I had a pair of Neo 112-IIs that were truly bodacious, especially together—a totally in-your-face presence.
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Your experience with GK NEO
- Thread starter MazzeoLucho
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- gallien-krueger neo
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I've played the 12s, but one is not enough. Their 2x12 cab is a killer, especially for the price.
I went from using 2 - 210 GK SBX-II sealed cabs to 2 - 212MBE GK with the Neos (Series 1) and I really like the Neos. These are the ones with the piezo horns (that I leave switched off) I've posted this picture many times before here, but the rig just works inside and outside. It weighs less than 70 lbs for the whole rig.
I owned a GK MB115 which is the Neo combo. It sounded good, was plenty loud and was fairly portable. I bought it used in the TB Classifieds and played through it for about 5 years. Then one day it gave me a different-colored ring around the power button and stopped reproducing sound.
Instead of fixing it I chucked it in the dumpster at my apartment when I moved out. I miss it but repair was going to be big money plus shipping and just wasn't worth it to me.
Instead of fixing it I chucked it in the dumpster at my apartment when I moved out. I miss it but repair was going to be big money plus shipping and just wasn't worth it to me.
I've had a 410, 212 and 112 (x2), all in the past year...
Buy the 212. Just do it.
(For any questions concerning "why", see above statement)
Buy the 212. Just do it.
(For any questions concerning "why", see above statement)
I've played with an MB500 with the Neo 410 and it fit me well for a couple of years. Blew a couple of speakers when I went to the MB800F with active bass and ignored the -10db switch 
. Since then MY Epifani UL501 and Neo 412 is my rig of choice. Also, just recently acquired an MB212II here used. It's great for loud practices and smaller gigs. Lightweight, portable and plenty of boom!
. Since then MY Epifani UL501 and Neo 412 is my rig of choice. Also, just recently acquired an MB212II here used. It's great for loud practices and smaller gigs. Lightweight, portable and plenty of boom!
What do I mean? Several here are commenting on using 500 watt amps with the 112 NEO cabs. Those cabs are rated at only 300 watts. Even using one cab with a 500 watt head you are still working a potential of 350 watts into a 300 watt cab. If you don't monitor your bass setting you can (and probably will) blow the NEO very quickly. And as some here may chime in, GK amps are notorious for being under-rated. The 550 Fusion is speced at 500 watts at 4 ohm but several here have bench tested it at much much higher ratings. The NEO is a fantastic speaker but it can be blown - and quickly. Just be careful of your bass settings on your amp.
What do I mean? Several here are commenting on using 500 watt amps with the 112 NEO cabs. Those cabs are rated at only 300 watts. Even using one cab with a 500 watt head you are still working a potential of 350 watts into a 300 watt cab. If you don't monitor your bass setting you can (and probably will) blow the NEO very quickly. And as some here may chime in, GK amps are notorious for being under-rated. The 550 Fusion is speced at 500 watts at 4 ohm but several here have bench tested it at much much higher ratings. The NEO is a fantastic speaker but it can be blown - and quickly. Just be careful of your bass settings on your amp.
The Neo cabinets will fart out before they blow, and have a "light fuse" so your cab will start sparking and lighting up before anything bad happens. I had two 112's that sounded killer, but found that the 212 could handle bass better.
OK - not so quickly. But several here have already mentioned blowing Neos. Hey, Warwick Endorser, I have a $$ on the brown truck even as we speak. Am I a little goofy today!? You bet!
I have the GK Neo 212-II paired with a GK 1001RB. I have been using them for 6 years and have never had a problem. Great tone at all levels with some adjustment for levels. I have used this rig as back line for many an open mic night with no complaints form other bassist. I have a Backline 600 paired with a GK 210 at our practice site. Tone is darker (deeper) then the 212 and not as clear in the mix.
Ah yes, the OP did mention he would be using a TH500, which I think has the same power module as my old MB2 500 which is likely responsible for creasing so many of my drivers... not the GK Neos though, they were a more recent acquisition.
I'm wiser now, and believe that that type of damage is entirely avoidable. Please DO be careful if you go the solitary 112 route. Giving them too much juice is easier than one might think in a band setting where it might be hard to hear the speakers crying for help.
I'm wiser now, and believe that that type of damage is entirely avoidable. Please DO be careful if you go the solitary 112 route. Giving them too much juice is easier than one might think in a band setting where it might be hard to hear the speakers crying for help.
I tried everything I could to get a useable tone from my neo 4x10 through a 700 Rb and finally gave up. Went through MBX and Neo 4x10' neo 1x15 and a neo 4x10. I just could never find a sweet spot.
Sounds great. Powerful. Easy to transport.
I have an mb210 with extension and an MB212.
One gripe- after not manh hours of use but 1.5 years after the warranty expires one of the speakers was blown on my MB210. A $300 repair on a $700 amp. Ugh.
I have an mb210 with extension and an MB212.
One gripe- after not manh hours of use but 1.5 years after the warranty expires one of the speakers was blown on my MB210. A $300 repair on a $700 amp. Ugh.
What do I mean? Several here are commenting on using 500 watt amps with the 112 NEO cabs. Those cabs are rated at only 300 watts. Even using one cab with a 500 watt head you are still working a potential of 350 watts into a 300 watt cab. If you don't monitor your bass setting you can (and probably will) blow the NEO very quickly. And as some here may chime in, GK amps are notorious for being under-rated. The 550 Fusion is speced at 500 watts at 4 ohm but several here have bench tested it at much much higher ratings. The NEO is a fantastic speaker but it can be blown - and quickly. Just be careful of your bass settings on your amp.
This was my thinking several years ago when I was downsizing from my previous rig. 1975 100W Bassman with the original Fender 412. I wanted more power, less physical size and less weight. The Bassman while sounding great, always struggled to be loud enough and needed PA support. I would run straight from the Bassman to the PA and use it and the cab for my on stage sound. The rig was too big and heavy as I am getting on and I also transport and lug PA gear.
I had fallen in love with the Fusion 550 (perfect for me) and it sounded absolutely wonderful with the Neo 412 in the shop. So I do understand the considerable love for the GK Neo 12 speaker. But the whole point was downsizing. At 17 X 26 X 41 and 96 lbs it was sadly just too big. So I looked at the smaller, lighter options, even though sorely tempted by the 412. I only wanted one cab again for cost and space considerations, as I also lug PA gear to gigs as mentioned above.
I was mindful of the reputation of GK heads powerwise and I have heard it myself since. So I ruled out the single speaker cabs and the Neo 210 which was available from memory- 400W @ 8 Ohm?
The options seemed then the 8 Ohm 600W 212 or the 800 W 410 in either 4 or 8 Ohm- there wasn't a lot of price difference between these options. I worried about the 212 not being sufficiently loud at 8 Ohm and suspected I would eventually turn around and end up buying a second one- thus defeating the whole purpose of the exercise and end up costing more and imperilling my marriage. So after playing the Fusion 550 through all of them, I decided the 4 Ohm 410 was the best compromise for me. A lot of the time I run without PA support now- never had a complaint about the tone, never had trouble "cutting through". Would a single Neo 212 have done a better job for me? Who knows. I have sometimes wondered whether a Neo 312, if GK had made them, would actually have been the perfect option for me.
I have to say, though, the Neo 410 has never let me down (nor the Fusion 550 for that matter, and I have never, ever been actually disappointed in the 4 Ohm Neo 410 paired with the Fusion 550, although I readily acknowledge the Neo 12s are sweeter in the mids.
Even through the rig I settled on, I have at times heard extremely loud peaks.
I play my Fusion 550 teamed with other cabs in our hired rehearsal space because I really don't like the Mesa head provided- the cabs are either a Mesa 610 or a GK Neo 212 with a GK Neo 115. The Mesa Cab has too much bottom and not enough top for me and I don't like the GK pairing as much as my Neo 410- but it is just practice and my tastes are just that, mine.
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I don't know what alls been said. However I have every NEO cab they produced except for the 810. I've ran them all with wth a 1001, fusion 550 or the 2001.
They are some of the most bell like clean tone I've heard from anything currently being made from any of the large company's. They also have a natural mid scoop that really helps them get that GK grawl.
The cabs don't really sound too different from eachother. If you AB them, you can here the differences but to too much in a mix. I've AB the 115 and the 210 and not much difference and the 212 against a 410 and alittle headroom difference but tone very similar.
With EQing you can damn near make anything sound alike.
One thing they don't do very well (unless you toss something in the chain) is a true round vintage tone. You can get an "ish" but doesn't really nail it. However, that's not what they are wanting to do with those amps.
With that said Id still be using my GK setup if I didn't need that SVT ish tone. Otherwise GK gives me goosebumps.
They are some of the most bell like clean tone I've heard from anything currently being made from any of the large company's. They also have a natural mid scoop that really helps them get that GK grawl.
The cabs don't really sound too different from eachother. If you AB them, you can here the differences but to too much in a mix. I've AB the 115 and the 210 and not much difference and the 212 against a 410 and alittle headroom difference but tone very similar.
With EQing you can damn near make anything sound alike.
One thing they don't do very well (unless you toss something in the chain) is a true round vintage tone. You can get an "ish" but doesn't really nail it. However, that's not what they are wanting to do with those amps.
With that said Id still be using my GK setup if I didn't need that SVT ish tone. Otherwise GK gives me goosebumps.
