Gallien-Krueger 700RB II Head

The features have been described by others, but here's a quick reiteration of the basics:

Main amp: 480 watts at 4 ohms, 320 watts at 8 ohms
Four band active EQ, plus a boost knob
XLR out, send, return, tuner out
2 quarter inch speaker outs, as well as 2 speakon connectors
19.5 pounds

The amp also incorporates a 50 watt horn amp that makes use of a proprietary feature on GK cabinets, allowing you to dial in the horn from the amp.

The 700RB offers an excellent range of features, but the styling suffers somewhat versus the old, more professional styling of the 800RB package. Here, the amp uses "urban" lettering on the case which seems totally out of place, but more problematic is the placement of the cooling fan on the TOP of the case which--if you're not rack mounting the head--makes me a little nervous that a spilled drink could drain right down into the amp.

Likewise, the front panel feels a little crowded. I think some of the jacks, and especially the XLR out, could have been placed in the back for a little more breathing room. In short, I love what this amp can do, but would love it more if it resembled the old GK look.

This amp has not received the recognition it deserves, but I believe time will prove it to be one of GK's best efforts. Specifically, many people are attracted to the enormous power of the 1001RB. However, the 700RB offers the EXACT same features, and the fact that it delivers a little less power actually translates into what I believe is a noticeably warmer, and more tube like, sound than the 1001RB. In an excellent interview posted on the Institute of Bass website, Bob Galllien talked about the engineering logic behind this:

"When a power amp puts out as much power as it is capable of producing, that is referred to as "hitting the rails." The way our amps go in and out of the rails is very different to how other manufacturer's amps react. Sometimes you will hear guys talk about "the G-K growl." If a bassist is used to playing an 800RB, he'll know exactly where he needs to place the controls on his amp to get that G-K growl. If he then moves to the 1001RB-II which puts out over twice as much power as the 800RB, he'll have to play his amp much louder to get that same type of growl. I have found that this is one of the biggest things that bassists have to learn in moving to a more powerful amplifier. If you want to maintain the classic G-K growl and don't need to play at loud volumes, then you definitely want to stick with a lower powered amplifier so it is easier for you to hit the rails."
(http://www.instituteofbass.com/archive/product_spotlight/gallien_krueger/)

I compared this head with a number of different amps, including the 1001RB, the Backline 600, Ampeg SVT-4 Pro, Ampeg B-2RE, MarkBass Little Mark II, and a Trace Elliot AH500 head.

There was no question in my mind that the 700RB was the warmest sounding of the bunch, and in live situations it has proven to be extremely well voiced, with all of the notes clear and present in the mix (but never tinny over overly-bright).

And as far as volume, I've been playing for over 20 years, and up until a few years ago this would have been just about the most powerful bass amp on earth. That's why I come back to the Bob Gallien interview -- when you let this amp loose in most club situations, it delivers a wonderful warm sound without having to be cranked up to the limit.

One important note: the amp sounds much better when paired with a quality cabinet. It sounds terrific with the GK SBX and RBH models, as well as immense coming through an old SVT 8-10. Be sure you experiment to find the right combination for your sound.

No problems at all thus far. I've owned another GK head since 1985 and only had to make a minor repair once, about 5 years ago. GK is traditionally known for excellent quality.

Customer support is excellent. And if you need a part you can call them directly on the phone and they are both helpful and efficient. Typically, the part will be shipped out to you the next day, and at a very decent price. This is how all companies should be run.

Again, my only critiques of this amp are its styling, and a slightly crowded feel to the controls on the front. That said, however, I think this amp is currently woefully underappreciated given its outstanding features and sound. And in case you haven't noticed, Gallien used the heart of the 700RB as the main power supply in their new hybrid "Fusion 550" amp. I've got to think that the people at the company also noticed what I did--this amp is one of the best sounding heads GK has ever produced.

Year: 2008
Styles:
Rock/Blues/Jazz/Psychedlic/Acid/Progressive/Noise/Punk/Fusion/Funk

Versatility: For me it is extraordinarily versatile and provides lots of power with good sounds. The tube emulator gives an Andy Fraser like Marshall tone when turned on.

Channels: 1 channel with four band EQ, contour and presence controls, effects send and return, tuner out and DI out. Provides 380W output @ 4 Ohms or 2x225W @ 8 Ohms, in both dual 1/4" and bi-amp Speakon connectors.

I use all the features, except the Speakon, but am thinking of modifying my Peavey 410TVX to Speakon so I can bi-amp. There are three features I wish it had (which I were on the GK2000CPL Guitar amp I used to use): Reverb, a fuzz channel (not growl but actual distortion) and the send and return on the back as most Effects processors have.

I use the amp at band practices (2 bands with 5 members) and at pub/school/event gigs. Provides plenty of power.

My setup:
* Cort C4 "Artisan" series bass (Active "Mighty-Mite" Pickups)
* Peavey 410 TVX (4x10") speaker box
* Gallien-Krueger 700RBMKII
* Digitech S200 Effects Processor

Cort C4 "Artisan" series bass (Active "Mighty-Mite" Pickups)
I generally run the pickups on Active since I upgraded my amp: it seems to sound better and clearer on Passive.
Suits all the styles above.
Virtually no signal or fan noise-unnoticeable. You would have to be running it really loud for it to become noisy.
Very clean tone except when you adjust the boost (tube emulator) or turn the preamp (rather than the main amp) volume up. This produces a growl.
Great all round amp.

I can't afford a backup-so I hope nothing goes wrong. I haven't used it enough to say, but other reviews say it is extremely reliable-something GK are reknowned for.

Never needed to call GK, but my father was given excellent service when he worked in the music industry in the 80's.

I bought mine for AU$1439 from Turramurra Music in Nothern Sydney. This was brought down from AU$1799. They ordered it through the only importer-Electric Factory.

Must say I was a little dissapointed that Electric Factory wouldn't let my local music shop have a dealership, but Turramurra gave me a fantastic deal with great service.

Also, when I took the sealed box home and opened it I was missing the power cable, which is specifically desgined to work to the specifications of my amplifier. I contacted Electic Factory and they said they would ship one up within a week.

I have been playing for five years, my other equipment is above.

I would definetly buy it again, though if I had the money I might get a 1001RB. That said the 700RB is a very powerful amp for it's price and sounds great, so I might not. I hope I don't lose it!

Essentially I have a deep respect for this amp. It sounds weird, but it is a serious amp and I hope my playing skills match it better in the future.

I bought it on recommendation from my father: he said Ampeg SVT400 or GK400RB, 700RB or 800RB were the only serious bass amps. So I bought the 700RBMKII as it was little more expensive than the 400RB and the 800RB is discontinued.

Bought it New.2008. Bi-Amp Ready. 480 Watts into 4ohms 50 watts to the tweeter. Solid state but has a great warm tube like feel. Plenty of power for most any gig. Contour and presence controls scoop the mids a bit and add nice color. Enough tone controls for most knob tweekers. I can get what I need for the style of music I play.

Using this with the GK RBH410/4 with several basses. '74 Fender Jazz with flat wound strings. Carvin BB5 5 string with round wounds. P-Bass, Yamaha BEX4. The rig is loud and proud and responds to my touch. Boost contol give a nice growl. I recently had a pro sound tech remark my tone was perfect with the Jazz bass. Every note jumps out of the mix. This rig replaced my 10 year old Ampeg SVT stack and I'm happier with my tone.

Just Bought it no problems yet.

Decent factory warranty. Haven't needed any support.

I'm an old road dog have been playing for 35yrs through all kinds different rigs and this GK rig sounds excellent. I own Ampeg,SWR, and Carvin rigs the GK kicks but and is my main rig. I would buy this again if it were ever lost.

The amp was made:2006
Yes it is. I play Hard Rock, Jass Rock, Blues and Blues Rock.
One chanel, That is all I need.
Main Amp-480W@4ohm, 320W@8ohm,
Horn Amp-50W@8ohm,
Volume, Mute Switch and Mute LED
VOICING FILTERS: 5/4 String Voicing, Adjustable Contour and Presence
EQUALIZER: Four Band Active
OUTPUT: Boost, Tweeter Level w/ Hi-Cut Switch
and Woofer Level with Hi-Cut Switch
DIRECT OUT: XLR, Ground Lift,
Pre/Post Switch and Level Control
PATCHING: Send, Return and Tuner Out
SPEAKER OUTPUT: Two 1/4"
and Two Horn Bi-Amp Compatible Speakon Connectors
I find it to give complete control.
The sound I get is great,

I have A US Master 4 String, witch I love.
I also have A 4 String Carvin AC40 Acoustic Bass.
I have had this amp for 2 years and it a great amp. No Noise.
I don't need destortion for the king of music that I play.

Yes I can depend on it.
No, I Have had no Problems with it.

I had My Guitar player build My Cabinets,
In the processes of that I had Problems with my New Cabinets.
One of them is 4 10" with a horn, and the other is a 15" with a horn.
Will to make a long story Short.
I call them be cause I thought the problem was the amp.
They where local so I took the amp to them.
We hook it up to one of there Cabinets and it sounded fine.
The problem was that the horn was breaking up.
It turned out to be that my US Masters is an active bass without an battery design.
There is a switch on the amp that is for apssive and active basses.
I had the setting on passive with an active bass.
So i give them Big ten

I have Been Playing for 20 years.
Ampworks Bass, Art Tube Mp Project Series.
I go for a cleen sound so i don't use effects.
I have A recording studio.
I also use my bass amp to record on the direct out.
Yes I would Buy this amp agian,
But this time I would but the 1000RB II Head.

This is an update to my earlier post by 'LeoFan' below.

As I said in my earlier post, I wasn't sure I'd keep this amp. Not because of lack of features or reliability or anything, but because I couldn't get the sounds out of it on demand for the range of cover songs I have to play on a gig. I am happy to report that I did keep it, even after trying out an Eden WT800. The Eden had a great tone when it was working, but the amp was very unreliable and there still wasn't an wasy way to get tonal variety on the fly, so I didn't keep it. Instead I paired the GK 700RB II with a Hohner Steinberger 4 String copy with active electronics and an Avatar 4X10 Neo cab. The only knob turning I do at the amp is to dial in the Contour knob for songs where really wicked slap is called for, and the rest of the controls are pretty much set flat. I get good tonal control from the Honer's active EMG pickups. Another key to my being much happier with the amp is pairing it with the Avatar Neo cab instead of my Avatar 2X10 and 1X15 cabs. The tone is smoother and has more mid range punch, but still retains great dynamics. I would have loved to get a GK RB cab to take advantage of the bi-amp feature but the size, weight, and cost kept me from going there.

Very pleased so far, no issues at all after 2 years or so. I always use Furman power protection for my gear and keep the cooling vent clean. I've never taken a backup with me becuase our PA puts out a great FOH sound, but I wouldn't be able to hear myself on stage as well as I'd like so I'm considering lugging a backup head with me.

Still haven't needed to use them.

My main bass now is a Hohner Steinberger copy with active EMG pickups, with either a Yamaha BB415 or G&L 2500 Tribute as a backup. Our band does a wide mix of rock, pop, disco, new wave, and R&B and the rig I have now satisfies all those needs. And like I said in my first review, when you set the GK 700RB II to model an RB800 you get amazing, grinding, pick and finger style rock tones. When our guitarist goes for an extended solo on a rock tune and the keyboard player isn't playing during that section, I NEVER sweat it because I know I'll be pumping out a massive, full bottom end with just the right amount of grind. Short of buying a Mesa, Aguilar, or some other high end, very expensive amp (not Eden - my bad experience has turned me off to them)I think I'm sold on GK. They're a great amp with tons of features, sweet tone, solid reliability, and are a fantastic value.

2005 model. This amp feature input gain control, tuner out, bi amp switching, and a 4/5 string bass switch. The best part about this amp is the gain it can produce. I used it with a guitar and cranked the input gain and boost and it sounded like a Fender! With my bass it produced the crunch I needed for the metal I was playing. My guitar players always had to tell me to turn down. This amp is awesome. However, I am a fan of tubes and wish they came equipped with them.

I used a Dean Edge 5-string and my Gibson Lp Dc Faded. For bass you can go from smooth to crunchy with a few adjustments on the gain. I really think this is an awesome amp for metal playing. On guitar you just crank the gain and depending on your pickups, you have a pretty meaty tone that can cut through anything. Why did I play my guitar through it you ask? I didn't have another amp. Turns out I didn't need one.

I've played many shows with this amp. It's been through a tour, and i never had any protection for it. It still plays as if it was brand new. I would never need to worry about this amp breaking down on me.

Never had to deal with them.

I've been playing bass and guitar for about 7 years. My equipment is as follows:

Gibson Les Paul Special Double Cutaway w/ P-90's
Marshall JCM900 4100 Dual Reverb
Douglas Violin Bass
Traynor 1967 8x10

I recommend this amp to anyone, but would not buy it again. Reason being is because I love vintage equipment and tubes.

THIS IS A 2006 MODEL. IT ISN'T THE MOST VERSATILE AMP, BUT IT HAS THE SOUND I LIKE. I PLAY ROCK, FOLK, FUNK, AND PRAISE... IT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. VERY SOLID STRAIGHT FORWARD SOUND. I WISH IT HAD A COMPRESSOR BUILT IN, OH WELL! I NEVER SCOOP MIDS AND I DON'T USE THE PRESENCE UNLESS MY STRINGS NEEDING CHANGED. I USE THIS AMP @ REHEARSAL AND GIGS UP TO 300 OR 400 PEOPLE. THIS AMP IS PLENTY LOUD, IF YOU USE THE DI FOR THE HOUSE MIX.

I PLAY AN AMERICAN DELUXE P BASS. I PLAY FINGER STYLE. THIS AMP SOUNDS GREAT FOR MY STYLE. I REALLY DON'T HAVE A NOISE PROBLEM WITH AMP. THIS AMPS SEEMS TO REMAIN CLEAN AND SOLID FROM 1 TO 10.

I DON'T USE A BACK UP, THIS AMP DOES THE JOB!

NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH THEM.

I BEEN PLAYING FOR A FEW YEARS, I HAVE A FANCY PANTS TUBE AMP - IT'S IN THE CLOSET. SAY WHAT YOU LIKE, I LIKE THIS AMP. IT SERVES MY PURPOSE WELL, IT'S A GREAT VALUE, AND I'M DOWN WITH GK BABY!

Bi amp capability to drive tweeter separate without the need for external passive crossover as it has a built in electronic crossover.
Tuner mute to tune up without sound from amp.
2 Speakon jacks as well as 1/4" speaker jacks.
Internal automatic speaker protection to prevent overloads or short circuits from effecting the amp.
Contour and Presence settings.
Low and High mid controls as well as bass and treble.
480 watts RMS with 50 watt tweeter output.

Traded an SWR 350X in for this amp. Wished I had done this long ago. Much better tonal qualities. More defined low end and low noise. Love the tone of this amp. It makes the SWR just sound "BLAH"!

Haven't had it long but it looks and feels like it is built like a tank.

Haven't dealt with them yet but the rep seemed very responsive to my concerns about missing the 4 conductor speakon cable and is going to provide one.

Another review stated they wished it had a tube front end.
All I can say is that my SWR 350X had a tube front end and this amp sound way better. I don't think it really needs one. In fact it would just add noise to the circuit.

This amp has everything a giging musician would need. My only complaint is that all of the features are on the front of the head, not the back. They include:

Tuner out with a mute button
Effects in and out
Direct out: balanced XLR with ground lift and a level control
-14dB pad button
Speakon Connectors
4-band EQ with boost, contour, presence knobs
5/4 string voicing button

There is no graphic EQ, personally I like this. Overall there are plenty of features to keep you busy finding the perfect sound...which is definitely reachable.

I am playing this with a Fender Jazz Bass. I play mostly rock and jazz. I do not slap and pop often, but I am sure it can handle it (flea endorsed this amp). There is no noise when I turn 3/4, I don't see myself ever going any higher, and still there is no noise.

This amp can easily fit many different styles. With the slightest change of the EQ you can get a completely different sound. Whether that is big boomy low ends or clean highs. I am running it through an Ampeg SVT 810, and the combo is amazing.

I use this as my main amp, and am touring with it. I do not have a backup and trust this 100%. However, I have not used it long enough to know for sure, so I can not rate it.

I have not had to deal with any customer support.

I have been playing 6 years and have gone through many amps. I played through a ampeg combo 15" for a few years and loved it. Obviously that wasn't loud enough on stage, but this is. I love the sound...I used to think Ampeg was the only thing that fit my playing style but this tops that, and for half the price. It is pretty heavy, but I am still young so that's not a huge deal. You can also rack mount it, which I have done. I would buy a new one if it were stolen. If you are looking to buy an Ampeg SVT head, definitely take a look at this one first. It is much cheaper and has plenty of power for any situation.

Just a note for those who are curious. The 4-conductor Speakon cable no longer ships with the head. Instead we ship it with the cabinets. Since you're not supposed to use it with any other cabinet than a GK, this made more sense.

The wrong version of the manual was reprinted on the last reprinting and several hundred of them got by me before I realized it.

If you purchase a Horn Bi-Amp compatible GK cabinet the 4-pin Speakon cable will be included.

GK