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Got my first GK head yesterday (700RBII content!)

#21
jmattbassplaya said:
I just feel bad that it has taken me this long to come around to Gallien Krueger. For the longest time I always thought they were just a good option for bassists on a budget and that they were (in all honesty) kinda cheap.
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I think a lot of people feel that way, and then they get around to trying some of their stuff.

They make an awesome amp with a killer tone. Of all the amps I own/have owned, the GK stuff is easily my favorite.
 
#22
jmattbassplaya said:
Thanks, man! Me too :) It's just crazy that I used to think that in order to get a great tone you had to spend $$$. If I had just started with GK from the get-go I would of saved myself a lot of money and headache over the years! :D



That said, I still think I'm digging the idea of one large cabinet. I currently use two GB Neox212ts, and since I can't use both with the GK (together they go down to 2ohms), I figured I'd sell one, use the other as a rehearsal cab, and then pick up a fridge to use as my 'big rig'. Getting two smaller cabs would make me feel the need to sell off both GBs, and TBH I think I'd miss having at least one of these cabs around.
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Makes perfect sense! The GK on a single 4 ohm GB would kill also. :bassist:
 
#23
jmattbassplaya said:
Thanks, man! Me too :) It's just crazy that I used to think that in order to get a great tone you had to spend $$$. If I had just started with GK from the get-go I would of saved myself a lot of money and headache over the years! :D



That said, I still think I'm digging the idea of one large cabinet. I currently use two GB Neox212ts, and since I can't use both with the GK (together they go down to 2ohms), I figured I'd sell one, use the other as a rehearsal cab, and then pick up a fridge to use as my 'big rig'. Getting two smaller cabs would make me feel the need to sell off both GBs, and TBH I think I'd miss having at least one of these cabs around.
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I've had one or more 700rb-IIs for years now, and still consider them one of the best amps ever made... I've played mine thru the following amps with excellent results:

Mesa PH215, PH610, PH810
SWR Goliath Sr and Megoliath
Ampeg SVT-410HLF and 810e

There have been others, but those are the main ones... If I were shopping for one big cab for that amp on a budget, I'd probably get the Goliath Sr or 810e - in that order...

Congrats on grabbing a great amp - I still use mine regularly, even though I also have an M-pulse 600...


- georgestrings
 
#24
georgestrings said:
I've had one or more 700rb-IIs for years now, and still consider them one of the best amps ever made... I've played mine thru the following amps with excellent results:

Mesa PH215, PH610, PH810
SWR Goliath Sr and Megoliath
Ampeg SVT-410HLF and 810e

There have been others, but those are the main ones... If I were shopping for one big cab for that amp on a budget, I'd probably get the Goliath Sr or 810e - in that order...

Congrats on grabbing a great amp - I still use mine regularly, even though I also have an M-pulse 600...


- georgestrings
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I actually might have an in on a used Mesa 6x10. Can you comment on the tone of that setup any?
 
#25
jmattbassplaya said:
I actually might have an in on a used Mesa 6x10. Can you comment on the tone of that setup any?
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Sure - I gigged a 700rb-II into a PH610 for several years, and it never dissapointed... Tonally, all the low end and clear highs you could ever want - with a fair amount of mids, as long as you stay out of the Contour too much... My PH610 became expendable when I got my PH810, so I flipped it and ordered a new PH215 to give me a different sound from the PH810... Check this out:

IMAG0152.jpg


IMAG0573.jpg
 
#27
I got a 700RBII about three weeks ago replacing a 1001RBII, so far I'm very impressed! It's really the right size amp for me, I've played GK live exclusivly for more than 30 years now - the love affair continues!
 
#28
I also have a 700RB-II and i opted to get the Neo212 in the 4ohms version so it could accept all the power the head has to offer. 500W cab with 50W horn is accepting ALL the 480W(50W horn) signal from the head nicely.:cool:

have never heard of anyone else with a 4ohms Neo212 btw. Anyone else out there?
 
#29
I've thought about trying the 700RBII with the Neo 212 cab. A long time ago when I gigged full time I played thru 2, 12's and loved the sound. Tried 10's, 15's and 18's but as soon as I used 12's for the first time it was instant love! My favorite speaker for bass.
 
#32
Doug Parent said:
Any tonal advantages to the 700?
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For my circumstances a most definite yes, I could never work the 1001 hard enought to get it to open up. I'm pushing the 700 just a little bit harder thru 8 10's I'm very pleased with it so far :hyper:

An added bonus is a lighter road case that I can now fit my IEM gear as well.
 
#36
jmattbassplaya said:
And all I can say is "WOW!" :hyper::bassist::bassist::hyper:

I've used many different heads over the years (including a lot of top-of-the-line amps such as the Ampeg SVT, Aguilar DB750, and Mesa 400+) and I can say without a doubt that this head can run with the best of them! I'm even hesitant to say this head is 'a good deal for the money' because that (to me at least) implies that for more money you could do better, and I'm not sure that's the case here. This head definitely stands on it's own and it in no way seems to be of lesser quality than any other high-end head that I have owned.

I just feel bad that it has taken me this long to come around to Gallien Krueger. For the longest time I always thought they were just a good option for bassists on a budget and that they were (in all honesty) kinda cheap. Because of that, I have stayed away from them for years and years, and boy was I ever wrong to think that :D I almost feel inclined to sell off my DB750 now because I'm digging the 700RBII THAT much. And for half the weight and a quarter of a price I'm just astounded.

Now I just need to pick myself up a cab from GK to complete the ensemble. Maybe the Neo 4x12 or 8x10 :cool:
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Way cool, GK is awesome - I've been a GK fanboy for years (since the 80s) :)
 
#37
gjbassist said:
True! I love my 1001RBII but it is way more volume than I ever need! But every time I think I want to downsize I play through it and talk myself out of it.
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Very similar feelings about my 1001RBII here, it's been a really great amp for me, rugged, dependable and great tone, I gotta say tho the 700RBII just does it a little better in my circumstances.

The new rig :)

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