GK MB200 Go Boom. Pants go Brown.

[ImTheOnlyOne]

POP!

 

[S-Bigbottom]

Ok...here's the dealio...Sweetwater sent me a new replacement amp (they were AWESOME) and told me to just keep the old one. So, I have one to either see if:
A) GK is willing to fix it. If so, off she goes. If not,

B) Get the correct power amp and bring it to a qualified technician and have them replace it, and any other components and pay for that. Then

C: Sell it at a loss here and fully repaired since I ready have one, or:

D: sell her as is for a hundo "as is" to let someone else handle it. Kind of busy during this time of the year.

Sorry for the confusion! That was the point of my incredibly inept way to ask the question.
.

These are good plans, but I am still confused by the first part of Plan B.

B) Get the correct power amp and bring it to a qualified technician and have them replace it, and any other components and pay for that.

Why are you buying and giving parts to a Qualified Technician?
Do you think you are going to get it cheaper online than the shop?

If a new Power Module is needed, a Qualified Technician will have access to them through their parts supplier or already have one or more in stock at their shop.

This is also for warranty of the shop's repair. They know where it came from, it is not a knock off and that it is in working order. Any problem with the new module they go to their supplier, not you, then through where you bought it.

An Amp Technician that does not have access to a Power Module as a standard part is Not a Qualified Technician.

 

[Gervais Cote]

With all that said so far though, to me, the GK cabs are very good sounding and bulletproof according to what I witnessed over time.

Their Neo IV 12" and 15" drivers in particular are among the best in the industry in every way IMO.

 

[pbassnut]

Hey all...
Here's a new one...I plugged in a BRAND NEW, straight from the factory, out of the carton GK MB200, and POW! Literally almost turtled myself....familiar smell. Not me; the amp! Power Amp go boom. Anyone ever replace one before, and was it difficult? I did some snooping, and found the power amp here:

View attachment 7569282
This ever happen to anyone before? And, YES, before y'all comment to " Send it back", as I already did... I explained the situation to Sweetwater, and they took care of me, 100%. Replaced, free of charge!
I would have a qualified tech do this.

Shouldn't there be a manufacturer's warranty on it if it's brand new?

 

[Matt Power]

Shouldn't there be a manufacturer's warranty on it if it's brand new?

Yes, but since it was already replaced by Sweetwater under warranty, I am waiting for them to open to call about if it is eligible or not. If they pay? Great! If I pay? Great!
If they quote a ridiculous sum to repair it, I have a qualified local person quote it. If they quote it and it is power amp only and the price is more than it is worth, then I buy a power supply and give it a shot.

 

[JoeyFab]

My wife bought me a G-K NEO 115 cab for my birthday long ago (she's a good one!). Brought it to a big outdoor gig with a Carvin DCM1000 power amp/BBE B-Max bass pre-amp for extra volume support with my normal Ampeg SVT-3PRO/PR-410HLF rig. After a few songs, the G-K cab started smoking and eventually crapped out. I was able to finish the gig with just my Ampeg rig. The G-K cab was still under warranty, so I brought it to my local G-K dealer and they determined there was a gap in the adhesive somewhere on the 15 in. speaker where there shouldn't have been. G-K agreed, and they sent a new 15 in. speaker to the dealer and the dealer replaced it, all for free. The cabinet has worked perfectly since, and it now is a part of my main rig (Ampeg PF-500/Hartke HyDrive HD210/G-K NEO 115). I sold the Ampeg SVT3-PRO/PR-410HLF rig because it was just too damn heavy at around 160 lbs.!

So, for me, G-K certainly stood behind their equipment.

 

[vacuumchild]

I can put it next to my OTHER Brown Pants amp, a BAM. Deader than a buzzard's hide. Blew up with that particular pop and smell.

Did you connect both amps to the same cabinet before the failures?

 

[Matt Power]

Did you connect both amps to the same cabinet before the failures?

Nope. BAM worked great for a few months. Then ..."Oooh that smell...the smell that surrounds you....." That was used with Trickfish 1x12. This amp was ZAP upon first plug in.

The new replacement amp sounds GREAT through my Trickfish cabs, and even used the pre side through an Acoustic Image Clarus SL's 600 watt power amp and the pre side through a Trickfish .5 and MAN...now I need a new spleen! Great tone with plug and play features.

 

[Chuck M]

I own several of the GK MB II amps.....212 NEO, 210, 115 and a 112. All have performed flawlessly and there is not a scratchy pot on any of them. All of my amps were made in the USA. I understand some were previously made overseas.

Perhaps I have just been lucky. All of my amps were bought used off Guitar Center's site. I had previously used Fender Rumble 800 and 100 combos but the baked in tone was impossible to EQ out and really sounded awful in some rooms. The GK amps sound great to me if the contour and boost are left off.

For reference, my main gigging amps are all Mesa Subway and Genzler. I use one or a pair of Subway 115's and mostly use the new 800D amp. I do sometimes use my Genzler Magellan 800 or Kinetix and my Subway WD-800 and D-800+ also get some use. I play Ernie Ball Bongo basses most of the time but own and play basses by Roscoe, G.Gould, Modulus and Ibanez.

For upright bass I use the GK MB II 112 when an amp is required and it sounds very good.