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Double Bass New GK MB150 update coming next year

basss

basss

Supporting Member
Aug 27, 2001
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1,306
NY
#1
I try not to speculate about gear that hasn't been released yet but I'm kinda excited about an updated MB150 combo.
rag said:
Those products (replacements for the MB200 and MB150S) are scheduled for late next year.
RAG
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I had one as my main upright amp for about 15 years. Sweet sound that was eventually outclassed by newer light weight gear. If GK can do an updated version that can compete I'm in!
 
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#5
basss said:
I try not to speculate about gear that hasn't been released yet but I'm kinda excited about an updated MB150 combo.

I had one as my main upright amp for about 15 years. Sweet sound that was eventually outclassed by newer light weight gear. If GK can do an updated version that can compete I'm in!
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I know a lot of people dislike this amp compared to newer offerings, but I've rarely found an amp that small that sits in the mix in a way to really hear pitch well. It's not the prettiest sound on it's own, though! @basss (Bob G. from Berklee?). I wasn't super happy with the sound of the last generation of them though. I still use my old 200mb all the time.
 
#6
I’m on my third MB150S after selling the previous two for newer, lighter, better…………
This one is probably almost 30 years old and other than a replacement speaker, it has worked perfectly well.
Although I don’t use it often, I know that it will always give me a decent tone and get the job done. With a very effective eq, it can deliver anything from fair to very good tone in situations where more ‘neutral’ amps fail.
This one will stay with me until the end.
 
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#7
dylanjohnson said:
I know a lot of people dislike this amp compared to newer offerings, but I've rarely found an amp that small that sits in the mix in a way to really hear pitch well. It's not the prettiest sound on it's own, though! @basss (Bob G. from Berklee?). I wasn't super happy with the sound of the last generation of them though. I still use my old 200mb all the time.
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The 200MB’s were delightful sounding amps. I had two different ones. The closest they got to that amp was the MBS.
 
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#9
Wish I’d have never sold my mbe150! Fortunately I did pick up an older 200mb for $100 used on Craigslist when someone bought their new mb150! Bet that cat regrets that sale- But it isn’t always loud enough, so it’s been mostly relegated to keyboard use at home… I should bring that one out sometime.

Excited to hear about this new version! It’d be so cool to see this go more the upright specific route and keep those other combos more electric oriented. I wonder if that’s even being considered
 
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#10
Fat bob said:
Wish I’d have never sold my mbe150! Fortunately I did pick up an older 200mb for $100 used on Craigslist when someone bought their new mb150! Bet that cat regrets that sale- But it isn’t always loud enough, so it’s been mostly relegated to keyboard use at home… I should bring that one out sometime.

Excited to hear about this new version! It’d be so cool to see this go more the upright specific route and keep those other combos more electric oriented. I wonder if that’s even being considered.

You’re definitely right about the older GK 200MB they were only 80 watts into 4 ohms. My guess is that GK will build an amp for a “general audience”.
Hopefully it will be compatible with DB and EB.
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#11
I’ve had both the 200MB and MB150S combos and regretted selling both. Reliable, reasonably priced and easy to move.

My “modern” solution is the new MB200 head with an old 112MBX extension cabinet from the retired MB series. This setup works at least as well as the old GK combos did and weighs a lot less too, which is great for taking the train.

I will be checking the new series out when they are available.
 
#12
Still got my MB150E. It lives in my workshop now, for testing preamps. I don't really have a great explanation for why I retired it, other than curiosity about designing my own speakers, and GAS for new GK stuff. ;)

I've said in the past that the MicroBass combo's were an ingenious solution to the problem of getting gig worthy bass out of a cubic foot of amp. No laws of physics were violated, but he found just the right combination of design parameters using the technology of the time.

Also, Bob's schematics are works of art.

It'll be fun to see what comes next!
 
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#19
I loved my MB150 until it started blowing up on me, literally! Within a minute after turning it on, there would be a loud, gunshot-like pop (that didn't make me very popular with the guests), followed by a puff of foul-smelling smoke. Happened at two different gigs. Fortunately, I was playing upright in smaller settings, so I just went acoustic. Tech guy "jumpered" something or other (I don't know dukey about amps), which seemed to fix it, but I never trusted it and traded it with my teacher for lessons. I think he's still using it, now about 15 years later.
 
#20
Matt Ides said:
IMO they should bring out a new version of 200MB. If they did it right they would have a real winner on their hands. Seems like there is still a space in the market for a lightweight combo amp with a 1x12 that is voiced for DB.
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That would be great if it had a higher powered amplifier section. Not ridiculously over powered mind you, just more than the 80 watts into 4 ohms of the original. Saying that, if you take a look at the circuit design of the 200MB it’s a very complicated analog preamp and power section. Very labor intensive to build, so hopefully the new ones can emulate that quality with newer technology. The market for a Double Bass amp is pretty small compared to the overall bass amp market. Just my take.
 

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