alteredbeast
New member
borrowed it from a friend for home use, has dirt, reverb, and chorus. i had no idea GK once made guitar amps. powers a cab and has fx loop as well. anyone ever owned one back when they were made?
GK 250ML
- Thread starter alteredbeast
- Start date
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: GK 250ML
Very cool....The 80's Alex Lifeson amp! I replaced the speaker foam surrounds on a buddies just like this one.
Very cool....The 80's Alex Lifeson amp! I replaced the speaker foam surrounds on a buddies just like this one.
9unslin9er
New member
Re: GK 250ML
I had that identical model. It's a Mark 2. Late 80's make. Mark 1s had no ridge just a flat face.
It's a good sounding amp but a bit too trebly for my taste through the stock speakers. Without a noise gate, the combo just can't support the 100 watts of power without squealing like a banshee. Unlike their bass amps, those things were prone to failure. They weren't as durable, and the foam they used to secure the speakers tended to degrade.
Plug it into a 4x12 and it'll sound like 80's heaven.
I had that identical model. It's a Mark 2. Late 80's make. Mark 1s had no ridge just a flat face.
It's a good sounding amp but a bit too trebly for my taste through the stock speakers. Without a noise gate, the combo just can't support the 100 watts of power without squealing like a banshee. Unlike their bass amps, those things were prone to failure. They weren't as durable, and the foam they used to secure the speakers tended to degrade.
Plug it into a 4x12 and it'll sound like 80's heaven.
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: GK 250ML
That is THE amp for 80s New Wave. I have been casually looking for one for a while now.
That is THE amp for 80s New Wave. I have been casually looking for one for a while now.
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: GK 250ML
Ha, I had two in the mid 90's, the head only version and the ML, I ended up selling the ML to a friend. After the last time there was a thread about these I borrowed it back and I've been using it as my practice amp at home. Both the Rhino and Rat make ridiculous awesome metal tones at low volumes in front of the dirty channel. And the echo is awesome, I feel like Steve Vai sometimes when I actually play lead stuff, haha.
Ha, I had two in the mid 90's, the head only version and the ML, I ended up selling the ML to a friend. After the last time there was a thread about these I borrowed it back and I've been using it as my practice amp at home. Both the Rhino and Rat make ridiculous awesome metal tones at low volumes in front of the dirty channel. And the echo is awesome, I feel like Steve Vai sometimes when I actually play lead stuff, haha.
aleclee
Major General GAS
GK 250ML
Bought mine in '85. Still have it. My favorite feature was the XLR output with speaker sim. Great alternative to miking a cab at a gig. Stereo chorus is huge when played through external cabs.
Downsides were lack of a master volume that worked across both channels (I ran a volume pedal in the loop) as well as thermal component failures. That's why the later models had a big ol' heat sink on the back. I fried mine but they fixed it free under warranty.
Bought mine in '85. Still have it. My favorite feature was the XLR output with speaker sim. Great alternative to miking a cab at a gig. Stereo chorus is huge when played through external cabs.
Downsides were lack of a master volume that worked across both channels (I ran a volume pedal in the loop) as well as thermal component failures. That's why the later models had a big ol' heat sink on the back. I fried mine but they fixed it free under warranty.
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: GK 250ML
I had one back in the 80's. It reminded me sonically very much of the Tom Scoltz Rockman with a pair of 50-watt power amps and speakers.
I fitted mine with a switch to disable the internal speakers when i was using larger extension cabs, and a drum fitting on the back so i could clip it onto a stand. I used it at many gigs with a 1 x 12" extension cabinet on each channel. It definitely is 'the sound of the 80s' in a box' (just like the Rockman, although the latter is only an exotic headphone amp). It does those sounds superbly, although it had one sound I couldn't get ... the simple fat warm clean sound of a valve amp.
At the time, my main guitar was a Washburn Bantam, an all-wood Steinberger clone, so with that guitar and the GK 250ML i was able to get to rehearsals around Sydney easily via buses and trains. Having the overdrive and delay built in was another bonus, didn't need to carry a mass of pedals and cables on public transport.
Eventually i sold it to get back to the more traditional valve amp sound, but it was a great little amp that did a lot at very high quality, and it was ideal in it's time for those 80s sounds .... almost surgical cleans, compressed, slight chorus and delay, and very useable overdrive (in context).
I think I have some recordings of a live gig and also studio demos where i used this amp. Of course the recordings are on cassette, I'll have to digitise them so I can post them.
I had one back in the 80's. It reminded me sonically very much of the Tom Scoltz Rockman with a pair of 50-watt power amps and speakers.
I fitted mine with a switch to disable the internal speakers when i was using larger extension cabs, and a drum fitting on the back so i could clip it onto a stand. I used it at many gigs with a 1 x 12" extension cabinet on each channel. It definitely is 'the sound of the 80s' in a box' (just like the Rockman, although the latter is only an exotic headphone amp). It does those sounds superbly, although it had one sound I couldn't get ... the simple fat warm clean sound of a valve amp.
At the time, my main guitar was a Washburn Bantam, an all-wood Steinberger clone, so with that guitar and the GK 250ML i was able to get to rehearsals around Sydney easily via buses and trains. Having the overdrive and delay built in was another bonus, didn't need to carry a mass of pedals and cables on public transport.
Eventually i sold it to get back to the more traditional valve amp sound, but it was a great little amp that did a lot at very high quality, and it was ideal in it's time for those 80s sounds .... almost surgical cleans, compressed, slight chorus and delay, and very useable overdrive (in context).
I think I have some recordings of a live gig and also studio demos where i used this amp. Of course the recordings are on cassette, I'll have to digitise them so I can post them.
alteredbeast
New member
Re: GK 250ML
only jammed it once for like 3 min, will try the ext cab stuff soon tho.
only jammed it once for like 3 min, will try the ext cab stuff soon tho.
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: GK 250ML
Meh, I need to open the one I'm using, only one speaker is working.
Meh, I need to open the one I'm using, only one speaker is working.
