Is Markbass really all that??

[jeff7bass]

I like the look, especially the Randy Jackson models. What I didn't like was the whole secretive driver swap when they dropped B&C drivers. They made it a point to advertise these drivers for years, for good reason.

 

[-Stingray]

Meh......everyone is going to have a different experience.

I have a Markbass amp, but it's my small-gig/backup. I actually like the black and yellow theme. But from personal experience I can tell you the support is lacking, and I see enough failures being mentioned......which leaves me concerned about longevity and support.

Had MB moved operations to the east AND reduced prices I would have been OK with the decision. But they didn't. Too much profit motive at the cost of the consumer.

Would prefer to spend my money on American manufacturers like GK or Mesa.

 

[nucman]

Is there an authorized MB service center in the states that does post warranty repairs?

Yes

 

[wsclesky]

I have been super happy with my Little Mark Tube 800 and 2 1x12 cabinets. I personally go for a more tight and punchy sound, but she will give you a great range of sounds. The only quirk I have found is that if the VPF is turned past 12:00 while playing at band level, the amp will go into protect mode and shut down. Pain in the ass if that is the sound you are going for. I keep it around 11:00 and will not shut off.

 

[IamGroot]

I walked into GC maybe 10 or 12 years ago, tried a MB LMII and fell in love immediately. Still a fave now.
I also like pre Fender SWR, GK and Ampeg. In fact, I can live with most common amps/cabs.

Fender Rumbles and Orange are meh for me, but get I stuck playing those on college stages.

If its Peavey or Crate, just force a smile and play.

 

[gary mitchell]

View attachment 3331183 I really like my MarkBass Jeff Berlin !51p, I have had since 2010 and still use it. I also have used it with an Aguilar 210 cab and the 15 B&C in my MarkBass it sounded it awesome to me I sold the 210 cab and now use my MarkBass. My 2 favorite amps are MarkBass and SWR. At church I use a SWR 350 head and a SWR 410 cab. If I had to choose between the 2 , I am a big fan of SWR.Its to bad they quit making SWR.

I was playing a SWR 750 head a 18in cab and a Aguilar 210, then i got rid of the 18 and went to a 15 EV cab. I am 68 years old and at 64, I got tired of lugging it all around. So I bought the MarkBass Jeff Berlin 151p some times i would use the 210, I sold the 210 and now If I play a gig , the Markbass Jeff Berlin is enough by itself.

 

[joel406]

I’ve tried Mark Bass.

If they were “all that” I would be using them.

They aren’t.

I use GK.

They are.

All that.

And a bag of... well whatever.

Sorry.

Snoopy dance.

 

[searayus1]

I've tried MB equipment in the store and I wasn't overly impressed. Fender forever.

 

[Michedelic]

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

I don't like their stuff, very sterile sounding and they are the most hideous looking amps ever made IMHO. Remember the band Stryper?

View attachment 3331026

Aaaahhhggg! Shoot me now!

LOL! Yes I do remember them! I did a semi-accurate version of their look for Halloween one year back in the day. Good times.

View attachment 3332988

A bit late to the party but can somebody tell me what wizardry the geezer below is displaying??

View attachment 3334314

It goes further back than that...

 

[Zbysek]

I have been using early Little Mark III together with two Traveler 102P cabs as my main rig for several years. It served me well. Also, I often got compliments from bassists using my gear on shared stages.

I sold the cabs just recently as I have several others which I will be using (Epi, Berg, Genz Benz).

Still, I am keeping the LMIII head as I really like it.

 

[Zbysek]

However, I don't like their amps at all. Getting overdrive out of them seems impossible.

The amps are not designed to overdrive, AFAIK.

Unless we speak of Little Mark Rocker 500, of course...

 

[chris_b]

The amps are not designed to overdrive, AFAIK.

I'd say that was operator error.

If anyone wants overdrive. . . . get a pedal.

 

[el murdoque]

Markbass.
They basically invented the super small super loud bass amps and they made them yellow.
I've owned and gigged a LMII head and played numerous other MB amps over the years.

Not to step on anyone's toes here, but I found that Markbass gear is quite direct and unforgiving.
This means that both you'll have a hard time making a bad bass sound good and you'll have a hard time getting away with sloppy playing. They articulate the lows very dry and with very little mud and have strong highs, giving the bass tones quite a clearly distinguished outline. I personally know of some folks that disliked MB gear for these features. Either their terrible sounding bass sounded terrible or their playing sounded terrible because years of muddy low end made them play sloppy - both valid reasons to have a strong dislike towards the result of them playing MB gear.

I totally get that people complain about these amps sounding too sterile, though. They kinda do - and you either like it or you don't.
I like that sound a lot when I play metal with super distorted guitars. Instead of adding to the mud, I aim for a very clean sound in these scenarios and I found the way a MB head keeps the low end tight, even on a bass with a B string, very pleasing.
I have other heads for when I want a warm and wooly blanket draped over the listeners' earballs.

 

[Zbysek]

Markbass.
They basically invented the super small super loud bass amps and they made them yellow.
I've owned and gigged a LMII head and played numerous other MB amps over the years.

Not to step on anyone's toes here, but I found that Markbass gear is quite direct and unforgiving.
This means that both you'll have a hard time making a bad bass sound good and you'll have a hard time getting away with sloppy playing. They articulate the lows very dry and with very little mud and have strong highs, giving the bass tones quite a clearly distinguished outline. I personally know of some folks that disliked MB gear for these features. Either their terrible sounding bass sounded terrible or their playing sounded terrible because years of muddy low end made them play sloppy - both valid reasons to have a strong dislike towards the result of them playing MB gear.

I totally get that people complain about these amps sounding too sterile, though. They kinda do - and you either like it or you don't.
I like that sound a lot when I play metal with super distorted guitars. Instead of adding to the mud, I aim for a very clean sound in these scenarios and I found the way a MB head keeps the low end tight, even on a bass with a B string, very pleasing.
I have other heads for when I want a warm and wooly blanket draped over the listeners' earballs.

Nicely put.

I don't find my LM III sterile though. Sometimes, I don't even find it very clean sounding.

That being said, I don't feel a need for a head which would bring too much warmth or colour. There are so many pedal preamps out there these days, that one can use to achieve certain colour or warmth. What I want and need from an amp is power and reliability. I get that from my LM III.

 

[IamGroot]

Markbass.
They basically invented the super small super loud bass amps and they made them yellow.
I've owned and gigged a LMII head and played numerous other MB amps over the years.

Not to step on anyone's toes here, but I found that Markbass gear is quite direct and unforgiving.
This means that both you'll have a hard time making a bad bass sound good and you'll have a hard time getting away with sloppy playing. They articulate the lows very dry and with very little mud and have strong highs, giving the bass tones quite a clearly distinguished outline. I personally know of some folks that disliked MB gear for these features. Either their terrible sounding bass sounded terrible or their playing sounded terrible because years of muddy low end made them play sloppy - both valid reasons to have a strong dislike towards the result of them playing MB gear.

I totally get that people complain about these amps sounding too sterile, though. They kinda do - and you either like it or you don't.
I like that sound a lot when I play metal with super distorted guitars. Instead of adding to the mud, I aim for a very clean sound in these scenarios and I found the way a MB head keeps the low end tight, even on a bass with a B string, very pleasing.
I have other heads for when I want a warm and wooly blanket draped over the listeners' earballs.

+1 Amen
Getting ready to pull the trigger on a Hathor for my LM II

 

[David Lakin]

The GC thing is weird to me too. In the UK it would be rare to walk into a shop with a bass department where there wasn’t a Markbass display. Not all carry Ashdown, Ampeg or Orange but you’re pretty much guaranteed Markbass, even in the independent music shops.

*edit*
That explains it.

Don’t let the GC thing put you off. If the bass Gallery in London (where the famous folk go, like Pino, Guy Pratt and Victor Wooten) sell Markbass, it has to be a good product.

The whole thing about GC

The GC thing is weird to me too. In the UK it would be rare to walk into a shop with a bass department where there wasn’t a Markbass display. Not all carry Ashdown, Ampeg or Orange but you’re pretty much guaranteed Markbass, even in the independent music shops.

*edit*
That explains it.

Don’t let the GC thing put you off. If the bass Gallery in London (where the famous folk go, like Pino, Guy Pratt and Victor Wooten) sell Markbass, it has to be a good product.

The whole thing with GC is wherever they’ve moved into, they tend to force the mom and pops out of business. Some GC employees are very knowledgeable, but most don’t have a clue. I hardly ever buy anything from Guitar Center I mostly support the mom and pops in my area.

 

[rocklee]

I use a Little Mark 250 Blackline that my wife bought for me last year and love it, works great for me.

View attachment 3331411

Also, when you have a WIFE that will buy you musical gear, you cherish that equipment!!!

 

[Frodolicious]

My most important gear rule is that I never sell things that are gifts from loved ones, and those are the things I tend to use the most

 

[bbh]

I had a couple of different markbass heads and found them quite usable and widely adjustable running through 4 x 10 swr or Hartke cabs. Never has their spkr cabs though.
I do like my 1200 watt genz Benz head better though.

 

[TrevorG]

Markbass.
They basically invented the super small super loud bass amps and they made them yellow.
I've owned and gigged a LMII head and played numerous other MB amps over the years.

Not to step on anyone's toes here, but I found that Markbass gear is quite direct and unforgiving.
This means that both you'll have a hard time making a bad bass sound good and you'll have a hard time getting away with sloppy playing. They articulate the lows very dry and with very little mud and have strong highs, giving the bass tones quite a clearly distinguished outline. I personally know of some folks that disliked MB gear for these features. Either their terrible sounding bass sounded terrible or their playing sounded terrible because years of muddy low end made them play sloppy - both valid reasons to have a strong dislike towards the result of them playing MB gear.

I totally get that people complain about these amps sounding too sterile, though. They kinda do - and you either like it or you don't.
I like that sound a lot when I play metal with super distorted guitars. Instead of adding to the mud, I aim for a very clean sound in these scenarios and I found the way a MB head keeps the low end tight, even on a bass with a B string, very pleasing.
I have other heads for when I want a warm and wooly blanket draped over the listeners' earballs.

Wow. Suspect you've got to the heart of the issue there. I personally don't know players that like a woolly sound but it is a relevant as any other sound. I love Markbass for not hiding my mistakes because that way I get rid of them but each to their own!