yet another micro-head thread

capnjim · #1 09-13-2011, 07:34 AM

I have tried to find a thread that addresses this particular question, but there is just too much to sift through.
I am finally looking at one of the micro heads, Markbass, Shuttle 6.0 or iAMP. Here's my question, which one will bring out the Jazz bass middle, bridge pup, growl?
I actually prefer more mids than super lows. I'm sure lots of you have tried a Markbass and a Shuttle, so which one is more "tweakable"? I want to really enhance the jazz bridge PUP sound yet still be clean. I have a GK 400RB which does the mids nicely, I'm just looking for a bit of a cleaner tone. I had an 800RB that was close, but I really want to try one of the little guys.
Thanks

KJung · #2 09-13-2011, 08:27 AM

I'd stay away from the Shuttle 6 for a variety of reasons.

Both the Shuttle 9 and the Markbass F500 will get you where you want to go with the J Bass burpy, grindy tone.

I greatly prefer the Markbass F500.... amazing feature set, clean, small, reliable, loud. The voicing is 'full but tight' down low, and there is a nice character to the upper midrange that transfers that 'hear the windings on the E string' sort of J Bass tone wonderfully. The F500 is like an 800RB with more low end and less midrange distortion.

The iAmp stuff is very clean and deeply voiced. I wouldn't go there myself.

I have a number of clips of the F1/F500 with various J basses and cabs on my Youtube channel if you find clips helpful.

crijan · #3 09-13-2011, 08:30 AM

If you have a 400RB that gets the tone you like, try a GK MB500. I have the GK and love it to death.

KJung · #4 09-13-2011, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crijan

If you have a 400RB that gets the tone you like, try a GK MB500. I have the GK and love it to death.

Another decent option, although the voicing of the MB500 has little in common with the 400/800RB IMO and IME.... much deeper low end, much sizzlier top end.

capnjim · #5 09-13-2011, 09:35 AM

I like the 400RB, but I want something cleaner with the same mids. Its also a tad underpowered. The 800RB didn't do it for me either.

capnjim · #6 09-13-2011, 08:28 PM

Let me re-phrase my question, between the little mark and shuttle 6.0, which has the more pronounced tone differences with the middle controls? I ask because I had a very early Markbass club 450 amp and the middle controls made no difference to the sound.

Musicman20 · #7 09-14-2011, 03:55 AM

Between those two, I'd choose the LM3.

KJung · #8 09-14-2011, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capnjim

Let me re-phrase my question, between the little mark and shuttle 6.0, which has the more pronounced tone differences with the middle controls? I ask because I had a very early Markbass club 450 amp and the middle controls made no difference to the sound.

I greatly prefer the LMIII to the Shuttle 6, but agree that the low mid control on the LMIII is voiced too high to be very useful. The upper mid control is voiced perfectly to either add or reduce brightness and grind.

That is why I prefer the F500 over either of these two... two very useful semi-parametric mid controls, more real low end and punch than the Shuttle 6, and a tighter, quicker, more articulate voicing than the LMII/III.