My new GB Shuttle 6.0 (pics)&Initial Review

[Crabby]

I have had this amp for a week now and am starting to wonder if there is any need for my big Eden pre/power setup anymore. The shuttle is warm, growly, stupidly punchy and amazingly loud!

It sounds so big sounding and doesnt seem to matter what cab I plug into, its all there. I keep thinking this has got to be too good to be true! I love the aluminum knobs with the detented pots. The switches all feel like they will last and it just oozes quality.

Here's a few pics I snapped tonight. So far my favorite cab is my 4 ohm Eden 410XLT. The amp just seems to be made for this cab. I also have an Eden 210XST and the Shuttle and this little 210 make for a killer small rig.

Here's a few pics I snapped tonight:

 

[shoot-r]

Crabby, Love the new head. I was wondering how the GB 6.0 would work with Eden cabinets. Looks good on the cabs too. Are you finding you can run the GB flat like you would if you where running your Eden head?
It's great the new trend to lighter and powerful small heads. I tried the Eden WT260 and really liked the sound, but I think Eden really dropped the ball when they didn't bring that head to the market with 500 to 600 watts. If they had with it's tone I think they'd have ruled the micro head market.

 

[buffordbass]

+1 on the 260 underpowered.... Genz brought the best of all worlds in the 3.0 and 6.0 shuttles! 3.0 for the smaller needs and solid state design... and the 6.0 with a bag full of power and the tube front end for those who "gotta have it"... like me!! LOL... I have played my shuttles through several cabinets (aside from my Genz 12's) and it has sounded great with all of them. Confession: one of my fav's is through a 118... OH MY, talk about full bottom!!!!!!!

 

[KJung]

+1 on the 260 underpowered.... Genz brought the best of all worlds in the 3.0 and 6.0 shuttles! 3.0 for the smaller needs and solid state design... and the 6.0 with a bag full of power and the tube front end for those who "gotta have it"... like me!! LOL... I have played my shuttles through several cabinets (aside from my Genz 12's) and it has sounded great with all of them. Confession: one of my fav's is through a 118... OH MY, talk about full bottom!!!!!!!

+1.... the Eden260 is not in the same league. For those looking for Micro amps, the 6.0 for the tube warm guys, and the MB LMII for the 'clean SS guys' pretty much has the category covered... reasonable prices, good reliability, LOUD, great tone.

 

[Crabby]

So far, I'm running the Shuttle pretty much flat. The low boost switch is quite nice but I think I actually like the tone better by just adding a bit of low end from the eq section. Messing with the two input volumes alone, provides for some great tones. So far, I am running the tube gain at around 2 oclock on the dial, and the pre volume at noon. Absolutely killer!

 

[Fretlessboy]

sometimes the the biggest improvement in tone comes from the smallest piece of gear. I must say my Eden rig looked more impressive. But now I sound better

 

[IndyBass]

Crabby, Love the new head. I was wondering how the GB 6.0 would work with Eden cabinets. Looks good on the cabs too. Are you finding you can run the GB flat like you would if you where running your Eden head?

shoot-r, I used the 6.0 with the 212XLT for several rehearsals before you bought the cab, and the pairing was very impressive to me. I ran it flat with the p-bass, and it killed. Plenty of lows and punch. I imagine it would sound nearly as good with your jazz basses.

 

[Crabby]

sometimes the the biggest improvement in tone comes from the smallest piece of gear. I must say my Eden rig looked more impressive. But now I sound better

I hate to admit it, but at this point in my situation, I am really starting to wonder what I need my Navigator/power amp setup for. The Shuttle is more amp then I ever expected. Kind of making my "big rig" a little redundant!

Of course selling it off would bring more funds for some other new gear! hee hee

 

[Fretlessboy]

I am with you bro'... I would have never thought that the rigs posted above would have turned out the way they did. I also can't believe the 6.0/212 wiped out the rig above it but it gets done and about 175 pounds lighter. Go figure

I hate to admit it, but at this point in my situation, I am really starting to wonder what I need my Navigator/power amp setup for. The Shuttle is more amp then I ever expected. Kind of making my "big rig" a little redundant!

Of course selling it off would bring more funds for some other new gear! hee hee

 

[shoot-r]

Hey Indy, Once again thanks for the 212XLT....best tone I've ever had!
I'm going to be replacing my very old GK 800 soon, want to try a Eden WT 405, Markbass lil Mark II, and I'd like to hear GK's small head if and when it's out.... but....Crabby has got me thinking 6.0 !

 

[Crabby]

The 6.0 is just so much better then all the hype here on TB had led me to believe. I am pretty picky and have owned a lot of rigs, but as I get older, I like things simpler and this is one of "those" amps that sounds right straight out of the box. tweaking it is fun and it has a ton of well thought out features. But the tone is there right away. More punch then my 1400 watt pre/power set up!

 

[shoot-r]

Crabby, Are you gonna stick with your Eden cabs or are you thinking GB all the way?

 

[Fretlessboy]

Isnt it cool when your big rig and small rig are the same rig?

I hate to admit it, but at this point in my situation, I am really starting to wonder what I need my Navigator/power amp setup for. The Shuttle is more amp then I ever expected. Kind of making my "big rig" a little redundant!

Of course selling it off would bring more funds for some other new gear! hee hee

 

[Crabby]

Crabby, Are you gonna stick with your Eden cabs or are you thinking GB all the way?

I am a huge fan of the Eden cabs but there is no doubt that they are heavy and awkward to transport. I just love how efficient and punchy they are. The 410XLT allows the Shuttle to run at the full 600 watts and its so huge sounding.

Having said that, I demoed the Shuttle through a single Genz 112 neo cab and was astounded at the tone. A pair of them would be incredible and super light. I haven't been able to try any other GB cabs but can see me having to get at least one in the near future!

The Uber410 is extremely tempting as my Eden 410 weighs in at 97lbs. Not an easy cab to move around. Bass gear just keeps getting better and better!

By the way, I picked up the matching Shuttle gig bag last night and its really sweet!

 

[shoot-r]

Crabby, I'd really like to try the GB 212 and 112 neo's but the dealer that's closest to me doesn't think 12's for bass will sell in this area! It's 10's or 15's...period. They have a 3.0 head, a GB 1-15 cab, and the 210 neo cab and apparently no intrest in stocking anything more.
This dealer may be right too....to my knowledge I'm the only player in this area that's now using 12's in a live group.

 

[spiritbass]

I discovered recently that Shuttles do great vocal work, too. I've been using a 12" Kustom monitor powered with a Carvin amp for vocals in rehearsal. Fiday night we missed practice due to the drummer's 16th wedding anniversary and I experimented. I tried an SM58 > Onyx 1620 > Summit Audio TLA-50 > Shuttle > Tri-115 combination. Oh yeah - sonic sweetness! Like trying to compare prime rib to beans & weenies. One of those 'Duh, why didn't I think of this long before now's... I can't wait for the next band practice now.
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[Brad Johnson]

Isnt it cool when your big rig and small rig are the same rig?

It sure is... that's what I've been doing for years... and as small as my rigs have been, I've been able to go even smaller.



On the flip side, I had to play through a backline that was "challenging" at best tonight. I brought my amp but didn't bother to switch it out. I ran through an Ampeg B2R into an SWR Goliath III and a 1-18 cab. I had to work to keep it from sounding as bad as it did. With the other bassists it was a muffled mess, I at least got it to cut through by killing the overabundance of nondescript lows. It's funny that my butt-high rig smokes this 6' monstrosity in volume and tone.

On the bright side, I drove my Miata into Baltimore for the gig... with everything (bass/amp head/stand/clothes) in the trunk.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Crabby, I'd really like to try the GB 212 and 112 neo's but the dealer that's closest to me doesn't think 12's for bass will sell in this area! It's 10's or 15's...period. They have a 3.0 head, a GB 1-15 cab, and the 210 neo cab and apparently no intrest in stocking anything more.
This dealer may be right too....to my knowledge I'm the only player in this area that's now using 12's in a live group.

12's will sell if they sell them. At least good 12's will IME. It's not that hard to get people to try stuff... in fact it's actually supposed to be part of the job. Some people don't know what they're missing until they experience it themselves and not checking out GB's 12 cabs is a big mistake IMO... especially if you get to hear them after you've bought something else.

 

[Eublet]

On the flip side, I had to play through a backline that was "challenging" at best tonight. I brought my amp but didn't bother to switch it out. I ran through an Ampeg B2R into an SWR Goliath III and a 1-18 cab. I had to work to keep it from sounding as bad as it did. With the other bassists it was a muffled mess, I at least got it to cut through by killing the overabundance of nondescript lows. It's funny that my butt-high rig smokes this 6' monstrosity in volume and tone.

Same here, Brad. Played a jazz fest a few weeks back that was backlined with SWR, and SM-900 on top of two Goliath III's. It was bottom heavy, scooped, and glassy on top. I played with the EQ and got a decent tone out of it, but I kept thinking that my stack of three GB 12's would have killed that rig.

Then we did a block party last night. There was another band down the street doing classic rock/pop covers. They guy had two SWR 410's and a 6 space rack. I showed up with my Shuttle and a GB 212 cabinet. I had headroom to spare. I don't understand how people are still carrying around all that big heavy stuff.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Same here, Brad. Played a jazz fest a few weeks back that was backlined with SWR, and SM-900 on top of two Goliath III's. It was bottom heavy, scooped, and glassy on top. I played with the EQ and got a decent tone out of it, but I kept thinking that my stack of three GB 12's would have killed that rig.

Then we did a block party last night. There was another band down the street doing classic rock/pop covers. They guy had two SWR 410's and a 6 space rack. I showed up with my Shuttle and a GB 212 cabinet. I had headroom to spare. I don't understand how people are still carrying around all that big heavy stuff.

I'd bet that in many cases they just don't know what's available now. I'm always getting bassists coming up to me at gigs, shocked at the disconnect between the size and sound of my rig.