NBRD: This was too easy...

Iron1

Shredder
TGF Recording Artist
Messages
1,640
Never had a full-on bass rig before, so when the need arose, I went to my good friend Pete Reid from Abominog and Tranquil Terror. Not only have Pete and I been friends for close to 35 years, he's been playing bass that entire time. So, no brainer to get his advice.

He told me to go find a Gallien-Kruger 700rb, a Hartke 410 and a GK 115. In researching, I figured I was going to have to spend between $1-2k, which would essentially wipe out my entire music budget and then some, but the show must go on.

After about .3 seconds of research, I found a local bass player selling the cabs on the cheap ($200 for both) and went to get them Thursday. The 115 had some weird paint job on the front grill and was missing the casters, but easy fix there.

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About 5 minutes after finding the cabs another local player posted a 700rb-II for $300 and I grabbed that Friday.

After digging around trying to decide what preamp pedal to try (Pete recommended one that's out of my price range, so I went looking for something else thinking worst case I'd buy another CHUG pedal) and I stumbled onto the Joyo American. Amazon had it on sale for $39. Done.

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Having the ability to adjust upper and lower mids on the head is huge and makes a major difference in the sound.

So, all in, $545 after tax on the Joyo. How'd I do?

 
You did well Iron! Not sure you could do better at that price. My brother has one of those GK heads and I agree that's a great choice.
 
You did well Iron! Not sure you could do better at that price. My brother has one of those GK heads and I agree that's a great choice.
It definitely rips! Does your brother run a 10-band in the loop like we do with guitar amps?
 
It definitely rips! Does your brother run a 10-band in the loop like we do with guitar amps?
Nah, he's a drummer lol. I play the thing mostly now when we have the occasional jam session at his house and don't run any pedals with it. A bass player friend sold it to him with a 4x10 matching cab. He had used it in tandem with a 15 or 18" loaded cab before and it sounded huge.
 
I spent some more time dialing it in yesterday - definitely has enough punch to rattle the drywall off the studs. And, I have yet to turn it up past 1/3 volume.
I've been in three different bands with bassists that used these heads and similar cabs. They're great.
 
Is it me, or is it MUCH easier to grab a killer bass rig than a good guitar rig?

I feel like every bass rig I have ever heard has been really good :LOL:

Yeah. I love the tones of GK stuff. I have had a GK rig myself and the current bass player in the cover band I am in uses his every gig. Now we use a Behringer rig at the rehearsal room and it sounds great but if I ever run into a deal for a GK set up, I will upgrade immediately.
 
Took it to jam last night with a drummer and didn't even need to turn it past half way. Was a PITA to take it from my basement to the car to his basement and back again :rofl , but otherwise, it totally did what I needed.

Awesome!! For what you spent, you could eventually get a second rig and keep one in each basement :beer
 
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