• 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.

GK 800RB does eq section stack up today?

D

DavidEdenAria

Dec 13, 2013
4,714
2,883
67
On a Hill
#1
I have read the GK eq sections were considered to be top tier.

How do they compare to today's offerings? Obviously the 800RB is legendary but with today's cabinet offering is it still viable? I run into a 4 ohm 8x10 main amp and an 8 ohm EV15L with the other 100 watt amp with its adjustable crossover...for me it's still a great setup though odd by today's standards...just curious if anyone runs this type of setup...thanks in advance!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop and JMacBass65
#2
I would!

During the 10 or so years I ran a 400RB the tone stack did anything I wanted, tho I’m a very mild eq user, running my next amp, an SVT -CL,“flat” for almost a decade.

I remember lending the head to a reggae band one night and that guy goosed the low mids all the way up. Sounded great for him.

I’d use one now but I’m pretty set with my v-4b and YBA, both 70’s heads with ‘60’s tech eq
 
  • Like
Reactions: DavidEdenAria
#3
I think it is probably considered usable to this day by many given that they have come out with a preamp for Jazz Basses to specifically replicate the 800RB:

fatbasstone.com

Lusithand 800JP Jazzplate 4 Band Preamp for Jazz Bass Deluxe®

Buy Lusithand 800JP 4 Band Bass Preamp 🎸 Lowest Price‼️ Free US Shipping from our In Stock inventory ✅ Fat Bass Tone offers Expert Technical Support
fatbasstone.com fatbasstone.com
 
  • Like
Reactions: pbass2, DWBass, DJ Bebop and 2 others
#4
basslust said:
I think it is probably considered usable to this day by many given that they have come out with a preamp for Jazz Basses to specifically replicate the 800RB:

fatbasstone.com

Lusithand 800JP Jazzplate 4 Band Preamp for Jazz Bass Deluxe®

Buy Lusithand 800JP 4 Band Bass Preamp 🎸 Lowest Price‼️ Free US Shipping from our In Stock inventory ✅ Fat Bass Tone offers Expert Technical Support
fatbasstone.com fatbasstone.com
Click to expand...
Interesting! I could see that for a J bass...I posted recently about J bass sitting in a mix, I guess that is one solution to what some find is an issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: basslust and DJ Bebop
#6
tb-player said:
I played an 800RB for about a decade and rarely even touched the eq. For me, the real strength of the 800RB was in the BiAmp/Crossover. I ran a 210 cab and a 410 cab without having to worry about any power mismatches. It was fantastic.

These days, I play a Legacy 800 head and sometimes wish that option was still available.
Click to expand...
You likely ran Fender type basses running flat eq, no? GK had the voicing down but I was so used to hearing more old school tone...Duff GnR tone was hard for me to hear but I saw many club bands that had great live tone with 800RB decades back....I can find much warmer tones in 800RB than what i heard in clubs but I imagine the player strings and cabinets are the reasons.
 
#10
I used to run an 800RB back in the mid to late 90's......used it through a few different cabs and it always sounded great. A few years ago with a previous band we had a 400RB through an older Eden cab available to use at the rehearsal space. I'm pretty sure I could use that rig to this day and be happy (other than the schlep). :smug:
 
  • Like
Reactions: DavidEdenAria and shirojiro
#15
brianrost said:
GK uses essentially that same EQ in pretty much eveything they’ve made since the 800RB. So I'd say it stacks up fine. Why would “today’s cabinets” need something different?
Click to expand...
And I've never considered GK's EQ to somehow be "old school". Just a well-thought out, very effective design that can sound as modern as you want it to (unless I guess modern to you is something super hi-fi or whatever, but most players don't shoot for that out of any brand of amp).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: slagbass and DavidEdenAria
#16
basslust said:
I think it is probably considered usable to this day by many given that they have come out with a preamp for Jazz Basses to specifically replicate the 800RB:

fatbasstone.com

Lusithand 800JP Jazzplate 4 Band Preamp for Jazz Bass Deluxe®

Buy Lusithand 800JP 4 Band Bass Preamp 🎸 Lowest Price‼️ Free US Shipping from our In Stock inventory ✅ Fat Bass Tone offers Expert Technical Support
fatbasstone.com fatbasstone.com
Click to expand...
Now THAT is something I don't think I've seen before, an onboard pre designed to sound like....an amp!
 
  • Like
Reactions: basslust and DavidEdenAria
#17
DavidEdenAria said:
I have read the GK eq sections were considered to be top tier.

How do they compare to today's offerings? Obviously the 800RB is legendary but with today's cabinet offering is it still viable? I run into a 4 ohm 8x10 main amp and an 8 ohm EV15L with the other 100 watt amp with its adjustable crossover...for me it's still a great setup though odd by today's standards...just curious if anyone runs this type of setup...thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Who cares about today's standards? If it works for you, assuming you're not stupidly loud on stage, go with what you like. Good tone is good tone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DavidEdenAria
#18
To the OP: I agree with the others
who state that the EQ specs have remained rather similar through the
years.
If you believe that their recent offering
of the Legacy Series is still relevant,
then you can compare the actual specs:
800 Rb: boost and cut at 60, 250,
1000, 4000 Hz.

Legacy Series: boost and cut at 60, 250, 1000, 7000 Hz.

They’re rather similar, except at the
high end.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4259.png
    IMG_4259.png
    1.2 MB · Views: 20
  • IMG_4258.png
    IMG_4258.png
    1.2 MB · Views: 18
  • Like
Reactions: DavidEdenAria
#19
brianrost said:
GK uses essentially that same EQ in pretty much eveything they’ve made since the 800RB. So I'd say it stacks up fine. Why would “today’s cabinets” need something different?
Click to expand...
Well I read about baked in tone with gear...my Eden Metro has a semi parametric EQ and lots of amps have built-in HP filters...I think my 800RB and the Metro have it all covered but I lean towards the semi parametric EQ on the Metro but 2 very different great sounding amps at least imo and that's thru the same cabinet for comparison!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back