Quote:
Originally Posted by SG-Jazz  What to buy!!!?
GK MB 500, MB Fusion, Markbass LM III, or the F 500.
I cannot make up my mind on which to buy. I narrowed it down to the f500 and the Gk mb 500, then I heard the Gk is flimsy and the f 500 is digital sounding. I cant stop eying the LMK III. Any suggestions. Ive searched through the forums already.
If it helps I plan on sing an upright with it eventually, and I use effects every so often.
Any suggestions would help Thanks! |
All are pretty nice. I have a comparison of the F500/F1 (same amp, different features) and the LMII/III (again, same amp, slightly different features) on my Youtube channel. Both sound great.... the F500 is punchy and tight, but not 'sterile' at all. The LMII/III is a bit warmer and smoother in the upper mids... many describe it as an 'all tube amp run very clean' sort of tone.
I actually had a clip of the MB500 versus F1 up on Youtube for a while, but it was such a quick and dirty that I eventually took it down. Basically, the MB500 is much more aggressive up top (can get quite grindy and has a super extended upper treble response) and is voiced a bit bigger down low... so very 'active' sounding, very big sounding, and it has the capability of doing that 'GK grind' thing if you dig it using the 'boost' control (which is switchable with the footswitch... pretty cool there). I wasn't a big fan of the perceived build quality versus the F500/LMIII, but part of that is due to the extremely light weight.
The MB500 and F500 seem to put out the same amount of ooomph, although GK uses those super hot pots, so the amp jumps in volume much earlier in the gain and master knob travel than the Markbass.
I have not tried the MB Fusion... no need for the tube grind for me. Set clean, the MB500 and Fusion are reported to sound very similar.
All good stuff IMO, and all three (GK, F series, and LM series) sound quite different.
