Amp Watts???

Hey Rastamon,
I'm not sure what products you are asking about as I was not able to find an MB10 or MB12 at Musician's Friend or the Gallien Krueger web sites, but I think you are talking about a combo - amp and speaker in a single unit.

I haven't used a GK combo, but I use an MB500 (500 watts) to drive a 1x15 and 4x10 stack, and I have more power than I need. Based on that, I would guess that 200 watts will be entirely satisfactory for your purposes.

Some additional thoughts: if you are talking about a combo unit, I think speaker size (diameter) is as important as amp power. Bigger speakers produce more powerful and lower sounds - bigger speakers are better in my opinion.

I did notice that GK now has a combo with four 10“ speakers - the MB410, which also has a 500 watt MB amp. The MB410 is more expensive than either of the ones you are thinking of, but you should consider the MB410 if you have any plans/hopes of playing in a band. You could add cabinet with a 15” speaker down the road and then you would have all the stack you would likely ever need. You would need to make sure that you can add a 1x15 cabinet to the MB410 - which I could not find out at Musician's Friend, Guitar Center, or the GK web sites.

Hope that helps you! Cheers.

Both the amps you mentioned are combos. The MB210 has a 500 watt amp built into a cabinet with two 10“ speakers (a 2x10, hence the 210 designation). The MB115 has a 200 watt amp and one 15” speaker.

The MB410 combo would give you two thirds of a full stack - a 500 watt amp and a 4x10 cabinet in one unit. I think you could later, if you wished, add an extension cabinet (e.g. a 1x15). However, I am not positive you can run an extension cabinet off the 410 - my experience says you could, but I can't find any info to confirm that the MB410 comes ready to drive an extension cabinet.

The MB410 runs about $150 more than the combos you are thinking about.

If you are interested in the MB410, you should contact GK and ask if you can connect an 8 ohm extension cabinet to the MB410.

I bought a combo (120 watts and a 15" speaker) my first go round. I subsequently went through several rounds of upgrades in equipment. I would have saved money had I just bought a better, but more expensive, rig the first time out.

Cheers.

I started with a 100w unit but once I started gigging, I went up to a 300w one. IMHO 500w is too much if your playing at home but might be needed if you are playing out with a loud band.

I am happly gigging in night clubs with a GK MB115. I know some hardcore bass guys who have a big amp head and a stack…they are really cool but are really heavy and bulky. The MB115 is a peice of cake to haul and set up and and in most cases a small amp with the volume at 50-75% sounds better than a big amp set at 20%. If you get to the point you need that much volume your band will be running everything into the PA anyway. I suggest you pick the amp up and cary it across the store before you buy anything. Sound is the most important thing but you can easily find a light weight amp that sounds great.

Wound up going w/ the 200W Amp. Seems loud enough…True test will come on Thursday when I play w/ a Drummer for the 1st time.