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The much-talked-about Gallien Krueger growl...

B

BassMonstrum

Mar 7, 2008
1,016
33
#1
I have a Gallien Krueger 1001rb-II and all I can get out of it is a super-clean tone. How do you GK1001-users get your amp to growl?

FYI, I use a Fender Highway Jazz --> EBS Multicomp --> GK --> Mesa Boogie Roadready 1000 (4x10" and 1x15").

And also, what IS the GK-growl? I've heard tube amps growl and snarl, but never a GK. Any soundclips?
 
#3
The GK growl is a kind of distortion. Some interesting comments made by Bob Gallien himself about the GK's, is that they are designed to go in and out "the rails". He also mentioned the too big of a GK amp will not get the growl because you cant push them hard enough with out getting too loud.

The boost knob helps to get the growl at lower volumes.
 
#7
I was in the same situation, the GK heads are VERY LOUD for their ratings. I was also after that elusive GK growl everyone has talked about, not the boost knob, but how they sound when the amp is pushed to its limit. I started with the 1001rbII waaaay too loud for this, moved on to the 700rbII, still way too loud. I finally got my hands on an older 800rb(300 watts!) and there it was, the sound. Snarly, punchy and surprisingly responsive to how much attack I had. I run it into an ampeg 8-10 with a ric 4003. I hope this helps.:)
 
#9
smem said:
I was in the same situation, the GK heads are VERY LOUD for their ratings. I was also after that elusive GK growl everyone has talked about, not the boost knob, but how they sound when the amp is pushed to its limit. I started with the 1001rbII waaaay too loud for this, moved on to the 700rbII, still way too loud. I finally got my hands on an older 800rb(300 watts!) and there it was, the sound. Snarly, punchy and surprisingly responsive to how much attack I had. I run it into an ampeg 8-10 with a ric 4003. I hope this helps.:)
Click to expand...



Great post - for me, the sound is in the 700rb-II, and the 1001rb-II isn't quite as warm - atleast at the volumes I typically play at...



- georgestrings
 
#15
thudfromafar said:
Turn up your volume and boost. Turn down the master.
Click to expand...

But that is not the "GK Growl"...... You want the master up so that you can "hit the rails" of the power section. Turning up the preamp gain to get distortion, IMO, is what makes some think GK's are "sterile".

Here is a copy-n-paste from an interview BG did with the Institute of Bass....

"When a power amp puts out as much power as it is capable of producing, that is referred to as "hitting the rails." The way our amps go in and out of the rails is very different to how other manufacturer's amps react. Sometimes you will hear guys talk about "the G-K growl." If a bassist is used to playing an 800RB, he'll know exactly where he needs to place the controls on his amp to get that G-K growl. If he then moves to the 1001RB-II which puts out over twice as much power as the 800RB, he'll have to play his amp much louder to get that same type of growl. I have found that this is one of the biggest things that bassists have to learn in moving to a more powerful amplifier. If you want to maintain the classic G-K growl and don't need to play at loud volumes, then you definitely want to stick with a lower powered amplifier so it is easier for you to hit the rails."
 
#16
From the manual:

"Boost: A post EQ gain stage using GK’s exclusive Valve Effect technology, which adds ‘growl’ as it is turned up."

"Raising the Boost while lowering the Master will add more growl while keeping the sound level relatively consistent."

Well I've always had good results doing that anyways. I've heard about the the "hitting the rails" thing but never needed to play that loudly to get "growl"
 
#17
Thanks for the help!

Yes, I have heard Appetite for Destruction, but I never knew that THAT was the GK-growl...

As for Tool, I always thought most of his tone came from the Wal-basses and effects.

Normally, I use a Sansamp BDDI or an EBS Multidrive to add growl, but I want to try and get the growl from the amp.
 
#19
thudfromafar said:
From the manual:

"Boost: A post EQ gain stage using GK’s exclusive Valve Effect technology, which adds ‘growl’ as it is turned up."

"Raising the Boost while lowering the Master will add more growl while keeping the sound level relatively consistent."

Well I've always had good results doing that anyways. I've heard about the the "hitting the rails" thing but never needed to play that loudly to get "growl"
Click to expand...

I've never found a use for the distortion given by the boost on my 1001RBII. I think it just sounds awful even with my rick 4003....

But even with it set to 0 where it always is on mine the general voicing of the amp itself has a distinctive metallic high-midrange sound to it even when it's totally clean.
That's what I always thought the "GK growl" was. It's there even with my carvin bunny FL and it's more noticeable if you crank up the two midrange knobs in the EQ.
Could be my cab too which is also a GK 4x10...

I havn't run mine to clipping yet as it's just too loud - risks the police and my ears overload before I can hear the distortion anyway.

LS
 

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