Gallien-Krueger 250ML Series II

I think other contributors have run down the specs of this amp really well, so there's no use repeating them.

I like to think of this as a portable Roland JC-120 (except with a good distortion!), and it's great for what it is. As others have mentioned, hooking this up to a 4 X 12 cabinet really unleashes all the capabilities of this amp. It's extremely versatile, and the portability of this amp really makes it unique. I can take my guitar and amp on the subway when I go to gigs and have a real dependable set-up that delivers a powerful clean tone.

This amp doesn't have any special features that would convince any 21st century guitar player to buy one, but this little package is bigger and better than the sum of its parts. I love mine, and I don't think I'd ever sell it. I move around a lot, and it's nice to know that I have a portable amp that takes up no space and can be used in any sized venue...from a living room jam to an outdoor gig.

The XLR jack on the back lets you hook up to a PA and I once played an outdoor gig with my little "toaster." At the same gig, the band that played before mine showed up with their Marshall stacks, and spent hours hooking up their gear. By contrast, it took me about five minutes and I was good to go.

It's also funny to take this amp to a rehearsal space and have a young metal player laugh at me...after all, this looks like a beginner's practice amp. But after it's hooked up to a 4 X 12, the metalhead kids don't laugh any more. The ultimate irony is that the kids were probably just born when this amp was originally released in the mid-1980s.

These days I generally play jazz-funk, reggae, and trip-hop and this solid state amp delivers. And when I'm in a metal mood, I click to the B channel and BOOM!

I use this amp with my two Ernie Ball Music Man guitars (a Silhouette and an Albert Lee) and I have no complaints at all. It sounds just fine to my ears--a little on the trebly side, of course, because of the small speakers, but nothing that can't be EQ'd out. I sometimes hook up a Boss BF-2 through the amp's effects loop, or put a couple of pedals before the amp.

I live in a small apartment with paper thin walls, and this amp sounds great at low levels. (There's also a headphone jack for late-night practice.) I got a great tip from another poster who recommended a Tech 21 GT2 pedal to warm up the 250ML's sound, and I did the same. I am so glad! Now my mini Roland JC-120 can do a good approximation of a Fender or a Marshall...at conversation levels.

Another tip: You can adjust some of the effects on this amp. (I learned this from previous posters...so thank you!) Heres' the thing--I pulled the lid off the amp several times and couldn't even find the white "trim pots" others had mentioned. They are REALLY tiny and to adjust them you need a small precision screwdriver.

I called GK and they e-mailed a PDF of a service update from 1989 (!) titled "Beefing a 250ML or 250RL." According to the instructions, there are three white trim pots near the "B" channel volume knob with little "pointers" on top that let you adjust the gain on the 250ML. By delicately turning the pointer--not the entire potentiometer--clockwise and counter-clockwise for more or less gain, you can turn this amp into a metal monster or a dirty blues machine that's perfect for rhythm work. So don't think that you're stuck with the stock sounds.

I once played this amp at an indoor gig and unfortunately the sound man didn't quite know what he was doing. The amp broke up at really loud levels, and not in a good way.

But it's also surprisingly powerful--even through the 6.5-inch speakers. I used to play in a band with horns, and this little guy managed to cut through at rehearsals, although for gigs it's obviously best to hook up through the PA.

Like others, I'm still trying to figure out what the Compander button is for. I adjusted the white trim pots under the lid, and now it seems to give a nice tone boost--nothing drastic but certainly usable. The Echo button gives an okay sound--spacious enough, but I suspect most players wouldn't buy this amp for this feature alone. I like the Chorus feature when I want to relive 1980s power ballads, but it's off most of the time.

When all is said and done, this is a powerful, clean little amp, that takes my pedals and my guitars really well. I'm not out to try and sound like anyone else, and I'm not out to impress anyone with my gear. This unique little amp makes me sound like me. And I really like that.

I first heard the 250ML when I was a teenager in a guitar store in the mid-1980s. Someone else was trying it out and I heard the lush chorus. I was completely hooked, and lusted after this amp ever since.

Fast forward twenty years later, and I'm checking out eBay when I see this little beauty--banged up and obviously put through serious use. It's shipped to me without any problems, except it is set up for the 1980s metal sound, which was kinda fun. I had a tech go over it, and he didn't find any problems.

I've since adjusted the trim pots and I love this little amp more and more.

I e-mailed GK a few years ago when I first got this amp and didn't receive a reply, so I eventually called and spoke with a pleasant woman who knew exactly what I wanted to do (adjust the trim pots). She sent along a PDF of the service update from 1989--20 years ago! I'm so impressed that a company would be able to support an amp that's over 20 years old--especially nowadays when few companies support their products once they have your money.

Also, you GK 250ML fans might want to keep an eye out for a model III. At NAMM in 2006, the company featured a new and improved version of this amp with tubes (!) and onboard digital effects (!). I'm keeping my fingers crossed...I think the model III would be my dream amplifier. From what I understand, they keep putting the model III on the backburner, but if it's as dependable as my 250ML, I'd snap this baby up in a second.

I've been playing for 25 years, and my gear has always been modest. Tube amps always seemed to finicky for me and they are a drag to haul from home to gig. Yes, I appreciate good tone, but I also appreciate not getting a hernia from carrying an amp!

My first amp was a Roland JC-120, a classic with a gorgeous chorus. It was waaaay too big for what I needed then, and it's still too big for what I need now. I've continued to play through various solid state Roland jazz chorus amps over the years and was using a Roland JC-55 before I settled on the GK 250ML.

I have no regrets, the GK is more portable, has a great distortion, can be hooked up to a PA through its XLR, and can be used as a head for a 4 X 12.

My regular chain: Ernie Ball Music Man Silhouette or Albert Lee Guitar > (pedals vary) Boss ME-50 or a Tech 21 GT or a RAT2 > GK 250ML.

It's a super-simple low maintenance set-up that gives me plenty of sounds and let's me sound like me. And to really unleash the tone, it's great fun to hook this baby up to a 4 X 12 cabinet.

Considering the cult status of this amp, I'm surprised no other company has come to the rescue and produced a similar product.

I bought my 250ML used and in great condition. From my understanding these were made in the 80's. I have the model with the recessed knobs. It's a lot of stuff in a small package. Has 100 watt stereo, 2 channels and preset effects, XLR out, 4 band Eq, stereo input that's independent of the Eq and effects for the guitar, and has switchable impedence on the extension speaker outputs with the ability to turn off the 6 inchers. The little 6 inchers on the thing don't sound too great, but for practicing it works just fine.
I liked this thing so much, I broke down and got a 2x12 16 ohm stereo cab for it. With the bigger speakers, this amp really comes alive. Loud enough to easily play along with most deaf bass players and spastic funk drummers in a small venue.

I play funk rhythm, Blues and jazzy stuff most of the time. Even though the amp can be a little noisy, the clean channel is capable of some very nice tones for scratchy funk rhythm and with the right tweaks on the Eq, a very nice thick jazz tone. The effects are preset. Echo-sounds like some kind of mild reverb, pleasing. Chorus.. well, to me this effect is kinda contrived and strange. I don't use it much. Then,if you push in the gain button, you can get a mild overdrive that works well for cleaner blues.
The gain channel is quite useful. In normal mode it is very tube like and attack sensitive. You can play blues rhythm and then dig in for your licks and the amp will respond nicely. Push in the gain button and well..... Instant Santana. Sweet overdrive and almost endless sustain even at very low volume. If you're into metal and really hard crunchy stuff, this isn't your amp. I'm a Santana fan and can get real close to his tone for all the classic tunes.
I usually play dual humbucker guitars and I have an Ibanez Artist with Duncan '59s that sounds extremely sweet through this amp.

I've had it for a while and no problems. It was made in the 80's and still works fine.

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I've been playing off and on for more than 25 years. Never professionally, but manage to jam regularly with talented musicians and at backyard parties and other such fun stuff. I own a bunch of Ibanez guitars, some nice tube amps including a custom D-lux. No, this amp does not have the tonal character of a nice tube amp, but for situations where you may need to play just about anything and wont know til you get there, this amp really shines. With the footswitch and the preset gains, I can grab the 250ML, the 2 x 12 cab and axe of choice and be ready without the need for additional effects or processors.
I usually leave it set up in the garage and run my MP3 player or Drum machine through the stero Aux input. Excellent for practice and delivers sweet overdrive/sustain at low volume so you don't wake the dead when you want to get nasty late in the evening. Can't do that with a tube amp. If you can find one of these used, you may want to check it out. May not be for everyone, but it sure works well for me.

No clue when made, but the back says Campbell, California.

From the early JTM-45's to Fender Twins, this amp really blows peeps away. Some of the tones are ridiculous.

For only two channels with echo (reverb) and chorus (echo), you can really get alot out of it. The clean channel is among the cleanest I've EVER heard (including Hafler / Bogner) and the dirty channel gives something to be desired on a large scale (cabinets) with even order harmonics.

The RCA out is a god send as is the FX return aux loop. The designers of this piece should be given a nobel prize.

This amp has become affectionately known as, "the toaster." It smokes every other amp in it's class and is about the size of a toaster. I use this thing everywhere. I only wish i had the speaker power to provide it.

This amp doubles as my power amp for my mixing board.......the sound is that clean and I can control the output. If you own one.....hang on to it. If you want to sell one.......email me........They bust most things I've ever owned.

Ask Alex

Anything above 7 is distored on the clean side.....no harm there

With compression and gain, the distortion is very refined.....

1977 Les Paul Custom with a 500T and 496R

Rush to Rhythm and Blues......this one does it all if you know it

Only noisy around bad drummers

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Been here and told it....only with the Carvin series rack stuff...

I don't own bull**t.....this is a good piece.......treasure it

Built in the early 80's.
I just bought another off eBay this week. The first one I bought I bought back in the late 80's and so now I have two early units and they both sound identical.
Series II means the knobs are set back a bit and better protected from damage.
Two channels, all solid state, effects loop, compressor, cheesy echo and strong chorus (non adjustable except On and Off).
I could use this amp for styles from Buddy Holly to Tool. The eq allows for a decent amount of mid scoop.
The amp has good power in mono mode thru a 4x12 cabinet, enough to leave your ears ringing after a few hours. My 1984 JCM800 Marshall 50 watt is about 25% louder however.
I wish the amp had a noise gate but a noise gate, (Boss NS-2) in the effects loop helps alot. Yet, even with a noise gate their is some noise, not too bad, just not silent.

Has stereo outputs for two 16 ohm cabinets.

Twitch Fingers below did I real nice review on this amp.

On it's own without a 4x12 but just the two tiny speakers it's a tough job getting a great sound from it. But, hook it up to an old Marshall 4x12 and the amp really is very special. It's tight and defined, the tone knobs do alot and the amp is very "tube amp" sounding.
I also have a new solid state Crate Power Block Head and the 250ML is better sounding.
The chorus is foot switchable but tends to be a little strong for my liking. The echo is too strong as well and so I use my Boss pedals in the effects loop with great success.
Soloing is where the 250ML shines. Leads really cut through the mix and are fat. It's real easy to get an SRV sound (and without a tubescreamer).
Floor noise is better than any tube Marshall but is still annoying.
Despite what another reviewer has written I find that on the clean channel I still get decent distortion and full volume. I would say the clean channel cranked is similair to a 70's Marshall cranked.
The gain channel is good but not where the 250ML really shines.

I use a 2000 Fender American Series Stratocaster with Dimarzio low output humbuckers (DP217 and HM-3).

The EQ section is what you'll notice first on this amp. It does alot and the tight bass is very impressive.

Time has shown us that these amps are super reliable.

Gallien Kruger has reissued these amps and the blow out price is $999.00! List is $1400 (I think).

Considering that originals are usually worth alot more than the reissues I can't believe how cheap you can buy one of these off eBay still.

I'm looking forward to using both heads and two 4x12's to make a budget stereo rig that's extremely portable.

I've been shredding daily since 1975. I love rock, metal and grunge. Last night I learned the lead to Time from Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon LP. That was really fun and the 250ML was great!

Do not know the year of manufacturing.
It has two channels with a shared eq section and shared chorus and echo (subtle reverb) sections.
Clean channel has a compander, a combination of expander and compression. It also has a gain push button that add a delicate amount of mud to the sound.
The drive channelt (channel B) has a gain push button.
Four rotary knobs for the EQ.
Push button for a pre-set echo.
Push button for a pre-set chorus section.
100 watts stereo. 50watts R - 50watts L.
A direct out through a XLR connection.
An input feature.
A selector for external cabinets. Internal speakers can be turned off.
Effect loop.
Solid State.
Stereo.
More than enough power for home practice and small club.
Arena power with external cabinets.

The fact that I live in NYC and gig a lot makes this little guy perfect. The subway is my car and I am in the business of acquiring great sounding small amps. I won the lotto with this one.

I have a Shergold Masquerader (used by Joy Division guitarist) with two humbuckers and about 12 different pick-up combinations (including out of phase sound) and a Fender Strat.

I play only original material. Used to be a shredder but I am too old for that stuff, and now do only experimental and weird rock. Mostly produce weird Spanish rock albums and gig with musicians and band with original material only. I am pretty on demand here in NYC!!!! Seriously.

The amp is just wonderful. It is not tube, but it offers something most amps (tube or SS) do not offer: a world of their own. It is full of surprises and subtleties. The clean channel will never distort unless you press the gain button, then it has this delicate and elegant mud to it. With the gain button pushed you will get overdrive ONLY if you hit the strings hard, if not it will remain clean. It is just magnificent. The sound on this clean channel is pretty, precise, elegant and full. Again, it is not tube but...the sound is soooo unique that tube-ss is just besides the point.

The overdrive channel is a little monster in itself. Without the gain button on, it distorts in a 'classic rock' way. Amazing, the pick and the attack will determine your sound, it responds amazingly. With the gain on it is agressive rock territory, like an old MESA/Boogie, but different. It is full of rich harmonics and captures the bends, hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides very precisely and smoothly.

The echo is very very nice. Is pre-setted but it is just perfect. Gives ambience to the sound in a nostalgic way. Very romantic and elegant because is subtle.
The chorus is very very good also, pre-setted as well. I just don't like any chorus. Never ever. It might be a TC Electronics, don't want it.

The EQ section is so precise and delicate that it takes a little time to tame. Which can be a problem when you need to plug and play and to calibrate a setting good enough for the two channels (the eq section is shared, remember), but with time and patience you will definitively get whetever you want to get. I love tweaking knobs so I am in heaven.

This is an amp for someone with a refined ear. I guess that Lifeson got tired of it because sometimes you just feel the need to hear those tubes frying and bending hell. That's absolutely fair. But given the over abundance of organic-tubey sounds out there the type of sound that this amp produces will certainly refresh your ears and will be a welcome addition to any recording you do. Mark my words.

The amp has a lot of flexibility, everything but death metal. Unless you put a horrible death-crap pedal in front of it.

For me is perfect.

The amp is loud enough for home practice and a small club.
With a pair of external cabinets is heaven on earth. It is mind blowing.

Have not gigged with it, but I've read that this guy is reliable.

It is very sturdy and well constructed, that is for sure.

All the info is above.

buy it if you like to have a different sound and take your sound seriously. I have tubes all around me. Voxes (in plural), Fenders, Marshalls, Oranges. And now this little guy. I will be recording with it for sure. and gigging with it as well.

I do not know the year of manufacture, but it is a series II so later rather than earlier. It isn't really veratile enough to cover ALL of the styles of music that I play, but it has a few good sounds and I'm going to get my money's worth out of it. I don't think there is one amp to cover everything, without going into modeling or Sansamp territory (whole 'nuther post) I play rock and pop music. I have had pretty good luck getting it to sound something like an early Aerosmith cut. One thing it works very well at is giving extra amplification when you use a sansamp into the board for recording. You can send a signal out to it after all of your eq and fx are added, and use the 250 ML for "additional monitoring". I really like the way it works. Generally, your studio monitor speakers aren't enough to really feel the guitar/speaker interaction that you need when tracking with a sansamp. This is good for that function. You know the features, from previous reviews, so I'll skip that for now. I hope to get some use of this amp as a grab and go kind of jam unit too. You know, those situations that arrive suddenly and you'd rather not bring a whole bunch of gear, like a party jam or an iffy jam night? Yeah.

I use a strat with bridge bucker and a hamer with two buckers. This amp can do a pretty good utility tone IF you spend some time with the eq section AND you position the amp just right. I find that it needs to face up towards me at an angle. I don't trust mounting it on a mic stand, even though I have the adapter. You just know it's going to get knocked over. I prefer it on a coffee table, with a shim under the front to angle it up. Yes, the compressor is noisy. I just don't use it. I've just used it at moderate volumes, clean and dirty. It's worth about what I paid for it, $240 used ebay.

So far no issues. I'd take it out without a backup. I bet it would be helpful to get it into a channel too, though.

Now we are getting to the meat. I want very much to get some more, better reliable info. about the adjustment of every trim pot inside. If you are a tech person, or just know solid definite intelligence about this amp, please share the info. about how to adjust ALL the trim pots inside. I know (I know) G-K has a single sheet (I have it) entitled "beefing a 250 ML) that talks about adjusting the three trims that pertain to the gain of the B channel. That's nice. The document is so incredibly vague that it doesn't tell you what to listen for during the adjustment. When I inquired of G-K they were quick to email out this form. I appreciate it. I'd like to know more. A top tech at G-K told me over the phone that the FX on this unit are NOT adjustable. I'd like to hope that he was mistaken. Because I'd be much much happier with the echo if you could adjust it (length and amount) and ditto for the chorus. It is WAY too wide as it is now and you know different songs call for different chorus speeds. Someone out there in i-net land, please share with me some reliable info about adjusting the internal trim pots. I'm pleased with my purchase now, but if the FX could be tweaked I'd be ecstatic. Many thanks, and if you're not sure of your data, please share it (On this Site) but be honest about its reliability. Thanks.

Have played guitar around 20 years. I have amps and studio stuff up the ying. I have a pretty good ear for tone, and these amps are a good buy if you just need a utility rig for easy portability. I wouldn't expect it to sing like a boutique tube amp or to get a whole lot of different fx and tones. If you know exactly what you're getting, and you spend under $300, and you spend the time to get to know the controls and so on, I think you could get your money's worth. It is built very solidly. I did a shitload of research and concluded that it was for me. In particular, I read the posts on this site and then looked at 10 or 15 of them on ebay. I appreciate this resource. Thanks HC.

Bought new in 1986 for what was then a LOT of money, this Solid State GK has enough features to make it worthwhile:

Stereo 50W per channel;
2x Pyle 65W 6.5" speakers;
Twin channels for one input only (3 gain modes);
Compressor;
Chorus;
Echo;
Footswitch socket;
Stereo headphones socket (600 Ohm minimum impedance- beware);
4-band EQ (8.0kHz; 2.0kHz; 500Hz; 120Hz);
2x mono extension speaker sockets;
Stereo Aux In/Stereo Out;
Stereo Effects Send/Return;
DI out;
On/Off switch for onboard speakers;

Weight: 22lbs.

I've owned this amp since new (19 years) and the only feature I don't like is the Compressor, and I tend to agree with the previous reviewer who said it was something like a "loud hiss button". Believe me, I have tried over the years, but that button now remains firmly "off".
The rest of the features are superb. The compressor and three gains are adjustable internally via slotted trim pots,accessed underneath the top cover, but the inbuilt echo and chorus are not, unfortunately. You can have these modified by a GOOD tech, however, who can install slotted trim pots for the two stereo effects. Cost in 1987? #35. Cost today? No idea.

This is a very powerful and loud amp, which I use in conjunction with a 16 Ohm 2x10 Stereo Cab.

I currently play a '96 Strat Plus and a '96 Strat Ultra. I play all styles, but tend to prefer black swing/bump 'n grind, and latin jazz improv. It suits bump 'n grind down to a tee, clean channel for that picky chicken grease, gain channel for clean-sounding lead (tone pulled right back on the guitar) and by messing around with the EQ, I can get some very sweet-sounding stuff that also suits latin jazz well. I know that sounds a bit crazy, when you consider the overdrive capabilities of the GK, but it's true. A very versatile guitar amp indeed. Okay.. it can sound clinical, but there are enough parameters in the EQ to enable one to find decent approximations of just about any sound you want, and for the price that they now fetch on the secondhand market, there should be no complaints.
It can be noisy too. The 8.0kHz cycle is hissy, as is the Compressor and the Chorus, but everything else is fine. Full gain in channel two is great, but with high treble it can sound sound shrill, and every slight mis-strike of the plectrum will sound horrible. You'll learn to be more precise with your guitar technique with this amp, but isn't that true of most amps?

I've owned it since new in 1986, gigged it a fair amount, and I'm going to tempt fate here and say that it has NEVER broken down. Nothing has ever gone wrong, apart from me losing the grey insert cap from a volume pot. It's heavy and very rugged. No complaints there whatsoever.

Nothing to add here. It's never gone wrong in 19 years, so I've never needed any service or repairs.

I've been playing for 36 years. The GK is currently my only amp. If it were stolen, I'm unsure whether I'd buy another one. There is so much new gear to look at, but one thing's for sure: if I did want to buy another one, I wouldn't have to pay a lot of money secondhand.

I love the small size, the rugged quality, the stack of features, and the instant sounds, but I dislike the Compressor, and the tinny sound of the onboard speakers. It sounds much better with a good extension cab.

All-in-all, it is a fantastic little amp with a big big sound. If your budget is limited, you'd do well to check these out in the secondhand marketplace.

Supercompact 2*50 Watt High-power transistor amp
2 channels clean-gain
4 band eq
gain push/pull on both clean & gain channel
compressor
echo
chorus
phones out
footswitch
line out
effects loop
extension cabinet outputs, can drive 4*12 cabs

Clean channel is very good, very clean but can be boosted with a gain-switch
Gain channel is also very nice, with eq you can vary the sound from almost scooped to crunchy and punchy, with the gain switch here off, it's a standard rock sound, with the gain switch on you can get tune a really screamin distorted sound. I have a pair of duncans in my guit. The custom custom in the bridge really sings with this amp. I haven't come by a better amp for this pickup.
I get van halens sound, but i can tweak the eq to get ealry metallica sound, iced earth sound well, this amp really rocks hard with distorted channel. Brutal!
The echo is like slapback delay, or slight reverb. It's always on for me, sounds really awsome, one of the best things on this amp, as is the distorted sound.
The chorus is also pretyt good, dreamlike, like on Metallica's Sanatarium intro. But I want to be able to adjust it! I almost never use it, only on some clean ballads.
The compressor is also a push/pull button, you get a little compression effect, but it's pretty useless for my style of playing, and i dont use compressors anyway.

This is really a masterwork, i have dropped it several times, jumped on it once and it never let me down.

Have played 1 year with this amp, 3 years with others, have tried many amps, but I think I will stick to this amp a long time. I really love it's simplicity. But there is one complaint, you cant adjust the gain, or chorus or echo. It's just buttons. But the presets are really awsome, so I don't think about it so much.
Overall, this amp sounds like heaven for a classical metal head, add one or a pair of extension cabinets and this black little box blow your brains out...

This is my third 250ML, made in '89. In between, I've played a bunch of tube amps, but I keep coming back to this lunchbox-sized holy terror. The 250 is a basic amp; two good channels, with a very versatile 4-band EQ section, and of course 2x50 watt power output through tiny speakers. The Chorus and Echo effects work very well and sound good, but are non-adjustable (though footswitchable).

If the GK's size and simplicity are its only drawback, they're also a great advantage. You can leave your speaker cab at the practice hall or gig and take the little self-contained unit home for practice. It also has balanced XLR outs (never sound as good as a mic mind you), a good (but not level-controlled) effects loop, external speaker jacks, and so on.

I should point out that the series II has a couple of advantages over the original. First, the controls are set further back, so if the amp falls over on its front (it happens), the knobs don't break off. Also, you can switch the on-board speakers off, which also permits the use of two 8-ohm external speaker cabs, instead of having to find 16-ohms (though I prefer the 16s for 'feel).

I play blues, a little jazz, and instrumental fusion/rock in the Larry Carlton/Gary Moore vein, but I've used the 250 in top-40 and original 'alternative rock' bands as well. The 250 is the only solid-state amp I have played that gives a good, crunchy, 'in-betweeny' sound with odd-order harmonics and an absolutely eery 'tubey feel'; it's incredibly sensitive to input, pick attack and muting, just like an old Boogie 50 cal or studio 22, and doesnt sound harsh when you play some less-consonant chords like sevenths and ninths (the test of any 'dirty' amp in my opinion). It has a brilliant balls-to-the wall metal tone, if you like that sort of thing, and a very respectable clean tone, although the clean channel compresses and breaks up too early when using the onboard speakers (what do you expect - they're six inches). I play it stereo through a Mesa 2x12 Rectifier cabinet, closed back with 16-ohm Celestion Vintage 30s. My main guitar is a Carvin Allan Holdsworth model with their vintage alnico pickups. The tone is incredibly rich and ballsy. You can hear the GK 250 on a surprising list of mid-80s records, such as Rush's "Grace Under Pressure" (where bassist Geddy Lee used it too!) and Gary Moore's 'Victims of the Future' and 'Wild Frontier'. In fact it is the only solid state amp GM ever recorded with, and his guitar tech Graham tells me he still takes one on the road for backstage warmup. IMHO, Gary's tone in those days was the best hard rock guitar sound ever recorded, and you can't tell the tunes recorded with the GK from the ones recorded through vintage Marshall gear.

A solid state amp that can stand toe-to-toe with tube gear is a gift from God. Ever had a 12AT7 reverb tube go harmonic when you're three hundred miles from the nearest real music store? Urgh. I got so tired of carrying a portable amp-repair kit to every gig. Factor in the fact that tube amps' sound change from night to night and over time, and you begin to appreciate this bulletproof little amp. I've never so much as blown a fuse on one of these, though I have seen of people with older 250s complaining that the speaker surrounds fall apart over time, requiring re-coning.

I've never needed to contact GK, but of course they no longer build guitar amps (every guitar amp they made after the 250ML/250RL, by the way, never came close to the sound). I see from their website that you can still buy the Pyle 6.5" speakers from them, so their support seems pretty good. Also, you can download a manual for free (though beware - it's for a series 1) which is a great help when buying used.

I've been playing around 20 years. I play a Carvin H2T, a Guild Starfire and a Heritage Eagle. I don't presently use any outboard effects, though in the past I have used various rack-mount delay units with the GK.

The GK is an amp with about 5 brilliant sounds, all very useful, but keep in mind that you can only get two at a time with the channel switching (the clean has an 'edge' button, and the dirty channel has an extra gain boost, but neither is footswitchable). Like an older Boogie or Marshall, you can find a lot of extra tones by manipulating your volume and tone knobs and your picking technique.

If you listen to Gary Moore's classic, soaring "the Loner", you'll get an idea of the singing tone of this amp; without any effects, it really does sound like a saxophone; harmonically rich and liquid smooth. I personally believe that this amp (and to a lesser extent the head-only 250RL) will be a tremendously collectible amp classic. It is completely unique with almost all the sound possibilities of a really fine tube amp (I've used them all and owned most, from several Boogies to Marshall, Fender, Rivera, Soldano, etc.) and none of the temperamentality. The fact that you can pick them up on E-bay for a couple of hundred bucks just astounds me. Wait 'til they're rediscovered!

Not sure what year it was made. built in Campbell, Ca.. Amp has clean & dirty channels, compressor, gain, echo,chorus and 4 band eq.also has foot switch and headphone jack. 2 6" built in speakers but I run left and right 300w JBL's. amp is stereo equipped and has effects in and out loop.
When I bought it I was told it was 100 watts, but doubt it. Don't get me wrong, this amp is very loud!!!
When I got it I played mostly metal and this amp is perfect for that. I play a much wider variety of music now, amp seems to lack a little low end but I use a digitech RP-3 multi effects W/ a great built in eq so it more than makes up for it!
This amp is very small (not much bigger than a 6-pack cooler) and portable. amazingly loud for its size!!! plug in a couple of 12's and you'll rock the house for sure!!!

I use 3 different guitars through this amp most of the time. 1976 Ibanez Les Paul Custom copy. Ovation model 1656 acoustic/electric 12 string and Ibanez AEG-10 acoustic/electric 6 string. With the use of a Digitech RP-3 Multi-effects processor This amp is suitable for everything from metal and blues to 6 and 12 string acoustic sets!
The distortion channel is quite dirty enough but w/ multi-effects processor I use clean channel w/ fx 99% of the time

This amp might as well say timex across the front. it's been to hell and back and just keeps on pumping out consistant sound. Its small size makes it delightfully portable. 100% reliable!!! It has never let me down!

Never needed repair and have never tried to contact manufacturer.

I have been playing for 15 years and it's a joy to not have to stretch my arms out carrying a big heavy amp!! small and packs a huge punch!!!