Guitar Sound Systems (GSS) Amps

**pingu** · 05-07-2019, 09:43 AM

Anyone used any of these micro amps ?
they look great , any reports positive and or negative welcome

I'm thinking of getting the guitar head
Boutique

or the Bass head
Guitar Sound Systems (GSS) bass and upright bass amplifier heads

Thanks all
Pingu

**sgosnell** · 05-07-2019, 09:47 AM

Pasquale Grasso has used one from time to time. Sounded good to me, from the videos. There are other threads on here discussing them.

**pingu** · 05-07-2019, 10:58 AM

Thanks Franz
I read your review on the other thread , great

I'm thinking of getting the 50watt head only or the 100 watt bass head
and using it with a JBL control 1 (I have lying around)
just for rehearsals and duos etc etc

Its tempting to only have to carry a guitar and a bag with
the amp 1 lb + speaker 4 lbs in it

I've written to GSS to see if the 4 ohm Speaker
will blow up the amp !

He probably won't sanction that but we'll see ...

**jzucker** · 05-08-2019, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by sgosnell

Pasquale Grasso has used one from time to time. Sounded good to me, from the videos. There are other threads on here discussing them.

does it have reverb? Don't remember if pasquale uses reverb or not?

**sgosnell** · 05-08-2019, 04:25 PM

No reverb, and I've never heard Grasso use it, as far as I could hear. The details for the amp are here: Boutique
There are also a couple of threads on this forum with reviews by members who have used it. 50 watts, with another 50 if you use an external cabinet. I doubt it would be loud enough for you, though, Jack. But what do I know.

**David B** · 05-08-2019, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by sgosnell

Pasquale Grasso has used one from time to time. Sounded good to me, from the videos. There are other threads on here discussing them.

http://www.guitarsoundsystems.com/Fi...G-1757-big.jpg

Pasquale and another NYC friend, Félix Lemerle, both use the GSS Jazz Cat combo around town. Forum members Franz 1997 and Don_Oz in the UK also have them. No reverb.

**sgosnell** · 05-08-2019, 07:11 PM

One note that I hadn't noticed before - the 50 watt rating is at 8 ohms, not the usual 4 ohms. It also comes as just a head, if you want something very small. Two separate 50W Class D amps inside. If I were gigging in a big city using mass transit, I think I would use one of those combos.

**pingu** · 05-08-2019, 09:20 PM

Didier from GSS wrote back
to me saying it will drive down
to a 6 ohm speaker but not lower

this is a shame
as i want to drive a
jbl control 1 (4ohms)

thinking maybe
a Hotone mojo attack
might work for me ...

**newsense** · 05-09-2019, 03:32 AM

Not sure whether you were serious about the Hotone, but with the one I bought, every time I switched it on, the power transients rebooted my PC. I suspect it wasn't the fault of the amp, but that the separate power supply was very poorly designed. It went back to Amazon for a full refund.

**Gitterbug** · 05-09-2019, 07:11 AM

The NY jazz club scene is an ecosystem of its own. For those who commute by underground - and with those fees and parking fees it makes sense - every ounce and cubic inch of cargo counts. GSS makes a line of very small amps and lightweight cabs from 5" upwards, meant for professional users. I have never seen them live, but my local deep throats keep me posted. Just sold a TOOB 6.5 prototype (3.5 lbs).) to complement a GSS mini tube amp. The Jensen P6V 8 ohm speaker will be replaced by a 4 ohm version, although the general advice is to stick to 8 ohm for the amp's protection. Orange, for example, now specifies 8 ohm min. for the Micro Terror ad Micro Dark amps.

**pingu** · 05-09-2019, 08:50 AM

The plot thickens !

Yes the Hotone maybe too fancy /rock oriented for me

So been doing more research ... simple small bass heads

there's a couple of that might work ,
(i just need a straight flat amp with some tone controls
no fx no reverb)

Gk mb200 as we know .....

Trace Elliot Elf ....... 200 watt into 4 ohms 1.6 lbs £250

or , and I think the winner is ....

Tc Bam200 ..... 200 watts into 4 ohms 2 lbs £110 Thomann !
Di out , headphone out with speaker emulation

thats gotta be be amazing bang for the buck !
and TC make good reliable stuff generally

**Gitterbug** · 05-09-2019, 11:17 AM

Pingu, the MB 200 is tonally superior - both guitar and bass - to the Elf and has more eq knobs. For bass, those really matter. The Elf is a cutesy pie but actually weighs the same as the MB, at least the 230V version. A bassist friend of mine has been waiting for the new TC for months, have to ask whether it has finally arrived. It may be the winner. As for the HotOne, I'll post a brief report of today's gig to my thread on Interblock and HotOne. You asked for it.

**pingu** · 05-09-2019, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Gitterbug

Pingu, the MB 200 is tonally superior - both guitar and bass - to the Elf and has more eq knobs. For bass, those really matter. The Elf is a cutesy pie but actually weighs the same as the MB, at least the 230V version. A bassist friend of mine has been waiting for the new TC for months, have to ask whether it has finally arrived. It may be the winner. As for the HotOne, I'll post a brief report of today's gig to my thread on Interblock and HotOne. You asked for it.

thanks Glitter , appreciate it ,
have a great gig

yes i would be interested in your bass player ‘s
experience with the little TC bam 200 too

**sgosnell** · 05-09-2019, 05:38 PM

A bass player used to play with had a Trace Elliot. I wasn't impressed with it at all. I would be mildly interested to try the TC, just out of curiosity, but I already have GK MB200, and I'm satisfied with it. I don't actually use it a lot, but it's great for those times when a small, light but powerful head is needed, and a cabinet is already in place. If I need to carry a cabinet, I just take my Little Jazz.

**pingu** · 05-09-2019, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by sgosnell

A bass player used to play with had a Trace Elliot. I wasn't impressed with it at all. I would be mildly interested to try the TC, just out of curiosity, but I already have GK MB200, and I'm satisfied with it. I don't actually use it a lot, but it's great for those times when a small, light but powerful head is needed, and a cabinet is already in place. If I need to carry a cabinet, I just take my Little Jazz.

I know what you mean re Trace Elliot .....
yeah if I already had a GKmb200 I'd be cool with that

but the TC is £110 , bargain innit ?
if it works ok , if it sounds like a GK then cool

**sgosnell** · 05-09-2019, 09:34 PM

If I had no small head already, I would be interested in the TC, no doubt, especially at that price. But I just don't need another amp, so while i have mild interest out of curiosity, I'm not likely to buy one, even if it's very good and very cheap, which is a rare combination. I certainly wouldn't fault anyone else for buying one. I'm more interested in the little GSS Jazzkat combo, though.

**pingu** · 05-09-2019, 10:30 PM

yeah they look really great

just that ive got a small 4 ohm speaker
already i wanna try out
(a jbl control 1) and the GSS
wont drive 4 ohms

the TC+Jbl rig would be about
7.5 lbs
the GSS combo is 5lbs
the TC will prob get louder though

**sgosnell** · 05-09-2019, 11:02 PM

You could always use two speakers to raise the resistance. But I do see your point. If you're just buying a head, the GSS model might not make complete sense.

**christianm77** · 07-24-2019, 06:46 AM

Ok having done a gig with don_oz a couple of months back, my perception of this amp is that the sound was plenty loud to gig with, but also (perhaps to be expected) heavy on the midrange, light on the bass. If you play with acoustic bass, esp unamplified bass, this is no bad thing.

Be interested to hear it drive something bigger. I have a light 10” speaker cab knocking around ....

**christianm77** · 07-24-2019, 07:13 AM

I’m quite interested in their bigger speaker options. A 1 x 12” at 5.5kg is pretty mega. That’s lighter than my AER. If it sounds good, with a light power amp and the SansAmp flyrig, I think I’d have a great setup. Maybe use the GSS power amp and swap out their speakers appropriate to the gig.

**Franz 1997** · 07-24-2019, 07:29 AM

The power amp is just glued to the back of the small cabinet, so it can easily become a head. It drives an 8 " to quite reasonable duo volumes, though not horn volumes.
I'm not using mine currently, happy for someone to try it here with an ext cab

**christianm77** · 07-24-2019, 08:40 AM

Maybe I’ll get a power amp then

**pingu** · 07-24-2019, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by christianm77

I’m quite interested in their bigger speaker options. A 1 x 12” at 5.5kg is pretty mega. That’s lighter than my AER. If it sounds good, with a light power amp and the SansAmp flyrig, I think I’d have a great setup. Maybe use the GSS power amp and swap out their speakers appropriate to the gig.

with SS stuff generally

the idea of having the same front end , power amp
(and ones choice of pre amp if required)
and changing up the cabinet depending on the gig ....
(you our only carry the weight you need to carry)

is is a good concept I think
I'm exploring this myself atmo
and have been very surprised and pleased
with the results from very small (5" speakers !)
just for moderate level rehearsals tho

early days

**Franz 1997** · 07-24-2019, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by christianm77

Maybe I’ll get a power amp then

I'd recommend you try before you buy; you can borrow this one if you like.

They are good amps, but since I have both polytone and mambo 8" amps, I'm not using it as much as I expected to

**pingu** · 07-24-2019, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by christianm77

I’m quite interested in their bigger speaker options. A 1 x 12” at 5.5kg is pretty mega. That’s lighter than my AER. If it sounds good, with a light power amp and the SansAmp flyrig, I think I’d have a great setup. Maybe use the GSS power amp and swap out their speakers appropriate to the gig.

Yeah that looks like a good setup Christian
and only about 13lbs total for a 50watt 1x12" rig

(I'm going to a rehearsal tonight with my 7 lb setup
TC Bam200 + 1x5" speaker
hope it works out !)