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GK MB800 now advertised at Thomann.de


Musicman20
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IMO unless you're desperate for illuminated controls, the MB Fusion would be a better deal. You'll never run out of volume with it and it has a few more controls.

To be honest, if I was buying for retail price, I'd probably just get the 500. The Fusion is amazing but I don't think I'd be able to justify the extra money for the valves when the 500 is so good.

It always amazes me how much GK can fit into a tiny box though.

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One word...headroom.

Not interested in playing super super loud, but this amp would provide a lot of clean headroom.

Emailed GK, the USA made MB amps will probably start shipping to the UK in June/July. They have to sell the Chinese made versions first before shipping the new ones.

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[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' timestamp='1331762084' post='1578631']
Fair enough if you want loads of headroom, I like the grindey tones from GKs anyway (coupled with my Ray it sounds beautiful). :)

I hope you pull the trigger MM20, I know you've been looking at GK's a long time, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
[/quote]

:)

I've been after a very clean solid state amp that is more punchy than tubey so it's a GK or Genz Shuttle.

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Yep, the RBs are the Artist range (the 700 is still in production). The MBs are the compact range with the 800 coming soon.

They both have similar characteristics, the MBs are a bit more toppy with that sparkle whilst the RBs are thicker and beefier, both have the same growl though if that makes sense (and you dial it in, the MBs can do spanky clean very well, the RBs can do it but they wouldn't be my first choice if that was the tone I was after).

The MB500 and Fusion have two gain channels (both the same but it's easy to set up one for distortion and one for clean or as needed) which are footswitchable, the only RB head that has footswitchable channels is the 2001RB-II, though they're proper channels (individual EQs, unlike the MB heads). The RB series has the bi-amping too so as well as the 480w in the 700RB-II, it also has an extra 50w tweeter preamp so you can control the tweeter from the front of the heads.

The most obvious difference is the size, the MBs are tiny and weigh nothing, the RBs are huge and weigh as much as a small planet. I have an MB Fusion and a 2001RB-II and love them both, the MB sees more use though just because I'm lazy. ;)

I see from your other thread you are looking for an 800RB, I've never used one personally but the current RB range is based on the design of the 800. You can actually still buy 800RBs too but due to some construction materials not being allowed in the EU, they're not available over here (at least last time I checked they were available in the US).

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. :)

Edited by ThomBassmonkey
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Thanks for the info, very helpful. I'd noticed that that 800s were not around much in the UK.

I don't have a gigging bass rig at the moment so I've been borrowing backline from headlining bands for about the last year. My favourites so far have been the GK Backline 600, Ampeg svt-3, and Ampeg SVT 450H. A serious gear nerd I know says his 800RB is the best he's ever owned, so I think I'll snap one up when I see one.

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[quote name='1970' timestamp='1331998632' post='1581940']
I don't really want a super clean sound, I like a bit of grit.
[/quote]
[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1332094864' post='1583164']
Ah, the 500 would be perfect then !
[/quote]

Hmm, considering I can`t get the volume above 9 o`clock on my 500, in a punk band, maybe the 200 and run it hard. These GK MB amps are amazingly loud.

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[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1332094897' post='1583166']
I'd love one of the new 1U 900 Watt Puma's, but the price is quite high...and I've not seen them in the UK.
[/quote]
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/169839-fs-tecamp-puma-1000-l650/page__p__1572368__hl__puma%201000__fromsearch__1#entry1572368

the compressor is worth it

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[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1332107068' post='1583473']
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/169839-fs-tecamp-puma-1000-l650/page__p__1572368__hl__puma%201000__fromsearch__1#entry1572368"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry1572368[/url]

the compressor is worth it
[/quote]
Thanks ill take a look.

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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1332095947' post='1583188']
Hmm, considering I can`t get the volume above 9 o`clock on my 500, in a punk band, maybe the 200 and run it hard. These GK MB amps are amazingly loud.
[/quote]

All the GK amps have some serious beef behind them..

With the MB range, most of the grit is from the pre and with the 500/800/Fusion you can dial it to taste. In the RB range it's the power, but they have the boost knob that acts like a power amp gain (if that makes sense).

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  • 2 months later...

My video of the review of the MB800 came out today in iGuitar. The magazine is free to read:

http://licklibrary.ceros.com/iguitarmag/issue-10-eddie-van-halen-iguitar/issue10/page/186

That's a really great amp!

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[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1331725284' post='1577681']
Emailed GK, the USA made MB amps will probably start shipping to the UK in June/July. They have to sell the Chinese made versions first before shipping the new ones.
[/quote]

Any idea what this'll do to prices? I don't really care where they're made as long as they're made well.
I really want to try the MB Fusion with its proper high voltage tube preamp, especially after the reviews posted here by Lozz196 and deepbass5, all other valve micro options are just pretend. But I'd rather not find its gone up by £200 by the time I can get it!

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