New MB200 Arrives!!!

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 5 Dec 2010 10:02 am

Chuck's been telling me for awhile to get one...Got mine this last week. I couldn't believe the sound!!

Price made it a "NO-BRAINER"!!

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 6 Dec 2010 7:59 pm

Here's the latest:

250watt, 4ohm Sica speaker. Total weight = 17.1 pounds (including optional power strip).

Also a pic of how I mounted the rear of the MB-200.

(back was removed to take pictures)

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 7 Dec 2010 5:00 am

Steve, how does the SICA sound compared to the Blue Marvel?

Roger Francis · Post by **Roger Francis** » 7 Dec 2010 5:52 am

Thats the same speaker i'm looking at, i'm very curious to know how it sounds with this setup

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 7 Dec 2010 4:21 pm

First impressions say the Sica is a keeper.

It sounds very close to the Blue Marvel, with just a scosche more clarity. I like the Blue Marvel, and haven't found anything negative about the sound, so the Sica, at half the weight, is gonna be the one.

I did prefer the Blue marvel over the 12" Peavey neodymium in the tone department. Both the BM and the Sica are smoother in the mids to my ears.

The real test will be in front of the SOLD OUT venue we play at with The Band Perry later....

The Sica does have a slightly wider spead in the mounting holes, will not fit the same pattern as the Blue Marvel, and I think the outside circumference is slightly larger also. However, mine are front loaded, so not an issue for me.

The only downside so far is that the cabinet is so light, it almost doesn't feel like a real amp

Sure sounds like one though!!

I'll report back after the LOUD test.....

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 8 Dec 2010 7:24 am

How did it go Steve? Did the MB200 amp sing away? Or did it "Die Young"?

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 8 Dec 2010 7:59 am

...and is that a 4 ohm or an 8 ohm speaker?

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 8 Dec 2010 9:12 am

Worked like a charm!

Stayed nice and clean no matter how loud I punched it. I don't to play that loud very often, but there's plenty more in reserve if the situation warrants.

This model is the 4ohm.

Clean!

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 30 Dec 2010 4:57 am

I've got a new problem. My guitar player borrowed it for his tele and loves it. He says it works great with his pedal board. He normally plays thru Vox or Matchless. Now he won't give it back.

Roger Francis · Post by **Roger Francis** » 30 Dec 2010 7:46 am

My MB 500 sounds realy good, and with the RP 155 it's even better, i've been using the amp simulater on the RP and it gives the amp a more beefier sound (lack of a better explanation)and with the Sica speaker it's icing on the cake. I'm making 2 speaker cabinets out of pine, and baltic birch plywood 1/2" for the baffles and backs, they sound realy good i just gota finish them, about 17 lb finished, with speaker.
I let a friend of mine use the 500 with a couple other cabs i have to play his strat thru and he realy liked the setup, he was wanting to take it home with him. Thanks Steve for turning us on to this.

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 30 Dec 2010 10:36 am

Roger,

I just completed a cabinet built out of 3/4" pine. (My previous builds were of 5/8" particle board.)

My cabinets are small (16"x16"x9"). I bought one 8' long 10" wide plank and got all my cuts out of it (approx $11).

This one weights in at 18.2lbs total including the amp and a power strip mounted inside.

This cabinet also has more of the back covered using the stock width of the plank.

Each of the three cabinet/speaker combinations I have tried have exceeded my expectations. I think I'm happiest with the latest pine cabinet and Sica speaker combination, but other than weight, the differences are very subtle. (Chuck told me he likes this one the best too, and I trust his ears)

So far through all of this, the one thing that has been remarkable is the extremely wide dispersion and uniform sound/freq response in even the widest of rooms.

Good luck with yours. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Roger Francis · Post by **Roger Francis** » 30 Dec 2010 6:42 pm

Good looking cabs Steve, mine are allmost the same size, 15 1/2 x 16 1/2 x 9 OD,and with speaker they are around 18lb instead of 17, I painted them with truck bed skid proof paint and textured them with a sponge, the paint seems to be perty tuff. I was just to lazy to cover them with anything, heck from thirty feet away they look great. So far every thing is coming together.

John Palumbo · Post by **John Palumbo** » 31 Dec 2010 2:16 am

Curious if any body has tried their combo amp: www.gallien-krueger.com/products_mbCombos.html

Gerry Simon · Post by **Gerry Simon** » 31 Dec 2010 5:14 am

These combo amp you guys are building look pretty cool and I trust your ears that they sound great....but I don't understand why. Your using an amp designed for bass and a bass Sica speaker that rolls off pretty steep around 4K, (from the charts on Ken Fox's site). Most of the guitar speakers I've seen carry freqs 3 or 4 times that. Are you missing overtones or crispness with this setup...and why not???? Also I wonder if anyone has tried the GK Fusion amp; same as MB500 but with a tubed pre....maybe a nice warm tone?? Thanks, Gerry

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 31 Dec 2010 7:11 am

Gerry Simon wrote:Your using an amp designed for bass and a bass Sica speaker that rolls off pretty steep around 4K, (from the charts on Ken Fox's site). Most of the guitar speakers I've seen carry freqs 3 or 4 times that. Are you missing overtones or crispness with this setup...and why not????

Yeah...the SICA speaker I tried awhile back definitely rolls off the high end. Maybe some players prefer that I guess.

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 31 Dec 2010 12:18 pm

My rig certainly is not shy of high frequencies. Matter of fact, if you look at the last picture I posted the EQ is exactly how I played it the night before, and both high and mid-high freqs are rolled off.

Throughout the building of the speaker cabinets and playing through the MB200/MB500 I've constantly referenced this stuff, very favorably, to my Revelation rack and CB-12 SPLIT.

The guitars I've owned over this period of time have included: D-10 EMCI (welded), S-10 Sho~Bud ProI, S-10 GFI Ultra, SD-10 Rittenberry, S-10 Emmons p/p, and most recently played the Desert Rose through this amp.

Several times each week I play with one of the finest guitar/steel players, whom just happens to be the builder of the Desert Rose Steel Guitars and I think if there were an absence of high end or lack of harmonics, one of us would have notice by now.....not to mention the other players on the Forum who have been using these pieces of equipment.

My original attraction to the MB series of amps was the EQ section. In my opinion, I think it provides the most usable frequency controls of any amp I've ever owned, and I've played my fair share of those also.

My interest in the Sica and Neodymium speakers was from the experience that people such as T. C. Fulong, Brad Sarno, Ken Fox, Chuck Back, and others have been using in their systems. If any of these builders start questioning their rational for the components they select, I'll probably re-think mine also......I admit that I never looked at the "specs".

However, I certainly respect the fact that we all, fortunately, have different likes and dislikes.

Garry Simpson · Post by **Garry Simpson** » 1 Jan 2011 9:26 am

Steve, just curious, are you using your black box with this set up on gigs or do you like the amp without one?

George Macdonald · Post by **George Macdonald** » 1 Jan 2011 12:03 pm

Hi Gary, I'm not Steve but I thought I'd add my 2 cents. I have a similar rig with the MB200 and a cab built by Tommy Huff with a 15 inch Sica speaker. I usually use my Black Box at home but when playing out I take a Sarno "Freeloader" or Matchbox 7A. Usually the Freeloader because it is more compact. This amp and speaker cab is probably the best sound I have had. The amp is marketed as a bass amp, and the Sica speaker is a bass speaker, but I certainly don't lack any highs. And!!! this 200 watt rig weighs 22 pounds!!!

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 1 Jan 2011 12:22 pm

Gary,

I did originally. And, it sounded great as all of Brad's creations do. I have decided to go with the "Freeloader" with this system. One of my original goals was to downsize. I'm eliminating any and all devices that require electrical power, with the exception of the RP-150. I've grown weary of power cords and power strips.

I have one of Brad's Revelation rack systems, so if I need the Black Box characteristics, it's in the Rev.

I have also been using a Matchbox with some of my guitars, but have found that my Rittenberry into the Sho~Bud or Goodrich pot pedals into the RP-150 into the amp is my current preference.

I played my Hilton pedal last night, but find myself gravitating back to the pot pedals....

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 2 Jan 2011 4:41 pm

Here's the result of a New Year's hangover induced dream:

In the next couple of days I'll relocate the digi-display to the front speaker baffle next to the amp, wire the up and down program switches to a footswitch, and hinge the back so it will open for easy access (if, and when needed).

I'll probably shield it, to protect it more than anything...

Of course this is gonna add another ounce or two to the total weight, but it will eliminate the cable hook-ups including the wall-wart.

Getting closer to the objective...

Oh, by the way, that's an RP-150 circuit board.

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 3 Jan 2011 6:45 am

Hi Steve ,
VERY slick setup you have there !!....I'm impressed !!.... Do you notice any additional noise as a result of adding the RP-150 Circuit board ? ......Thanks, Jim

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 3 Jan 2011 9:39 am

Thanks Jim

No noise. I played it last night and nothing different that I could tell. I am still very early in the process on this, and still alot of delicate wiring to do. The numeric display has about 18-20 solder connections to remove it from the circuit board and relocate to the front speaker baffle.

The remote switches to control programs up & down should be very easy...think I'll do that first

It will get some kind of protection/shielding so that the circuit board is not so susceptible to damage.

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 3 Jan 2011 4:22 pm

Steve ,
I would guess that a rack mount effects unit would have made things a LOT easier , but more costly too !!.... I sure wish someone bought the MB Fusion ....I'd sure like to see how well the tube front end works on this bad boy , and the effects loop and tuner setup is a nice feature too .... I don't think you'ld be soon looking for more power than that unit has to offer ...

......Thanks again for the update ....Jim

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 5 Jan 2011 6:33 am

Steve, are you using the rp150 for effects only(reverb/delay),or are you using it for EQ etc, and how do you have it in the chain, guitar/vol/rp150/into the amp or in some other way? thanks Malcolm.

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 5 Jan 2011 10:53 am

James,
I have a rack:

I'm trying to get small and able to carry all my equipment with two hands, but still maintain a quality standard. Guitar, amp, accessories, and seat

!

Malcolm,
Primarily delay and reverb. I do have a patch for overdrive (Honky Tonk Woman, etc.) and for chorus (Waylon).
I'm not presently using any amp modeling features, but only because the need has not arisen yet

Signal flow is: guitar > volume pedal > RP150 > amp.
In this manner the distortion patch acts like an overdriven sound at 1/2 to 3/4 pedal and "fuzz" at full pedal.

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