 2 notes on any string, up high on the neck too. I just plugged back into the Mesa and it’s not happening. Is certainly not an issue with 1 bass because it’s all 3 of mine and 1 of the basses is passive.

This might sound weird (no pun intended)...the room you are in might be the issue. Whatever is behind the drywall might not like those frequencies and is bouncing them back into the cab - a vicious circle...?
Not a scientist but am aware of what ULF can do (when weaponized).
Try pointing the cab at an angle to the wall and leave a door open. Let the wave shape and travel. Or drag the rig outside and play the same notes.

Jeff IS a scientist, has given me nothing but excellent advice and guidance, I would trust his feedback...and he's on here regularly so a bit of experimenting and/or patience will pay off. Hoping this helps. And keep thumping! The guy next door hates it, but his girlfriend keeps leaning against the wall.

 

[tombowlus]

I have a 15-3 cab that I am using with an Ampeg PF-50t head in my at home music room. At most, I turn this 50watt head up about halfway.
Whenever I play a D# or E the cab vibrates crazily with resonance, like the frequency of those notes just won’t work with this cab.
I know this cab is very well designed and built so I am a bit perplexed. Any ideas on troubleshooting?
If it helps, the only additional details that I can think of is it is sitting on top of an old Mesa cab that I am not using.
Thanks!

I have never experienced that phenomenon, but FWIW, I have mostly only used my BA15-3's with my MG-800. Have you checked to be sure that all of the screws holding the drivers in place are tight?

 

[DeltaPhoenix]

I have my bass gear in a 10 x 20 building that is somewhat more soundproof than most. I used roxul insulation and mass loaded vinyl behind the walls. I also have a guitar rig, tons of modular synthesizer gear, sampler and a little home recording rig. I play those notes , in this space, on other instruments without this happening.
I get that sound waves bouncing around can create issues. I will move the cab around, maybe the height that I have it at is a part of the equation.

 

[DeltaPhoenix]

Have you checked to be sure that all of the screws holding the drivers in place are tight?

I will check the screws too. Thanks!

 

[DavidJamesNHBass]

I have my bass gear in a 10 x 20 building that is somewhat more soundproof than most. I used roxul insulation and mass loaded vinyl behind the walls. I also have a guitar rig, tons of modular synthesizer gear, sampler and a little home recording rig. I play those notes , in this space, on other instruments without this happening.
I get that sound waves bouncing around can create issues. I will move the cab around, maybe the height that I have it at is a part of the equation.

I gave it a shot...sounds like you know your acoustics.