Gallien-Krueger 2-89 250ML

Think all the features have been covered except both the channel and effects can be switched on and off using a stereo cord in the footswitch input out to an A/B switch. Other than that, this thing has a ton of inputs/outputs and possibilities. For that, read the other reviews.

I use it as a practice amp for lead. It is hissy but so are tube amps. So what. But the best thing for me is the fact that unlike most other amps I've tried at room levels, it *sustains*. My favorite setting is to back down the vol on a neck pickup, push the chorus, and lose myself in destroying someone else finely crafted music by overplaying lead ! I love that ! Too bad no one would pay to hear such crap...but its fun ! Hmm. Maybe someone will pay to NOT hear me !
Certainly my girlfriend ! But I love this as a practice amp. Too convenient, too sustainy to pass up on...and I have lots of loud tube amps I can't control or use much...so for practice and portability this amp wins hands down !

Well, I did blow a speaker(or two) when I tried using the internal speakers with the volume past 12:00. Don't try that! Even that was pretty loud but save higher volumes for external speakers. I think its pretty reliable since its still working an hour a day even though its 13 years old. But just in case, I got a backup. Sure love the low sound level sustain for lead !

Haven't dealt with company.

Been playing 8 years. Have a bunch of topline tube amps. If stolen, I'd just whip out my backup and smile. I love the sustain for lead. I hate the fact it doesn't magically make me play like Neal Schoen on Journey. As said before, it is hissy. But I don't notice it at room level or when playing at volume either. Just when NOT playing. And an overplaying junkie like me is NEVER not playing. So it cool for me !

This is the greatest practice amp ever. I've had two of them over the course of the past 14 years; they can't be beat for portability (I carry mine around in a largish backpack), particularly given the power they can put out for their size, the channel switching, effects loops and so forth. Trying to use one of these with a band can be problematic -- it's possible to hook up external cabs and use the amp as a 100W stereo head (the one I've got now allows me to turn off the tiny speakers; my older one didn't), but it can come across on the weak and trebly side when playing in the same room as a drum set. For now, I've opted for a Gibson Lab 4x10 combo to use in those situations instead.

The built-in gain and chorus are preset, but not bad at all; the built-in reverb is preset and kind of crappy, and the preset compression is more like an Instant Loud Hiss button. I mostly play what might best be termed quirky progressive with eighties new wave overtones. I wouldn't recommend this amp for those who like really warm, dirty, bluesy sounds, but the clean chorused sound is very, very nice, and on the distortion channel it's possible to approximate almost a fake Boston sound with the gain and chorus on.

I will say that both the 250MLs I've owned have been on the hissy side, particularly on the distortion channel. That could be the fault of assorted mishaps which befell each unit -- I wasn't personally responsible for damage to this one, but I know they originally came with a mic-stand-style mounting type thingy out of which they are fond of flying backwards, and I *did* have that happen to the first one... I've tried hooking it up to the speakers in my Gibson Lab, which would have worked well except for the HISSSSSSS.

I know I can depend on this amp in practice situations. I most likely also could for coffeehouse/small club gigs, although whether I would use it playing out would depend on how quiet I needed it to be, really; I might be more apt to play my guitar through a small Trace bass amp I've got if I needed a whisper-quiet sound. I had the 120Hz pot go out on me once -- no big deal to fix, although the tech who fixed it for me (when I brought in the unit to see if the hiss could be reduced, which it couldn't) hooked it up backwards, making for confusion all around. ;)

Haven't dealt with GK.

I've been playing for 22 years. I currently play a 1973 Gibson SG and a mid-80s ESP 400 series Tele copy. For effects, I'm currently using a Digitech RP6, about which I've got mixed feelings -- before that I had an Ibanez PUE5 for years, which in combination with either guitar helped me get GREAT sounds through the GK.

If this amp were stolen or lost, I do think I would get another. They're just too handy not to have. I'm a smallish person without immense strength, and I *love* being able to pack up and go with such ease. I'd probably want to find out as much as I could about the unit's past life, as they don't take every type of abuse well.

If there's anything I wish this amp had, it's control over the distortion, chorus, verb and compression levels -- but for the type of amp it is, I'm not that picky, really.

These were made in the mid-late 80's and were replaced by the CPL series. Now GK is solely a bass amp company. It is a two channel practice amp with two 6.5" speakers, built in compression, echo, chorus, and gain boost. Headphone jack, footswitch jack on the front panel. Back panel has stereo speaker output, internal speaker cut switch, LOW-Z output, recording output, and fx loop. LOTS of stuff for an amp no bigger than a lunchbox. The power section can drive two 16 ohm 4x12's or one stereo cab. NOTE: when using cabs, you MUST use both outputs as it is a stereo amplifier section. This amp is very versitile, being a solid state amplifier, it is crystal clear, good for clean sections, bad for overdrive (too brittle). This is not an amp to record Van Halen. It is absolutely perfect as a travel amp/practice/late night deal. It should not ever need repair if treated well. Very solidly built, all metal construction. I bought it for bedroom/travel use and it is perfect. It has a great 4 band parametric eq on it, good for dialing in. Lots of features which don't require outboard junk. Great standalone.

I use humbuckers and play metal, hard rock, & classic rock. It does not suit my style at all but this is not a gigging amp for that. My soldano does that role. I bought the ML for whisper quiet playing and to go to hotel rooms with me on extended trips. I don't think it is very noisy at all, very easy to work with. The distortion is brutal SS distortion that'll kill all high end hearing you have. The clean sound is GREAT and would be a good recording/session/gigging amp for a jazz guy or maybe even an acoustic (you'd have to EQ the heck out of it. Don't buy this amp if you want metallica thrash. HOWEVER, this amp WILL do that classic 80's metal-chorus-stereo sterile sound perfectly. I think that is cool, like "Somewhere In Time" type sound (Iron Maiden). You could even compare it to a Rockman echo chorus sound, very close. Fun to play with. Perfect for practice

This is my second ML, never a problem. Heck, my first one made it through my high school daze! Solid State and built like a tank, all steel chassis. Heavy as a mug, too. You can also tweak the fx/gain levels by pulling off the top case cover (7 screws) and fiddling with the mini pots. This may or may not be safe or adviseable. You may blow it up. I didn't and got a little extra gain out of it. Do this at your own risk.

Never. Bought used.

You can find these suckers used for $200-$300. They are unequalled considering size, power, fx, quality. I could never gig with this but it does so much more 95% of other amps won't. Much rather have this pro-quality than a Crate or Fender of equivalent price range.

Loaded w/ features. 2 Channels, A is clean with compression switch, gain switch B has gain switch. 4 channels of tone/EQ, echo & chorus. Stereo amp, 2 50W with 2 6" speakers built in but can power big cab(s) - either need 2 cabs or 1 cab with 2 drivers & jacks for stereo. Effects loop. Cool stereo in or out jack lets you either output to board/tape/etc. or input from tape/board/etc. Headphone jack & internal speaker switch. XLR direct out. Built in effects are good but not adjustable (on/off) unless you are brave enough to open it up and tweak trim pots.

Overall extremely versatile. Lots of tone control with 4 channels EQ. Reverb/echo is preset and weak, chorus is decent, both are stereo as I understand it so with 2 external cabs or output to a stereo PA you can get great presence. Clean A channel w/ comp & gain off is actually great jazzy or super clean blues sound. Compression and/or gain on A can give decent warmer overdrive, although doesn't approach a warm tube sound at all. B channel distortion is heavy duty, but a little transistory for my taste. Great for hard rockers & metalists I would expect, not so good for bluesy stuff. I have turned down the gain on the B by twiddling the trim pots inside, and like this much better than the hard rock sound it came with but this interestingly enough, has made the B side more noisy. I will play a G&L strat, SG Custom reissue, ES-125 through this with great results as long as I tweak the EQ for each ax.

Perfect, never a problem except when I screwed the top down on a wire and caused some kind of short. To its credit, I just opened it up, taped the wire and it was fine, nothing roached apparently. Seems to have gotten noisier with age, but as mentioned, I have been inside it, so I wouldn't point my finger at GK.

Never broke, never serviced, had a warranty never needed it.

Bought this 7 or 8 years ago and has been great for jam sessions, traveling, moving etc. Not the warm tube amp that I prefer, but size/portability along with versatility make it a great 2nd/practice amp. Was my only amp for years and kept me happy. I see them used for $250 and this is a steal. The built in speakers are loud enough for playing with drums in small spaces but a cab makes this loud enough for almost anybody. 100 watts after all.

2 x 50W stereo amp with 2-6.5" speakers. Features channel switching, 4-band shared EQ, built in compressor (preset), stereo chorus (preset), and stereo echo (preset). Has effects loop, direct out (XLR), stereo out/aux in (bypass preamp), stereo extension cab outputs, headphone jack. This is sort of a mini Roland JC-120 with the stereo capabilities. VERY feature laden amp for a solid state practice amp, but hook it up to a stereo extension cab, and it's not a practice amp anymore. Drawback is that all effects are preset, limits options. Plus side is that the EQ is active, can get lots of sounds here. The preset effects fortunately sound real good, and the distortion (believe it or not), is useable. I use no pedal with my strat plus.

The amp is extremely versatile sound-wise, and it's SUPER portable... like a little briefcase. AND you can get all of it's sounds at apartment level volumes. I play everything through it, including acoustic. Outside the house, I use a stereo 2 x 12 cab, and it moves plenty of air for larger rooms.

The amp has never given me a problem...it's solid state, and I've never used a backup since I've owned it (88' or so).

I've only communicated with them to get a catalog of new products. They make an updated version of this amp, and I believe the effects are editable.

I don't love this amp, but it's too dang practical to own. It weighs nothing to carry around, and has zero maintenance.

This amp is great for all my needs. It has a clean channel and a great distotion channel. This amp has a headphone jack, along with a foot switch jack.It has COMP, GAIN, ECHO, and CHORUS. It can get real loud with its 2 speakers. I use this amp in my basement, and it has more than enough power for my needs. Stero ext. are on the back, along with a direct out, send and return.

Its got great sound. It suits my type of music very well. Tons of variety. The distortion is great with anything you play.

I can depend on this amp anytime. In the last year I've had it, it has never broken down or anything been ever wrong with it. It was used and the original owner had no problems either.

I love everything about this amp. Its great.