GK Backline?

[funkpunker]

I'm getting fed up of my Marshall amp, for a few reasons, one being its lack of power, the second, its tone is too "natural" for my taste, need a bit more punch behind it!

So i have been searching around all over the place and the best i have come up with on my budget (which is VERY tight) is the GK Backline products, the 250BL head, and then the BLX series cabs (either a 4x10 or a 1x15 and a 2x10). Does anyone have any experience with these products? Is there anything else on a similar budget that i should look into i have thought about a combo and decided that i am better off getting seperates as i will undoubtedly want to upgrade.

Any info you can give me on this would be very much appreciated! Also do the cabinets and the head sound good together? because i know some people prefer to mix and match makes, while other like all the same brands!

Jason.

 

[kirbywrx]

Ive played a few heads, i cant remember what they were but they were alright. The backline model itself is alot like the warwick rockbass, the cheaper alternative to the real thing, but still, its bloddy good for the price.

Id go for the seperate head and cab, dont bother about a combo. If you do anything though, get the cab first, because you can plug your marshall into it, where as if you have the head, you can still only use the combo.

Thats about all the advice i can give you, but good luck with whatever you choose to do!

 

[Zentner]

What is your budget???

It helps me, and others make suggestions for the best bang for your buck.


~Zennter

 

[funkpunker]

My budget for the whole stack would be about £1,000 (approx. $1,600), but i would need to be able to buy atleast a head and one cab for £600-£700 (approx. $975-$1,150) to make sure i have a functioning unit. I'm not sure how much the Backline stuff retails for in America, but i can pay £299 ($485) for the head, £349 ($566) for the 4x10 and £299 ($485) for the 1x15 where I am at the moment. Cheers for the info so far, like i said, any alternatives would be great.

Jason.

 

[Eric Moesle]

Wow, I don't think I've ever heard of someone calling Marshall gear "natural" sounding for bass. Whew.

GK Backline is their budget line. Its a relatively new line, so there's no real way to tell how durable they are after time. For the price, though, I say if you like the sound, then go for it . . . but only if you like the sound. Don't buy it blind, really check it out in a store.

 

[Aristotle]

Man, the prices for backline stuff is ridiculous over there! Even at MF the backline 250 head is 300 bucks. At that price here you could have the head, 4x10 and 1x15 for under what you are looking to spend. Im assuming its so much more due to import costs. If that is the case I would guess that Ashdown products are slightly less expensive, so if I were in your shoes I would get the electric blue 2x10 combo and Mag 1x15 ext. Good tone, flexibility, and more power than the Backline 250 head.

 

[jerry]

I'd look around and buy better stuff used!

 

[funkpunker]

Wow, I don't think I've ever heard of someone calling Marshall gear "natural" sounding for bass. Whew.

It just sounds a bit tame for my taste, i can get a decent tone out of it, but when i do it gets totally lost in the mix. I can cut through better with my Peavey MicroBass (at times)!!

Man, the prices for backline stuff is ridiculous over there!

its the same over here for everything! stupid UK import tax!

I'd look around and buy better stuff used!

Yea, i was thinking of doing that, but i never know where to look or what to look for!

so what would you suggest?

Jason.

 

[Daniel Elliott]

If you can hold out for the new Backline 350, definitely do it. The 250 will only do an 8 ohm load, which means you can only use one 8 ohm cabinet with it. The 350 will give you 175 watts into 4 ohms. It definitely has the GK tone and the switchable overdrive channel is kinda fun too.

 

[funkpunker]

Sounds interesting, something i would definately look into, when is it expected to reach my shores?

 

[Daniel Elliott]

I'll check with the sales dept on Monday.

 

[don juan pablo]

if you shop around for used gear you can get some good deals on older gk heads. i got an 800rb(from 1999) head for $350 usd(w/ tax and a speaker cable. if you look around im sure you could easily find a more powerful head for the same price if not cheaper.

 

[ojthesimpson]

I'm still mad at gallien kruerger. I bought a 1 year old bass head and it broke in one day. I blame guitar center for selling it to me and myself for having faith in their durability

 

[Mattski]

My recommendation is a used GK head from e-bay (or wherever).

You can get a used 400RB for less than $200, and a 800RB for $300 to $350.

Hook that up with a new avatar 210 and you have a better set-up than you could touch for the same money buying new.

 

[Daniel Elliott]

Originally posted by ojthesimpson
I'm still mad at gallien kruerger. I bought a 1 year old bass head and it broke in one day. I blame guitar center for selling it to me and myself for having faith in their durability

So did GC refund your money? What did you do with the head?

 

[McHack]

Originally posted by Mattski
My recommendation is a used GK head from e-bay (or wherever).

You can get a used 400RB for less than $200, and a 800RB for $300 to $350.

Hook that up with a new avatar 210 and you have a better set-up than you could touch for the same money buying new.

Yea, I'm going that route.. but getting a 400rb 210 combo,, & then tacking a 1 x 15 later sounds interesting, too...

 

[brianrost]

The 250 BL only can handle 8 ohm loads. No 4 ohms! Ouch...so much for a 1-15 & 2-10 setup!

A newer model just introduced called the 350BL will handle 4 ohms but you might as well just go for the 400RB in the first place.

 

[jerry]

The 400RB is built like a tank....look for a used one! I've had mine for almost twenty years

 

[McHack]

Here's a question, I've seen a few Ampeg B2R's on the bay lately, & am thinking of grabbing one of those instead...

Any one have any comments? The B2R tends to be a little more expensive.