AKG GB40

Insert battery, turn on reciever, plug it into amplifier and away you go. Simple.

Rather disappointing. When 2 notes are played together, they intermodulate. The resulting distortion is similar to the sound of a valve amp so it's not unpleasant but my guitars don't sound as they should. Also the volume comes and goes as the notes die away. Very easy to lose contact with the reciever resulting in loud crackling. It's useable but only if you like the sound it makes. The unit has been returned for repair but returned the same as it went so I can only conclude it's inherent in the design

It works every time but I've not had it long. I unplug it carefully as the jack plug is attached to a flimsy plastic case so a break is a distinct possibility if care isn't taken

Vvvv slow when I returned it for repair

It allows you to wander and play. Probably better suited to the bass (which I have used it for in addition to six string) as the two note intermodulation distortion isn't a problem with single note bass lines. I wouldn't ask for my money back but feel the unit has design faults which should be addressed.

Put your battery in and go for it.

Sounds great. I can run down the street while playing and the sound is still perfect. There is no sound loss playing through this wireless.

I play out every weekend. The unit was great WHILE IT WORKED. Unfortunately, the actual GB40 transmitter is not meant for the road musician. It seems more intended for the studio musician who intends on plugging it in and leaving it in. The thing is, I use it in 3 different guitars. I've always been extra sensitive about pulling it out and putting it in another guitar. Then, I pull it out at the end of every night and pack it up. You kind of always get the sense that it's not real solid when you pull on it, and you kind of question how much time you have before it gets yanked apart in the wrong way... and it's always made me extra careful. Unfortunately, after little over a year (yes.. just after the warranty has expired), I pulled and the entire stem came out.. just above the part that screws in. In other words, it was not meant to be pulled out here. And therefore, it could not be fixed. I contacted support.. and you can read about that in the support section.

I contacted support via AKG.com. I had a very nice person named Paul contact me via email and offer to send me another stem (just the 1/4 jack part that screws in) free of charge. I was excited that they were so eager to please and hopeful this would be resolved. I then explained that the unit broke above the stem and asked about getting it repaired/replaced. Any kind of repair such as this, and I can tell you right now that you are going to be out some money. I received the following email response:

All service requests and inquiries should be directed to the main telephone number at 615-620-3800 or to Sabine Brown, AKG Customer Service Coordinator, at 615-620-3835 or sbrown2@harman.com

I called the next day. This support center wasn't nearly so nice as the kind folks at the AKG site. I was handed off twice and then talked to a rep that seemed less than eager to hear my problem. After he listened to me for a few minutes, out of what seemed more like obligation than concern, he stated matter of factly that I could send the unit in for repairs and pay shipping and handling, but that it would probably cost more than a new one. "How much is a new one" I asked? $80.00 plus shipping and handling. I kind of paused, hoping for at least an apology for my problems and soon realized that this guy was more concerned with just getting me off the phone. So.. it's been 6 months and I've been playing with cords again. Less freedom, but I just can't get myself to pay close to/(more than?) $100 for this tiny little piece that you know the company doesn't even have $10 in... after I paid them well over $200 for the unit brand new. Had they at least shown me some common courtesy when I called, I might have considered it, but even then, it would have been hard.

As a result, I've informed my best buddy, who is a manager of the local music store and though he's not got any say over what they sell, he has made it a point to tell everyone interested in my story and he has told me many accounts of having shared my story. So in the end, they will definitely lose more than the extra $100 they were trying to squeeze from me. What's more.. I used to tell everyone about my wireless and how much I liked it. I'm in a band that plays out nearly every weekend and usually twice. That's a whole lot of free advertising that I won't be giving away anymore.

Great sound quality.. but having the support of a company is much more important to me.
Case in point, I wrote Morley about 4 years ago and complained of my WAH pedal switch going bad. I knew it was going to have to be taken apart and worked in. Morley called me the next day.. and believe it or not.. they asked me to send the pedal, said they would fix it free of charge and ship it back to me at no extra cost! I sent it off, they fixed it, and returned it with a note that they really appreciated my business! That is customer sat, and that is what what lacking in this experience. (I now have 3 Morley pedals, by the way). If AKG is to ever write me/call me and offer to resolve this issue, I will gladly come back and update this review, and give them full credit for their effort, but for now, it was the worst customer sat experience in my music career and I just can't support their products anymore.

I give this unit an eight, not because of any flaw but because the unit is not plug and play. That is a good thing--there are several features which can be used to get the most out of the system. Chances are you can put a battery in, plug in the receiver, and get some good sound out of it, but there is more to it than that. The Bug itself (the transmitter) has a gain control so that you can use it with a passive transducer, active, or even electric guitar pickup. Next, you can use either a quarter-inch unbalanced line out or the XLR. There is an adjustment to make on the receiver depending upon which of those you want to use. That's it. Once you have these where you want them, setup is easy: Power to the receiver, line to the PA, bug in your guitar, turn 'em on.

I bought my first one for a dobro with a Fishman resonator guitar pickup. I run from the receiver to a volume pedal, LRBAGGS Para DI, Aphex Acoustic Xciter, and then to the PA. I can't tell the difference between this system and a cord. If there is a difference, it is so close that the ease of use far outweighs the compromise in sound. You can pretend as if you're playing totally acoustic (it's all an illusion). Even with a passive pickup, there is so much signal that the signal to noise ratio is great.

I've never had any trouble with it yet. The bug batteries last a long time, and the little red light warns you when that's about to happen, so you can pop in a new one. I've never had any problem with reception--you can even leave the room and keep playing, if you're weird.

I have no experience with customer support. I have modified each of mine to improve the bug switch. A previous reviewer noted the difficulty of finding the bug switch. I noticed this also. I simply glued a piece of rubber on the flush-mounted switch so that it has some relief-problem solved.

I play in two bands: one is mostly bluegrass, the other is bluegrass, gypsy-jazz, blues, folk, etc. Both are all 'acoustic.' I started using mine because I didn't like being glued to a microphone, and dobros need so much gain that mic feedback was always a problem. So I started using a pickup. From there, the wireless was a logical step, and I loved this one with no body pack. I guess it must have worked! Since I bought mine, most of our band has also gotten one, and these are folks previously sold on the 'traditional' one-mic bluegrass technique--now we're all wireless. Between the two bands, we have them on guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, bass and dobro. Even on the fiddle the bug is so small that it fits invisibly under the shoulder rest--there is no wire to a body pack... Again, the illusion of acousticness is preserved.

A no-brainer to use: put in battery, plug into guitar, turn on, play.

Cannot tell the difference between this device and a cord.

professional audio gear from germany. what else do you need to know?

WHY DIDN'T I BUY THIS YEARS AGO!?
if i had a dollar for every time i fumbled with a freaking guitar cord, tripped over one, got one caught under a chair leg as i stood up, had to unplug one and physically re-route it, tipped something over with one (just last week i tipped over an expensive vase with my guitar cord - it didn't break but i had to clean the contents from the carpet), ran out of cord and had to go scrounge up a longer one, got one caught under my wah-wah pedal, pulled one out of the jack and wondered why i had no sound, got a cord wrapped around my ankle, had to pivot to unwrap a cord from my body, wasted time untangling a nest of knotted cords, had a bad cord, a noisy cord, an intermittent cord, a loose plug that had to be re-soldered, etc., i'd be rich. I HATE CORDS!
There is absolutely nothing about it to complain about. (ok, a minor quibble: i wish the switch had a LITTLE more to grab with the fingernail. but that's about it.) i put a NiMH AAA battery in it, and keep a few more ready to go in the charger. naturally, if i played out i'd also bring a couple of alkalines, just in case. a lithium would probably run it for two days straight. It's tiny, light as the proverbial feather, and fits both my tele and strat. (i put little velcro dots on the guitars to prevent it from swiveling in the jack.) did i say I HATE CORDS!?
while i was waiting for mine to arrive, the store gloaned me an AT wireless system - which was a junky plastic toy from china. this, on the other hand, is a professional tool from germany. i considered a belt-pack system, but i wanted to be able to pick up the guitar and have nothing connected to it. I HATE CORDS so why buy a wireless system just to have to fuck with another cord?
this is the one to have, and only about the cost of a couple of pedals. highly recomended.

Very, easy. I got the charger so when you are don yo just pop the reciever and the liitle guitar bug in the stand and charges. Real easy.

OK. nothing will beat a good cord. But this thing sound almost as good. I use EMG
s in my guitars and it sounds great. I have not had the hiss problem. That other talk about. I use it mainly on my Vetta-@ half stack. I do not use it on my Bogner much because i just do not take it out as much

I see no problem, The unit stays in place. I do use the velcro. Seem as good as something this small gets

Needed none yet. I did not have to ajust a thing. just worked perfect out of the box

Just real kool and small