How much?I was going through my “Closet-O-Stuff” and found my Magellan 800 Carry Bag. If anyone is looking for one hit me up. Wanted to offer to Club Members first before I list it!
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Genzler Amplification Club
- Thread starter Discount Saint
- Start date
Hello,
Figured I would post here. I’ve got another thread going in the amp forum, titled “thinking of starting over.” Long long story short, I have a GK 212 cab and a GK MB 500. Also, have an SWR 115 hooked up to it and I have a new fender jazz bass, that’s my set up.
Long story short, I was wondering about this amp in particular. I came across it kind of by accident while searching. I have absolutely no knowledge about this manufacturer (Genzler), but it seems it has pretty good reviews. My problem is, I just cannot get a tone I absolutely love I’ve tried all types of settings on the amp and my bass. Thinking of selling both cabs and going back to a 410 cabinet. That’s what I was used to playing and probably should not have switched. At any rate, any help would be appreciated.
I’m looking at is this; MG-800 Magellan 800W Bass Amp Head.
Also looking at these amps just to give you an idea.
Fender Bassman 800 Hybrid
GK Legacy 800
Mesa Subway D-800+
Figured I would post here. I’ve got another thread going in the amp forum, titled “thinking of starting over.” Long long story short, I have a GK 212 cab and a GK MB 500. Also, have an SWR 115 hooked up to it and I have a new fender jazz bass, that’s my set up.
Long story short, I was wondering about this amp in particular. I came across it kind of by accident while searching. I have absolutely no knowledge about this manufacturer (Genzler), but it seems it has pretty good reviews. My problem is, I just cannot get a tone I absolutely love I’ve tried all types of settings on the amp and my bass. Thinking of selling both cabs and going back to a 410 cabinet. That’s what I was used to playing and probably should not have switched. At any rate, any help would be appreciated.
I’m looking at is this; MG-800 Magellan 800W Bass Amp Head.
Also looking at these amps just to give you an idea.
Fender Bassman 800 Hybrid
GK Legacy 800
Mesa Subway D-800+
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I just don’t know. Not sure if it’s GK as a whole or just this model I have ( MB500). Someone on here told me yesterday my problem is my bass (new fender jazz) ….
Maybe?I just can’t seem to get a thick sound (without being too much and distorting the sound) but also a clear, sharp, defined tone. Really hard to describe with words. I guess a heavy, deep powerful sound but with sharp definition. Does that make any sense?
I mean, could be individually the bass, the amp, the 212 GK Neo cab or a combination. Could be I’m an overly particular S.O.B.
If you can describe it, what tone is it you like? I had use GK for years and years, MB500 was the favorite, either in the MB210 combo or as a standalone head with a couple outboard 210 cabs. Also had a Legacy 800 for a short time before I discovered the MG-800. I prefer a bright/bouncy/modern with a solid bottom end tone if that makes sense. I play some manner of a Lakland DJ5 exclusively, both loaded with the same Audere 3 band Jazz preamps, using Dunlop Superbright nickel strings. That combo with the MB500 and tens was perfect for me, very versatile. And a little less so with the Legacy head. Now, I am not sure if there is a difference in voicing between the 500w vs the 800w Legacy heads as I found (real or perceived on a couple different attempts) in the MB500 vs MB800 heads where I preferred the 500w version. But over time I found them to be a bit more problematic and failing more than I liked. The other important part of the equation was the tens. I tried many different 12" loaded boxes and never found happiness with any, despite my wanting to love them, always coming back to 10's . I found them low middy and woofy in every case. And you're using both 12's and 15's so that will certainly color things.
So fast forward to a few months ago, when I decided I wanted a 410 box again for slightly larger jobs. Bought a GK 410MBE-ll that was not in great shape on receipt. Irritated by getting dinged on that by I set off to find something of qquality. My searching, as yours, led me to the V1 410-3 array. While i was at it, after spending a bit of time in this group, I decided to try the Magellan 800 amp. And man, did that blow me away. Not since my old SWR SM400/Goliath ll pairing have I been as immediately impressed with an amp/cab pairing. More bottom than I need, great clarity, just great. Then, after throwing some dumb money at the ailing GK MBE cab, I took that out with the Magellen head and that also performed beautifully. Not as deep or as impressive but a worthy light 410 box for small places. Point of that is that the amp is the star for me. Very musical, usable EQ, plenty of power, great feature set and just a perfect strting point, without any 'baked in' characteristics of other brands. And they are a great deal, especially used, with the best support system I have found yet. I ultimately sold all my GK heads (kept the combo just because) bought two MG-800 heads. Just sold one that was my backup and I will probably replace that with a MG-350 next time I see one pop up for greater versatility.
Bottom line, if you can, I encourage you to look hard at the MG-800. I don't think it will disappoint you. I know the company won't. And consider a 410 cab (or a pair of 210 boxes) if you suspect the speakers are part of the tone problem. Just my experiences and .02.
... i can tell you this combo is awesome .
Genzler Magellan 800
G-K NEO 212 cab 4 ohm
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Ha….thats my cab! I don’t know man, everyone has their own tastes. That cab just doesn’t do it for me. Not enough “oomph”. Yes, sounds ok but I like to feel it more when I’m playing. Just doesn’t give me that thump I’m looking for. When I hook up my set 15 with it, it’s more along the lines of what I’m looking for.
Now your amp…….Oh heck yeah! Especially what @nervous just described in great detail the sound he’s getting. Man, I think what he described is what I’m looking for. Again, maybe another guy that commented in a thread I started in the amp forum was on to something. Said my bass was the problem. I’m sure @nervous using a Lakland bass with built in preamp is a wow factor too.
Wow! Thank you so much for posting that response. VERY informative! I almost want to say the tone you described liking is the one I’m after. Crap, didn’t really want to sell my 3 month old Fender jazz, but now I’m seriously wondering if that really is part of the issue in this equation?
Maybe just need to bite the bullet, spend the money and get the Genzler 410 and Magellan 800 amp.
Not buying the bass as the problem. I know there are subtle tonal variations, and I may take some flak for saying it, but jazz is a jazz is a jazz. I have has them with stock pickups Lakland (and actually my passive favorites, Hanson, Aero or Chi-Sonic) Fender (whatever was stock in whatever I owned, and a Reggie Hamilton active preamp) Modulus VJ, Fralin, Nordstrand, EMG, on and on. Yes, there were some variations but the larger impact to the tone I sought was strings, cabs, preamps then heads. Maybe easy enough to borrow another Jazz style bass to plug in and compare? Most stock jazz basses are really plug and play. In one band where I do not play bass our bassist, one of the finest I know, plays a stock Squire and he makes that sound incredible, and that was for a long time through one of my MB500, a GK210 neo cab and an Avatar 210 Neo cab setup. Now uses the same two cabs with an Ampeg PF-500 head and blindfolded I couldn't tell you the difference. He has a sound he likes and can pretty readily dial that in. I point again, to the 212 can vs a 10" loaded setup. A good 410 box, like the array 410 I mentioned previously, will go a low as you like, but maintain articulation and handle a lot of power. My reworked GK 410MBE-ll, a little less so.
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You're very welcome, but I'll always caveat that is simply MY experience and Lord knows everyone has both that and an opinion. My basic gear rule is that if you can, buy good equipment at a fair price, you'll lose little in the trying and good gear sells far more easily than junk. Sure there is an expense, but the losses are limited and there is a value for the experience, especially if you live in an area where good gear is not always so readily available.
I wasn’t really buying “the bass guitar is the problem” either. Could be a consideration, but like you said, the variances are probably so small it’s almost negligible.
Good thing I was thinking about, Guitar Center is a Genzler dealer. Anything you buy from them has a 45 no questions return associated with it. Worst case, buy and play and don’t like, return and get something that right?
The weird thing is and what’s making me just a tad apprehensive…..I’ve never in my life seen anyone play a Genzler cab or amp at any concert or bar band, or festival of any type. It’s always the “big names”. Just wondering the reason? Guess just spending a little of $3000 for the cab, amp and tax is making me ask what might seem to be paranoid questions.
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
I've been playing my Genzler rig for more than a year at concerts, festivals, and bar gigs and it's great!
You can hardly see it in this picture, but it's there. When I turned it on and sound checked it, the whole house crew had to see what was producing the sound. Very reliable and consistently excellent tone.
Wow, that’s a great picture. What type of music does the band play? What were you playing through amp and cab wise before Genzler? What type of different tones are you personally able to get now? Sorry for all the questions. Just “picking the brains” of people who have real world experience with this brand.
MG-350 has arrived. Its fan's idle presence seems entirely unobtrusive. Speaking as somebody often sensitive to such sounds
Plan to A/B with the D-350 tonight using a Genzler BA12-3 SLT, if we don't lose power.
Plan to A/B with the D-350 tonight using a Genzler BA12-3 SLT, if we don't lose power.
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
This band is a Grateful Dead tribute band at the Levitt Pavilion. My main rig is two MG350s (so I can have a stereo rig with stereo FX), two BA-12s powered by one and one BA2-15 powered by the other so I can dial in the amount of low end on the stage. For smaller shows, I use just one BA-12. Before this, I used an Alembic F-2B and IN-2 with various speakers, usually with a Crest Prolite 3.0. My Starfire bass has Alembic Series II pickups and electronics so it can get preamped in stereo.
I also play in other bands, playing everything from 30s and 40s swing to hip hop and the rig does very well for those as well. It's a very versatile rig.
That rig configuration leads me to ask whether you run a crossover between the two heads, or just EQ bass down and up on each? Curious whether the MG-350 EQ is one that could effectively simulate a crossover experience?
Aiming for stereo separation as well. Comparing each with a pair of MG-350, D-350 in mind.
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
Each is full range so that my H90 stereo effects can be heard properly. We use IEMs, so I hear the stereo that way. But, even without IEMs, the effect is nice.
What does your low-end fine tuning procedure look like with the dual heads having different cabinets?
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
Given that the amps function as on stage monitoring and that the BA-12s and BA2-15 have such a similar sonic signature, I just use the output volume controls to balance the cabinets. If I want more oomph on stage, I turn up the 15. If it's too boomy, I turn it down. I don't want to mess with the EQ separately because it would affect the stereo imaging and it would sound strange in my IEMs.
A Genzler NAD experience
I went back and forth between my Mesa D-350 and newly acquired Genzler MG-350 last night. I made efforts to keep similar volumes and EQ character, though this is not a quantified comparison, and my descriptions get fanciful. Also, my ears are calibrated to my D-350.
As Mike Vee said upthread, they are different, but largely similar heads.
The MG presents like a high quality DI. Jeff Genzler described upthread that the MG is like a powered DI.
The MG seems inherently louder. Even more-so when engaging the amber channel. It hits like a heavy, transformer based amp, just like the MG-800.
The MG had slightly less EMI, but I'm going to revisit my cabling.
MG seemed more articulate, distinguishing each individual note in an envelope, while the D had more whole-instrument coherence.
The MG sound projected outwards, like from the surface of the speakers if you will, while the D seemed to more organically inhabit the cabinet, making it more engaging up close, so may mic better?
Easier to make the D imitate the MG than the other way around.
Operating a sweepable mid and a contour together takes a little dexterity, and two hands, but the D is simpler to dial-in one-handed.
The MG, when at 2.67 Ohms, through the single BA cab, feels more like the D than when it's switched to 4/8 Ohms. The MG had a bigger feel when using a single cab.
The MG performed like it would more capably handle a low B, or lower, with greater clarity. Maybe a different HPF on the inputs.
An odd observation. The D sounds more like the MG when plate reverb is applied to it, and the MG sounds more like the D when ambient reverb is applied to it.
Likening each to tube preamp tone, MG 12ax7, D 12au7.
And a quirky Winter Olympics analogy: MG is speedskating, D is downhill skiing.
