Genz Benz GBE700

i got this amp for half price new from an importer here in the uk back about 6 months ago. genz benz are only just starting to hit over here & they were anxious to get them out on the scene. lucky for me. originally tried the 1200 but couldn't justify the cost or the power at this stage in my career (not getting paid). no worries - the 750 is an absolute monster with tons of headroom & the best, most versatile sound i've come across in an amp.

this amp does everything i could possibly need, & more. two channels serve my effects vs clean needs nicely - i put my (largely digital) chain thru the FET channel fx loop for total clarity & mix in the tube channel to give straight up warmth with a bit of grit via the gain. all the whistles & bells without sacrificing any bottom end.

there's also an fx loop for the tube channel, & a master (FET & tube summed) fx loop. great for tweakers like me - lots of options to play with. the DI is top grade, so much so that even sound guys comment on the clear sound, only stopping to grumble that it's 'round the back'. seems sound guys always have to moan about something eh. anyway, it's got 5 band active eqs for each channel & tone shaping options (lo boost, mid scoop, hi boost) which can be adjusted min to max & activated via the front panel or the footswitch. the amp is switchable 2 or 4/8 ohms which is handy. no phones socket here but as it says in the book, the thing's too damn loud for headphones!

the foot pedal is really missing a mute function tho - would have been very handy.

oh yeah & the blue lights - who cares about blue lights? - i do now, & so does everyone else who sees them. the whole thing looks the bomb.

i was a trace elliot die-hard for some years prior to my genz benz epiphany, mainly due to TE's lovely solid up-front gain sound. the 750 doesn't miss any of that in-your-face sound, but gives the option to smooth it out & give it more balls. the stuff i play alternates mainly between heavy funk kind of stuff & light arpeggio chords (i use a high B string) & this amp copes with both, & a whole lot more, abley. i tend to use the tone controls on my active jazz rather than the 5 band eqs on the amp, but i do hit the hi boost on the footswitch for the chord work. it's pretty much set & forget for me in a live situation, but there's lots of tweaking to be done when no one's looking. every tone you could want is in this amp. i'm currently using it with a 4x10 GB live series cab unfortunately - lack of funds - but have used it with the GB XB2 6x10 & was in heaven. the sound was like angels singing - big, fat, sweet, gritty angels.

i've had no problems with it as of yet. it certainly looks & feels sturdy enough. that said i have mounted it in a reinforced 3u rack bag & used a cookie cutter drill bit to make a hole in the side for the fan. think mr t with armour on.

i've given it a 10 here because everything else so good, i trust in its reliablity. if it screws up i'll report back.

not dealt with em but a mate of mine mailed with a question & got a helpful reply from jeff genzler himself, as did someone else on these boards. gets a 10 from me.

i've been playing for 16 years now & have owned & used many rigs - it would probably be easier to state the ones i haven't than those i have. i use quite an extensive fx setup [active jazz V deluxe > TU2 > synth wah > overdrive > multi chorus > digidelay > digiverb > rig] & have certain demands with regards to my tone, although i've never considered myself a tone nut - i know what i don't want to hear in my sound more than what i do want to hear. but the difference this amp has made HAS turned me into a burgeoning tone nut. when you've got something like this that sounds so good out of the box & is so tweakable, you can only experiment joyfully.

if it was lost or stolen i'd rip the world up looking for it, then use it to beat the person who had it to small bits, then gig it that night.

just one criticism - the footswitch should have a mute button on it. small point tho.