• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

MARK BASS OR AMPEG?

#41
The reason I got going with Markbass was because it was the best thing I found that was the lightest in weight. I have a 40 lb. cut-off for what I'll carry. The reviews were good, so I took the chance. I would, however, LIKE to also have an Ampeg. Too late, though, unless we come into some money. My wife would put bumps on my head with that new skillet.
 
#44
How strong is your back feeling today?:D

I have both. LM II and a NY604 Cab for practice.

SVT6-Pro and 2x 410 Mesa Powerhouse cabs for Gigs.

I bought the LM stuff after seeing a friend's son and his band. We were sitting to the side and I couldn't see his rig but I was totally impressed with the sound. When I got around the front of the stage what do I see? a LM 112 combo. Couldn't believe it.

But in terms of stage presence I like the look of the 2 x 410's and in the big picture the tone is much, much better.
 
#45
Do you want the Ampeg sound?

I recently switched from LMII to SVT 7 Pro. I thought the LMII was the greatest thing ever until I plugged in the VT Bass in front of it. That made me realize the sound in my head is actually Ampeg's, not Markbass's. I returned the VT, and got the SVT 7 instead. I've been absolutely satified since. The LMII worked great as a flat reference amp, but I guess I wanted the Ampeg sound all along.
 
#46
I have a LMIII that I pair with an Avatar410 and I also have a MB cmd121p that has slowly become my main gig rig. It's always been enough for stage volume, and it can carry a lot of the bars/clubs that I play on it's own. If not, I also have the matching ny12 extension cab. I LOVE mark bass gear, and my back does, too!
 
#47
i have run both rigs & love my Markbass way more. but i think it is because of my MTD bass. in the ampeg the MTD sounds really really boomy with really tinny highs, absolutley no definition. i don't care what settings i use i think it sounds like trash. now plug a P bass in & that ampeg sounds amazing. but i don't like fenders so......... i searched & searched until i found MB. i had what i was looking for as soon as i plugged it in. so i am sticking with Markbass cause i love my Suzy (my mtd) more than any amp
 
#51
I was an Ampeg fan through and through until my last summertime outdoor gig. It was HOT and the Ampeg gear (SVT-CL/SVT-810) was HEAVY!
Some friends have been raving about the Markbass gear...how good it sounds and how light it is. So I went out and got a Markbass "Little Mark II" amp, 102p and 151t cabinets and was blown away! This stuff is awesome! Maybe...maybe the Ampeg stuff has more stadium filling brute power, but for 95% of the gigs that 99% of us play the Markbass gear is perfect.
So, now my Ampeg "Fridge" rig is in the corner awaiting my next stadium gig. My new Markbass rig is going with me everywhere and "gigs" are so much more fun now I can't believe it. Also my drummer now says he can hear me better through the mix...much clearer for him to hear.
Bottom line, I'm still married toAmpeg and will always have it for when I really need it, but Markbass is my new hot girlfriend!
 
#52
I used to own a markbass LMII and one of their 210's. It was a great amp and the cab was so so for a 210. My thing was I always like the Ampeg sound. My only real gripe with my markbass stuff was that it didn't sound like an Ampeg. I love my SVT 7 Pro. The sound you want will be the deciding factor for you.
 
#54
I went with Markbass because I felt like I could get a better scooped, sparkly, modern tone with it. It cops a pretty decent Ampeg IMO, but the versatility is where it shines. I like the Portaflex heads plenty, but the MB stuff just impressed me more in a side-by-side comparison. That's just my personal prefernce though. To each his own.
 
#55
Really happy w/ my LMII, but those PF heads do sound great. I'd be psyched to gig w/ one - if I need another head a PF (and maybe a TH500 ;)) will probably be the only place I look.

Now as far as cabs go - I might always gas over a MB NY212 . . .the flip top thing looks cool, but a single 15 holds no appeal and 2 seems like just too much weight wise, I'd rather have 2 112's. ymmv
 
#58
I have a Markbass head, SD800. Probably going to sell it soon. Nothing wrong with it, great head, but in the end I find it lacks some "character", don't ask me to describe it, just what it is to my ears. I have become a proponent of the cab is the biggest factor in the equation. That being said both ampeg and markbass cabs have underwhelmed me, well the exception is the Ampeg 8x10 and 4x10 offerings. To make a bigger mess my favorite "off the shelf" cabs right now are Genz Benz followed by Warwick. A distant third is SWR, but it really depends which SWR cab we are talking about here.

Ken
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back