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GK Combo Shootout...MB210 vs. MB212

#341
Just got back from yet another gig with the MB212. It was a large room, very live sounding, nice PA but no bass allowed in it. The MB212 is 'crazy good' ((:eek:)) every time I take it out....insanely lightweight, insanely toneful and insanely loud. Its inherent tone with everything set 'flat' is SO close to my ideal tone that I don't move any knob more than 1 "hour" off of noon (except of course the master...it would blow your head off if you ran it at noon!).

Chuck (69 Lefty P Bass), I've gotta tell you....the MB212 is much closer to the 800RB tone that I remember, than the MB210. I know the MB210 is much more versatile because of the extension speaker output, but for pure 800RB-like tone, the MB212 wins hands-down....FOR ME. YMMV

I'm starting to commence to begin to think about selling the MB210. Between my Genz Shuttle 3.0-10T and the MB212, it's pretty redundant having it too....we'll see.
 
#342
tallboybass said:
Just got back from yet another gig with the MB212. It was a large room, very live sounding, nice PA but no bass allowed in it. The MB212 is 'crazy good' ((:eek:)) every time I take it out....insanely lightweight, insanely toneful and insanely loud. Its inherent tone with everything set 'flat' is SO close to my ideal tone that I don't move any knob more than 1 "hour" off of noon (except of course the master...it would blow your head off if you ran it at noon!).

Chuck (69 Lefty P Bass), I've gotta tell you....the MB212 is much closer to the 800RB tone that I remember, than the MB210. I know the MB210 is much more versatile because of the extension speaker output, but for pure 800RB-like tone, the MB212 wins hands-down....FOR ME. YMMV
Click to expand...

This is so encouraging to hear! I do not own an MB212, and I have never gigged with one, but having more extensive experience with other GK gear, and having heard the MB212 at various NAMM shows, I definitely feel like it is as viable as any 500-watt combo amp can be. And at a very affordable price! :bassist: :bassist: :bassist: :cool:
 
#343
Well Tom, it has done everything I've asked of it and more! ...and we KNOW it's lightweight from the famous pics of you hoisting it with your pinky!! (although I'll bet you do 'pinky curls' in your workout routine!:eek::bassist:)

To me, the only thing nicer than being able to add a cab to meet your volume needs (MB210), is having the volume you need in ONE package (MB212).

The MB212 is the closest I've found to having a 500 watt head + 410 cab in one 38 lb. unit.
 
#344
I am so dying to try these out (MB212)...the GC's near me never have them in stock...guess Im just gonna have to order one...and then maybe another if I love it (ala Adam Bomb). We do a lot of outdoor shows during the summer, and much of the time I'm playing my Spector Euro 5, which is a notorious cab killer with that 35" scale B string. I typically use a Hartke 215 or a Peavey 412 TVX...but lordy they be heavy, especially the Peavey... I am thinkin' 2 MB212's would make a nice replacement!
 
#345
Tonight....outdoors - MB212 sounded great with plenty of headroom. Then it started to rain so we moved down into a basement with mirrors and reflective surfaces all around. Very slight EQ change and it sounded fantastic down there...and thanks to the light weight, it was a breeze to get it there and back!

Have I mentioned that I love this amp? :hyper:

Sorry.....I am going to try to refrain from posting about every gig. (this little amp still stuns me every time I plug in...so it's gonna be tough)
 
#346
One thing I haven't seen discussed to any degree is the built in limiter. Any opinions or observations? I've been using a MB2 500 with a Epifani Ul-310 for a while now. It does sound fabulous, but making my set up even more compact intrigues me. Moving it seems to be a breeze due to it's light weight, but do you think casters would be a viable addition?
 
#347
Jerry Ziarko said:
One thing I haven't seen discussed to any degree is the built in limiter. Any opinions or observations? I've been using a MB2 500 with a Epifani Ul-310 for a while now. It does sound fabulous, but making my set up even more compact intrigues me. Moving it seems to be a breeze due to it's light weight, but do you think casters would be a viable addition?
Click to expand...
Jerry, the limiter is just so the power amp won't be driven over the edge when you hit the end of the power. You don't feel it at all until you're playing at the limits of the amp. (and that's pretty loud!) If you need to be louder still, and don't mind risking your amp to do it, you can turn it off and get a little more volume.

I've got lightweight 3" casters on mine and love them. Those extendable handle/roller things are cool too.
 
#348
tallboy i bought an mb210 too and am gonna gig it this thur, fri, and sat. i really hope i like it. my current set up is a gk 700rb and a 4-10 cab loaded w eminence deltas.i also have a 2-15 red star cab that i use for the bigger shows. that things a beast at 1000watts at 4ohms. im getting tired of hauling all the stuff around. so i found the mb210 a good option. i did also find a new floor model gk210 blx that i will use as an extension cab. got it for 120 out the door. what are your thoughts on this set up



thanks in advance

chep
 
#349
chepo06 said:
tallboy i bought an mb210 too and am gonna gig it this thur, fri, and sat. i really hope i like it. my current set up is a gk 700rb and a 4-10 cab loaded w eminence deltas.i also have a 2-15 red star cab that i use for the bigger shows. that things a beast at 1000watts at 4ohms. im getting tired of hauling all the stuff around. so i found the mb210 a good option. i did also find a new floor model gk210 blx that i will use as an extension cab. got it for 120 out the door. what are your thoughts on this set up



thanks in advance

chep
Click to expand...
Well chep, I don't know anything about the 210BLX cabs, but as long as it's 8 ohms and can handle 250 watts I'll bet it will be just fine!

Let us know how it works out.
 
#351
lefty007 said:
Hey, Alan, do you have a picture of the casters installed?

-Where did you get them?

-And, are the removable? I kinda like pairing the bass amp with hollow stages to make the bass sound bigger. I'm guessing that effect is absent if the amp is on wheels. . .

Thanks
Click to expand...
No I don't but they're just normal-looking casters...only lighter than normal. They're non-removable...I had them put together here locally at a place called Casters of Oklahoma. Last night was the first time I've ever wanted to remove them. We were playing outside and the area where we set up was slanted...the amp wanted to roll, so I put my cover between the amp and the building behind us.
 
#352
Back from a rehearsal using just one MB210. I think I found its limit - Master at 3:00, Boost at Noon, Gain at Noon, slapping my E string with one pedal taking it down an octave plus another pedal doing this weird gate thing I like. The signal cut off briefly, more than once; I think the thing was protecting itself. So I powered down while my bandmates smoked weed. And while it was off I realized I still had the Contour button on from when I was playing it at home this morning.

In other words, I had to push that amp really, really hard - harder than I'd intended - in order to push it *too* hard. And when rehearsal started up again and I had Contour off (I love Contour for bedroom tone but not for cutting through a real mix), I was killing it with the Gain, Boost and Master all at Noon, and the bass dialed back a little bit (all other EQ knobs a little boosted).

I rarely push my gear, so I thought I'd report how that went. Two MB210s is great for gigs, for the backup and the headroom. But one is enough for my rehearsal needs. YMMV.

--Bomb :bassist:
 
#353
Adam Bomb said:
Back from a rehearsal using just one MB210. I think I found its limit - Master at 3:00, Boost at Noon, Gain at Noon, slapping my E string with one pedal taking it down an octave plus another pedal doing this weird gate thing I like. The signal cut off briefly, more than once; I think the thing was protecting itself. So I powered down while my bandmates smoked weed. And while it was off I realized I still had the Contour button on from when I was playing it at home this morning.

In other words, I had to push that amp really, really hard - harder than I'd intended - in order to push it *too* hard. And when rehearsal started up again and I had Contour off (I love Contour for bedroom tone but not for cutting through a real mix), I was killing it with the Gain, Boost and Master all at Noon, and the bass dialed back a little bit (all other EQ knobs a little boosted).

I rarely push my gear, so I thought I'd report how that went. Two MB210s is great for gigs, for the backup and the headroom. But one is enough for my rehearsal needs. YMMV.

--Bomb :bassist:
Click to expand...
Cool Adam...great 'real world' report! That's what the limiter does....cuts it off momentarily. Did you try turning it off? I wouldn't. ;) So after killing the contour did it hit the limiter any more?
 
#355
tallboybass said:
Cool Adam...great 'real world' report! That's what the limiter does....cuts it off momentarily. Did you try turning it off? I wouldn't. ;) So after killing the contour did it hit the limiter any more?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I let it cool down for a minute when it did that. We were taking a break anyway. After I turned off Contour it was smooth sailing and I had enough volume. No more problems for well over an hour, until we stopped. And I like how I sounded on our recordings.

--Bomb :bassist:
 
#356
How would the MBs compare to the TC BG500s? (I love the idea of 2 12s in a combo!) The BG is also a fine rig for the full 500watt tone-orama, big-bad combo price range.

I'm in the process of The Great Amp Hunt, and both the MB and the BG have EXACTLY what I am looking for and within my budget (just returning to bass after many years, but gigging is my goal).

Anyone have the chance to have played them both to compare, etc? I'd really like to hear folks views on these two great amp designs.
 
#357
BackToTheGroove said:
How would the MBs compare to the TC BG500s? (I love the idea of 2 12s in a combo!) The BG is also a fine rig for the full 500watt tone-orama, big-bad combo price range.

I'm in the process of The Great Amp Hunt, and both the MB and the BG have EXACTLY what I am looking for and within my budget (just returning to bass after many years, but gigging is my goal).

Anyone have the chance to have played them both to compare, etc? I'd really like to hear folks views on these two great amp designs.
Click to expand...
Sure don't know how the TCs sound, but the quick look is:

BG500 - 2-10's - 70 lbs.
MB212 - 2-12's - 38 lbs.

Of course the TC has many more features.
 
#358
Tallbassboy,
I have really enjoyed reading your thread on the MB212. I was sold on the amp, but to hear other people say nothing but good things only wants me to get my Schecter Studio 5 string sold and August to come around :) I am going to get the MB212 and maybe if I can sell and get rid of some gear, get the MB112 that will be coming out in August for a practice amp and small gig amp :) Thanks for the reassurance and the rise of impatience and excitement ;)

Do you play with effects much? That's one of the only things I am curious about now. I like to use lots of effects and distortion a la Om. Obviously the amp can handle, but does it sound good? Your thoughts would be much appreciated.

Sincerely,
Ben
 
#359
BackToTheGroove said:
How would the MBs compare to the TC BG500s? (I love the idea of 2 12s in a combo!) The BG is also a fine rig for the full 500watt tone-orama, big-bad combo price range.

I'm in the process of The Great Amp Hunt, and both the MB and the BG have EXACTLY what I am looking for and within my budget (just returning to bass after many years, but gigging is my goal).

Anyone have the chance to have played them both to compare, etc? I'd really like to hear folks views on these two great amp designs.
Click to expand...

I just received the 1x15" BG500 combo in for review, and so far, I'm pretty impressed. It's very big and beefy sounding, and far louder than I would have thought a 1x15 was capable of getting. The features seem pretty cool and usable. The input gain, SpectraComp, and Tubetone are all fairly interactive, so it can take some experimentation to really fine tune. In general, with the tone controls set to noon, the MB212 is going to be more clear and articulate, and the BG500 is a little darker and more full. The difference in weight is pretty notable, though.

Tom.
 
#360
tombowlus said:
This is so encouraging to hear! I do not own an MB212, and I have never gigged with one, but having more extensive experience with other GK gear, and having heard the MB212 at various NAMM shows, I definitely feel like it is as viable as any 500-watt combo amp can be. And at a very affordable price! :bassist: :bassist: :bassist: :cool:
Click to expand...

I got one of the first ones to make it into the country. Been gigging her straight ever since. She goes out with me to virtually every gig just because nothing else that I own comes close to transportability. Tone wise, it's very sweet. I still ever-so-slightly prefer my MB F500 / Epi UL rig tone wise. But at a 2 a.m. load-out, nothing comes close to the MB212 and the tone is nearly as good as everything else that I own.

It's been ultra reliable too. Money well spent!
 

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