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Let's talk GK heads
- Thread starter jar546
- Start date
Uh... this is a bit of an odd question. Are you talking about overall sales or just what's popular on the board? Or simply what's the cream of the crop - the "best" heads GK makes?
IMO, the best GK heads on the market now depend on what you're looking for. Need classic, reliable, and popular among bassists old and new? 800RB. On a budget and need the best bang for the buck among the new Mark-II heads? IMO, the 700RB-II is the ticket. Need massive power? The 2001RB delivers. Looking for something that strays a little from the traditional GK sound, and incorporates a tube preamp? The new Fusion 550 is getting a lot of love here. Want something that's incredibly tiny and light? The MB2-500 may be the one to go for.
Were you just wanting to start up a massively open-ended conversation, or are you looking for specific advice? Just curious.
IMO, the best GK heads on the market now depend on what you're looking for. Need classic, reliable, and popular among bassists old and new? 800RB. On a budget and need the best bang for the buck among the new Mark-II heads? IMO, the 700RB-II is the ticket. Need massive power? The 2001RB delivers. Looking for something that strays a little from the traditional GK sound, and incorporates a tube preamp? The new Fusion 550 is getting a lot of love here. Want something that's incredibly tiny and light? The MB2-500 may be the one to go for.
Were you just wanting to start up a massively open-ended conversation, or are you looking for specific advice? Just curious.
Wow, looks like the 800RB is the winner. Don't know much about this head, must be a solid performer. I play a lot of classic rock so maybe this can be a good fit. I was thinking about the Eden WTX 500 but am having second thoughts since they are still not officially out yet.
Needed something lighter to replace the Mesa Boogie 400+ that I had to sell because of my bad back.
Needed something lighter to replace the Mesa Boogie 400+ that I had to sell because of my bad back.
1001rb-ii wins to my ears followed by the fusion 550 and the good ol 800
cant wait for the fusion 1050 and the mbfusion to come out
cant wait for the fusion 1050 and the mbfusion to come out
With that said, I would definitely direct you to one of these:
700RB-II (or 1001RB-II, if you think you'd really need that extra headroom)
Fusion 550 (my current GK head of choice - warm but still punchy, and it has two channels!)
800RB (Classic and easy to find used because it's been in production for over two decades)
The Fusion is the heaviest of the three, but it's nowhere near as heavy as the 400+.
If weight is a major factor to you, consider the 5-pound MB2-500. And GK will soon be coming with a "Fusion" version of it as well, featuring a tube preamp...
Best and worst...
I used an 800RB that was in the rehearsal space of a band I did some work with. It was a great amp with a classic sound. I remember it being kind of limited in volume, but that's not to say it wasn't loud enough to use. It might not cut it in a REALLY loud metal band or something like that, but it was fine for our needs.
I owned a 1001RB-II for just over a month. Loud as all get out, but I took it back for a refund because the hiss coming from this amp drove me nuts. We plugged it in at the store and the sales guy said, "oh ya, there's nothing wrong with it, that's just the these amps are." Great sounding amp otherwise, but the hiss didn't go away, regardless ANY of the settings. It was always there, unless I turned it off, of course
)
I used an 800RB that was in the rehearsal space of a band I did some work with. It was a great amp with a classic sound. I remember it being kind of limited in volume, but that's not to say it wasn't loud enough to use. It might not cut it in a REALLY loud metal band or something like that, but it was fine for our needs.
I owned a 1001RB-II for just over a month. Loud as all get out, but I took it back for a refund because the hiss coming from this amp drove me nuts. We plugged it in at the store and the sales guy said, "oh ya, there's nothing wrong with it, that's just the these amps are." Great sounding amp otherwise, but the hiss didn't go away, regardless ANY of the settings. It was always there, unless I turned it off, of course
)
I have 2 GK heads. The 400rbiv and the 700rbII. I dig them both. I use the 400 mostly. It has plenty of power for a large bar. Believe me. I use it with a 410 and only turn it up about halfway.
I would just get any of the current GK heads.
That's odd, maybe it was a bad batch of them, I have a quiet one.
Best and worst...
I used an 800RB that was in the rehearsal space of a band I did some work with. It was a great amp with a classic sound. I remember it being kind of limited in volume, but that's not to say it wasn't loud enough to use. It might not cut it in a REALLY loud metal band or something like that, but it was fine for our needs.
I owned a 1001RB-II for just over a month. Loud as all get out, but I took it back for a refund because the hiss coming from this amp drove me nuts. We plugged it in at the store and the sales guy said, "oh ya, there's nothing wrong with it, that's just the these amps are." Great sounding amp otherwise, but the hiss didn't go away, regardless ANY of the settings. It was always there, unless I turned it off, of course
That's odd, maybe it was a bad batch of them, I have a quiet one.
