GK 2000RB

[daveonbass]

OK, well - besides getting a Mesa 400+ head recently I also bought a GK200RB from element1 here at TB, used to be owned by Paul Tidwell. I know because his NAME is still on it! I call it the "Paul Tidwell signature model"... But I digress...

Haven't used this head at a show yet, it was slightly damaged in shipping and I had my amp guy repair it, it overheated when I first got it, but apparently NEITHER of the fans was working at that time. Haven't had any problems since I got it back - UPS really musta tossed the thing around, though...



For a solid state head it's the best I've ever played - really a different sound than the Mesa 400+ and Ampeg SVT tube heads I also own, but a nice 3rd option. I like it for slapping and popping a lot. Really has good bass response for a SS head, too. Kinda seems like a good "punk played with a pick" head as well.

Between the three heads I really think I can cover just about any situation or mood I'm in for any given setting. I swapped out an Ampeg SVTIII-PRO to get this head, so far I prefer the GK, but I'm not a huge fan of the Ampeg PRO series heads.

Kinda makes me wonder what the new GK2001RB heads are like and what they did to improve over the 2000...

 

[Daniel Elliott]

the preamp section of the 2000 and 2001 are drastically different and they're voiced differently. I'd say the 2000 is warmer at it's neutral settings and the 2001 is more aggressive. The 2000 can do traditional biamping and has two boost controls, one footswitchable. The 2001 uses GK's Horn Bi-Amp system and has a footswitchable distortion channel. To my ears the 2000 is warmer and the 2001 is more agressive. There's a great sidebar article with Tool's bass tech talking about the 2001 in the July 2006 issue of Bass Guitar Magazine and a review of the 2001RB and Neo 412 cab in the June issue.

 

[wyleeboxer]

Ive always wondered why the 2000/2001rb's do not get that much love around here (other then the problematic early single fan models) it just doesn't seem like their's a whole lot of user's out there.
I switched back to my old trusty 2000rb the other night at practice (funk band) and it blew me away again at how much headroom and punch these amps deliver. I was trying to keep my transportation light with my red face swr350 but there is absolutely no comparison to the articulation and super fast attack of the GK and it seems to put out more bottom end then other 1000watt heads or power amps. Actually there isn't to many heads that can compare at all with these monsters (except for all tube's, which I do miss at times) so why no love?

 

[daveonbass]

Ive always wondered why the 2000/2001rb's do not get that much love around here (other then the problematic early single fan models) it just doesn't seem like their's a whole lot of user's out there.
I switched back to my old trusty 2000rb the other night at practice (funk band) and it blew me away again at how much headroom and punch these amps deliver. I was trying to keep my transportation light with my red face swr350 but there is absolutely no comparison to the articulation and super fast attack of the GK and it seems to put out more bottom end then other 1000watt heads or power amps. Actually there isn't to many heads that can compare at all with these monsters (except for all tube's, which I do miss at times) so why no love?

I will say that my Ampeg SVT Classic and Mesa 400+ heads have way more power than this head does.

But this is a great "change of pace" head for me. And I gotta believe that it's got enough power for most bassists...

 

[62bass]

I owned the GK2000 myself and used it live a lot for several years and only sold it when I downsized my rig. I loved that amp. It had tons of power, headroom to spare and was very reliable. It sounded a lot like the 400 RB I had before it, which I also loved.

I can see why you like it.