I owned a lot of SWR but fell in love with my LMII over a decade ago. Love backlines with MB.
Stuff seems overpriced. But not planning any new gear soon
Stuff seems overpriced. But not planning any new gear soon
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Is Markbass really all that??
- Thread starter paul5string81
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- question time
I ended up selling my LMIII because I just couldn't quite bond with it, but I have both an MB Traveller, and NY 1x12, which are my gigging cabs. The cabs are light, and loud enough for me as an in-city working musician (generally) without car access. Since I got them both used, I didn't have to break the bank for them. I've also accepted that nobody besides myself tends to give a damn about what my tone is in a live setting, and since my amp is usually running a direct line to a PA, I see my cabs as little more than personal monitors.
For in-studio sort of work, I have an old, old Ampeg fliptop; no MB will beat that thing for tone. But lugging that thing around is also usually the worst part of any day where I have to do so!
For in-studio sort of work, I have an old, old Ampeg fliptop; no MB will beat that thing for tone. But lugging that thing around is also usually the worst part of any day where I have to do so!
I didn't immediately fall in love with Markbass. For me, my Little Mark III found the sweet spot as a "pedal platform".
When I don't feel like bringing my tube amp to a gig or practice, I can tweak the EQ, LPF, contour knob, and my dirt petals to come pretty darn close to an SVT or similar tone.
By itself, you'd have to appreciate it's transparent character. That's not always my thing, but adjusting the VLE (aka the LPF) can warm it up substantially and throwing the right tubey dirt pedal in the mix makes it edge out my old Ashdown ABM 500 and even my Ampeg PF-50T when size, weight, and power are a consideration in addition to tone.
When I don't feel like bringing my tube amp to a gig or practice, I can tweak the EQ, LPF, contour knob, and my dirt petals to come pretty darn close to an SVT or similar tone.
By itself, you'd have to appreciate it's transparent character. That's not always my thing, but adjusting the VLE (aka the LPF) can warm it up substantially and throwing the right tubey dirt pedal in the mix makes it edge out my old Ashdown ABM 500 and even my Ampeg PF-50T when size, weight, and power are a consideration in addition to tone.
Back in '74 I had an SVT w/8×10s. With my Rickenbacker 4001, played then with flats & a pick, I got this beautiful growly timbre I hadn't gotten with my 200W Marshal stack. It was indescribable, however the 4001 got buried in the mix of the rock group (no jazz outlet then) so I felt impelled to get a P-bass. Shortly after I sold all my bass gear because it was too much of a distraction to my trumpet studies.
Many decades later I got pulled back into the bass world by a recording of Marcus Miller playing cut # 2 from his Renaissance album (resolution, reformation?). Miller's light thumping on those roundwound Fatbeams, reminded me precisely of that sound I got with my Rickenbacker, but with punch.
I'm curious how an actual vintage 70s SVT head would sound with my bass now. However, now with my G&K hybrid & MB Richard Bona Signature cabby, I get precisely what I want, so it's a moot matter of curiosity.
I Play Markbass... I have the classic 112 combo I use for rehearsals and small gigs and just recently decided to get an LMIII for my big rig which consists of 2 Aguilar GS112 cabs. The sound is shapable, musical, consistent and loud. Sterile? No way... the circuit has great tone shaping tools and is only sterile if you want it to be.
Sunn? Cant see the logo but 49 years ago I played trumpet in a combo with a guitarist using a Sunn. It looked liked that. My preference has been for hybrids lately, Hartke LH-500 & G&K Fusion. Haven't owned an all tube amp in decades
I love my NY604 cab so much that I wish I had a second one! They used some damn good B&C speakers in that little thing and I will happily replace them if they ever give up.
Amp wise, I don't think I'll ever buy another Markbass head. I have an F1 that is now a shelf piece because it crapped out without warning and I still haven't wanted to stomach the repair cost. I switched to GK and then Mesa after that and haven't looked back. With either of those brands I have little fear of anything ever going out or not being easily repaired.
Edit - Oh and I sanded the yellow off of the logo so the whole cab is now black. The yellow is a real stage distraction for me when I want to be low key with such a small setup.
Amp wise, I don't think I'll ever buy another Markbass head. I have an F1 that is now a shelf piece because it crapped out without warning and I still haven't wanted to stomach the repair cost. I switched to GK and then Mesa after that and haven't looked back. With either of those brands I have little fear of anything ever going out or not being easily repaired.
Edit - Oh and I sanded the yellow off of the logo so the whole cab is now black. The yellow is a real stage distraction for me when I want to be low key with such a small setup.
I got an LM III used as a backup amp. It is pretty glassy and clean, even compared to Eden and Genz Benz. I have found I really like it with one of my 112s when playing with acoustic instruments.
But honestly now I feel the cabinet has a lot more to do with the sound than the amp does.
But honestly now I feel the cabinet has a lot more to do with the sound than the amp does.
Markbass has always been garbage. They are a perfect example of how a horrible product can be a success if you are a marketing genius.
I owned a stack of Marshalls (8×12) an SVT (8×10) & it's questionable how those 70s cabs compair to an SWR Goliath (4×10) made in the 90s. But those old amps have no tweeter. My MB 122 sounds the same as the SWR, handles power: 800 watts continuously to SWRs 750 watts, but its SPL is only 102db to SWR's 105 db. (All brands fudge their specs) but it gets the job done.
I dig a clean palette to paint on. Markbass provides that. I love my Markbass gear. I don’t like Ampeg. But I don’t start threads about it. Maybe it’s ok that you like what you like and I like what I like?First time poster here and I apologize off the bat for a somewhat negative start but here goes - I have never had a single positive experience with Markbass gear. Am I missing something? I've owned MB gear on multiple occasions (Why? Because it kept getting recommended and i'm a sucker for yellow and black) and I've always been left disappointed by the sound i've gotten. I've owned combos, separates , pretty much every combination and i've sold it all. I recently moved to Epifani gear Pic 999 head with the TOUR 4 X 10 and I absolutely love it - Punchy , clean and tons of headroom. I would say definitely in the same price point as MB but really just blows MB away IMO. Tell me MB users - What's the big deal? Sacrilegious, i know
That is certainly an opinion
Not true... you are clearly trolling the thread.
If it's post warranty, it doesn't particularly matter if a shop is authorized or not. Since I work in a shop that is authorized for about 20 companies, I can tell you that in most cases being authorized has little to do with skill and much to do with how little you'll work for. We turned down MB for that very reason but work on plenty of MB's out of warranty.
I think I just answered your question.
I liked the light weight of the cabs, had the traveler 210 and traveler 115. Also the LMT800 head. Ultimately did not care much for the head, It would disappear in the mix too often, depending on what the guitarist had going on. One song you would hear fat, glorious, clear bass tone- the next song, I’d be scrambling to even hear myself at all- off and on all night. That ended for me when I started using Aguilar amps- now I’m heard through everything. Sold the MarkBass cabs too- now all Aguilar, not missing MarkBass- for me, Markbass in not all that, though I’ve heard others playing it live who sounded great, I just remember my struggles, and anyone who would ask my opinion would get a recommendation of Aguilar amps and cabs, IME, YMMV
I love my LM800. I’ve always been a fan of solid state heads and it has a great clear tone. My signal chain is jazz bass —> GK Plex —> Boss ODB-3 —> LM800 —> Hartke 410xl.
It makes sense to me all the SWR users posting they like MarkBass too.
If you're into a big big scoop with a boom in the far low end and high highs, it's really easy to get that on both SWR and MarkBass.
If you like a warm low mid, that's the exact opposite requirement, and they won't do that as well as some others. One amp, so strongly voiced, cannot be itself and its opposite.
Different strokes indeed
If you're into a big big scoop with a boom in the far low end and high highs, it's really easy to get that on both SWR and MarkBass.
If you like a warm low mid, that's the exact opposite requirement, and they won't do that as well as some others. One amp, so strongly voiced, cannot be itself and its opposite.
Different strokes indeed
OK but I find that shops willing & able to repair any brand have diminished. I was also making assumptions about the tech's familiarity with the product, & availability & ease of obtaining parts. Out here good amp techs are disappearing. There was one guy operating in Riverside who was a total fruitcake. I won't name his business but some TBF users from San Bernadino & Riverside area know who I'm talking about.
This does raise a new questioning concerning ease & cost of repair from one brand to the next.
I’ve been playing Markbass for over 15 years out in the real world and the reason I like Markbass so much is precisely because of the smooth low mid and the lack of boom and scoop.It makes sense to me all the SWR users posting they like MarkBass too.
If you're into a big big scoop with a boom in the far low end and high highs, it's really easy to get that on both SWR and MarkBass.
If you like a warm low mid, that's the exact opposite requirement, and they won't do that as well as some others. One amp, so strongly voiced, cannot be itself and its opposite.
Different strokes indeed
They are very unlike SWR in that regard. I hated my original SWR rig for disappearing in the mix due to the “scooped” character.
Smooth yet punchy Low mids are Markbass’ calling card.
I think your characterization is inaccurate
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