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GK Combo Shootout...MB210 vs. MB212

#802
These Piezo tweeters are probably the cheapest component in the amps. They are only a couple of dollars new, weigh no more than a roll of toilet paper (and probably share similar quality). I would think--given the opportunity (by way of a blown Piezo), that it would make sense to retrofit the amp with a good, heavy duty, high quality super tweeter.
 
#803
rockinroller said:
These Piezo tweeters are probably the cheapest component in the amps. They are only a couple of dollars new, weigh no more than a roll of toilet paper (and probably share similar quality). I would think--given the opportunity (by way of a blown Piezo), that it would make sense to retrofit the amp with a good, heavy duty, high quality super tweeter.
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I agree 100%....I'll bet some of the experts here at TB could steer you in the right direction re: replacing the lousy tweeter with a quality crossover and tweet.

Wonder if Jorg Schroeder could hook you up? I've always been impressed with his tweeters.
 
#805
I'm late to this thread.

I played an MB210 at GC recently. I thought it was pretty solid given the store environment. It did have a noisy tweeter and made rattling noises when cranked a little. I'm thinking the latter may be a result of being the display model.

I've talked with a friend today that swears by his MB212. He's "retired" from gigging regularly but used the GK for many gigs and still does a fill-in from time-to-time.

GC apparently has a clearance on the 210's according to a catalog I just received. With the 10% discount coupon I can, it will get me out the door with one for under $499.

What is concerning me though is the amount of problems people seem to be having: the aforementioned noisy tweeter and rattling, noisy DI, and failed main speakers. I need some convincing. My heart is telling me to give one of these a try but my head is saying just get a GenzBenz 6.0 12T combo.
 
#806
Thunderbroom said:
My heart is telling me to give one of these a try but my head is saying just get a GenzBenz 6.0 12T combo.
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Your heart has a different budget than the rest of you apparently does! :)

Seriously, for the $1,200 that Genz combo is going to cost you, you could get my current rig: a GK MB500 and a GK Neo 212. With change to spare.

I guess I'm just saying, if you're going to spend $1,200, spend $1,200. Seems weird to compare it to a $500 combo amp.

I myself did have the MB210 combo. I paired it with a 210MBE cab. Nice little setup. But unfortunately it failed me in two respects. First, the two cab stack wasn't able to meet my highest volume need. (Your mileage may vary on that point.) Second, I developed an unexpected need to drive an Ampeg 8x10 cab and the combo could not do so. That's why I sold the entire rig and bought the one I have now.
 
#807
scottfeldstein said:
Your heart has a different budget than the rest of you apparently does! :)

Seriously, for the $1,200 that Genz combo is going to cost you, you could get my current rig: a GK MB500 and a GK Neo 212. With change to spare.

I guess I'm just saying, if you're going to spend $1,200, spend $1,200. Seems weird to compare it to a $500 combo amp.
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Playing/gigging is my hobby. As such, any money I make gigging is hobby money if I so choose. I have no problem dropping the cash for any rig as long as it will meet my needs. I have a couple of grand available right now; however, IF a $500 combo will give me what I need then I don't see the point of spending $1200. Just because I'm willing to spend $XXXX doesn't mean it's the prudent thing to do.
 
#809
scottfeldstein said:
I think I understand.

Having recently bought a combo plus an extension cab--and having sold it all within 60 days to buy a separate head/cab rig... you know how I'm going to advise you :)
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Do you haul your rig to/from rehearsals? That's one of my big gripes...having to lug stuff up/down stairs. It's just a pain which is why I want a simple combo that will handle rehearsal and small gigs. I can and will break out the 900w head and cab for the larger gigs.
 
#810
I feel ya brother. I do have to take the 2x12 cab to and from, including stairs. At least I do have a lightweight head, with a nylon bag. Even my pedalboard has a convenient bag. Even so, I don't carry all three at once. And certainly not up/down stairs.

Still, that wouldn't change even if I still had the MB210. It was a slightly smaller package to carry than the Neo 210, but not by a lot. And the Neo has better handles.

If I, like you, had a second, modular rig at my disposal I might still have the combo. I kind of liked it. The horn was a little hissy, but otherwise it was pretty capable. You'd definitely want to turn the lows down at volume.
 
#811
The MB210 combo is the best amp under $1000 IMHO. "Best" being subjective of course. I measure "best" in terms of:

1. the clarity of output (frankly you can push ANY bass amp enough to get rattles, distortion, clipping, etc.---it's a matter of PHYSICS more than construction and brand name).

2. portability is always a high consideration. it's just not the (light) weight of the GK MB series that scores high points--it's its ability to "put out" as much as it does, given the light weight.

3. customer service/manufacturer reputation - I don't think anyone here can argue the merits of GK's attentiveness to its customers and its interest to mitigate issues. No one I know has ever got stuck with a bad part on their GK amp--even out of warranty (within reason), that they had to take care of themselves.
 
#812
I agree that the MB210 is the best combo you can buy under $1000...unless you include the MB212 in that equation :)

I recently had a problem with one of the speakers in my MB212, out of warranty of course, and GK still replaced it at no charge.

But I was without the amp for a couple of weeks with a busy gig schedule, so I was borrowing gear and trying out lots of other brands to find a suitable backup. I won't drop all the names here, but I played most everything I could find in LA and nothing came close to the sound and balls of the MB212 for me, including a couple of rigs that were more than double the price.

So I'm buying the ultimate backup - another MB212.

Tallboy, can you tell me how you link your 2 amps up when you stack them? Some sort of Y box? I'm selling my 810 rig and plan on using the 2 MB212's stacked for outdoor gigs.
 
#813
I posted this in a different thread last night but I think it belongs here as well.

I have the MB212 and I like it a lot.

This past Saturday, I played a gig at a church that seats 1,500 people. My only amplification was the MB212 and it flat-out killed. And I didn't run the volume (or the boost or the gain) past 12 o'clock.

I was playing my Am Deluxe Fender P5 with flats through it and another bassist on the gig described my tone as "thick." Yet another bassist present called it "meaty."

500 watts @ 37 lbs. That works for me.
 
#814
IotaNet said:
I posted this in a different thread last night but I think it belongs here as well.

I have the MB212 and I like it a lot.

This past Saturday, I played a gig at a church that seats 1,500 people. My only amplification was the MB212 and it flat-out killed. And I didn't run the volume (or the boost or the gain) past 12 o'clock.

I was playing my Am Deluxe Fender P5 with flats through it and another bassist on the gig described my tone as "thick." Yet another bassist present called it "meaty."

500 watts @ 37 lbs. That works for me.
Click to expand...

This reflects my experience with the MB 212. Killer tone (I love it), massive sound (when needed), projection, lots of room to turn up. Wish I had this amp a long time ago.
 
#816
Sparkdog said:
I agree that the MB210 is the best combo you can buy under $1000...unless you include the MB212 in that equation :)

I recently had a problem with one of the speakers in my MB212, out of warranty of course, and GK still replaced it at no charge.

But I was without the amp for a couple of weeks with a busy gig schedule, so I was borrowing gear and trying out lots of other brands to find a suitable backup. I won't drop all the names here, but I played most everything I could find in LA and nothing came close to the sound and balls of the MB212 for me, including a couple of rigs that were more than double the price.

So I'm buying the ultimate backup - another MB212.

Tallboy, can you tell me how you link your 2 amps up when you stack them? Some sort of Y box? I'm selling my 810 rig and plan on using the 2 MB212's stacked for outdoor gigs.
Click to expand...
Thought I'd covered this before but...I use an effect that has two outputs. Also, I read that you can run a cable out of the unused input on the first combo and run it into the second. Haven't tried that one yet. A "Y" box will work also.

I'm just glad there are others who love the MB212..it really did change my world!
 
#817
tallboybass said:
I read that you can run a cable out of the unused input on the first combo and run it into the second. Haven't tried that one yet.
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Wait, what? I wouldn't try that. It don't sound right to me.

You could run the effect out of one amp into the effect in of the second one. But I think in that case the first amp might be silent--no good. Also, I'm not sure the MB212 has an effect out anyways, so... yeah.
 
#818
scottfeldstein said:
Wait, what? I wouldn't try that. It don't sound right to me.

You could run the effect out of one amp into the effect in of the second one. But I think in that case the first amp might be silent--no good. Also, I'm not sure the MB212 has an effect out anyways, so... yeah.
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It's not a problem: it works perfectly fine. It's what I do. The inputs are paralleled and each amp gets the same input. Same way that people use multiple Marshall heads or use both channels in an old SVT. There is no effects send on the MB combos.
 

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