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GK Backline 600 Head Review and Mega-Thread

#41
Well, I've owned mine since just before I started this thread, i.e., late 2005. I used it for all of my gigs while I was experimenting with my speaker design. And I was perfectly happy with it.

But a micro head showed up in the TB classifieds, and the price seemed reasonable, so I splurged on it. So the BL600 is now my spare amp, but not due to any sort of problem with it. I'm hanging onto it, along with some remnants from past speaker projects, to throw together a little PA in case I ever do the bandleader thing. (In jazz combos, the unwritten rule seems to be that the bandleader supplies a smal PA sufficient for horns and vocals).

I'd still recommend the BL600 as "pro gear at an entry level price," if you don't mind the size and weight.
 
#42
fdeck - are you saying you're planning on using just the power section for powering mains? that's exactly how i've been using the bl600 since january, and why i'm ready to part with it, it just doesn't makes sense and feels 'wrong' hehe. however, it's very functional as a reliable and quite mono power amp :)
 
#43
Yesterday, on the eve of a gig, I took drastic measures to transform my sound. I traded in my Hartke cabinet and SWR head for a Backline 600 and a GK 410 cab. You see, back at the end of 08', when things were really bad, I had to sell my Ampeg SVT4 pro head and 610 cabinet. I was quite dismayed, but in order to feed my family and be responsible I ebayed it. About 4 months later I bought the Hartke and SWR on ebay. I never was happy with my new sound, but was grateful that my Spector had a new voice. Fast forward a year + and we are back in Iowa, back in a band and am playing out. I quickly came to realize that my sound sucked really bad and I couldn't hear myself, only my pants legs were moving and no sonic clarity at all. My bass, though speaking, was but a mere mumbling mud bath.

Last nights gig was amazing. I could not get over the fact that this 180 watt titan was doing what my 350 watt behemouth couldn't ever dream of doing. I could hear every note, and not an easy feat over the screaming set of VOX amps the other guitarists were yelling through. GK, you really outdid yourself on such a small package. It isn't the 800rb, I had one of those too, but I knew that it was of the same blood. Thanks!:bassist:
 
#44
ihateusernames said:
fdeck - are you saying you're planning on using just the power section for powering mains? that's exactly how i've been using the bl600 since january, and why i'm ready to part with it, it just doesn't makes sense and feels 'wrong' hehe. however, it's very functional as a reliable and quite mono power amp :)
Click to expand...

Oops, sorry for not noticing your reply. I'd use the power amp for mains. In fact I'd use the whole thing if I only needed one channel, e.g., for vocals in a jazz combo. Power is power.
 
#45
whenley68 said:
Last nights gig was amazing. I could not get over the fact that this 180 watt titan was doing what my 350 watt behemouth couldn't ever dream of doing. I could hear every note, and not an easy feat over the screaming set of VOX amps the other guitarists were yelling through. GK, you really outdid yourself on such a small package. It isn't the 800rb, I had one of those too, but I knew that it was of the same blood. Thanks!:bassist:
Click to expand...

I've been gigging my BL600 for a long time now and it has never let me down. I also really like the clarity and definition, and punch, while also being quite warm sounding for a SS amp. Plus, it's LOUD at 4ohms. Great bass head, IMO. Mine does double duty on bass guitar and upright bass gigs.
 
#47
I know that this thread hasn't been touched in 4 years but I'm reviving it because I have a question. I know a guy selling his BL600. He doesn't play bass and it's just sitting around gathering dust (proverbially, anyway). Now he wants to get rid of it and is asking $125 for it. I have no idea how old it is or what condition it's in although I do trust him not to screw anyone over. Is this a good price? I'm currently running a BL112 combo and an RB400 combo and I'm loving both so I imagine this might be an interesting addition to my growing gear pile. Any thoughts?

Thanks.
 
#48
Mike Wilson said:
I know that this thread hasn't been touched in 4 years but I'm reviving it because I have a question. I know a guy selling his BL600. He doesn't play bass and it's just sitting around gathering dust (proverbially, anyway). Now he wants to get rid of it and is asking $125 for it. I have no idea how old it is or what condition it's in although I do trust him not to screw anyone over. Is this a good price? I'm currently running a BL112 combo and an RB400 combo and I'm loving both so I imagine this might be an interesting addition to my growing gear pile. Any thoughts?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I just picked up a BL 600 for slightly more than that, so yes, that is a great buy. I'd power it up first and confirm that it works, but that sounds like a good deal. A 300w GK that includes a fuzz/distortion channel for $125? Winner winner...

Raz
 
#49
I bought mine used for 100€, crazy deal on those amps!

first I used it as a power amp to my ampeg SVT II Preamp but decided to sell the SVT Pre to raise some funds (really unlucky on cars, they tend to break down a lot... ) and tried the GK preamp section too. At first it was really "bleh", not the fat round mids I used to love about my svt Setup....

but then I tried the contour knob (having thought it was a mid Scoop only, I had never tried that one) and suddenly, it started to shine! contour at 12 o clock, preamp gain, treble and bass also at 12, hi mid at 2 pm, lo mit 3 pm, boost 1 pm and this Thing roars! loud enough to compete with a really loud guitar Player and a loud Drummer. I use a nobels ODR-1 in front of it for some tube-ish dirt.
 
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#50
Wow. This is a real blast from the past... and strangely well timed too!

Man how time flies. So I last posted on this thread just over NINE years ago. Coincidentally, I was able to buy a like-new GK Backline 600 here on TB just days afterwards. I stopped posting on TB about a year after that. Haven't had much time on the bass since but recently looking to get playing again which means digging out whatever gear I have left and putting a rig back together. The only amp I have left is, yup, that GK!

So I think I owe a retro review of my last impressions since I last used it. Had to re-orient myself on my gear history by going through my old TB posts. That was a trip! In short, my last major gear change was I bought a new 1001RBII and exchanged it for a 700RBII because it was easier to get the sound I wanted at more manageable sound levels. It was that exact same time I tried the BL600 out at a store and ended up buying a used one days afterward on here intended to be my back-up rig. A year later, when the band I was with stopped gigging, I sold the 700RBII and kept the BL600. With that out of the way...

My last impressions were that I was very happy with the BL600. It was paired up with my Mesa Boogie Powerhouse 1000 (I miss ya, big buddy!) and it had no problems pushing that cab @ 4 ohms. It is a little more straightforward when it comes to shaping tone than the 700RBII but by no means was it simplistic. Just a different way of getting there and a bit less refined. I would say a little more towards the direction I was going at that point of my bass playing. Adding my BDDI at that time kind of filled in what I was missing and I was happy with a very budget rig. Certainly worthy of my last uses for it which were practice, jamming, and some recording.

Fast forward to now and re-reading this thread was timely. I'm gonna try to fire up the amp again and hope it is still functioning perfectly. If so, I'm going to find a cab for it as I sold all my cabs since then. On that note, any recommendations on a tight budget? I'm basically looking for the BL600 equivalent in cabs lol. I feel like I've been out of the game for so long. I need to do some major reading here on TB to catch up with what is going on these days. Gonna keep following this thread for anyone still using this amp. Thanks!
 
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#51
Oddly enough I fired up mine too. By how I measure amps, it's still the most powerful one that I own, so I took it to an outdoor gig with the jazz band, where I really needed as much juice as I had. Still running strong. It's a great design, albeit the lightweights are much more compelling today.
 
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#52
fdeck said:
Oddly enough I fired up mine too. By how I measure amps, it's still the most powerful one that I own, so I took it to an outdoor gig with the jazz band, where I really needed as much juice as I had. Still running strong. It's a great design, albeit the lightweights are much more compelling today.
Click to expand...

Great to hear! I too was/am considering the MB200/500. Seems awesome to stroll in with a 3-4lb amp. Speaking of, got my GK GAS interest up again and was checking out their old and new amps. Then I ran across a thread comparing the BL600 vs 400RBIV and was surprised to learn where the 400RBIV came from. Makes me admire the BL600 that much more:

GK Backline 600 vs GK 400rb IV

About a cab, following my usual behavior, I instantly targeted a 4x10. But then I considered the lessons learned since then. Plus, I'm not expecting to do any serious gigging any time soon. So perhaps a 80-100lb+ rig that can support an outdoor gig with no PA isn't the most beneficial for me, especially at this age. I'm thinking an 8ohm 1x12 this time around. Until such time, if ever, I need to add another 1x12, 2x10, or dare I say a 2x12.
 
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#53
Lots of BL 600 threads out there but it seemed most appropriate to post in this one since it's labeled a MEGA thread (but only three pages - where's the love??) and I can't be accused of reviving a zombie thread that's ancient, so here goes...

I'm going to check out another 600 next week - user claims the lights are on but "no one's home". I'm going to bring my bass, some cords, speaker cord, and a jumper to use in the FX jacks. Also headphones to hear if anything is coming out of the line out. Hopefully I can score it for cheap (and fix it for cheap) - worst case having to source another for parts or just sell it on the 'Bay.

Any other thoughts on what to check or do I have it covered?
 
#55
Razman said:
So I checked the amp - I get signal out of the fx send and tuner ports, and I can hear all the knobs work (eq, distortion, etc) but a couple are scratchy. No power output, but I haven’t cracked the case open yet. To be continued...
Click to expand...
Turns out that after cleaning it up the power section is fine; the preamp section has issues. The output is low, and the mute button does nothing when engaged. The only way to get full volume is to plug directly into the FX return jack. Using a jumper cord has no effect on it at all.

Anyone know where I might find a donor to get a new preamp board?
 
#56
So thanks to this thread and a few others, I have a used BL600 in great condition being delivered this week. I used to play a gk 1001rbii many years ago and I've been a fan since. I'm just making my way back to gk now, so I was a bit tentative to go with the backline (as you guys know there are a decent amount of people saying stay away).

Since I wasn't able to play it in person yet I tried to find some sound clips and this was the best I found:



Obviously I have no idea what bass or anything else the used for the recording, but it had me convinced. Fingers crossed it arrives without issue and becomes my main amp. I'll post an update once I've had some time with it.

Just as an afterthought, I know that the reason the backlines got a bad rep was from the soldiering issue on certain units that went out. Has anyone found a serial number or date list to check against?

Thanks!
 
#57
My mini review vs an Ampeg PF-350:

I was able to play it at home to A/B vs. the PF-350 and I'll say that it feels good to be home with GK again. I used F-Deck's true flat settings from his review and only tweaked the boost (either at 0 or 100) to compare. At first I wasn't so sure, but the more I switched back and forth the more the difference became apparent.

I am using a GK CX115 cab so I don't know if there is any bonus to matching their gear, but the 600 sounded so full and hearty compared to the Ampeg. I didn't have to jack my settings (or use my Behringer bdi21pedal) to get that pick like string percussion while playing finger-style. It was just there. While the PF-350 didn't have a "bad" tone, it just felt thinner and more sterile....which is usually the complaint of GK gear, ha! I didn't really mess with the OD channel too much, but I think by dialing in some extra mids (and mabybe bass) it could be very viable for a Lemmy tone.

I'm starting to think that the Ampeg sound I hear in my head is more the sealed 810 than the SVT head....but that's a discussion for a different thread. Either way, I'm very happy with tone the BL600 gets - it in no way sounds cheaper or like "starter" gear. I don't see myself seeking out a different tone anytime soon. As a side note, this experience has made me a believer in utilizing the lower wattage models for hitting the rails/getting the boost tone reliably.
 
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