Gallien-Krueger 1001RB-II With RBH Cabinets

By Jonathan Herrera
Certain products—like the Volkswagen Beetle and the Fender Stratocaster—resonate so deeply with the public that their manufacturers,

wary of alienating loyal customers, produce them in perpetuity. The Gallien-Krueger 800RB is one such product. When GK released the 800RB in 1983, the innovative and lightweight head boasted exceptional power, potent EQ, and a built-in bi-amping system at a time when many amps were tepid or torturously heavy. Like the Beetle and the Strat, the 800RB is still around, both on its own and as a facet of each GK heads’ sonic personality. Because his customers demand it, GK designer Bob Gallien makes sure each of his amps have the 800RB sound, but also have a whole new palette of tones that result from his more recent engineering innovations. The 1001RB was modeled after the 800RB, but with extended low-end response and an enhanced preamp. It was designed to combine big power, good looks, versatile tone, and portability into an exceptionally low-priced, yet durable package.

At first glance, the 1001RB seems daunting. Its myriad front-panel buttons, knobs, jacks, and graphics combine to impart a serious, if somewhat confusing, look. For plug-and-players, the 1001RB does pump out straightforward out-of-the-box tone, but to take advantage of the amp’s extensive features, you’ll want to reference the well-written owner’s manual. GK designed the 1001RB for the clubbing, rack-less musician, so, except for the speaker and power jacks, its inputs, outputs, and knobs are all on the front panel. It does, however, come with user-installable rack ears. The well-appointed DIRECT OUT has a PRE/POST-EQ button, a GROUND LIFT, and a LEVEL control (an atypical feature that I appreciate). The INPUT section includes a –14dB pad button, TUNING MUTE button, and a preamp VOLUME control that controls input gain.

The 1001RB’s VOICING FILTERS enhance the amp’s formidable EQ section. CONTOUR is a variable mid-scoop, for insta-slap and metal tone, and the PRESENCE is a high-frequency boost. Check out the cool arrows and response-curve icons around the two variable filters; there’s no mistaking up for down with this thoughtful design. The STRING BASS button, labeled for 4- and 5-string basses, is a powerful feature that results in a substantial change in tone. Engaging the “5+” setting increases the head’s low-end response to match multi-string bass’s wider bandwidth. The “4” setting mimics the more rock-flavored, less deep, voicing of the 800RB, which was designed before 5’s became popular.

Multiple Personality
Bi-amping is at the core of GK’s RB amp and RBH and SBX speaker concept. Gallien developd a bi-amp concept designed to complement the growl associated with pushed- to-the-limit solid-state power amps. Conventional woofers convey growl well, but high-frequency tweeters can’t reproduce that sound’s extreme waveform accurately. The 1001RB’s power section features separate woofer and tweeter power amps and an internal constant-voltage crossover that ensures robust signal quality. In conjunction with an included four-wire Speakon cable and a Gallien-Krueger RBH cabinet in bi-amp mode [see sidebar], the 1001RB’s TWEETER and WOOFER knobs allow separate control of each amp’s output and, by extension, the RBH cab’s woofer and tweeter volumes. This design ensures that low-frequency growl doesn’t come at high-frequency expense. Without the special Speakon and RBH or SBXcab, the 1001RB’s TWEETER control and high-frequency amp are disengaged, and the head functions conventionally.

Manipulating the 1001RB’s burly VOICING FILTERS and BI-AMP OUTPUT volume controls produces a wide array of strong tones, but there is also a powerful shelving-type ACTIVE EQUALIZATION section for further tone tweakage. The LO- and HI-MID bands have more cut than boost. I like this, as I prefer using midrange EQ to cut away harmonic harshness, not to boost. The BASS and TREBLE controls are musical and powerful, though given the 1001RB’s bi-amping capabilities, I didn’t turn to them much for tone shaping.

The Blues
The 1001RB’s components and construction reveal diligent attention to design detail. The pots’ metal-shaft design is resistant to pressure damage. I accidentally dropped the 1001RB directly on its front panel from the top of my speaker cabinet at a club gig—an almost three-foot plunge—and the head suffered no functional damage, just a slightly dinged woofer knob. The interior construction is immaculate. The printed-circuit boards are beautifully laid out and populated with high-quality components. Each board is coated in a unique blue solder mask—a feature that serves no functional purpose other than looking pretty cool. The 1001RB’s input stage uses FETs designed with GK’s G.I.V.E. (Gate Induced Valve Effect) technology, designed to mimic the harmonic characteristics of tube designs. The low-noise, high-headroom input stage exhibited remarkable resistance to clipping, even with high-output active basses.

To further enhance reliability, GK built extensive protection circuitry into the 1001RB. The circuitry constantly monitors for unsafe operating condition like short circuits, blown speakers, poor heat dissipation, and improper speaker configurations. If an unsafe condition occurs, the 1001RB automatically powers down to prevent damage. There’s also a five-second muted diagnostic phase on power-up. The POWER/PROTECT light changes from blue to red to indicate a fault.

Gone Gigging
Considering its substantial power output, the 1001RB is remarkably light and portable. GK included several features, like the side-mounted handle and rubber feet, which make schlepping the head to rehearsal and gigs easier. My only gigger’s gripes are the rather cluttered front panel that can be difficult to see on a dark stage and the top-located fan vent, which is vulnerable to beverage spills.

I took the 1001RB to numerous gigs and rehearsals, as well as our Soundroom. To take advantage of its bi-amp capability I used the RBH 4x10 and 1x15 cabinets, but I also used an Aguilar GS112 1x12, Bergantino HT322 2x10 + 1x12, Hartke 4200 4x10, and Eden D410XLT 4x10. With each cabinet, the first thing I noticed about the 1001RB was its volume. With the EQ and voicing filters set for flat response, the GK was much louder and more responsive than the volume settings would suggest. As I pushed the GK louder, using a combination of the INPUT VOLUME and the WOOFER control, the amp retained its musical response, with impressive speaker control and headroom, even with high-power transients like aggressive pops and propulsive pickstyle. The amp’s natural tone resides in the growly, aggressive, and dry realm. The GK’s beg-for-more power section makes amped-up playing more fun. The design of the 1001RB’s dual-rail, Class H power amp and high-current power supply is such that forceful attacks result in musical growl without an unpleasant running-out-of-breath quality.

In our Soundroom, with a Lakland Skyline Darryl Jones 4-string and a Tribute by G& 2500 5-string, I coaxed out of the 1001RB huge-sounding vintage-like thump, trebly pickstyle, thick slap, and everything in between. Turning the boost knob adds more gain and growl to the tone, but I wish it was foot-switchable. I liked adding edge with the TWEETER knob, but that only works with the GK cabs and specially wired Speakon cable. With conventionally wired cabs, the PRESENCE and TREBLE controls work in combination to add sheen. CONTOUR scoops the mids well, but anything above the midway point was overly dramatic for my taste, particularly at high volumes. Staffers roundly complimented the 1001RB’s “serious volume,” “supple response,” and “immediate attack” but they found the front panel a bit “confusing,” particularly with so many “volume-controlling options.”

I took the 1001RB to a small folk-rock gig with a ’78 Fender Precision and an Aguilar 1x12, and I was an efficient gear-hauling machine, thanks in part to the lightweight, handle-equipped head. With the bottom-heavy, flatwound-strung P-Bass, I dialed in syrupy tone by cutting the TREBLE, running the STRING BASS filter in 5+ mode, and leaving everything else flat. On a few uptempo pickstyle numbers, I dialed in more grit by boosting the INPUT VOLUME control, backing off the WOOFER control, and adding some PRESENCE to the sound. Regardless of setting, the GK’s super-fast response imparts a palpable feeling of immediacy. It contrasts, say, to the blooming note envelope of vintage amps, but it doesn’t lack musical sensitivity to player input.

The 1001RB has several extra features that impart a sense of design thoughtfulness. On a funk gig at a medium-sized outdoor venue with an F-Bass BN5 and the 410RBH cab, I loved being able to quickly adjust my XLR output level or reduce hum with the front-panel-located DIRECT OUT LEVEL and GND LFT controls. The MUTE button was an invaluable aid, particularly when I tuned or switched to a fretless Hotwire Double Bass. With the fretless, I appreciated being able to quickly dial out the RBH’s horn with the TWEETER knob. On a slap tune with the F-Bass, I again used the tweeter control, this time to add sparkle to my sound. Due to the bi-amp power section, I never pushed the tweeter into dirty oblivion, even at my high stage volume.

Long-time lovers of the 800RB may not want to hear it, but the 1001RB could be GK’s new standard-bearer. It’s light, powerful, innovative, rugged, and packed with solid tone. Without even taking price into account, it’s an exceptional head. At $749 (street) it’s extraordinary.