amp and cab combinations

[zac362]

Hi all,

quick question for you all, I've always had combo amps but I've just bought a GK mb500, and I'm not quite sure what cab i should pair it with, I'm really no expert on this stuff, i had the mb212 in mind, but that was a shallow decision based purely on the fact that they would both say Gallien-Krueger on, that should give you a good indication of my knowledge on the subject anyway, I've waffled, any help would be massively appreciated, i don't wanna rush into buying one I'm not sure of.

Cheers Zac.

[charic]

Your best bet is to take your head along to somewhere like Bass Direct (or Bass Merchant if they havn't closed yet) and try as many cabs as you can. The one that sounds the best is the one to buy

[chris_b]

[size=4]+1 for trying out other options, but you could do a lot worse than use a GK rig.[/size]

[Lozz196]

Both the above posts are spot-on, good advice.

[zac362]

Thanks for your answers, from what you said, i think my initial gut feeling for a GK rig wasn't far off, but i think ill still take the head and try some others out, no harm in that i suppose thanks again

[JTUK]

I am no fan of GK myself, but if you are happy with the amp..I would start with their cabs.

[RandomBass]

I would also consider trying a Barefaced Compact if you get the opportunity - either borrow one or use the Barefaced one-month money-back trial. I did this and was able to use said cab in gig situations during that time to give it a proper workout. And these cabs are currently on offer. I now use two of these cabs driven by Ashdown and am mightily pleased with them.

Cheers

Geoff

[pietruszka]

As the others have said, take your head to a shop and try it through other cabs. Manufacturers will always say their heads work best through their cabs. But it's ultimately what your ears will take to the most. I love Ampeg cabs but cant stand their heads, my playing just doesn't seem to work with them, same for MB heads and TC, yet I can get a good sound out of MB cabs but not Aguilar cabs. Different horses and that.

Play around and see what comes up best with your playing!



Dan

[Happy Jack]

My current first-choice rig is my GK MB500 played through a Barefaced Compact + Barefaced Midget. Very impressive.

I don't know you, your band, or your playing, but I'd still be confident to recommend that combination.

Barefaced cabs aren't cheap, but Alex has a special offer on the Compact at the moment. You could get the Compact now and, if you like it enough, add the Midget later. Modular is the way to go ...

[zac362]

its funny you should mention Barefaced, I've just been looking at them, do you think the compact has enough grunt? i was looking at the 'super twelve' but its firmly out of my grasp in terms of price

Zac.

[Merton]

Yes the Compact will have enough grunt, whatever that is I have an S12 (and prior to that had a Barefaced Vintage) and they are monstrous sounding cabs

[zac362]

i have no idea what grunt is either but it seemed to sound right at the time i might look a bit more into the Barefaced compacts, from what I've heard they seem to be the dogs cojones, and they look the part as well, nicest looking cabs I've seen, thanks again for all the help

[DirkThrust]

I'll give another vote for Barefaced. They are far superior cabs to the GK MB series. I recently sold my Trace Elliot 1153 1x15", and one prospective buyer was stunned at how much better it sounded than his MB212, and the TE is a 15 year old cab!

Edited November 19, 2011 by DirkThrust

[Lozz196]

[quote name='zac362' timestamp='1321643648' post='1441645']
its funny you should mention Barefaced, I've just been looking at them, do you think the compact has enough grunt? i was looking at the 'super twelve' but its firmly out of my grasp in terms of price

Zac.
[/quote]

Plenty. I`ve got a Compact/Midget set-up, but in all honesty, I could easily just use the Compact.

The Midget enables the sound to be higher up, so easier on my ears, plus I`m from the school of "as many speakers as possible", so even only having two speakers I feel "under-dressed" but in reality, I`m sure the Compact would be fine on it`s own for my set-up.

Plenty on here use a single Compact.

The other good thing I`ve found about Barefaced cabs is that they don`t colour the sound. Some companies products have a specific sound - Ampeg for example, which I love, btw - but with Barefaced, if you like the sound of your amp and bass, all their cabs do is project that sound.

Edited November 19, 2011 by Lozz196

[zac362]

the argument for Barefaced over everything else is becoming quite one sided, you're a persuasive bunch already trying to figure out where i could get the extra cash. The upside for the mbe212 was you seemed to get a lot of bang for your buck, but if i invest a bit more it seems like id be better off.

Zac.

[lemmywinks]

There's this silly-cheap BFM in the FS section:
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/159966-fs-bill-fitzmaurice-2x-jack-10-in-single-cabl180/

Don't forget the EAD cabs too.