Gallien-Krueger Microbass

[Funkmaster]

The welded/sealed metal speaker cabinets keep splitting on the seams!

First it was the extention cab which I just replaced - but now the speaker enclosure in the amp/combo has split.

And it just 'farts' endlessley now when I use it.

Has any one else had this experience with Microbass gear?

And does anyone know anywhere in the West Yorks area that would be able to repair this problem?

And perhaps more to the point - van anyone suggest a different set up of about the same dimensions I could try (that'll compete with a couple of loud R&B bands!)

Thanks for any help guys and gals

David

[Dr.Dave]

Just wondering , Dave - did this happen with your older microbass kit? I presume your talking about the Mk4 stuff you bought.

Fixing - is it a weld? Folk buy small electric welding gear for DIY jobs so I can't imagine it's that expensive to have something welded (The MOT garage next to Kirkgate station welded a broken bracket off my boat engine for a fiver) and there's a fabricators place behind Trad Music. I suppose the issue might be that the heat would bubble the paint finish - not sure. I think that type of finish is called powder coating and I know you can get that done too - that salvager bloke off the cable channels had it done at a scrappers for a few quid.

Whitwood Tec - 'project' for the students??

[Platypus]

I believe this is a know problem with the MB150 combo or extention cab. I've certainly seen ads for these where the seller had bought a replacement casings and was including the old one, which he had had welded.

I used to own one myself and never had a problem

[Funkmaster]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='431844' date='Mar 11 2009, 07:56 PM']Just wondering , Dave - did this happen with your older microbass kit? I presume your talking about the Mk4 stuff you bought.

Fixing - is it a weld? Folk buy small electric welding gear for DIY jobs so I can't imagine it's that expensive to have something welded (The MOT garage next to Kirkgate station welded a broken bracket off my boat engine for a fiver) and there's a fabricators place behind Trad Music. I suppose the issue might be that the heat would bubble the paint finish - not sure. I think that type of finish is called powder coating and I know you can get that done too - that salvager bloke off the cable channels had it done at a scrappers for a few quid.

Whitwood Tec - 'project' for the students??[/quote]

Hi Dave

Yep it's the MB150E I got three years ago or so (its a mark iii version). And I got the extention cab that's gone at the same time - although I got another extention cab to replace.

The older 'S' one I've got - which I'll be using again this weekend! - is contructed a bit more solidly (i.e. it's built like a tank!) - accountants at work I think between the two models! I seem to remember it was a bit more 'Rock&Roll' than the 'E')

Yeah - I think it'll be a welding job - there's a car body shop just down the road from me who I might talk to about it. To be honest I don't care how it looks so long as the weld sorts it out!


[quote name='Platypus' post='431895' date='Mar 11 2009, 08:49 PM']I believe this is a know problem with the MB150 combo or extention cab. I've certainly seen ads for these where the seller had bought a replacement casings and was including the old one, which he had had welded.

I used to own one myself and never had a problem[/quote]

Hi Platypus.

Yeah I have enjoyed using the GK stuff myself for about the last 10 years - great that gear so small can compete with a loud band - and it's attracted plenty of good comments about how my Warwick Thumbs sound through it. (Together with disbelief from lots of people that the sound was coming from such a compact set-up!

But gear's got to work! (And upwards of 5 times a week for me!)

I think I might have some fun e-mailing GK if it's a known problem with the gear - see what they'll do to help me out.

Incidentally, I tried out a MarkBass Mini CMD 121P at Electro yesterday - similar in size to the GK. (If anyone's got one out there I'd love a report on its use in a band setting.) That might be where I junp to if the GKs don't repair successfully.

Cheers

Dave

[Sercet]

I had exactly the same problem. The repair shop couldn't weld it as they needed special equipment, so they closed the gap by using an L-shaped bracket

[Funkmaster]

[quote name='Sercet' post='431986' date='Mar 11 2009, 10:32 PM']I had exactly the same problem. The repair shop couldn't weld it as they needed special equipment, so they closed the gap by using an L-shaped bracket[/quote]

Hi Secret

It is starting to look like a common problem - isn't it. Did yours repair up OK? - no rattles or vibrations after?

Edited March 11, 2009 by Funkmaster

[alexclaber]

I'm pretty certain the casing is aluminium which would require specialist equipment to keep the aluminium from oxidising as it's welded. I recently had someone acquire a Barefaced Compact to supplement and possibly replace his Microbass. It's a bigger box but it is a very light and loud one cab solution.

Alex

[Sercet]

[quote name='Funkmaster' post='432022' date='Mar 11 2009, 11:19 PM']Hi Secret

It is starting to look like a common problem - isn't it. Did yours repair up OK? - no rattles or vibrations after?[/quote]

Mine worked fine after the repair. I had it done at Pacific Lighting in Birmingham.

Steve

[Dr.Dave]

[quote name='Funkmaster' date='Mar 11 2009, 10:14 PM' post='431962']

******The older 'S' one I've got - which I'll be using again this weekend! ********




'The Hop' tonight isn't it? Saw your poster while I was warming the punters up for you last night!!

Edited March 15, 2009 by Dr.Dave

[Mr. Foxen]

Dad;'s a mechanic. you need somewhere that does TIG welding for aluminium. Stands for tungsten inert gas, basically you spray an inert gas over the tungsten welding tip, other than that its similar to arc welding.

[Funkmaster]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='435155' date='Mar 15 2009, 12:30 PM']'The Hop' tonight isn't it? Saw your poster while I was warming the punters up for you last night!![/quote]


Cheers Dave! Good to see you tonight - yep it's been a busy weekend really with Blues Bar Friday, Pudsey yesterday, Blues Bar this aft with The Roosters and Hop tonight.

The old one's worked well this weekend (although I do know why I wanted the E model - the old one always was more 'rock'n'roll' but it's a bit muddy soundwise)


[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='435345' date='Mar 15 2009, 05:42 PM']Dad;'s a mechanic. you need somewhere that does TIG welding for aluminium. Stands for tungsten inert gas, basically you spray an inert gas over the tungsten welding tip, other than that its similar to arc welding.[/quote]

Thanks for that bit of info Mr Foxen - I'll know I'm looking for now.

Strangely I e-mailed GK last week to see what they suggested but haven't had a reply as yet. Odd for an American company really. I'll give 'em another day or two I think.

Dave

Edited March 15, 2009 by Funkmaster

[tauzero]

[quote name='Funkmaster' post='429817' date='Mar 9 2009, 08:54 PM']And perhaps more to the point - van anyone suggest a different set up of about the same dimensions I could try (that'll compete with a couple of loud R&B bands!)[/quote]
GK 200MB? The predecessor to the MB150. Sounds like the construction is different - the sides of the MB200 bolt on with some sealant at the joint.

I have a 200MB and a Hartke 120W kickback which also has a 1x12" speaker, is a similar height and width but a bit deeper and a bit heavier, and I think has a better tone than the GK (although I've had to replace the driver in the GK so it might not be as good as the original).

Or get a small head and an Omni 10.5.

[chris_b]

[quote]....anyone suggest a different set up of about the same dimensions I could try (that'll compete with a couple of loud R&B bands!)....[/quote]
The MB150 amp sounds great on it's own but it's held back by the cab. Any 1x12 cab will sound way better. How about an LM2 with an Aguilar 112?

[LawrenceH]

Any chance you could just swap the components with the older GK with the intact casing?

[tauzero]

As a further note, since this thread has come back to life - I've had to have the sides off a couple of times and what I've done to seal it is get some 2mm x 10mm adhesive neoprene tape off That Ebay and put that round the edge of the main body. It's only adhesive on one side so there won't be any issues with it if I have to do any more dismantling.

[chris_b]

I've not heard of the S combo having a problem It always seems to be the E version. That's probably because it has the bass boost button which shakes the cab apart.

[ejor31]

Hi-
I live in Ireland and I've recently had the same experience with my 7-year MB150E combo, which rattled ONLY when I hit a low F on my P-Bass, rendering the amp unusable. It turned out that the interior 90 degree weld at rear of amp had split vertically over about 4 inches. The technician I took the amp to is quite familiar with this problem with this particular amp, due to constant vibration of the speaker-( you'd think GK would have sussed that before releasing an otherwise very good amp onto the market....) This problem is quite repairable but requires someone with expertise in and equipment for aluminium welding-there is no other reliable way to do this. The amp casing is all-aluminium ,presumably for light weight.

Curiously, I've had a GK MB150S, equally often gigged, but no problem at all with it.

Neither amp has had any problem with active EQs etc. and appear to be very reliable indeed, apart from the split weld in my E version. I keep them as they're very portable, have a great sound- i put my bass through a SansAmp Bass Driver to approximate a valve sound, and with the satellite GK speaker cabinet, is as loud as I need it for the gigs I do, a classic 2 x 12" sound.

[PTB]

I use the mark bass 121P with both double bass & bass guitar and find it works a treat. Much more power than your GK combo & I prefer the sound.
There's usually MB combos, heads & cabs for sale on BC.