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Problems with GK 800rb

Diminished

Diminished

Oct 3, 2002
27
0
43
Porterville, California
midinonsense.cjb.net
#1
I recently took my GK 800rb out of storage and it's been giving me some major problems. It's about 10 years old and I've played around 80-100 gigs with it.
Ever since taking it out of storage it takes a couple minutes to start up after powering on. I usually have to turn it on and off multiple times and hit a hard high frequency on the bass to get it started...and it comes on with a bang.
I don't know what it is exactly, but the tone isn't very good. Sounds kind of dead to me. It will also randomly cut out if I hit a hard high frequency and will need to be restarted or have to bang on a string to get it to "pop" back on.
I've been playing for nearly 20 years but I'm terrible when it comes to hardware. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
#5
Well I ran a cable through the effects plugins and it seems to have fixed any problems I had with the amp.
I'm playing a Fender active P Bass special full range through the 300 watt amp to an 8ohm Peavey 410 Pro. No matter how much I mess with the settings on the bass and amp, I just can't get the tone I'm looking for. I'm playing in a tejano/country band at the moment and I'm looking for a nice clean punchy tone. Maybe the 800rb is best used as a rock amp? I've read that the 800 doesn't really like active basses.
At the moment I'm looking at the new TC Electronic BH250 as a replacement. I'm taking pictures of the amp now and I'm going to be selling it at discount unless you guys have any ideas.
 
#8
^^^^ Good advise^^^^

Only problem I've ever had with my 800rb was the input jack. They do wear out over time.

I've read that the 800 doesn't really like active basses.

I used a StingRay5 with mine for years and thought it sounded great. I went back to passive basses and think they sound better through the 800rb. my .02

Have a tech take a look at it. May need new caps. Good luck.
 
#9
Hi Diminished,

Try this: start with the volume (input gain) at zero. Low and mid voicing filters off, but turn on the high boost. Set all tone controls to noon, boost at zero (off), crossover disengaged and max the volume of the 300 watt master power section (assuming you are using that for your cab).

Start playing and increase your volume to your liking. If you are clipping the input with your active bass (i.e. getting some nasty sounds when hitting notes hard) engage the pad, then readjust input volume as needed. If you don't like a lot of highs, disengage the high boost switch and use the EQ knob for more highs.

You should be getting a good, clean sound with these settings. Since some of your music is country, do you need more bottom end? Perhaps a 1 or 2 15 cab would be better than the Peavey, me thinks?

Raz

(PS, my sinister side wanted to just say "forget it man, amp is toast, I'll take it off your hands for ya..." :D )
 
#11
I noticed a difference with the -10db button pushed in. Sounds a little cleaner. The problem is with the tone itself. It sounds muddy to me. I have an old fender bassman 100 combo and I really dig the tone on that thing...it's just way too quiet. I've tried flat eq, mid countour, full boost, no boost, the 100watt amp, pretty much everything I can think of and it still sounds strange to me. It's like it doesn't pick up the intricate stuff on the string and just blasts a big rock tone. I dunno man, maybe the amp just isn't for me.
 
#14
Diminished said:
I noticed a difference with the -10db button pushed in. Sounds a little cleaner. The problem is with the tone itself. It sounds muddy to me. I have an old fender bassman 100 combo and I really dig the tone on that thing...it's just way too quiet. I've tried flat eq, mid countour, full boost, no boost, the 100watt amp, pretty much everything I can think of and it still sounds strange to me. It's like it doesn't pick up the intricate stuff on the string and just blasts a big rock tone. I dunno man, maybe the amp just isn't for me.
Click to expand...

I agree - it's not the amp for you. I'll send you my address in a PM, and my FedEx account number - just throw it in a box and bill it to me.
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:D:D:D:D:D
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Sorry D, I couldn't resist. In all honesty, I feel for your tonal woes and wish I could offer some more direct help. My bass is active, I felt I got the best sound with the pad disengaged, highs and high mids boosted on the bass, and the bass cut a bit on the amp (with hi-mids and highs boosted slightly). It was killer through the Henry I had too.

There are prolly too many other variables involved; I'm not familiar with your active Fender, don't know how old your strings are or what kind they are, etc. Have you A/B'd it with other cabs? Basses? Players? Just a thought.

Raz
 
#15
I totally agree, you have to try a different cabinet before parting way with the best Amp GK have ever made. I had an 800RB and stupidly sold it. Tried loads of other Amps then came back to yes...another 800RB. Clean, punchy tone for days!
Good luck!
 
#17
Diminished said:
I noticed a difference with the -10db button pushed in. Sounds a little cleaner. The problem is with the tone itself. It sounds muddy to me. I have an old fender bassman 100 combo and I really dig the tone on that thing...it's just way too quiet. I've tried flat eq, mid countour, full boost, no boost, the 100watt amp, pretty much everything I can think of and it still sounds strange to me. It's like it doesn't pick up the intricate stuff on the string and just blasts a big rock tone. I dunno man, maybe the amp just isn't for me.
Click to expand...

Get a better cab.
 
#18
Interesting. I bought a used GK 800RB about 15 years ago. 3 years later, I put it into storage for and it sat for 10 years. I took it out of storage 2 years ago and fired it up.

It had very similar symptoms as you described. Frustrated, I set it aside and 2 months later, turned it on again. It worked perfectly, and has been in regular use since.

I have no explanation for this. I don't know if this will help, but I couldn't not share.
 

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