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I've had the GK MB200 for over a year and picked up the Quilter a few weeks ago as an alternative/backup and as a head for a second rig before we moved to the Island. Now that we're here and the chaos of the move is over, I'm getting a lot more playing time and I've been using some of that to try these two ultra-light amps in some head to head testing. The short version is that the Quilter is much more versatile and on the Surf setting is much louder than the MB200 and the master volume on the Quilter is a big plus. It also handles my plank better than the MB200. On the other hand, I really only use one sound and my Heritage gets the overwhelming majority of my playing time and at least with the Heritage the MB200 simply sounds better ... maybe even a lot better. The controls on the MB200 are much easier to use for fine tuning the edges of the tone.
After the head to head testing, I've decided that I'd rather have a second MB200. It sounds better with both cabs and with the smaller cab, the difference is too big for the Quilter to overcome. I've already found a second GK and the Quilter will join the long list of amps that has come and gone for me ion the last however many years. The MB200 has faced a lot of competition since I got and the bottom line is that it's still here and everything thing else is gone.
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11-30-2015 10:07 PM
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Do you use any effects with the MB200?
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When I saw the title I had a feeling that would be the result, but thanks for writing up your experience.
The Quilters are interesting, but they just don't seem complete to me, the GK seems like an amp with everything I would expect. Plus GK has been around a long time and has a reputation of building tough workhorse gear.
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I use a TC Electronics Arena reverb pedal with both of them. It's a srereo pedal anD one of the really fun things i've been doing is running both rigs in stereo. These are two very small rigs and hearing how big they can sound when I run them together is pretty awesome inspiring.
Originally Posted by jasaco
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Pm'd you!
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Maybe the biggest difference between the two is that the Gallien Krueger has a really obvious voice (especially withthe Contour engaged) whereas the Quilter with its vice control is more of a chameleon. So you really have to bond with the GO whereas the Quilter is more adaptable. I know there are people who don't bond with the GO because of that but it really does work well for me. It's amazing what a great low volume rig it makes with the 1x8 Earcandy cab with the Eminence Beta 8A. It's tiny, light weight and just sounds glorious. Originally Posted by docbop
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I think for the same reasons you like the GK, I have fallen for the newest Fender Rumble amps. Very lightweight, and sound great...with reverb of course...with all of my guitars. Before buying the Rumble I should try out the GK with a couple of my guitars.
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I have been a fan of micro bass amps for jazz guitar for a while now. I have both the GK MB200 (I rebought it based on your advice and reviews) and the Carvin BX250 heads. I like them both and will keep them as each other's backup/alternate.
What I have hard time wrapping my mind around is that the 100 W Quilter is much louder than the 200 W MB200 driving the same cab. Is MB200's 200 W not an RMS measurement ? Was Quilter more conservative in their rating and/or GK exaggerated theirs ?
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Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
I bought a used Ear Candy 2x8 that's been my main cab for about six month, but the person who owned it before me changed out the speakers so I think I'm going to get a pair of Eminence Beta 8A to bring it back to stock configuration.
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No idea. I find the whole thing to be a bit of a mystery. How about this one: the Quilter is supposed to be 50 watts with most of the voices but doubles to 100 for the jazz and surf settings, and yet the jazz setting is not nearly as loud as the surf setting. Originally Posted by medblues
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Mine had some weird home stereo speaker in it when I got it used. I got the Beta 8 largely on the advice of folks on this forum and because I learned that it was in the RE NY8 that I had liked so much. The difference was amazing. It did take some break in but it's now a great sounding little cab. Originally Posted by docbop
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Does the MB200 take a stock 1/4" speaker cable? From the pictures it looks a different.
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Older ones had both Neutrik and 1/4", newer ones only has Neutrik Originally Posted by Encinitastubes
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Can someone educate me a bit? What drives the choice of a Neutrik out versus a quarter inch? Do you need a cable with a Neutric on one end and a quarter inch on the other to plug into most cabs?
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Of course it depends on the cab, but yes if your cab has 1/4" connectors. Neutrik are found more on bass cab's since they are a more secure connection and more rugged. I have both Neutrik to Neutrik and Neutrik to 1/4" since I use my AI heads with different cabinets. Originally Posted by Encinitastubes
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It was actually like Jim's used one: funky, cheap speakers, so the replacements were helpful. I believe, however, if you use the Eminence, it will be a 4 Ohm rather than 8 Ohm (if that's OK with your setup), and double the wattage. Originally Posted by docbop
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I'm using a old AI Claris 2r and it can go down to 2ohm so 4 won't be a problem. I have a RE 1x8" with the Eminence and like it's sound that's why I'm thinking of switching. I bought this Ear Candy cab from you right? Originally Posted by marcwhy
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I wonder if something has changed at Ear Candy. The web site does not show the Eminence Beta 8A as a speaker choice for the 8" cabinets. (Mr. Watts and Bailey). It seems that speaker is special or customer installed. I just sent a message to see what they have to say. Originally Posted by docbop
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The Eminence Beta 8A is 8 ohms per the spec sheet. http://www.eminence.com/pdf/Beta_8A.pdf Originally Posted by marcwhy
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Correct, but it's a 2x8 cab; wired in parallel (which is how it's set up), it'll be 4 Ohms total; re-wired in series it would be 16 Ohms. Originally Posted by DanielleOM
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Ear Candy built mine with a stereo/mono plate that allows 4 ohms mono, 8 ohms/channel stereo, or 16 ohms mono. I couldn't get a decent sound out of my Bailey with the Hoosier Cat speakers installed. I wonder if these are the home stereo speakers mentioned elsewhere in this thread. At $30 a pop I suppose it should have been no surprise. The cab was excessively boomy on the low end and thin everywhere else. At that point, I was feeling pretty bloated with GAS and just rid of it, rather than continuing down the rabbit hole. Originally Posted by marcwhy
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How useful are the EQ knobs on the MB200 for guitar? I assume the bass knob gets turn down to cut back on woof, but how do the low and high mids and treble centre for guitar? Or do you keep it flat?
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Very useful to me, I change it from guitar to guitar accordingly but do not use the extremes. Also depends on if I have a backing track going through it. Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
from the manual:
"Treble: Boost and cut at 7 kHz +14 dB shelvingtype. Use this control to add or remove edge anddefinition.
Hi-Mid: Boost and cut at 1 kHz +6 dB. A “QOptimized,” band pass type, this works on lowerstring harmonics and effects the punch of yoursound.
Low-Mid: Boost and cut at 250Hz +6dB/-10 dB.A “Q optimized” band pass type, this works formain body of your sound.
Bass: Boost and cut a 60Hz +10 dB, shelvingtype. "
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Medblues, are you running your MB200 with or without the contour engaged? The change in the voice from the contour is really extreme at least to my ears. I only use it with the contour and I feel like it makes the sound much more like I expect from a guitar amp with a Fender scoop.
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I typically do not use the MB200 contour for most of my guitars, for the Fendery sound I have the HD500X with some of your patches on it and a George Benson HRD. I like you Flip Top patches a lot too. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
I gravitate often to the middy tones a la Polytone when I play to backing tracks. With solo pieces, I like both equally depending on the style.
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