Members Phantasm Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 Here are some thoughts about it after spending a week and playing a show with it last night. I've been using an Ampeg B2 for the past few years with an Eden 410XLT cabinet and my Lakland for my primary band. When recording the album, I used the Bass Pod XT which modeled an Ampeg SVT with an Eden 410XLT and I've been able to approximate it quite nicely with the Ampeg B2 live, just I've noticed that the B2 doesn't seem to have the headroom that it needs to get it done the way I'd like. The catch is that the Eden 410XLT handles 700W/4Ohms and Ampeg doesn't make a 700W amp. They jump from 450 to over 1000 watts (if anyone has a suggestion about this I'd like to hear it.) So, I started looking for amps that fit the following criteria: 1. I could audition the amp somewhere reasonably close.2. I could gig with the amp or purchase and return it if I'm not happy.3. It was around a 700W amp, plus or minus a bit. So, GK makes the 1001RB-II which is around 700W. I go to Guitar Center, and I give it a shot and it's promising enough that I decide to purchase one. Once I got home, I spent some time with it and was generally happy with it. It's different fromt he Ampeg but still warmer than I remember the 800RB. I like that instead of just having the switches that the 800RB had for voicing, there are knobs that vary the degree of the filter to affect voicing (this helps the amp a lot.) The EQ is pretty well thought out too, there are four bands and they are at very useful frequencies for bass. It's more of a "modern" sound than the Ampeg though, and I wasn't sure about it. Well, last night we played a gig and I'll have to say it makes a difference having an amp that matches the power rating of my cab. I never really realized just how much the B2 was struggling until I played with an amp that had enough headroom. The sound was clean and clear but if I'd dig in it would get a little dirty. On stage it sounded alright, not my dream sound, but given my short period of use it's not going to be perfect right away. On video it sounds like it was a lot tighter and less loose thant he B2 which was distorting more than I'd like. The problem was that it didnt' quite cut through like the Ampeg was capable of. I'm not sure if it's an EQ thing that I haven't worked out yet or the sound is just "different," so I'll try it again for my Wednesday gig. If I can't work it out, we aren't playing again for a few weeks so I'll have to return the amp. I should make it clear that it's definately a respectable amp and worth the price. Useful EQ, voicing filters, a tuner out and tuner mute, and plenty of headroom. I wish the tuner out was on the back and there was a footswitch for the mute function. If things don't work out, maybe I should look at the larger Ampegs and give them a shot, or just bite the bullet and go for the SVT classic or SVT-2. Money's not really an obstacle, but the GK was appealing for $750, fitting in a shallow rack, and weighing about 10-15lbs. And yes, while I know that Genz Benz is the rage here on the level that everyone was infatuated with the "sansamp/power amp" rig of a few years ago, I'm afraid that I just can't see it as an option. This is specifically because there's no dealer local to me. There's a guy in Lafayette but when I checked his web site he doesn't have any GB Bass amps, and it's a mom and pop shop. I doubt I could buy/try even if he had one, and I really think that to tell with an amp you have to play a gig or two with it. What works and sounds good when it's just you sometimes just gets lost in the mix. Perhaps one day I'll actually be able to try one of these out properly, I hear so many good things about them. If anyone has any interest in the amp and is curious how it sounded last night, I can post a video from the show. Edit 12/15/05: Here's a follow-up with the resolution... So, on the way to the show last night, i had a lot of spare time so my wife and I went to GC. I had my bass and my cab in the car, so I went ahead and brought them in to audition bass heads with my gear. I tried the SVT-CL, the SVT-3, and the SVT-4. None of them were as pristine clean as the GK (obviously) but that was kinda my knock on it - there wasn't much in the way of grit if i would dig in with the GK. The SVT-4 and SVT-3 were just okay, but when we hit the SVT-CL the lightning bolts started shooting out of the speakers (of course, the most expensive one.) When even my wife can realize that something sounds that much better, it's usually the sign. I went ahead and bought it and took it out to the gig. I was going to use my Sansamp, but the sound guy said "why pretend to be an SVT when you actually have an SVT with a DI?" Well, we soundchecked and immediately my drummer noticed the difference. When we were done, he said "I don't care what you paid for that, you need to keep it." So the GK 1001RB-MkII has been returned, but I can say that it's not a bad amp. If you want a very clean sounding amp that doesnt' really distort and has plenty of headroom, the GK is definately for you. If you want something more warm that can get gritty, the Ampeg SVT-CL might be for you. It's double the price of the GK to get it though. Also, between the SVT-3, the SVT-4, and the SVT-CL there was no contest: the SVT-CL was the clear winner tonewise. Anyway, I hope some of this can be of use to someone out there looking at these amps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members illidian Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 The 1001RB-II is a very good amp. For $600 new (riksmusic.com, you need to e-mail them for a quote), it's one of the best deals out there. I don't know what you're doing that isn't letting you cut through. The GK should cut through much better than the Ampeg, that's one thing that GK amps do very well. Good luck finding the right amp! Maybe there's a forumite near you who would let you try theirs out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 On the GK, boost the bass setting a bit, and maybe the low mids too. GKs have a fairly flat frequency response. My GK cut better with those boosted for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phantasm Posted December 11, 2005 Author Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 Originally posted by illidian The 1001RB-II is a very good amp. For $600 new (riksmusic.com, you need to e-mail them for a quote), it's one of the best deals out there.I don't know what you're doing that isn't letting you cut through. The GK should cut through much better than the Ampeg, that's one thing that GK amps do very well.Good luck finding the right amp! Maybe there's a forumite near you who would let you try theirs out? I've got a friend with a V4-BH that I could have tried last night. Instead it looks like i'll be waiting for February! Also, who knows? The GK may suddenly work out on Wednesday. I think I expect too much sometimes too. My wife asked me, "what did you expect, for lightning bolts to come out of the speakers?" Well, yeah, I do! When I picked up my Tobias 5 for the first time in 1995 I saw lightning bolts coming out of the speakers. The first practice that I used it in the rest of the band even said "holy {censored}!!! whatever you paid for that thing it was worth ten times that much!!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phantasm Posted December 11, 2005 Author Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 Originally posted by sunburstbasser On the GK, boost the bass setting a bit, and maybe the low mids too. GKs have a fairly flat frequency response. My GK cut better with those boosted for sure. I'm going to try boosting the lows or at least setting them flat Wednesday. I was cutting them a bit because I felt it was a little too much, perhaps that was just my house playing tricks on me. (the studio flooded - thanks Katrina!) The Low Mid, let me go look at the amp... (gets up) I cut them a smidge, like very little. I boost low mid on the bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 On my 400RB-III, I used to cut the hi mids, boost the low mids and leave the bass flat. Cut fairly well, but sounded dry. After getting my Ashdown, and then messing around, I boosted the lows on the GK as well, and didn't cut the hi mids so much. I also set the contour at around 11 o'clock. That cuts through fairly well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 4string Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 Originally posted by Phantasm If things don't work out, maybe I should look at the larger Ampegs and give them a shot, or just bite the bullet and go for the SVT classic or SVT-2. Money's not really an obstacle I think I just found a new best friend:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members no-logic Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 I had an Ampeg SVT350H awhile back. I had a probelm with it and the store lent me a 800RB to use until I got the Ampeg back. After using the GK I couldn't wait to get the Ampeg back. No matter how I eq'ed the GK I couldn't get a decent sound out of it. It didn't sit in the mix well and sounded very sterile. I have tried others as well, including Eden and I am sticking with Ampeg. My $.02. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 78pbass Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 Originally posted by no-logic I had an Ampeg SVT350H awhile back. I had a probelm with it and the store lent me a 800RB to use until I got the Ampeg back. After using the GK I couldn't wait to get the Ampeg back. No matter how I eq'ed the GK I couldn't get a decent sound out of it. It didn't sit in the mix well and sounded very sterile. I have tried others as well, including Eden and I am sticking with Ampeg. My $.02. i was the other way around. the GK made me want to play better, whereas the Ampig was just a piece of colored crap that lived at the repair shop. BTW, the SVT350h is a B2r in a different package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members no-logic Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 Originally posted by 78pbass BTW, the SVT350h is a B2r in a different package. Yup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gazman Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 I'd love to here and mp3 or see a video. I was an avid fan of the GK -> Eden setup. Was planning on that myself, but i found an Eden Nav. Love at first sight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted December 11, 2005 Members Share Posted December 11, 2005 Yup, a GK head & an Eden cab is a match made in heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J the D Posted December 12, 2005 Members Share Posted December 12, 2005 Originally posted by T. Alan Smith Yup, a GK head & an Eden cab is a match made in heaven. + Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ToeJamFootball Posted December 12, 2005 Members Share Posted December 12, 2005 Originally Posted by J the D+ 1?? ToeJam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phantasm Posted December 12, 2005 Author Members Share Posted December 12, 2005 Originally posted by gazman I'd love to here and mp3 or see a video. I was an avid fan of the GK -> Eden setup. Was planning on that myself, but i found an Eden Nav. Love at first sight Here ya go... I picked a short clip because of the video size. I'd rip the audio off a longer track and mp3 it, if i had a program that did that. Taken with a Sony DSC-P10 digital camera, so bear with the quality... http://www.goatlandmusic.com/MOV02408.mpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phantasm Posted December 12, 2005 Author Members Share Posted December 12, 2005 Originally posted by 4string I think I just found a new best friend:D Well, it's not an obstacle because... all options are under $2000. Why buy a few of them and add up to more? The motivation to try GK first was the weight/size. I'm not getting any younger, unfortunately. All roads from this point become more costly and more gravitationally challenged! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J the D Posted December 12, 2005 Members Share Posted December 12, 2005 Originally posted by ToeJamFootball 1?? ToeJam Just + When you have a GK head playing into an Eden cabinet what else do you need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted December 12, 2005 Members Share Posted December 12, 2005 Originally posted by J the D Just +When you have a GK head playing into an Eden cabinet what else do you need? Strippers, that double as roadies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phantasm Posted December 13, 2005 Author Members Share Posted December 13, 2005 Originally posted by sunburstbasser Strippers, that double as roadies. I did have a friend who was a stripper and a mechanic. She was also a girl and very attractive. She married another friend of mine and he's quite happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phantasm Posted December 15, 2005 Author Members Share Posted December 15, 2005 Here's a follow-up with the resolution... So, on the way to the show last night, i had a lot of spare time so my wife and I went to GC. I had my bass and my cab in the car, so I went ahead and brought them in to audition bass heads with my gear. I tried the SVT-CL, the SVT-3, and the SVT-4. None of them were as pristine clean as the GK (obviously) but that was kinda my knock on it - there wasn't much in the way of grit if i would dig in with the GK. The SVT-4 and SVT-3 were just okay, but when we hit the SVT-CL the lightning bolts started shooting out of the speakers (of course, the most expensive one.) When even my wife can realize that something sounds that much better, it's usually the sign. I went ahead and bought it and took it out to the gig. I was going to use my Sansamp, but the sound guy said "why pretend to be an SVT when you actually have an SVT with a DI?" Well, we soundchecked and immediately my drummer noticed the difference. When we were done, he said "I don't care what you paid for that, you need to keep it." So the GK 1001RB-MkII has been returned, but I can say that it's not a bad amp. If you want a very clean sounding amp that doesnt' really distort and has plenty of headroom, the GK is definately for you. If you want something more warm that can get gritty, the Ampeg SVT-CL might be for you. It's double the price of the GK to get it though. Also, between the SVT-3, the SVT-4, and the SVT-CL there was no contest: the SVT-CL was the clear winner tonewise. Anyway, I hope some of this can be of use to someone out there looking at these amps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted December 15, 2005 Members Share Posted December 15, 2005 I'm sure it sounds great. Congrats. I once played with a guitarist who had an Ampeg combo but rarely used it because it was always in the shop. When he did play it, the clean sound was hard to beat. Hopefully, you won't have any problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phantasm Posted December 15, 2005 Author Members Share Posted December 15, 2005 Originally posted by bassplayer7770 I'm sure it sounds great. Congrats. I once played with a guitarist who had an Ampeg combo but rarely used it because it was always in the shop. When he did play it, the clean sound was hard to beat. Hopefully, you won't have any problems. It's a tube amp, of course it's going to have problems! I guess i'm a glutton for punishment. I did save the box though, want to make sure I'll have something to ship it in when it breaks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted December 15, 2005 Members Share Posted December 15, 2005 Originally posted by Phantasm It's a tube amp, of course it's going to have problems! There's a difference between routine maintenance and problems. According to him, his combo was in the shop OFTEN. Too often. YMMV, and I hope it does! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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