MarkBass Woes

WIBassGuy · #1 03-04-2013, 08:22 PM

I have a Little Mark II that suddenly started blowing fuses. Three years old and out of warranty. I've sent them three (3) emails asking for assistance, with no reply at all. Anyone know how else to contact them? GC is no help, and I'm finding it difficult to find anyone that works on them. The few that do apparently just replace boards, and don't do any real repairs. I'm not happy with the product or the service, and will be buying something else next. Killer sound and low weight, but not very reliable and virtually no customer support. I'm think Genz Benz next....

DerTeufel · #2 03-04-2013, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WIBassGuy

I have a Little Mark II that suddenly started blowing fuses. Three years old and out of warranty. I've sent them three (3) emails asking for assistance, with no reply at all. Anyone know how else to contact them? GC is no help, and I'm finding it difficult to find anyone that works on them. The few that do apparently just replace boards, and don't do any real repairs. I'm not happy with the product or the service, and will be buying something else next. Killer sound and low weight, but not very reliable and virtually no customer support. I'm think Genz Benz next....

I have a LM III that did that as well..in fact, it blew one fuse, and refused to power up after replacing the fuse. I had owned the amp for 90 days when that happened and I didn't get GC's pro coverage. I was able to get GC to replace the head with another LMIII, but only if I agreed to buy the pro coverage. If this head dies again and they give me a gift card, I am buying a different amp.

Barring that..try contacting the MarkBass rep that is here on this forum (sorry, I can't remember his name - a google search will help there). You might be better off getting a new head.

JimmyM · #3 03-04-2013, 08:41 PM

Peter Murray is his name, but he no longer works at Markbass because his job was eliminated, sorry to hear.

DerTeufel · #4 03-04-2013, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Peter Murray is his name, but he no longer works at Markbass because his job was eliminated, sorry to hear.

Thanks Jimmy..and that's good to know.

Russell L · #5 03-04-2013, 10:13 PM

There is an address you can type in, but I have it written down at work. It's "vtservice" and then something else I can't remember. I'll ge it in the morn and post it.

Hey, don't consider the brand bad just because you had a failure. Even Genz has failures, like anyone else. Markbass has a terrifficly good track record for reliability and good build.

mystic38 · #6 03-05-2013, 01:40 AM

Company A and Company B make identical spec'd and sounding bass amps...

Company A produces a product that dies after three years and you suggest company A gets repeat business.

Company B produces a product that lasts a decade or more.

Result?.. Company A gets three times the sales and revenue, and is "more popular" as a result.

Go figure..

But seriously, the manner in which a company deals with out of warranty failures, their ability to be reached, and the ability to have an amp serviced or repaired is the key criteria here when you expect an expensive component to last a decade.... Markbass has clearly failed the OP and personally he definitely should look for a manufacturer that has customer service on their priority list.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell L

Hey, don't consider the brand bad just because you had a failure. Even Genz has failures, like anyone else. Markbass has a terrifficly good track record for reliability and good build.

darius8 · #7 03-05-2013, 01:52 AM

scroll down this website to see a list of MarkBass Authorized Service Centers, there might be one close to you.

http://www.vstservice.com/t-markbass.aspx

Epitaph04 · #8 03-05-2013, 01:57 AM

According to that website, it looks like if it's out of warranty you're completely SOL...hmmmm...

JimmyM · #9 03-05-2013, 01:58 AM

After 3 emails they should have answered, but no company owes the customer a free repair after the warranty expires. Some will do it now and again and that's awesome, but you can't just expect it. They should all make out of warranty repairs cheaper, of course

but that's how it rolls with warranties.

greencow · #10 03-05-2013, 02:05 AM

You can find the service manual for the LMII on the forums or with a google search. It contains the instructions for disasembly, basic modifications and schematics (If you can't find one I can send you a copy once I get home)
Take that along with your amp to any decent amp tech and he will fix the amplifier.

KJung · #11 03-05-2013, 03:17 AM

Go to the website and hit the 'panic' button, which is their service and support link. Type in your issue, and they will get back to you quickly.

The board replacements at the licensed service centers (there are dozens of them across the country) are quite reasonable and quick. It is unusual for one of these to fail (amazingly few 'failure posts' versus many other brands) but it happens.

There service and support is quite good now. Do not go to a non-authorized service center. Markbass makes their power amps, power supplies, etc. in house, and you will want to get a Markbass replacement part if needed.

Akito · #12 03-05-2013, 03:32 AM

Well I could post again in detail here, but really why bother. Until and unless it happens to you, most people seem to want to jump to the defense of this company over their own bass playing bretheren.
I wish the op luck and hope his is better than mine.

KJung · #13 03-05-2013, 03:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mystic38

Company A and Company B make identical spec'd and sounding bass amps...

Company A produces a product that dies after three years and you suggest company A gets repeat business.

Company B produces a product that lasts a decade or more.

Result?.. Company A gets three times the sales and revenue, and is "more popular" as a result.

Go figure..

But seriously, the manner in which a company deals with out of warranty failures, their ability to be reached, and the ability to have an amp serviced or repaired is the key criteria here when you expect an expensive component to last a decade.... Markbass has clearly failed the OP and personally he definitely should look for a manufacturer that has customer service on their priority list.

Nah. Email to the general 'info' site is not the way to contact a company for repair. Markbass specifically set up their new contact service and their extensive repair network because of poor support in the past. Pretty impressive at this point, based on recent (last 6 month or so) experiences with the few that have had issues. I believe the replacement cost for entire board is about $120 in parts now, and the standard labor charge... about as much as replacing a couple power tubes or whatever.

Also, don't get where you are getting the '3 year' or whatever. This is one rare failure. The Markbass stuff is solid as a rock (at least the heads are). VERY good reliability record. Service is, of course, not as good in the US as a small US company, but the current out of warranty repair system seems pretty darn good. I continue to be quite impressed with this brand.

**TinIndian** · #14 03-05-2013, 04:05 AM

I hope your issue gets resolved quickly and inexpensively. As far as Genz goes, my STM900 is approaching a year old and I have had Zero issues with it. Also there is a ready and willing resource on TB named Agedhorse who is an engineer with Genz that is invaluable in helping out Genz customers and answering guestions.

Russell L · #15 03-05-2013, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darius8

scroll down this website to see a list of MarkBass Authorized Service Centers, there might be one close to you.

http://www.vstservice.com/t-markbass.aspx

That's almost what I wrote down at work. What I have is:

markbass@vstservice.com

Russell L · #16 03-05-2013, 05:44 AM

Like Ken said, I, too, have heard good reports about Markbass' new service record. Haven't had to use it myself, though. Please try the panic button or the addresses given above and see what happens before condemning them.

WIBassGuy · #17 03-05-2013, 11:00 AM

I did try to contact them using the email address that they provide on their website. I just sent one to this site, and will see what happens. Regarding "condeming" them, I don't know that I was doing that, but as a consumer paying top dollar for a product and then having it fail long before it should, I'm voting with my feet. I have a 17 year old SVT that still works fine, despite being dropped off a truck, zapped with power surges, and being christened with beer multiple times over the years. Dented, beat up and kinda nasty lookin, but still working fine. That is what I expect when I pay big bucks for a product. Dependability and reliability. i'm using that Ampeg now because my MB amp is dead for the moment, and if the repairs are too much, dead for all time. I might have had the one bad amp out of a thousand, but it happened to me, and I try not to repeat mistakes. I guess we can all agree to disagree here.... I'm not happy with MB, and I thought I would share my experience. I'm assuming that is a valid reason for having an amp forum....

B-string · #18 03-05-2013, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WIBassGuy

I did try to contact them using the email address that they provide on their website. I just sent one to this site, and will see what happens. Regarding "condeming" them, I don't know that I was doing that, but as a consumer paying top dollar for a product and then having it fail long before it should, I'm voting with my feet. I have a 17 year old SVT that still works fine, despite being dropped off a truck, zapped with power surges, and being christened with beer multiple times over the years. Dented, beat up and kinda nasty lookin, but still working fine. That is what I expect when I pay big bucks for a product. Dependability and reliability. i'm using that Ampeg now because my MB amp is dead for the moment, and if the repairs are too much, dead for all time. I might have had the one bad amp out of a thousand, but it happened to me, and I try not to repeat mistakes. I guess we can all agree to disagree here.... I'm not happy with MB, and I thought I would share my experience. I'm assuming that is a valid reason for having an amp forum....

Yes it is. If nothing else to balance out the fanboys that prefer to turn a blind eye or ear to what can and does happen

EVERY manufacturer has failures no matter what anyone tries to portray the as.

KJung · #19 03-05-2013, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-string

Yes it is. If nothing else to balance out the fanboys that prefer to turn a blind eye or ear to what can and does happen

EVERY manufacturer has failures no matter what anyone tries to portray the as.

+1 This happens with every brand, and is frustrating for the people that it happens to. Markbass does seem to have a significantly lower failure rate than most, but if it happens to you, it is a bummer.

JimmyM · #20 03-05-2013, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akito

Well I could post again in detail here, but really why bother. Until and unless it happens to you, most people seem to want to jump to the defense of this company over their own bass playing bretheren.
I wish the op luck and hope his is better than mine.

If I think a company is failing their people, I'm happy to point it out. Even said that they should have answered emails. I'm just not going to give them stick for not repairing an out of warranty amp for free, that's all.