Good news! Yea, I don't think the AG1000 was designed with upright in mind but good that it serves that purpose as well (with NOBLE help).
I'll bet your Sadowsky is a great match!
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MarkBass LittleMark IV?
- Thread starter SJan3
- Start date
I'll bet your Sadowsky is a great match!
I have a Little Mark IV and I'm kind of liking it but not going wow about it yet. I agree about the looks and logos everywhere, I don't get it. The other thing that irritate's me is the on/off switch. The word 'off' is above the switch and the word 'on' is to the right of the switch and in the yellow strip. They could of kept it consistent and put the 'on' under the switch.
I know this is a old thread, but I'm curious if there are any updates. I'm currently shopping, and considering the Little Mark IV vs. the 58R, and also debating between a combo or head/cab. I haven't shopped in several years and I'm replacing a Rumble 400.
I tried the LittleMark IV first but returned it due to a subtle high pitched whine. Got the 58R recently and find I prefer it other than the need for a less common Speakon jack. But it also accepts TWO 1/4" jacks as well.
I think the LM4 is the past for MarkBass, the LM58R series their future.
Guitar Center currently has the Little Mark 58R on sale for $510. I recently bought two. One went in my old (April 2014, early Indonesian) 121P Combo replacing the dead/unrepairable Combo II head. It was a super-easy swap: just peel off the feet (they came off a little too easily actually), tap with M4-0.7 threads the four sockets already provided in the top of the case, slide it in, replace the four affixing screws. No need to remove the top-panel. For Combo-use I really like that the efx loop and DI out are on the front panel.
While I had the amp on the bench I swapped-in and tried both a Eminence Deltalite II 2512 and an Eminence Basslite S2012. The Deltalite was not a sonic improvement ...and actually produced a bit of a mechanical "pop" when pushed... (and while it fit the hole, the o.d. of the Deltalite cast frame would have required that the 121P grill be trimmed to be re-used). The Basslite S2012 now in my 121P is a noticeable sonic upgrade and reduced the weight of my 121P combo from 25lbs 15oz to 23lbs 6oz. That's a weight reduction of 2lbs 7oz which is the exact weight difference between the Basslite 12 and the "Yellow Line 12LVY1-8" that it replaced.
I actually had taken my 121P combo to Guitar Center a month ago and tried a Little Mark IV head patched into it and was underwhelmed enough that I didn't see justifying spending the money. I know some folks have said they didn't notice much sonic difference between the Little Mark IV and the 58R. Having never owned a LMIV I'm probably not a good guage, but I think the 58R is a fine example of what "the Markbass thing" can be. I know my "hot-rodded" 121P is giving me a thrill. I even actually like the ABS case and it's slightly "softer" edges. ...Markbass may want to re-assess the "compatibility with ABS" regarding the adhesive on those feet though.
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Guitar Center currently has the Little Mark 58R on sale for $510. I recently bought two. One went in my old (April 2014, early Indonesian) 121P Combo replacing the dead/unrepairable Combo II head. It was a super-easy swap: just peel off the feet (they came off a little too easily actually), tap with M4-0.7 threads the four sockets already provided in the top of the case, slide it in, replace the four affixing screws. No need to remove the top-panel. For Combo-use I really like that the efx loop and DI out are on the front panel.
While I had the amp on the bench I swapped-in and tried both a Eminence Deltalite II 2512 and an Eminence Basslite S2012. The Deltalite was not a sonic improvement ...and actually produced a bit of a mechanical "pop" when pushed... (and while it fit the hole, the o.d. of the Deltalite cast frame would have required that the 121P grill be trimmed to be re-used). The Basslite S2012 now in my 121P is a noticeable sonic upgrade and reduced the weight of my 121P combo from 25lbs 15oz to 23lbs 6oz. That's a weight reduction of 2lbs 7oz which is the exact weight difference between the Basslite 12 and the "Yellow Line 12LVY1-8" that it replaced.
I actually had taken my 121P combo to Guitar Center a month ago and tried a Little Mark IV head patched into it and was underwhelmed enough that I didn't see justifying spending the money. I know some folks have said they didn't notice much sonic difference between the Little Mark IV and the 58R. Having never owned a LMIV I'm probably not a good guage, but I think the 58R is a fine example of what "the Markbass thing" can be. I know my "hot-rodded" 121P is giving me a thrill. I even actually like the ABS case and it's slightly "softer" edges. ...Markbass may want to re-assess the "compatibility with ABS" regarding the adhesive on those feet though.
This is my other inner-debate: spend extra on the head/cab, or just do the combo. It's mostly basement practice and will rarely be transported. And obviously tone is important. The "Pure" combo had been recommended on a different thread, so that's another I'm considering in the CMD 102 Pure also. Price may be a factor, but it's not a deal breaker at this point.
I like having options. My newly-enhanced 121P is now viable option as a grab-and-go that I don't worry as much about running out of steam if a "small jam situation gets a little bigger" than I anticipated.
Honestly, they're all pretty darned good.
I think the CMD102P that can be pitched back as a monitor would merit a strong look, especially if you're not moving it.
It is on SALE at Guitar Center for $949. For a couple hundy more you get 2x10"s. They will outperform the 1x12" in the volume dept.
I agree on the CMD102P. I have one that I got new in 2012, Italian mfg, Combo II head, I don't know if it has pre-Yellow Line drivers, I never looked. I currently have it at a rehearsal space (classic rock-ish) where it's pushed pretty hard. I do have a Broughton HPF on it probably set about 50hz. It performs well and everybody thinks it sounds great. I always liked it better than my CMD 121P (when imy 121P also had a Combo II head in it). If you don't mind the size and the kickback format (I like kickbacks), I think the old 102Ps are pretty exceptional for a bass combo amp. (I don't have any experience with the newer version 102Ps.)
I demoed the 58R amp and thought the tone was dryer and more slamming than what I would expect out the Little Mark series. It might be due to the EQ points.
I had a Markbass F500 a long time ago and the 58R reminded me of that. I thought the 58R was a nice sounding amp however.
I also thought the 58R amp was not as warm sounding as the Little Mark Vintage which is an interesting amp. I was expecting something warm and tubby, from the Little Mark Vintage but I perceived it as rather transparent or less voiced than the Little Mark amps of the past.
Nothing wrong with the Little Mark bass either, I personally like warm sounding amp. At this point if I needed that kind of power, I think I would lean toward the Little Mark Vintage, it's a really nice sounding amp and it delivers a lot of value for the price point.
One last thought, and this more of an aesthetic question. The new models don't have the fur. Am I going to regret buying a fuzzy combo amp? It's not going to get heavy road use, and I take care of my things, but you never know.
Every once in a while I take a piece of shipping tape and blot the cab. Picks up dust, pet hair etc. And you can certainly vacuum it as well. I never saw the big deal and I find the fur more durable than some vinyl covers that look terrible when torn.
That's a good point, actually. My relatively new Fender Rumble that never leaves my basement has some noticeable slices in it for some reason.
I tend to prefer rat fur on a combo because I can 'Velcro' things to it: Like my HPF or an occasional compressor. I'd rather have the knobs within easy reach and not on the floor. Velcro so I won't drag it off, and it stays put even on the side or on a tiltback.
