• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

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

#21
So,,, on the 700RB II,, I was always told not to run the volume control to high in relation to the "woofer" volume due to damage to the preamp section.

Is there any damage to be had by doing this? Isnt it hard on the preamp section?

Opinions???
 
#23
lowendblues said:
So,,, on the 700RB II,, I was always told not to run the volume control to high in relation to the "woofer" volume due to damage to the preamp section.

Is there any damage to be had by doing this? Isnt it hard on the preamp section?

Opinions???
Click to expand...

i haven't found it to be a problem at all. i've run my 1001RBII all the way up on the boost and preamp volume with the master way down with no ill effects (damage) other than it sounds too fuzzy.
 
#25
I now have both the 700RB2 and the 1001RB2 and I have a Mesa Powerhouse 1000 cab - so we have alot in common.

I initially started with the 700RB2 driving the Mesa cab. Personally I agree that the 700 has better tone than the 1001 possibly because of that very growl that everyone is talking about when the amp is pushed.

BUT - I don't use the 700RB2 with the Mesa cab any longer for fear of blowing the speakers. The Mesa cab is rated at 1000 watts and the 700RB2 is less than 500 watts. Pushing a 500 watt amp to the point where it "growls" through a 1000 watt cab is a sure way to find yourself buy Mesa replacement speakers.

So I now only use the 1001 RB2 through the Mesa cab and I don't push it, and I use the 700 RB2 through a 4X10 for smaller gigs.

My advice - get yourself a pedal to get that growl and don't push the Mesa cab with an underpowered amp.
 
#28
The following is pretty much the same question asked over at the GK forum. Good info to know.


Can I crank the volume and boost on my 700RBII while turning down the "woofer" volume to obtain maximum distortion without causing any damage to the amp?

If you don't mind replacing your speakers, you can. You get that input "too high" and you'll square-wave your speakers to death. That's may work for a guitar amp but these amps don't work quite the same way. You can get a pedal to "overdrive" the signal but you still control it with your Input Volume.
 
#31
lowendblues said:
The following is pretty much the same question asked over at the GK forum. Good info to know.


Can I crank the volume and boost on my 700RBII while turning down the "woofer" volume to obtain maximum distortion without causing any damage to the amp?

If you don't mind replacing your speakers, you can. You get that input "too high" and you'll square-wave your speakers to death. That's may work for a guitar amp but these amps don't work quite the same way. You can get a pedal to "overdrive" the signal but you still control it with your Input Volume.
Click to expand...

That's ********. :rollno:
 
#33
An old gutardist I used to play with, dimed the input volume on my 800RB when I was not around and said it gets pretty crazy. I agree my once quiet 800RB started hissing at me, pretty crazy (untill I replaced some opamps to get rid of the constant hiss). He never repaid me. Do with your amps what you will, but don't blame the amp for your lack of self control? :)
 
#36
René_Julien;8065716 said:
I don't understand all these issues with making a 1001 growl.
I can get mine to growl at low volumes. (Although I agree a 700 would be better at lower volumes.)

And I'm starting to appreciate the "GK growl".... it's nice to cover up my lousy playing technique.
Click to expand...

May I ask for your settings, monsieur?
 
#38
BassMonstrum said:
May I ask for your settings, monsieur?
Click to expand...

amp is in rehearsal room, but from what I recall:
from left to right on the front of the amp:

-14dB pad on or off depending on my active or passive (duh :))
volume: usually around 12 o'clock, I don't recall I ever had to turn this further up
contour: 9 o'clock
presence: 12 o'clock (sometimes to 2)
treble: 12 to 1
high mid: 12
low mid: dimed, full open... ow yeah
bass: 12
boost: 9 to 12 (I like the GK growl, but the GK 1001RB-II is the holy grail to me because I like lots of clean power)
tweeter: not using

... woofer...:
I play through a Hartke XL410 (400W@8ohm) and I go insanely lous.
We rehearse in a small to medium "hall": about 18 metres by 25 metres and 3,5 meters high of stonewalls. (oh yeah, it's good to have a drummer who has extra unused buildings on his farm).
mostly the woofer is also at 12... or higher depending on how loud we want to play.


I don't know if this will work for you.
Start by turning up your boost knob. Not satisfied yet? Turn up your volume knob... untill 2 o'clock (free to turn up further off course). Then start killing your guitarist with turning up the woofer volume.

FWIW and IME: if you prefer more flatter settings then it's easier to get a growl. Presence knob should be turned back if you want that "growl" that makes tube amps ashamed of themselves.

The GK1001RB-II growls (seems to) better with my passive bass than with my active bass... strangely. (disclaimer, I only own my first active bass for 3 weeks and it's a different animal then what I'm used to.)


Just experiment a lot, see what all the controls do, and read the manual.

But I strongly agree with what others suggested: for easier letting it growl you're better off with a 700RB or 800RB.
I chose the 1001 because I am more interested in a über clean powerhouse.


As always: YMMV.

Perhaps we all have a different perception of the growl.
I didn't understood what it was before I owned a GK. Now I understand it. I used to have a Trace Elliot that "growled" so nice. I was a fool for selling it... but the GK gets me very close... it's different but on par.
 
#40
megadan said:
GK themselves claim that there are no bad EQ settings.
Click to expand...
I'll back this up.

It's possible to get tones that don't fit the music, however, but that just means the amp is versatile! For instance, I wouldn't dime the lows for what I play (picked bass in a punk band) because I would lose some definition due to playing so fast. On my 800RB, I had everything pretty much flat except for the mids, which were bumped up a little bit.

God, I miss my GK...
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back