Markbass Help

[ZombieBassist]

Hey guys

So ive recently been looking at getting a new amp, specifically a markbass one. Ive played off of them before and I honestly love the sound. I pretty much fell in love with them, and really look forward to upgrading to one from my current P.O.S. line 6 one. I have the bass I've always wanted, the Traben Array Limited, and now I wanna get an amp to fit it.

I am a little bit lost on what exactly I should get. I was looking at getting a getting a little mark 800 tube head, but Im wondering is it really worth another $200 from the Little mark III head? plus tack on another $500 for a standard mark bass 151HR cab and im at about $1,200 (probably around the highest price I'll go)

Now Im wondering if I should just get a markbass combo amp similar to it and save a few hundred bucks. Im in highschool, so to me $1000 is a ton of money. I have about $600 saved up now, so I could get the combo a few months before I could get the head/cab setup. Would it be worth it to just cave into it?

Also, I am a bit new to these kinds of amps. If i understand correctly, you buy the head which handles, in short, the general tone of your base then the cab to plug the head into and export the sound. I've spent the past few years playing off of a Line 6 150w solid state so Im not used to this kind of setup.

 

[leehoop]

are you gigging regularly? do you really need 800 watts? that's what you need to ask yourself. sounds like the combo will be fine.

 

[jasonmasters]

Just get a combo and then add to it later. 500 watts is all you need. if you need to be louder you should have a PA available to plug into, and the Markbass heads have a PA-out. So you should be all set. Try and get a Jeff Berlin combo. this way you get a 15 inch speaker that can handle being pushed a little while you're waiting to add an extension cab. I've owned a markbass 1x12 combo and a 2x10. The 1x12 was great,but the 2x10 really didn't have the low end handling by itself. It's better as an extension cab.

 

[FromTheBassMent]

Just get a combo and then add to it later.

This ^^^. I've got the CMD121P, which pumps 300w into the integral 12" speaker, and I LOVE the sound I'm getting with my Warwick and EBMM Stingray fretless (both 5-string). With my current band I'm the loudest guy on the stage, or at least potentially the loudest.

I'm going to be starting soon with a larger band (with keys and horns), and I plan to add an 8 ohm extension cabinet, which will allow the amp to open up to a full 500 watts. Anybody who needs more volume than that should send a direct signal to the PA!

Seriously though, after 30+ years of bass playing and schlepping around a lot of HEAVY gear, this setup is amazing. For most gigs I grab my bass, gig bag and Markbass combo and it's one trip from the car to the stage. And I seriously feel I have the best tone I've ever had (and I've had Eden and Ampeg SVT rigs).

BTW, Guitar Center runs a deal periodically (it's going on until the end of the day Sunday) where if you trade something in they'll give you 15% off of what you buy. Trade in your Line 6 and the Markbass combo drops from $900 to $765... plus they might even give you a few bucks for the Line 6 (just don't hope for a lot!).