Looking for a combo to gig with....

[Stylee Mousse]

I played a GK in a punk band in the 90’s. A great amp for the style.

Moved on to Ampeg tube heads afterwards but have nothing but fond memories of my 400RB

 

[FIREpunkMEDIC]

I played a GK in a punk band in the 90’s. A great amp for the style.

Moved on to Ampeg tube heads afterwards but have nothing but fond memories of my 400RB

I agree. I LOVE my V4B Reissue, but sometimes schlepping the head and cab up and down stairs from our rehearsal space just isn't what I wanna do. The combo would be kept at home and mainly used for smaller places. Still need something with oomph because our drummer is a beast! Haha

 

[Yahboy]

Rumble and GK have different tones. Fenderis darker and grittier, GK is brighter.

Rumble 800c sound different compare to both R500c and R200c .

 

[EricOnTheBass]

I bought a Rumble 800 Stage on two separate occasions and returned it both times. I really wanted to like it because on paper its got everything you need in one fairly light box. But when you turn up the volume a bit it just sounds like it’s working so hard I expect to see screws coming out. The cabinet resonates and the speakers start sounding compressed, for lack of a better word.

I ended up increasing my investment and got a Genzler rig that gets louder and louder and louder and doesn’t break a sweat.

I have been looking around for a quality combo amp lately, and the GK 1x12 what I’d buy if I were going to get one today. Legacy or Fusion is the question, they both sound great, but different.

 

[Yahboy]

No experience with the GK, but I’m sure it’s great. For twice the price and a lot heavier compared to the Rumble 800c. The Rumble is also great, and supports TWO 8 ohm external cabs should you need them. (Unlikely. ) As previously mentioned, the Rumble does have the 1/4 power switch for use at home or small venues.

Since Rumble 800c has more open and crispy tone than the other Rumble combo, she work great with effect pedal,

Add an Ampeg SGT-di , you got Rumble and Ampeg tone in one combo.

 

[Aussie Player]

HARTKE KB15.

 

[Yahboy]

HARTKE KB15.

+1

This combo sound modern and has solid B string voice, but only 250w output, maybe lack headroom compare to both R800c and GK212.

I move to Ampeg RB112 in stacked has more volume than KB15 .

 

[SactoBass]

I ended up increasing my investment and got a Genzler rig that gets louder and louder and louder and doesn’t break a sweat.

Eric: which Genz rig did you get?

 

[Krakmann]

Salud!

I strangely like a lot the tone from my Humble-Rumble 25. Have also played a 100 several times in rehearsal spaces and I like it. Uglier than hitting your father (that's a saying here in Spain), but it sounds quite good.

I wanted to like the Ampeg but it left me unimpressed when I used twice in rehearsal spaces.

Never played the GK, no info.

 

[Gervais Cote]

GK hands down, especially with some overwound pickups on a p bass.

My main kit has two GK Neo IV 112 cabs and my second kit comprises an Ampeg BA 110 used with an Ampeg RB 112 simultaneously.

The GK kit is punchy as hell, very detailed, bass notes that cut like a knife while the Ampeg kit is sweet but rather colored with that Ampeg vintage sound signature and a flabby bass.

I use the Ampeg for slow paced and/or quiet music only, the GK gets played 80% of the time for the rest. I play rock and blues mostly.

 

[backin82]

I agree. I LOVE my V4B Reissue, but sometimes schlepping the head and cab up and down stairs from our rehearsal space just isn't what I wanna do. The combo would be kept at home and mainly used for smaller places. Still need something with oomph because our drummer is a beast! Haha

Beastly drummer = 2x12 or 4x10 minimum (imo). the fact that the GK Legacy 212 also has a speaker output for extension is icing on the cake.

I played the exact rig you have now, and switched to a GK MB212 combo, and I can tell you it's a dream to move around compared to the amp + cab you are currently using. The Legacy 212 weighs less than just the V4B by itself. That 40 lb box is really easy to move, even just with a single hand carry.

The main difference is sound. The Ampeg and GK have (in my opinion) very different responses and overall feel. I much prefer the GK, but just know that it'll be a big change going from the Ampeg to the GK combo.

 

[JC BASS 91]

I've been gigging a Rumble 500 combo for over 3 years now and I'm very happy with it. I'm just using the combo, no extension cabinet and it has worked in all cases. I do use the DI out to our PA from it, but the main reason for that is because I need it in my IEM mix due to hearing loss issues.

 

[shirojiro]

I’m a long time GK user and still have my 400RB and 800 RB amps and Bag End cabs.

I recently got a Fender Rumble 500 combo when I moved and temporarily left my amps in storage. It sounds great to me. It gets very loud, and is very light to carry.

I got the Fender because I found it used for a good price. I wasn’t looking for a particular amp, but wanted something light, transportable and loud enough to play with a rock drummer.

 

[Chuck M]

I owned a Rumble 800. I wanted to love it because of the weight and power. In some venues it sounded good but in others the baked in tone did not work (muddy and indistinct) and was impossible to EQ out. I found a GK MB II 212 NEO on the inexpensive side ($750 delivered) on GC used site and bought it. The MB II 212 NEO even came with the GK slip cover. I am so pleased with it that I also bought an MB II 112 to replace the Rumble 100 that I was using with upright and that was also a great improvement.

The GK amps also have a baked in tone that is brighter and more clear than the Rumble but I find it to work really well as the bass sounds great in the mix and the EQ works well to adjust for different venues. GK also has Contour and Boost controls that really color the tone but the amps sound best to me when those are NOT engaged.

The GK amps are not as light as the Fender Rumble amps but the tone is so much better for me that I will put up with the extra pounds.

As in all things about tone.....your mileage may vary and probably will.

 

[Bander]

Sounds like any of those will work. You might even get by with something smaller too. I'm interested in a Rumble 200 for instance, trading up from a Max II, which is a 200w 12" 40lb combo. Ive got a Rumble 25 and 40, and a Hartke 700w 410/215 rig. I take the Peavey most often including LOUD bar gigs because its all I need, only dragging the Hartke tower of doom when the visual matters, or its an outdoor gig, etc. The Peavey has a chamfered cab for monitor position that is very irritating, as the thing wants to roll over, top heavy. Its really a mistake design, its way more volume than you'd ever need for a monitor, its a volume beast, so kind of a spork. Im thinking the Rumble 200 will best the Peavey in headroom, give me a square cab and cut 5 lb too.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hey all! As the title suggests I am looking for a "smaller" rig to gig with when I don't want to bring my Ampeg V4B Reissue and cab. So far looking pretty enticing are the Fender Rumble 800, The GK Legacy 212, or Ampeg RB-210. We play covers with a punk rock/Power-pop twist. The basses consist of a Precison, a custom PJ (profile pic) with Fralin Overwound PJ set, and a Stingray. Wondering what any of you with experience with any of these amps has to say about them, and open to other suggestions to a degree.

I played through a Rumble once that was a backline unit. It’s serviceable. I’m going to suggest all of your list would do just fine. Personally I wouldn’t expect any of them to sound as good as your V4B and cab.

I just played my first ampless gig in a long time this past weekend using a DigiTech B355 effects pedal that has some amp models to choose from. One of which was an Ampeg model. If you want something light and portable and still sound pretty good, you might want to consider something like this. Of course, this would also require some sort of monitoring system for the rest of the band, like side fills and or wedges.

 

[Crusher47]

I gigged with a Rumble 500 combo for several years, it's plenty loud enough to keep up with a drummer and 2 guitarists. I also bought the extension 2x10 for the vertical 4x10 stack and used it on a couple of outdoor gigs. Always works great and sounds fantastic as well. Currently I keep it at one of my bands rehearsal spaces and gig with Mesa gear now but the Fender Rumble 500 combo is no slouch.

 

[Stewie]

GK is probably the top of the list, but for the money, I’m happy with my RB 210, the rumble heads are okay, but the combo cabinet isn’t, to my ears

 

[LowTorque]

I already have a V4B and 212av at our rehearsal space. Kinda looking for a combo to keep at home and be an "alternate" rig whe. I don't wanna lug head/cab uo and down a bunch of stairs haha

I don't think you will gain much in terms of weight and ease of transport with the GK combo. The Rumble 800 will be hard to beat. Maybe the above-mentioned MB Traveler 102 combo or the MB 121 Mini combo plus the NY121. In any case I have a fairly narrow and steep set of stairs I need to lug my gear and got the Rumble 800. Whatever you get it will be a compromise and for me the 800 was the best compromise.

 

[brianrost]

Rumble 800 is the lightest, only 29 pounds.

Ampeg RB210 is 38.5 pounds. It is $200 cheaper than the Rumble 800.

At 41 pounds, the GK Legacy 212 is the heaviest. It’s also the most expensive at $1700 new, almost double the price of the Rumble 800.