Industry Amplification Website Official Site Headquarters Stockton | Products Amplifiers Founded 1968 Type of business Private | |
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Founder Robert Gallien and Rich Krueger Key people Robert Gallien and Rich Krueger Profiles | ||
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Gallien-Krueger, also referred to as 'GK' (as in their logo), is a bass amplifier and speaker cabinet manufacturer. The company is based in Stockton, California, and was founded in 1968.
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History
Robert Gallien started his company, then named GMT, from his garage in San Jose, California while working as an engineer for Hewlett-Packard. His first amps were the GMT 226A and 226B (named after their power output) and were unconventional in their design because they were built around transistors instead of tubes. Carlos Santana was one of the first to buy a GMT 226A (serial #6) and it can be clearly seen in the Woodstock movie.
In the early 70's Bob Gallien teamed up with fellow HP engineer Rich Krueger and the company was renamed from GMT (Gallien-Martin-Taylor) to Gallien-Krueger. Although Rich Krueger is no longer involved in the company it has retained his name.
In 1983 Gallien-Krueger launched the bass amplifier that would define the future of the company, namely the 800RB. The GK sound is defined by a dry "growl" and a quick reaction from the class H power amplifier.
The company stopped producing guitar amplifiers in the early nineties but continues to make bass amplifiers and cabinets.
In November, 2013, the company paid a fine to the FCC for producing non-compliant digital radio products.