Live Review: Markbass LittleMark II thru two Aguilar GS112's

[ElMon]

Had a great night last night, at the same venue that inspired previous gear reviews:

Gig Review: Epifani UL502+UL212

Sadowsky RV5 + Epi UL212 gig review.


A lot of things have 'clicked' gear-wise for me in the last month or so. I had an epiphany a little while back that the reason for my GAS-fueled bass-swapping was that I was chasing after a passive pbass tone, but with a killer bstring. It all made sense, looking back at how I had all these phenomenal hi-end basses but was constantly dialing the neck pickup to chase that Jamerson-meets-modern tone that is 'my sound'.

Fender finally came through for me with the new MIA P5. A pause for some pics:

'The' Bass









I can't say enough about how perfectly this bass fits my playing style. From the massive yet tight fundamental that is the hallmark of the Precision bass, the Bstring which is thick and in your face, but leaning more towards keyboard bass fatness more than typical 'grand piano with a hammer' tone that is found on most modern 5's, to the body shape which is symmetrical and more comfortable to me than any other. It did take some tweaking though. I had to ditch the stock strings and put on a 5string set of D'Addario Half-rounds. HUGE difference. IMO, the Key to this bass is to have a Bstring with a lot of tension. With the solid half-round B string, this bass ROARS down low. Awesome pitch clarity from the Low C up to the octave and beyond on the bstring. Great job Fender!!! Can't wait to get a Jbass 5, for those late-night burpy bridge pickup cravings!!

My 'Easy Button', in a stompbox




What can I say about Roger's wonderful funbox...........

I remember the first time I heard my bass played back through some hi-end monitors, recorded through some amazing tube pre's, and was instantly envious of this wonderful tone I couldn't seem to capture live. The Sadowsky Pre/DI bridged the gap for me. It works ESPECIALLY well with a passive instrument. I barely had the bass knob above 9 o'clock and the treble above 8 o'clock, and the sound out front was PERFECT. 100% the sound in my head.


The Amp
This wonderful little box was what spurred me getting rid of my AG500SC and into the LMII. After getting the Pbass and discovering how the Sad Pre/DI took the bass to the next level tonewise, I realized that my needs for an amp were narrowed down to having something that was loud and light. In this case, when considering the LMII, I was basically looking at shedding some pounds. I loved the tone of the Aggie, but IMO the Sadowsky Pre/DI trumps all.

So....................

I made the trade with a TB'er who just so happened to have 2 GS112's, like I have, but was wanting to go 'all Aguilar'. Where else but Talkbass could such convenience arise? I was counting on getting back into the Markbass tone that I was familiar with, having owned an SD800, but I was ill prepared with how much I would fall in love with the unique tone of the LMII.


First off, let me say that the LMII is SIGNIFICANTLY louder than the AG500, whether thru one or both of my GS112s. When I first brought the LMII to rehearsal and plugged it in to my one GS112, I was expecting my usual low-key and low-volum rehearsal sound. What came through instead was a deeper fundamental that wrapped around my band mix, but still punched through in the lowmids, instantly locking into the sound of the kickdrum. I could easily do a small gig with one GS112 and have no worries about blanketing the room with pillowy low end. My drummer looked at the new tiny little orange head, and back up to me, in utter disbelief. IME, there is something special about how the LMII's low mid kick, clean and clear mids, and overall large sound matches up with the GS112's.

Live show

Last night was one of the best shows my band has done in a long while. We had about 130 people in the club, and we were ON musically. And I was seriously hyped at how thick and clean my half-round strung Pbass sounded through this rig. The most honest test I have is how my bandmates respond to my tone when I make a gear change. My drummer said that every note, from down low to up high during solos, literally thumped him in the chest, and my saxophone player reported that I sounded louder and more commanding, but that he could somehow hear our guitar player on my side of the stage better than he ever has.

Seeing as how I ran the LMII completely flat all night, I can't really go into the flexibility and versatility that the VLE/VPF knobs bring you. I am quite aware at how excellent they are in achieving on-the-fly tone changes, but I doubt I will ever need them with this setup. In reading this, and if you become curious about how this amp performs on its own, consult the multiple threads on this subject, and by all means read some of the eloquently spoken reviews of KJung. IMO he's DEAD ON about his gear impressions, and can articulate how a piece of gear may work for him but may NOT work for a different type of player. The same disclaimer applies here.

What immediately impressed about this amp is in how different the power section is from the SD800 I owned a while back. The SD800 was much, MUCH louder than the LMII, but yet the sonic footprint of the LMII is larger in a mix IMO, because it is more controlled on the low end. There's more overall warmth to the sound in the LMII, compared to the slightly clinical sound of the SD800, and the low end is punchier and feels and sounds better with my bands overall texture. This is precisely why I gravitate towards gear that have an inherent lowmid bump. The tone sounds fat and clear out front without overhwhelming the mix. Can't say the same about some other modern designs I've played on. I simply have no use for the boosted sublows and hi-end sizzle that a LOT of bassists gravitate towards. However, this amp can certainly get that tone if needed.

Even though its not my sound per se, I will eventually be getting into a MIA Fender J5 with a Maple board, just so I can have that sizzly Jbass sound in my arsenal. I have no doubt it will sound equally as amazing through my Sadowsky Pre/DI as does my P5. Its good to know that I have that sound available if I want it.


Anyways, thanks for stomaching my rant, and good luck on your own quest for tone.


Luke

[Kael]

Well Luke, you had me going right along till you said D'addario half-rounds. Eww....

Glad you found a set up that is working out for you. Hope it manages to stick around for longer than six months.

-The other OKC bass playing Luke

PS: Your descprition of the settings you use on your Sadowsky DI pretty much mirrors my own.

[ElMon]

Originally Posted by Kael

Well Luke, you had me going right along till you said D'addario half-rounds. Eww....

Glad you found a set up that is working out for you. Hope it manages to stick around for longer than six months.

-The other OKC bass playing Luke

PS: Your descprition of the settings you use on your Sadowsky DI pretty much mirrors my own.

No love for the half-rounds?! Damn yo, damn...







I actually prefer flats, but like the extra sustain in these strings.

[greenbass5]

You know, you two really need to tell me the next time you guys are playing. I'm just east of OKC myself. I'd love to come out and listen to these kickin' rigs. Sort of a small TB GTG thang.

[Wilbyman]

I love it when a plan comes together.

[Honk'n_down-low]

I have to play through a Little Mark II - everyone keeps saying these things are Da Bomb!

[KJung]

Cool review and rig! (and thanks for the compliment).

Your description of the SD800 vs. LMII is very good IMO. It's hard to describe how something can be much louder, fuller, deeper but yet actually not sound as forceful in a mix, at least for some tones. Sometimes having a very powerful, deep, open low end is a sort of 'careful what you wish for, you might get it' sort of thing! Your description is a good one comparing these two, and matches both my 'impressed but frustrating' relationship with the SD800, and my pretty much universal love for the LMII/F1 (for my tone goals anyway)!

Also, +1 on the AG500 with the GS112 stack. Even though they are made by the same company, there is just something 'not right' about that combination to me. I've heard those cabs sounds great with other heads, and I've heard that head sound great (loud, full) with other cabs, but that particular combination just lacks punch and presence to me personally. I agree, the LMII sounds WAY better with those speakers (as does the F1).

PS... NICE bass. It's good to see the P Bass getting some 5 string attention by Fender, Alleva, Celinder and some others.

[BurningSkies]

Hey man, I hear you!

I love the P tone too, in my case, the way I found the sound was with a Dingwall AB-1, which has a modern/yet Precision tone and the best B in the world. Underneath the soapbar shells are split coils...and the extra scale length gives me the tight, deep lows in a 'authority' that a real P never had...

Add a LMII and my choice of cabs (Bergantino HT115 & Schroeder 1212(R)), and I've got awesome stage sound! Now, I haven't gone for a Sad. pre-DI because I really like the EQ on my LMII and its ability to keep things warm and clean with adjustability in the places I want it...

Next up, is a new Dingwall with a switchable OBP-1 and a hybrid treble control (passive roll off, active boost in one knob), and I'm pretty sure that I'll be exactly where I want to be!

[KJung]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

Hey man, I hear you!

I love the P tone too, in my case, the way I found the sound was with a Dingwall AB-1, which has a modern/yet Precision tone and the best B in the world. Underneath the soapbar shells are split coils...and the extra scale length gives me the tight, deep lows in a 'authority' that a real P never had...

Add a LMII and my choice of cabs (Bergantino HT115 & Schroeder 1212(R)), and I've got awesome stage sound! Now, I haven't gone for a Sad. pre-DI because I really like the EQ on my LMII and its ability to keep things warm and clean with adjustability in the places I want it...

Next up, is a new Dingwall with a switchable OBP-1 and a hybrid treble control (passive roll off, active boost in one knob), and I'm pretty sure that I'll be exactly where I want to be!

For you 5 string P lovers, Pete Skjold has a very cool 'modern' take on a P Bass, with a big pickup in P position that can be switched from standard to reverse P with the flick of a switch. I'm not sure how 'pure P' sounding it is, but the design, construction and execution seem pretty first rate to me.

[Vin_MM_Sabre_79]

Awesome review thanks.
i've been eyeing off those GS112s for a while now but very hard for us Aussies to demo.
The one word that keeps popping up when describing the GS112 is "scooped". Do you find this?

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by KJung

For you 5 string P lovers, Pete Skjold has a very cool 'modern' take on a P Bass, with a big pickup in P position that can be switched from standard to reverse P with the flick of a switch. I'm not sure how 'pure P' sounding it is, but the design, construction and execution seem pretty first rate to me.

I know a lot of Dingwall guys who really like Pete's basses (Juneau probably being the first to sing his praises), so your suggestion makes good sense.

I'm less of a fan of his body styles, and of course those funny parallel frets that Pete uses!

[greenbass5]

I know this isn't a P bass but, I picked up a Rumblefish 5 XL a couple of years ago and have decided it P bass just enough. You gotta get past the looks is all. And that neck is to die for! Now, I'd really like an LM II. But, I'm thinking that the SD 800 would also work with my NV 610 too. Congrats on the P El. I saw Ed Friedland's review of it and he bought the bass after he reviewed it. Nuff said. Fender is doing these 5 string P's right!

[Kael]

Originally Posted by ElMon

No love for the half-rounds?! Damn yo, damn...







I actually prefer flats, but like the extra sustain in these strings.

I gave half rounds a week or so on a fretless J once. I just could not cotton to that grabbiness they seem to have. Tonally they were close enough to rounds (at least when new) that I just said to hell with it. I epoxied the fingerboard, slapped some rounds on, then called it a day. I've been told that they age well, but I just couldn't make myself want to play them enough to break them in.

Eh, personal preference thing. I've still got some chrome flats on my mustang. I even find myself rolling a LOT of treble of that bass. Just sounds like old school BASS to my ear. All the same, I need to move that bass as it doesn't get used enough.

[Kael]

Originally Posted by greenbass5

You know, you two really need to tell me the next time you guys are playing. I'm just east of OKC myself. I'd love to come out and listen to these kickin' rigs. Sort of a small TB GTG thang.

I'd really love to revive this sucker right here.

Oklahoma GTG feeler

[greenbass5]

Originally Posted by Kael

I'd really love to revive this sucker right here.

Oklahoma GTG feeler

Good idea. We should try it.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by KJung

PS... NICE bass. It's good to see the P Bass getting some 5 string attention by Fender, Alleva, Celinder and some others.

Funny...the word that popped in my mind when I saw the P5 was "sacrilege."

But I suppose there's no reason in this day and age for 5 stringers to deny themselves the greatest bass tone known to man. Haven't played one yet, but I'm looking forward to it because it gets great reviews. Naturally I'd never buy one, but an AmStd P 4 stringer is definitely on the horizon for me.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Funny...the word that popped in my mind when I saw the P5 was "sacrilege."

But I suppose there's no reason in this day and age for 5 stringers to deny themselves the greatest bass tone known to man. Haven't played one yet, but I'm looking forward to it because it gets great reviews. Naturally I'd never buy one, but an AmStd P 4 stringer is definitely on the horizon for me.

The new Fender models with the improved hardware, etc. look very nice to me!

[JimmyM]

I don't think you'll be selling your AC's to buy an AmStd Jazz, but every time I go to a music store, I play whatever new AmStd's they get in, and I'll tell you...I think I like these new P's and J's better than the pre-CBS models. They're as light or lighter, they have all the tone, they have a 9.5" radius which I prefer much more than 7.25", and the sunbursts make me look like I lost 20 lbs.

[drnknmstr]

I have the same exact rig, and HAD the same one, too.

It's funny because I had an EBS HD350 head through 2 Aggie 112s, and it sounded great, but I just assumed that an all Aggie setup would sound even more optimal, but really, ended up using the EBS.

Then, I switched over to the LMII. I think it's very comparable to the EBS in terms of performance, but man, the LMII does certainly pair well with the Aggies.

I also have the Sadowsky DI with a P-Bass 4-string using half-rounds. Mine have aged a lot, and sound just like good flats to me. The DI is really nice, though I find that the bass is generally fat enough without it.

They initially do have that "grabbiness" but they smooth out eventually. There's definitely a singing-quality, with a lot of thickness in the thump.

Personally, I love the Ken Smith ones, which I have on now. They seriously record well.

But yeah, it is such a musical sounding setup and I don't feel like anything is lacking. I use the amp for every gig from folk, country, soul, R&B, funk, and hard rock. Those filters generally do whatever I need it to do.

[cb56]

I've been lovin' my LMII into two GS112s for over a year now.
How are you running the sadowsky pre amp with it? Is it just for front of house or are you using both sets of tone controls through your rig?