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Let's talk GK heads

Everyone will have different opinions on this. But....

I've owned the 800RB (2 of them) and (2) 400RB's. I love the 400 with a pair of efficient cabs. Nice punch, a tad grindy if need be and just a great amp in every respect.

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What's the Tele looking bass ? The fretboard looks to be a mile long ?

I also rock a similar setup, but replace the pricey BE with Peavey BW. Couldn't be happier.
 
Needed something lighter to replace the Mesa Boogie 400+ that I had to sell because of my bad back.

I was gigging with a 85lb Ampeg SVT-CL for ages.

A few months ago I traded a bass I rarely play for a 700RB-II as I wanted a backup head and something light(er) for practice. I am blown away with how this head sounds! And it has tons of headroom for a 500W head (480W+50W for a tweeter or something stupid like that).

In any case, I RARELY gig with my SVT these days as the 700RB-II sounds so good. Hooked up to a Sadowsky or Ampeg 4x10 cab, it gives me tons of power and is enough for almost any room. Unless I play a very large outdoor show, I won't gig with the Ampeg.

The 700RB-II is a great head IMO and can be found for well under $500 used (they are only $599 new!).
 
What's the Tele looking bass ? The fretboard looks to be a mile long ?

I also rock a similar setup, but replace the pricey BE with Peavey BW. Couldn't be happier.


It's a '68 Tele...... but the original neck was beyond truss adjustment.

I'm a wood worker so I got a rosewood fingerboard from Warmoth (I intended to cut it to the original length), but then I thought hey.... let's have some fun.
I pulled the frets, planed it down 1/4" or so, installed a double action truss rod and there it is.

There is adjustment from the rear for the nutty fingerboard overhang.

That bass plays & sounds so good it's not even funny.
 
I've never played a GK head that I didn't like. I was BLOWN AWAY by the 1001RB and I'm dying to try out the Fusion. I'm looking to replace my crappy Acoustic head pretty soon. GK all the way man, you can't go wrong with them at any of their price ranges.

I have 2 1001RB-II heads, one I bought as a spare because the other one had gone out. Then the spare went out too.

Sent them both back to GK and they fixed em both under warranty. No problems with either one since.

One poster was complaining about a lot of hiss coming out of the 1001RB-II, I'll have to listen to mine again, but I don't recall a lot of noise (tho maybe when cranked up).

wicked power and the fans still hardly run even when you've got it cranked.....

LS
 
I must be honest. This 800RB is the best head I ever had. I am borrowing one from the store until mine comes in and holy crap. I put my dbx160A compressor in front of it and my tone has never been more defined on the low end before.

I loved my Mesa Boogie 400+ (had to sell due to a bad back), sold my LMII as it was too clean of a sound for me, sold my Hartke HA4000 backup head (for money but it was a great head), Got rid of an SWR combo, Nemesis combo, blah blah blah.

Bottom line, my basses never sounded so crisp. What a workhorse.
 
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.

I have an early Mesa 400+ and an old GK 800RB.
The GK is a fantastic head, best tsolid state head ever made IMHO, but don't ever sell your Mesa, or you'll regret it.
 
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 had a hiss problem with my 700 RBII but only at my church. Everywhere else it was quiet. I asked an electrician and found out that the church's electrical wiring was in need of an overhaul since it was outdated and wasn't grounded in some spots. I think that has a lot to do with any amp company's hissing problems. It helps to have a grounded outlet to plug into.
 
I have an early Mesa 400+ and an old GK 800RB.
The GK is a fantastic head, best tsolid state head ever made IMHO, but don't ever sell your Mesa, or you'll regret it.

Too late, just shipped it out. It was in perfect condition. I did not want to sell it but my bad back made me. I am much lighter now.

Now to get rid of my Eden D410xlt which I really don't want to. I was going to go with two 112's instead but I really cant part with my eden 410
 
I've tried the 700RB-II and the 2001RB. I'd be interested most in the:
Fusion 550/Fusion 1050 (Gallien doing tubes? I want to hear this!!!)
MB2​ 500/MB Fusion (itty bitty power house)
800RB (the old classic standby for SS goodness)