I can plug into a MB with any of my basses and dial in a sound I really like. Maybe not the best possible, but always satisfactory.
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Is Markbass really all that??
- Thread starter paul5string81
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I spent 2 hours comparing my rig to my friends, trying different routing options, mixing cabs, swapping guitars, varying playing styles etc. I didn't spend nearly that amount of time trying out my Markbass gear in the shop prior to buying, although I spent many hours pointlessly researching online. Don't worry about what anybody else says - take your rig down to the shop, spend a couple of hours testing and comparing stuff and walk away KNOWING that you are making a good purchase.
Is it made in China or Italy? Mine was Italian made and I’ve gotten several years of service. I had a 1x12 combo and it burned up. I think it was made in China.
Marco himself posted actual numbers somewhere, if I remember right, and the reliability of the Indonesian made product was just as good. And he also mentioned that it was more consistent because they could source stuff much more easily than he could in italy (including lightweight plywood).
That said, I just think it's cooler to have something made in Italy, plus I feel like the B&C drivers he originally used were probably better than the knockoffs he had made in asia, but I could be wrong about that, since I have noticed the indo ones I've seen around town sound pretty good...
That said, I just think it's cooler to have something made in Italy, plus I feel like the B&C drivers he originally used were probably better than the knockoffs he had made in asia, but I could be wrong about that, since I have noticed the indo ones I've seen around town sound pretty good...
From what you've all said I suppose Markbasses could be good extensions to small valve amps with line out (e.g. Ampeg PF-50T), but I'd pick Ampeg Portaflexes for that matter as they are about as light, look better, sell for cheaper and have a lovely Ampeg preamp on their own (though not all-tube). 
My fender studio bass combo (180w, some say 200w, all valve 6x6l6gc,7025,12au7,12at7, EVM15B) which I have been gigging and recording with for some years recently developed a fault.
I decided that after just about 45 years of pro (more recently semi pro ) playing I would do my back a favour and buy something more modern, I would also not have that will it won't it feeling every time I switched it on.
I had already decided to buy a barefaced cab, if the hype was even half true I would be very pleased.
I had recently been to a snarky puppy gig and saw that the bass player was using a markbass casa.
I liked the sound so took a chance on one of these (14 day no question returns, thanks andertons). My go to bass is a 1974 fender jazz, rosewood.
Straight into my first gig with it, didn't even try it out at home.
All I can say is wow!.
Every thing on half (as duane allman used to say) I was amazed. Had to roll off a bit of bass (and turn the master down) but otherwise superb.
I know this thread is about markbass, I will come to that soon. The barefaced cab, a big baby 2 gen 3 is a tour de force.
The efficiency, dispersion, light weight, size, tone (or perhaps transparency) are incredible. I am not easily impressed having played through any number of iconic amp and cab combinations over the years. My bandmates were even more impressed than me.
This is the important point. The barefaced cab is known to be transparent. In other words it doesn't colour the sound. What you put into it is what you hear, all over the stage and throughout the room.
So, I know how my bass sounds (after 35 years ) , the cab is transparent, garbage in, garbage out.
We are left with the markbass casa. Great sound, warm, clear and, it seems to me, a little of that "squash" (perhaps subtle compression when you dig in ) of many legendary valve amps. Combined with effortless headroom, weighs nothing, hopefully solid state reliability, I am one happy bunny.
All I can say is that if you want a solid state amp which sounds very similar to some valve amp, loads of spare power, light weight, good, versatile but simple e.q. the markbass casa does it. I can't comment on "grind" (don't know what it is) and I have generally tried to avoid distortion, I'm not a lead guitarist.
To summarise the casa seems like a really good amp if a little expensive but then i'm over sixty, if not now, when?.
I decided that after just about 45 years of pro (more recently semi pro ) playing I would do my back a favour and buy something more modern, I would also not have that will it won't it feeling every time I switched it on.
I had already decided to buy a barefaced cab, if the hype was even half true I would be very pleased.
I had recently been to a snarky puppy gig and saw that the bass player was using a markbass casa.
I liked the sound so took a chance on one of these (14 day no question returns, thanks andertons). My go to bass is a 1974 fender jazz, rosewood.
Straight into my first gig with it, didn't even try it out at home.
All I can say is wow!.
Every thing on half (as duane allman used to say) I was amazed. Had to roll off a bit of bass (and turn the master down) but otherwise superb.
I know this thread is about markbass, I will come to that soon. The barefaced cab, a big baby 2 gen 3 is a tour de force.
The efficiency, dispersion, light weight, size, tone (or perhaps transparency) are incredible. I am not easily impressed having played through any number of iconic amp and cab combinations over the years. My bandmates were even more impressed than me.
This is the important point. The barefaced cab is known to be transparent. In other words it doesn't colour the sound. What you put into it is what you hear, all over the stage and throughout the room.
So, I know how my bass sounds (after 35 years ) , the cab is transparent, garbage in, garbage out.
We are left with the markbass casa. Great sound, warm, clear and, it seems to me, a little of that "squash" (perhaps subtle compression when you dig in ) of many legendary valve amps. Combined with effortless headroom, weighs nothing, hopefully solid state reliability, I am one happy bunny.
All I can say is that if you want a solid state amp which sounds very similar to some valve amp, loads of spare power, light weight, good, versatile but simple e.q. the markbass casa does it. I can't comment on "grind" (don't know what it is) and I have generally tried to avoid distortion, I'm not a lead guitarist.
To summarise the casa seems like a really good amp if a little expensive but then i'm over sixty, if not now, when?.
I only tried one mark bass amp, the TTE 500. I thought it was the worst amp I ever tried. Not loud at all, More like 80-100w compared to every other amp I’ve used. Can’t comment on the tone since it wasn’t loud enough to hear with a drummer using a 410 ..and I’m sure I had the correct ohm cab. So maybe I got a bad one but I wasn’t about to try another.
You must have received a bad one, they are anything but “ Not loud at all “.
Not that I have tried all their stuff but I think Markbass heads sound pretty good but not so with their combo amps.
yeah, they’re all that... at least mine is. CMD 102. 11 years no problems, 100’s of gigs. tone lies mostly in your hands.
I have limited experience with MB. A 2x10” combo in the studio, a LM head with 4x10” and a small 10” combo.
I can get a good sound but somewhere in the low end they seem to lack a bit of definition. Not saying they’re no good because they are light and easily transported but I still like that defined low end from my GK and Eden amps.
Maybe it’s a trade off for weight or something inherent in the design and maybe it’s just me, there are a lot of fans out there.
I can get a good sound but somewhere in the low end they seem to lack a bit of definition. Not saying they’re no good because they are light and easily transported but I still like that defined low end from my GK and Eden amps.
Maybe it’s a trade off for weight or something inherent in the design and maybe it’s just me, there are a lot of fans out there.
I had a couple of MB heads but never their spkrs. I think I ran 2 4 x 10 cabs mostly. Goliath III, big assed Hartke cab that was voiced deep like an 18. Never had any kind of definition or any other tone issue.
Really liked the LMIII I had for about five years. Never had a problem with it, got the tone I needed/liked and it’s light to easily carry. Went through a lot of different amps to try different things but always went back to the LMIII. Until, I got the Mesa Walkabout. At that point, I ended up selling the LMIII. But, I wouldn’t hesitate getting an LMIII again.
I've had a few Markbass rigs over the past ten years. I've liked all of them. My use is just goofing around at home and a little jamming with friends. This is my current rig:
