New MB200 Arrives!!!

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 18 Aug 2010 3:41 pm

O.M.G.!!!

It sounds better than I thought!!!!! KILLER E.Q.

I need another one.....immediately.....!!

Pics coming soon as I can break away again!

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 18 Aug 2010 4:28 pm

When dd iyou order it? These babies have been back- ordered for months. I hope GK finally worked out their problems.

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 18 Aug 2010 6:17 pm

Tom,

I had one order since July 9th from Music 123. On their last backorder date posting (Aug 13), I called and canceled my order. Wasn't happy with them at all...

Anyway, I have people....that's all I can say

It's exceeded all my expectations; super clean, very powerful, and it seems as though the E.Q. section was designed for pedal steel guitar. I've been absolutely giddy since I pushed the "on" button (red when it ignites, blue when ON).

My roadie couldn't be happier!!!

More pics in a bit.....must play the Sho~Bud through it now.....

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 18 Aug 2010 6:28 pm

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 18 Aug 2010 6:33 pm

Could you please tell us who makes this amp? Price? Availability? Website? Thanks.

Travis Hillis · Post by **Travis Hillis** » 18 Aug 2010 6:44 pm

Gallien Krueger makes it.

http://www.gallien-krueger.com/home.html

Music123 is sellin 'em for $249

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 18 Aug 2010 6:53 pm

Dale Lee · Post by **Dale Lee** » 18 Aug 2010 6:57 pm

Nice, Steve. What equalization settings do you use? And do you run the contour switch on or off?

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 18 Aug 2010 7:14 pm

I'm playing with the contour "off", although I did mess with it on for a bit. Interesting eq sweeps thru both settings.

Right now..the Ritt..Gain @12 o'clock, Treb 11, Highmid 11,Lowmid 1, bass 3 (all o'clocks)

Emmons pretty much the same.

This is the 200 watt model and I'm curious as to how it's going to work in the medium/small places I'm playing now. Will find out this weekend.

I haven't plugged in the Black Box yet.....

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 18 Aug 2010 7:35 pm

What kind of speaker cabinet is that?

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 18 Aug 2010 7:39 pm

Homemade....

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 18 Aug 2010 10:34 pm

Steve, are you getting enough bass response from this rig? This is a very interesting rig.

Jon Jaffe · Post by **Jon Jaffe** » 18 Aug 2010 11:01 pm

Steve, I have had one for a couple of weeks and I agree. I have it hooked to a Tommy Huff cab with a 15in SICA. The cab and amp weigh in at 22 1/2 lbs. I have used it at a small outdoor venue and a large wood floor dance hall. A stage mix was used and it seems to have plenty of reserve. I purchased it through Amazon.

I use it with the contour on. And instead of hanging it from the guitar, I hang it on the side of my seat.

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 18 Aug 2010 11:17 pm

Link to three MB models:
http://www.gallien-krueger.com/products_mb.html

Anyone tried the MB Fusion with tube preamp and 500w power? That could be amazing.

Anyone know a speaker that will handle 500 watts? Or even 350 @ 8 ohms?

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 18 Aug 2010 11:37 pm

Kevin,

For me, the bass is great. I play Ritt, p/p, Pro1, EMCI, and GFI and so far have been happy with the response of all of them. The Low-mid bass control really is an asset to the Bass control.

My little cabinet has the back 1/2 open. I have an piece to insert that will close it off (leaving about a 1/2" sliver as a port) and see how that sounds also. That was an option planned since the beginning as I didn't expect the cabinet to be as full range as it is. This cabinet give me much improved tone over my NV112 especially in the lower freqs. Same speaker...Blue Marvel.

Neither of the low freq EQ's are raised excessively.

By the way, Chuck Back turned me on to this, his tone blows me away!

Jon,

I have a CB12 and the MB200 has the outs to feed it. Gonna check that out soon. The Contour switch is very interesting. On the MB500, it's a variable control, however, when using it I never liked anything between full on or full off....so the switch is a good option for me. On made my Emmons sound a little more Sho~Buddy... I like the EQ capabilities.

Also glad to hear it performed well for you outdoors. I don't consider this 200watts in the same league as my Session 400, I liken it more to the power of the NV112 so far. I'll find out more about the power aspects soon. It is clean and clear!

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 18 Aug 2010 11:53 pm

John M.

It was the 500 of Chuck's that I took home for a week that started me in this direction. It's VERY nice! Also twice the weight

....and money.

His sounds so good on stage with his guitar, I sometimes get to listening to him, and forget what I'm suppose to be doing.

If I was 10 years younger, I'd have me one them 500's. But I'm going to do the 2-200's for stereo for the larger gigs, and 1/2 that for the smaller ones.

Also, Chuck plays his 500 through a similar wattage 12" speaker with no problems. I'm sure you don't want to be pulling the cord out with the volume cranked, etc. too many times, but playing volume hasn't been a concern.

Jon Jaffe · Post by **Jon Jaffe** » 19 Aug 2010 1:27 am

Steve,
It has more than a NV 112. Hook up the 15" speaker from your Session to the amp. The gain control is not linear and the volume increase from 2 o'clock to 4 o'clock is dramatic.

David Nugent · Post by **David Nugent** » 19 Aug 2010 3:57 am

I was certainly surprised to read that one of these units had finally been delivered. "Musician's Friend" has bumped their "expected" date at least five or six times.

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 19 Aug 2010 2:04 pm

How loud is the cooling fan on that little guy? Although it's no big deal when playing at gig level, I've found that in my den at lower volumes, the cooling fans on my rack mount amp can be annoying.

Jon Jaffe · Post by **Jon Jaffe** » 19 Aug 2010 2:11 pm

For me it was not audible at arms length.

Tommy Dodd · Post by **Tommy Dodd** » 19 Aug 2010 3:45 pm

I had to try one of these MB200s just to see how good a truly lightweight rig could sound. This is mine! It sounds pretty darn good, and loud enough for most situations, and the combined weight is under 20 pounds for a 200 watt system. (Donna really likes that part!)

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 19 Aug 2010 4:05 pm

Now there's the endorsement....not you Tommy.... Donna!

Which reminds me, my wife told me to put her on the Forum again......

This is the same way she lips a Big Mouth Bass

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 19 Aug 2010 7:33 pm

Is this the same amp?

Click Here

If so, for just a few more dollars you get the amp and speaker. I don't know how well that closed cabinet would work with steel guitar.

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 20 Aug 2010 7:20 am

Haven't compared the specs...but sure looks familiar!

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 20 Aug 2010 7:38 am

What are you guys using with this for effects (reverb, delay, etc?)