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GK MB112 Doubling as a Keyboard Amp?

packhowitzer

packhowitzer

155mm of pure destruction
Apr 20, 2011
2,943
4,630
Atlanta
#1
Has anybody used one of the GK MB series combo amps with a keyboard? How did it sound? I have an MB 115 that I really love. I used it every week with my church gig. At the moment it isn't really feasible to bring it home an plug it into my keyboard. And it isn't feasible to bring the keyboard to the church.

So I turn to you, TB brethren, to draw from you deep well of experience, will the GK MB112 work for my needs or should I be looking at a dedicated keyboard amp, like say the Roland KC-350?

Incidentally, I'd like to be able to use the amp for bass as well. But it will be primarily for keys. I have played a bass through a Roland keys amp before and it actually sounded really good. So I'm not totally against that route. But I'm really liking what GK is doing these days and if y'all think it'll work, it would be my first choice.

Mods, please feel free to move this to Misc. or whereever if I've started this thread in the wrong place.

Thanks everybody! Feel free to dig in...
 
#2
packhowitzer said:
Has anybody used one of the GK MB series combo amps with a keyboard? How did it sound? I have an MB 115 that I really love. I used it every week with my church gig. At the moment it isn't really feasible to bring it home an plug it into my keyboard. And it isn't feasible to bring the keyboard to the church.

So I turn to you, TB brethren, to draw from you deep well of experience, will the GK MB112 work for my needs or should I be looking at a dedicated keyboard amp, like say the Roland KC-350?

Incidentally, I'd like to be able to use the amp for bass as well. But it will be primarily for keys. I have played a bass through a Roland keys amp before and it actually sounded really good. So I'm not totally against that route. But I'm really liking what GK is doing these days and if y'all think it'll work, it would be my first choice.

Mods, please feel free to move this to Misc. or whereever if I've started this thread in the wrong place.

Thanks everybody! Feel free to dig in...
Click to expand...

I haven’t use a GK MB112 for keys, but it should work ok. I really like my GK MB115 a lot too - but, I have a Roland KC-550 for my keys.
 
#3
Joe Louvar said:
I haven’t use a GK MB112 for keys, but it should work ok. I really like my GK MB115 a lot too - but, I have a Roland KC-550 for my keys.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response, Joe. you seem to think that it would work "ok", that's kind of my thoughts too. And truthfully for me, it doesn't have to be mindblowingly good. But i don't want it to sound say, muffled, due to being intended for bass guitar. But decent performance and decent volume would be enough to get me by.

I guess I'm still looking for that response from someone of "oh i tried it and it sounded like crap", or "I use it in my band every weekend and it rocks!"

but thanks for the input. I may just save up for the Roland. but IMO it's expensive for my needs and a little heavy for what it is. But no doubt the Roland has great sound.
 
#7
packhowitzer said:
Thanks for the response, Joe. you seem to think that it would work "ok", that's kind of my thoughts too. And truthfully for me, it doesn't have to be mindblowingly good. But i don't want it to sound say, muffled, due to being intended for bass guitar. But decent performance and decent volume would be enough to get me by.

I guess I'm still looking for that response from someone of "oh i tried it and it sounded like crap", or "I use it in my band every weekend and it rocks!"

but thanks for the input. I may just save up for the Roland. but IMO it's expensive for my needs and a little heavy for what it is. But no doubt the Roland has great sound.
Click to expand...

lol, you're welcome. I like my Roland KC-550 better for keys - but, my GK MB115 for bass guitar.

If you’re sound taste are somewhat similar to mine and you’re getting the amp mainly for keys - I think you might like the Roland KC-350 better - but, if you’re getting the amp mainly for bass guitar, I think you might like the GK MB112. But again, the GK MB112 should work ok. I hope that helps, and have a good weekend.
 
#8
I used my GK MB210 for keys a time or two. Worked okay. I'm a finicky b@stard about my piano sound, so now I have a QSC K10 for keys. Even better. But if I were not in a position to acquire the QSC, I'd be okay with the GK.
 
#9
Joe Louvar said:
lol, you're welcome. I like my Roland KC-550 better for keys - but, my GK MB115 for bass guitar.

If you’re sound taste are somewhat similar to mine and you’re getting the amp mainly for keys - I think you might like the Roland KC-350 better - but, if you’re getting the amp mainly for bass guitar, I think you might like the GK MB112. But again, the GK MB112 should work ok. I hope that helps, and have a good weekend.
Click to expand...

Well Joe, I don't know how similar our tastes are, but I agreed with you in plenty of threads before this one.

I really do like the rolands to be sure. And a good point was made about the possibility of the GK being a bit scooped in the mids, but again that can be fixed with a little eq'ing.

I think what may end up happening is this- my next aquisition will be a GK MB115 II and an MBP115. I should be in a position to test my keys with the new MB115. That might give a clearer picture of how the MB112 might fare.

If it doesn't work, I'll probably lean towards the roland.

JHAz said:
I used my GK MB210 for keys a time or two. Worked okay. I'm a finicky b@stard about my piano sound, so now I have a QSC K10 for keys. Even better. But if I were not in a position to acquire the QSC, I'd be okay with the GK.
Click to expand...

Thanks, JHaz. Good to know that someone with finicky tastes would still consider the GK a passable choice.

Essentially whatever amp I go with will be used 95% of the time at home by myself or in jam sessions. The other 5% of the time it would be a monitor in small time gig situations. The amp doesn't have to be a beast. Really i just don't want to be reminded that it sounds BAD every time i use it- not muffled or rattly or what have you- otherwise, I'd be open to whatever as long as it doesn't break the bank.
 

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