For the MB combos, can you just disconnect the horn if you don't want it? Can you simply bypass the crossover? Or am I on the wrong track...
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New Gallien Kreuger MB 210 & MB 115 PART 2:
- Thread starter Thor
- Start date
They have a button, push the button and the horn turns on or off. The button is right on the control panel.
It couldn't be simpler. If one doesn't like the tweet - then turn it off. Now it's not noisy.
basically you use the horn when in a band setting and turn it off when playing by yourself... at least i think that's what i'll be doing.
I ordered the MB210 Tuesday evening and it arrived today. No dings in the grill like the new one I tried at GC the other day(right out of the box). I really like this amp. I've only payed it here at the house, no band practice yet but it seems to have some power. I use to play through a Fender Bassman 250/210 which I did like but this GK has a totally different sound and I'm liking it! Anyone know if there is a GK 15" cabinet that matches up with the MB210 as for as the dimensions for stacking? Thanks.
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Sorry wrong cab, from the 2010 product manual:23.5X19.5X14.75 33lbs MBE115
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Nevermind the MBE's are 4 ohm except the 210!
Sorry wrong cab, from the 2010 product manual:23.5X19.5X14.75 33lbs MBE115
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Nevermind the MBE's are 4 ohm except the 210!
To each his own... I just suspect I will probably turn the horn on when playing in a band setting. Who knows... maybe not.
I'm one of those people that feels like if I paid for a feature, I'd like to use it. Silly, I know... but hey, I'm young and learning still.
I can't wait to use this puppy in a band setting on Sunday. I'll let you guys know at that point what I think of this loud/noisy horn.
Totally IMO...the tweet on the MB210 seems to add nothing good to the mix....but it's not loud or noisy. I HAVE used tweeters that were cool...Bergantino, Schroeder, Epifani. Not trying to push my views here, just giving an opinion.To each his own... I just suspect I will probably turn the horn on when playing in a band setting. Who knows... maybe not.
I'm one of those people that feels like if I paid for a feature, I'd like to use it. Silly, I know... but hey, I'm young and learning still.
I can't wait to use this puppy in a band setting on Sunday. I'll let you guys know at that point what I think of this loud/noisy horn.
Want to hear what you think after using it in a band setting, GOF!!
Ok, so I definitely agree with what everybody else has said about the horn. Even in a band setting it's pretty useless.
In terms of power, volume, moving the earth on which we stood, this amp excelled yesterday at my rehearsal and my gig (this was not with the really really really loud band i play with though but we did play louder than usual). For the most part, I liked the sound. I think I still have some EQ tweeking to do. As I'm sure you all know, dialing in a tone that sounds good when playing by yourself can sometimes be useless as soon as you put a guitar player and drummer in the mix.
Here's what I was running:
Bass @ 11 o'clock
Lo-mid @ 9 o'clock
Hi-mid @ 2 o'clock
Treble @ 1 o'clock
Boost @ 3 o'clock
Gain @ 2 o'clock
Master adjusted as needed
Contour: OFF; Limiter: ON; Horn: OFF (most of the time)
I think maybe I need to dial back on the boost a little, maybe not scoop my mids so much.... I don't know.
I'm trying to dial in a good funk and slap tone. I don't know much about EQ. Anybody found a good slap setting with this amp and could help me out?
From the manual, it seems like the CONTOUR button is supposed to basically be a mid-scoop button but it sounds to me more like a SUCK button when I turn it on. I must admit though, in retrospect, I never tried the CONTOUR button in a band setting. Only at home.
Also, the BOOST button to me seems to just be another bass increase. I don't really hear this "growl" that they describe it to add in the manual.
I'm open to any and all suggestions. I'm looking for my bass to basically sound like it's punching you in the face with each note with a big fat slap tone.
Thoughts?
Thnx guys!
My initial thoughts are:Ok, so I definitely agree with what everybody else has said about the horn. Even in a band setting it's pretty useless.
In terms of power, volume, moving the earth on which we stood, this amp excelled yesterday at my rehearsal and my gig (this was not with the really really really loud band i play with though but we did play louder than usual). For the most part, I liked the sound. I think I still have some EQ tweeking to do. As I'm sure you all know, dialing in a tone that sounds good when playing by yourself can sometimes be useless as soon as you put a guitar player and drummer in the mix.
Here's what I was running:
Bass @ 11 o'clock
Lo-mid @ 9 o'clock
Hi-mid @ 2 o'clock
Treble @ 1 o'clock
Boost @ 3 o'clock
Gain @ 2 o'clock
Master adjusted as needed
Contour: OFF; Limiter: ON; Horn: OFF (most of the time)
I think maybe I need to dial back on the boost a little, maybe not scoop my mids so much.... I don't know.
I'm trying to dial in a good funk and slap tone. I don't know much about EQ. Anybody found a good slap setting with this amp and could help me out?
From the manual, it seems like the CONTOUR button is supposed to basically be a mid-scoop button but it sounds to me more like a SUCK button when I turn it on. I must admit though, in retrospect, I never tried the CONTOUR button in a band setting. Only at home.
Also, the BOOST button to me seems to just be another bass increase. I don't really hear this "growl" that they describe it to add in the manual.
I'm open to any and all suggestions. I'm looking for my bass to basically sound like it's punching you in the face with each note with a big fat slap tone.
Thoughts?
Thnx guys!
Glad it worked for you! I'll bet load-in and load-out were "easy like Sunday morning"!!
Boost @ 3 o'clock, Gain @ 2 o'clock...I'm wondering what kind of bass you were playing....must be kind of "low output", because these settings with my bass would be pretty distorted when you 'dig in'.
Cutting low-mids to 9:00 is pretty extreme....did you try it with everything at noon to start with?
I definitely consider the contour button the suck button. I used it in the 80's on an 800RB but....it was the 80's, gimme a break!
My overall suggestion would be to 'start' with everything at noon and play like that for a bit to get your ears used to THAT sound. Then do some EQing from there and try to EQ as little as possible.
Here are my usual settings (for reference only):
Bass @ 10 o'clock (don't forget, mine is fully broken-in)
Lo-mid @ 12 o'clock
Hi-mid @ 1 o'clock
Treble @ 1 o'clock
Boost @ 12 o'clock
Gain @ 12 o'clock
Master adjusted as needed, but ends up around noon.
Contour: OFF; Limiter: ON; Horn: OFF
But that's with a passive Lakland JO5...YMMV
For the record, I hardly ever slap, but when necessary, it sounds great with these settings!
I'll have to do that.
My bass actually has active pickups so I was in the active jack. It's a EBMM SUB Stingray
My bass actually has active pickups so I was in the active jack. It's a EBMM SUB Stingray
My initial thoughts are:
Glad it worked for you! I'll bet load-in and load-out were "easy like Sunday morning"!!
Boost @ 3 o'clock, Gain @ 2 o'clock...I'm wondering what kind of bass you were playing....must be kind of "low output", because these settings with my bass would be pretty distorted when you 'dig in'.
Cutting low-mids to 9:00 is pretty extreme....did you try it with everything at noon to start with?
I definitely consider the contour button the suck button. I used it in the 80's on an 800RB but....it was the 80's, gimme a break!
My overall suggestion would be to 'start' with everything at noon and play like that for a bit to get your ears used to THAT sound. Then do some EQing from there and try to EQ as little as possible.
Here are my usual settings (for reference only):
Bass @ 10 o'clock (don't forget, mine is fully broken-in)
Lo-mid @ 12 o'clock
Hi-mid @ 1 o'clock
Treble @ 1 o'clock
Boost @ 12 o'clock
Gain @ 12 o'clock
Master adjusted as needed, but ends up around noon.
Contour: OFF; Limiter: ON; Horn: OFF
But that's with a passive Lakland JO5...YMMV
For the record, I hardly ever slap, but when necessary, it sounds great with these settings!
Ah, that explains it! Definitely try plugging into 'passive' and backing down the gain and boost...I think you'll like it. I plug my active Lakland 55-94 into the passive input and it works great! (active input = 'suck' for me)...
Interesting. Thanks for that. I'll definitely have to try that.
I'll also take your suggestion on not making such harsh EQ adjustments.
Maybe I should just leave everything flat and do my EQ adjustments right on my bass.
Still trying to figure out what the BOOST knob does. Can you explain this?
I was going to say 'read the manual' on the boost control but it isn't very clear. Basically it makes the amp sound more like a tube amp by adding some distortion. With boost off and gain down, it will be very clean sounding (and not very loud). Crank the gain and boost and you will have a pretty furry sounding amp. I like it between these two extremes so I set gain and boost at about noon. That's using the passive input...if you go into the active input you have to crank them both up and 'to me' it doesn't sound as nice.
When you turn the low mids down to 9:00 you're kind of sucking the life out of it (taking the meat out of the sandwich, if you will). Just start at noon and try not to over-do the EQ thing (same thing applies to your onboard active EQ). There is no 'wrong' setting, just experiment and have fun. But as you know, what sounds good by yourself doesn't always translate with a band.
If you want more GK growl, set the Master to 3 o'clock and adjust the Gain for overall volume. That is the recommended setting in the manual. GK growl is a function of "hitting the rails" as it has been described by RAG himself on the power amp.
but the manual also says that's what the BOOST knob is supposed to do.
to be honest, I don't know if I want growl or not. What I'm looking for is an old school, punchy, motown type of tone.
thanks for the suggestion though. out of curiosity, do you keep your BOOST knob at 7 o'clock (IOW, off)?
Been messing around with my EQ settings. Of course, this is me playing on my own, not with a band so I'll update later tonight as to how this works in a loud band setting (tonight I'm anticipating a pretty loud rehearsal so I'll be able to further put this amp through the paces.
So, appox. EQ settings that give a nice funky slap tone:
Bass @ 10/11 o'clock
Lo-mid @ 10 o'clock
Hi-mid @ 1 o'clock
Treble @ 2 o'clock
Gain @ 12 o'clock
Boost @ 10/11 o'clock
Contour OFF; Limiter ON; Horn OFF
We'll see how this works with two loud guitars and thunder drums tonight.
That being said, my first real real test comes on Thursday. Then I play with the same band that led me to blow the horn on my last cab that I owned. THAT, will be a true test.
I really like those EQ setting for me but I have a feeling I'm going to have to eek that Lo-mid a little bit closer to 12 or even 1 to cut through the mix well in a full band setting.
So, appox. EQ settings that give a nice funky slap tone:
Bass @ 10/11 o'clock
Lo-mid @ 10 o'clock
Hi-mid @ 1 o'clock
Treble @ 2 o'clock
Gain @ 12 o'clock
Boost @ 10/11 o'clock
Contour OFF; Limiter ON; Horn OFF
We'll see how this works with two loud guitars and thunder drums tonight.
That being said, my first real real test comes on Thursday. Then I play with the same band that led me to blow the horn on my last cab that I owned. THAT, will be a true test.
I really like those EQ setting for me but I have a feeling I'm going to have to eek that Lo-mid a little bit closer to 12 or even 1 to cut through the mix well in a full band setting.
