Conference napalm::guitar

    
    I own two GK 250's.  I go thru spurts of loving them and having
    them annoy me!  No surprise on whurly's 6 week wait.  I brought
    mine to AZ Tech Electronics, and it was only a 10 - 14 day wait.
    Whurly's shipps the damn things out somewhere so it takes forever.
    
    The internals of the 250 have small trim pots. There is one right
    behind the gain buttons. It controls the input level.  Sounds like
    yours is down real low, allowing more of a spiked transient to hit
    the preamp.  This might be affecting you effects loop also.  I find
    the input level of the ddl I run thru my loop is really sensitive
    to the level of the channel volume (*must* work as a send level!).
    So, if you have problems in your preamp stage, only makes sense
    it would affect the loop, the output noise, etc.
    
    I'd open it up and srew with the trim pot..see if you can get it
    to where you like it.  Some have told me the eq center freq's 
    and chorus rate are also adjustable, but I haven't figured that
    out yet.
    
    Best o luck,
    
    wjb
    

    Larry,
    
    	It's about time I run into you in the guitar notes file. So,
    you finally bought the PRS guitar you talked about. 
    
    	Sorry to hear you're having problems with your amp, though not
    surprising. A lot of people have reported problems with the 250ML,
    and the 250RL is basically the same amp without speakers. Add to
    the known sensitivity of these amps the fact that you use yours
    to gig frequently, and you are bound to have reliability problems
    sooner or later. According to the guys in Wurly, a 250ML/RL that
    has been repaired once is better than one that has never been in
    the shop. They claim all the ones that they have sent back for repairs
    have come back repaired once and for all.
                  
    	Did you just purchase the MidiverbII. when I talked to you last
    summer, I had just bought mine, and was telling you about it. How
    do you like the MVII ? Don't you just love the multi tapped pan
    (effect 91). It is great for a rock-a-billy kind of sound, but you
    really have to hear it in stereo to appreciate it. I also like the
    bloom effect, although I haven't found a lot of use for it yet.
    
    I purchased a GK 2000cpl preamp back in January, but I decided I
    didn't like the sound after only 1 week and returned it for store 
    credit. I ended up using the store credit to buy a Tascam Porta-one.
    It sounds like in your case (since you gig regularly) you are gonna
    need an amp head with higher reliability than GK is known for.
    Time to place another capital appropriation request.
    
    Good Luck
    Mark Jacques
    
    PS, We will have to do lunch again soon.

    
    I know I asked this once before, but I got no feedback then...
    
    I've been looking at buying a GK bass head to replace my current
    rig and before I go lay out big bucks I want to know if its relaible
    or not.  The first review of a GK 400RB head I ever saw, a few years
    back in some mag mentioned that it was blowing fuses.
    
    Now I hear all these stories about 250RLs going up in smoke....
    
    I see a lot of guys using GK heads for bass, but so what, lots of
    guys use Marshalls and those should have smoke detectors as standard
    equipment  8^)  8^)  8^)  8^)
    
    If you own a GK amp (guitar or bass) howzabout dropping in a reply
    as to what its service record has been....
    
    

    
    GK used to be a very reliable company.  Their bass equip in my opinion
    still maintains the quality and ruggedness needed for road work.
    Their guitar amps used to be built to the same specs.  Now, they
    build these ML & RL series bass, keys, and guitar amps with plastic
    pots and circuit board-mounted parts.  Its all low-impact plastic
    and are very vulnerable to breaking. Mine break all the time.  I
    have friends who own the bass amps, and one who owns the `pre-cheapo'
    guitar amps, and they never have any probs.
    
    wjb

    
    	The only problem I had with my GK bass head (880rb) was when
    I shorted the output jacks on the two power amps together and they
    fought it out.  Just blew a transistor or two.  
    
    	Mine's been very reliable and consistent for the 1 1/2 years
    I've owned it.  Granted, I have it in a momma road worthy rack, so
    it doesn't get bounced or beatened around.  

    If you found that the problem went away after opening the thing
    up & suspect a bad solder joint, why not just go thru and re-solder
    everything (only takes about an hour or so - I did this on my old
    Twin Reverb & all sorts of flaky problems totally went away!)?
    
    							Jens
    
    						

                  I had a problem with my 250ml recently where it
            had a cruddy sound when using the speakers and it was
           intermittent.  It had a broken etch on the PC board and 
           now it's OK.    (The headphone output was fine.)

                       I bought it used and it has a dented corner
           so it was definately dropped.  I used it 'live' for 8 months
           before I had any problems and I'm sure that was caused by
           being dropped.
                       

                                            Larry

    Larry,
    
    	Like Buck said in .1, the gains on both channels are adjustable
    via those trimmers inside the amp.  The two gain controls are right
    "behind" the gain buttons on both channels.
    
    	In reading your description of the distorted sound, and the
    fact that you blew your output transister once indicates to me that
    you have an intermittent solder joint on the transister, or a bad
    transister still.  That "Splattt" sound you mentioned sounds like
    my 250ML, when I blew my transisters (Hey Steve, I blew mine up
    the same way !).  I'd bring it back to Wurly's and tell them to
    fix it right.  Oh yeah, when mine went *poof*, it only took a week
    to fix, and Wurlys gave me an amp as a loaner.  Maybe go to the
    Framingham store...
    
    See ya,
    
    Jeff C.

    Went to Parker music at lunch wanting to try out the GK 2100sel
    and got some startling news !
    
    GK has recalled the complete 2100 line due to heat transfer problems.
    (VAXmate owners might be familiar with this problem...)  ;^)
    
    Anyone heard any more about this ?  I dunno if I should believe
    this guy or not, since he's a mega dweebie.
    
    ;^)
    
    jc (who's 250ml is still crankin'!)

    that's funny, i was just there with some guy named cooper. amen
    on the dweeber who waited on us...i've known him for three minutes
    and i DON'T trust him...

    
    
    
    	I'm looking for info about GK bass amps.
    
    	Specifially can someone provide the following info
    for both the GK 400RB & 800RB.
    
    		o Power Rating (into what load)
    		o Front Panel Controls
    		o Patching Options
    		o Reliability 
    		o Dealers in the E. Mass area
    		o Approximate Cost (NEW)
    
    Thanks,
    
    -Tom
    

>    	Specifially can someone provide the following info
>    for both the GK 400RB & 800RB.
>    
>    		o Power Rating (into what load)
    
    		400RB: 200 watts into 4 ohms
    		800RB: 300 watts into 4 ohms (low) and 100 watts into 8
    		ohms (high), *supposedly* 400 watts into 4 ohms (full range)
    		(I'd like to see the circuit on this one)
    
>    		o Front Panel Controls
    
    		Volume, master volume, "boost"(?) with footswitch, 
    		four band active EQ, three preset tone curves (lo cut, 
    		hi boost, mid cut), input attenuator (gain select).
    
>    		o Patching Options
    
    		Pre-loop direct out (400 is 1/4", 800 is XLR), post-EQ
    		effects loop (pre out/power in).  No access to each amp
    		side in the 800. Two speaker jacks on 400, not sure on 800.
    		800 has detachable power cord (standard international
    		3-prong type).
    
>    		o Reliability 
    
    		Some users have complained of blowing them up.  Others
    		have no problem.  Who knows.
    
>    		o Dealers in the E. Mass area
    
    		Wurlitzer's
    
>    		o Approximate Cost (NEW)
    		
    		Local store prices, $600 for the 400, $800 for the 800
    		mail order cheaper

     The info in the previous reply is accurate.  I bought by GK 800RB through 
     the mail from Sam Ash for $625 plus shipping.  It arrived in the San
     Francisco area in perfect shape, though they forgot to include a power
     cable.  I really like this amplifier -- I use a Peavy 1516 enclosure with
     the two eight-inch speakers series wired for sixteen ohms instead of the
     original parallel.  Even though the high channel amplifer is designed to
     deliver 100W into 8 ohms, there's no problem getting enough out of it, and
     the 100W amp is well protected this way.  As for the bottom end, the 
     fifteen-inch driver is already the correct 4 ohms, so I can take advantage
     of all of the 300W amp's capacity.  I've never had to crank this rig up 
     high enough to hear ANY distortion.  For my purposes (mostly jazz, blues,
     latin and fusion, mostly in small clubs) this rig is a great compromise of
     power and size. 

     I recently read the note(s) on the Peavy DataBass amp.  Anybody know if
     there's a biamped version?

     Cheers!   Jack.......

    Looks like the 250ML/RL amps will soon be history.
    
    GK has announced the new ML/E and ML/S amps.  Overall, they look like
    updates of the 250, but if anything, it's smaller...the head versions
    anyway.  Layout is similar to the 250, two gain controls for the "lead"
    channel, one gain for "clean", four band EQ.
    
    The ML/E has built in stereo verb and chorus, while the ML/S has a
    stereo effects loop instead, for those who want to use outboards.
    
    Combos in 2-6", 2-8" and 1-12" flavors (all rack-mountable) are
    offered, as well as head-only.
    
    
    							Brian

    The other guitar player in our band has one of the little GK stereo
    amps with onboard chorus and reverb.  That little puppy screams!  I was
    really surprised!
    
    Mike

    I recently acquired one of these too, a 250RL (the rack mount head
    version) and it sounds very good.  I still like my other setup a little
    better, so it'll probably be relegated to backup amp for now.  It's
    certainly perfect for that, very small and light-weight.
    
    Greg

    Even though I canned my two GK's I'm sure it's already been noticed
    in here that I'm a big advocate of GK's.  Pound-for-pound, the ballsiest
    sounding little amps...(etc...etc...)
    
    I had a 250ML and a 250RL.  The RL is now Gregs, and used to be Larry
    Vigneaults(sp?).  The RL has been a work horse for conference
    guitarists for a LONG time...
    
    jc

    I owned an ML and an RL once.  They gave me months of happy use,
    but I tired of the sound after a while.

    God help ya if ya need it fixed...the ML's that is.
    
    When they fry, they take everything with them, and things are sooooo
    cramped, it's a mess to try to repair.
    
    GK just replaces the PCBs and throw the others away.
    
    Just like Rockmans.
    
    Jay
    

  Any comments/experience on the G-K MB150E (or "S") bass heads?  Any idea
  what they go for "used"?  The "E" lists for $800, the "S" for $640, and AMS 
  has them for $570 and $450 respectively.  Looks like everything I want in 
  an amp (this week :-)) but I don't want to pay that much!

  -- Sam

    Re: .22
    
    The 150s are still pretty new, used ones aren't too common...I haven't
    seen or heard of one yet.  Plenty of used 200s around (despite the
    name these are 100 watt units).  200RB heads go for about $250-300
    used.
    
    							Brian

    Go for a used 250%L, Larry - I heard one of these Backline combos
    recently and I thought it was lame in comparison to my old 250's
    (one of which used to be yours, and is now Gregs...sheesh).
    :-)
    
    jc

    
    	Hey Larry - the new GP has a shootout on some combos.  Just
    	glanced thru the issue so I'm not sure if it's the range
    	you're looking at.  Jimi on the cover.
    
    	Tom
    

    I hadda  Laney ProTube 30, and it RIPPED!  Must be the power-source.
    :-)

    
    
    Coop, 
    
    You sold Scary's 60?   I thought you just got it?
    That was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made,
    passing that amp up, I mean.  Oh well.
    
    Rick.
    

    re: -1
    
    
    part of chronic GTS is HTT (high toy turnover)....I've been thru so
    many guitars in my life, I wish I'd kept 1/4 of 'em....I'd have a
    killer collection!
    
    8^)

    Yeah, I sold it.  I even advertised it here quite a bit!!
    It was a great amp, but I wanna 50wtDR Marshall combo for
    boinkin' around with...
    jc
    

    >>I wanna 50wtDR Marshall combo for boinkin' around with...
    
    me too..........

    Boinkin' means something else in these parts...but then again so does
    rootin'.
    P.K.

>    Go for a used 250%L, Larry - I heard one of these Backline combos
>    recently and I thought it was lame in comparison to my old 250's
>    (one of which used to be yours, and is now Gregs...sheesh).
    
    Correction.  "Which WAS Greg's, which he traded to the other guitar
    player in my old band for a Marshall JMP head, which we later saw in a
    pawn shop for sale"
    
    ;^)
    
    Greg