GK MB200 or Genz-Benz Shuttle 3.0?

[Little Rock]

Hello, fellow TBers!
Here is an update:

I ended up buying both an used like new GK MB200 from Guitar Center and an used Shuttle 3.0 from a fellow TBer.
My initial impressions are:

Gain knob
A bit scratchy on the Shuttle. Maybe has to do with its age, when compared to the GK, which is in mint condition.

Tone controls
With all knobs at 12 o' clock, the Shuttle sounds pretty flat and not so bad. It becomes pretty usable just by adding a bit of lows.

The GK set at 12 o' Clock sounds good, but pretty scooped.

The scoop switch on the Shuttle is very usable, but adds quite a lot of noise. I found it pretty weird. Did anybody else notice that?

On the GK, the Contour switch makes my bass sound pretty bad to my ears. I don't think it is usable at all.

Headphone output
Tried my Sony MDR7406 on both amps and found that it sounds better with GK, hands down.

Overall
I tried both amps on an Acme Low B-1 and an Avatar SB123 and the Shuttle makes my Sire V7 ash body sound better on both cabs.

I don't know why, but slapping with the Shuttle sounds much nicer.

Although the Shuttle sounds pretty transparent, it quite easy to dial a good tone.

In conclusion, I think I will be using the Shuttle more often and will keep the GK as backup.

Thank you all for the great inputs you have provided!

 

[Al Kraft]

Hello, fellow TBers!
Here is an update:

I ended up buying both an used like new GK MB200 from Guitar Center and an used Shuttle 3.0 from a fellow TBer.
My initial impressions are:

Gain knob
A bit scratchy on the Shuttle. Maybe has to do with its age, when compared to the GK, which is in mint condition.

Tone controls
With all knobs at 12 o' clock, the Shuttle sounds pretty flat and not so bad. It becomes pretty usable just by adding a bit of lows.

The GK set at 12 o' Clock sounds good, but pretty scooped.

The scoop switch on the Shuttle is very usable, but adds quite a lot of noise. I found it pretty weird. Did anybody else notice that?

On the GK, the Contour switch makes my bass sound pretty bad to my ears. I don't think it is usable at all.

Headphone output
Tried my Sony MDR7406 on both amps and found that it sounds better with GK, hands down.

Overall
I tried both amps on an Acme Low B-1 and an Avatar SB123 and the Shuttle makes my Sire V7 ash body sound better on both cabs.

I don't know why, but slapping with the Shuttle sounds much nicer.

Although the Shuttle sounds pretty transparent, it quite easy to dial a good tone.

In conclusion, I think I will be using the Shuttle more often and will keep the GK as backup.

Thank you all for the great inputs you have provided!

If it helps with your enjoyment of the GK, I've attached a picture of the settings for "almost flat" on the MB500 (a fellow TB'er scoped it). I find it works pretty well with the MB200 as well. With this as your neutral point, that contour switch may sound a little better/be more usable too.

 

[Little Rock]

If it helps with your enjoyment of the GK, I've attached a picture of the settings for "almost flat" on the MB500 (a fellow TB'er scoped it). I find it works pretty well with the MB200 as well. With this as your neutral point, that contour switch may sound a little better/be more usable too.

Thanks!
I was aware and tried it, but still don't think it sounds good.

 

[Al Kraft]

Thanks!
I was aware and tried it, but still don't think it sounds good.

That Shuttle is a sweet head and even though I own an MB200, I think the Shuttle is the higher quality, better sounding amp as well - especially in the transparency department. Should you ever need service or advice on that head, the designer, TB member agedhorse, is an invaluable resource. Congratulations by the way!

 

[Munjibunga]

Chiming in here with input from the man himself.

To the OP: My personal experience with the Shuttle has been nothing but positive, but it was ultimately too clean for my taste, and I moved onto an Aguilar Tone Hammer 350. As others have said, it's so clean that you're basically free to colour it whichever way you like it with pedals, so it's versatile that way. And yes, YouTube videos should give you a good idea of how each one sounds.

I take it the TH350 sounds nothing like the TH500 then.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

Gain knob
A bit scratchy on the Shuttle. Maybe has to do with its age,

Congratulations.
Do not just squirt cleaner in the pot. A great thing to do is send it to @agedhorse (he designed it) and he will go through it cleaning and making sure it is performing up to spec. All for a good price and fast turnaround. Send him a private message for more information.

I am not affiliated with Agedhorse LLC.

 

[agedhorse]

As a general note, when the incorrect "cleaner" is used, it can destroy the pots but even when the correct materials are used, when it gets to places it shouldn't then it requires additional work and cleaning (usually involving stripping the affected boards out of the chassis) to properly correct the mess.

I have a flat rate repair charge for most amps, but it doesn't include the above issues which are created rather than part of the original problem.

 

[trowaclown]

I take it the TH350 sounds nothing like the TH500 then.

Never tried the TH500, but I believe it's the same as the TH350, except with more power and an effects loop.

Just to clarify, the 'clean' was referring to the Genz Benz Shuttle, not the Aguilar TH.

 

[Munjibunga]

Never tried the TH500, but I believe it's the same as the TH350, except with more power and an effects loop.

Just to clarify, the 'clean' was referring to the Genz Benz Shuttle, not the Aguilar TH.

Aha.

 

[Kirk Bryant]

Scratchy or noisy potentiometers do not get that way from age (usually) but from dusty dirty conditions.
often turning the knob firmly all the right and all the way left many times can clear up the problem. My Suhttle 6.0 sat for a couple of years and I had to sit and turn the gain knob back and forth for at least 5 minutes to get it to be completely clear of scratch. It's been quiet for the last 6 mos. in use as a practice amp.
Unless they're defective, which happens, but is the exception rather than the rule, in my experience, simple use will clean them or, worse case, a proper cleaning can bring them back to top shape.
Try the spin trick first and don't quit untill you've at least spent a couple of minutes turning the knob. It almost always works.
And I'll take GB over the GK every time.

 

[DWBass]

As much as I loved the power and sound of my Shuttles....I hated those pots!! As I mentioned in another thread...I am OCD with my equipment and both were kept in their respective bags and were always wiped down and kept clean. Never abused or dropped. The pots still remained scratchy even after having the 6.0 sent in to be cleaned. Drove me nuts.

 

[agedhorse]

One challenge with pots in general is environmental contamination of the resistive element. Tapered pots, because of the way they are manufactured, tend to be more susceptible. The contamination of the track is usually an insulating oxide or sulphide layer that's only a few angstroms thick but still effective at causing microscopic intermittent D when operated at mV levels.

Fortunately, surface treatments and composition formation advancements have improved but there is still the tradeoff between wiper pressure, lifespan under dirty conditions and overall microconduction that make this an inexact science.

Another factor in noise is that detected pots tend to have more wiping surface noise due to the vibration induced into the wiper by the action of the detents (in combination with the other factors mentioned).

In Shuttle amps, unless I can identify the specific cause that I have a solution for, I opt for replacing a noisy pot. The cost is minimal in the scheme of the repair and I don't want an amp to come back due to this problem.

 

[wyleeboxer]

I keep coming back to my mb200, had an mb500 that didnt have the easy lovable tone the mb200 had. Sold the mb500 got a Traynor sb115 which sounds great but again I keep coming back to the mb200! I use various sized 112 440 live cab combinations depending on size of gig, but usually just the one mini 112 and the mb200 and it gets great tone at lower volume and gets better sounding as the volumes goes up towards the middle louder sets even with a strong drummer, keys, guitar etc..