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Markbass Megathread PART 3
- Thread starter Kelly Lee
- Start date
[manic Jack Nicholson voice]... Here's Marky!![/manic Jack Nicholson voice]As is my custom, I've just ordered myself a sweet new bit of gear for Christmas.
It's a Markbass Traveller 151P, to go with my superb CMD102P combo. Nice and portable. I got a good deal as well, looking at UK prices elsewhere. I've paid £405, delivered (absolutemusic.co.uk £415, minus £10 for using Google checkout - cool).
I occasionally use a Hartke 115xl as an extension cab, but the dang thing is just too heavy. The sound of a 15 with the 102P is just great, though, and at 37lb for the Traveller compared to 63lb for the Hartke cab, I may be inclined to inflict this awesome combination on people at a few more gigs.
I toyed with the idea of a 151HR, but it's only 10lb lighter than the Hartke. If I was going to lug that around, there's no real advantage as weight is the issue here, not tone. I don't really know how a small and light 115 like the Traveller will compete with a hefty beast like the Hartke. Despite the stick some Hartke stuff gets on here, the 115xl is a really good unit (as is the equally heavy 2.5xl I was using with it before I got the Markbass combo).
But a 1x15 cab at 37lb plus a 2x10 combo at 44lb should make a super light rig for that speaker configuration, and as long as it's somewhere close to what I've been using I'll be very happy with it. I'll let you know how it turns out.
It has arrived! 38 hours from ordering to delivery - great service.
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Just spent a happy couple of hours with this beauty. Oh yes. As I said, I like to use an extension cab from time to time (ie, REALLY loud gigs). A 15 fills out the lows a little and the 4 ohm load means there's a bit more headroom available from the amp.
Well, I set this up as in the picture, but left the lead for the bottom cab just out of the socket. Turned on the combo and started playing on open E, moderate volume. Then reached over and plugged in the 15. HOLY FLYING **** ON A STICK!!!!!
Sorry to rave more about Markbass stuff, but this cab is... well... very, very good. It's real loud and punchy. It hasn't quite got the very smooth and deep extension of some bigger 15s that I've tried, but believe me it's pretty close. For a cab this size and weight (37 lb) it's exceptional and the perfect complement to the combo. I'm a happy bassist tonight.
I can easily carry this rig with the combo in one hand and the extension cab in the other as both boxes are incredibly portable. With bass in gig bag on my back and other bag for leads and stuff over my shoulder it's still a one trip carry. Not bad for a 210/115 setup. The guys in the band better bring ear plugs!!
So you want to go with an amp because they had a good one, over a floor model that was broken? My experience with GC is half of the stuff is broken or in bad shape. Knobs missing on basses and amps. jacks hanging out by their wires, etc.
When I tried some MB amps the other day I had to use the better of two lousy basses. I ended up playing a Geddy Lee Jazz with the strings a half inch over the fingerboard and an almost nonfunctioning bridge pickup.
I certainly wouldn't want to judge any products by what they have on the floor at GC!
GK's are nice, but all the MB's sounded better IMO, and I used to own an 800-RB, which had a bad high frequency power sully when I bought it new. Does that mean all 800-RB's aren't made well?
And what, you only have one GC in Nashville? I have 4 of them within an hours drive... and two of them are less than 20 minutes away.
300/500 Watts is lacking power? I gig with a 150 Watt Trace combo all the time. I'm usually asked to turn down a little.
12's are great with bass. The best bass cab I ever had was a 4X12 Vox. My new favorite can is a 1X12 Yamaha PA cab, with a horn.
I plan on making some 2X12 cabs and getting an F1.
(just as soon as I sell my Mesa 400+ and TE combo)
David, I should have never hooked my B-15N speaker to my combo. For one, I had to keep the volume way down. For two, you want to talk about rich and full in all frequencies?! I see why Hellborg is going with 15"s and 12"s in his Warwick rig.
But I still think I made the right choice. For live work, I think 2-12"s will be more to my liking. And if not, I think I'll just get a used 15" instead. Cab technology has been pretty awesome for years now, so it shouldn't be too hard to find one I like with the MB that won't hit me as hard as buying new. And then I'll spray paint the cone yellow
But I still think I made the right choice. For live work, I think 2-12"s will be more to my liking. And if not, I think I'll just get a used 15" instead. Cab technology has been pretty awesome for years now, so it shouldn't be too hard to find one I like with the MB that won't hit me as hard as buying new. And then I'll spray paint the cone yellow
+1!
To be fair, the older design 800RB is VERY different from the newer stuff like the 1001RB-II. I used to have a 1001RB-II and it served me VERY well for a good amount of time (until I replaced it with a TFB, but that's another story). I've never liked the 800, very dull sounding to my ears, voice all wrong for my taste, but the current 700/1001 amps are great (IMHO). However, I personally do like my LMII even better yet, but that may not be true for everyone.
YMMV/FWIW
B-15 cabs are nice. I had one once. Well I had the whole amp, but I used to use the cab (with a new JBL in it) along with an Acoustic head, and even my GK. I think they sound good because they aren't too big.
But I've had a lot of 2X15" cabs. That was pretty standard back in the 70's.
My original GK cabs were 2X12 and 1X18. That was a nice setup. I can see 2X12 and a 15 working well. Hell, the more I think about it a cab with a 15 and a 12 and a tweeter would be pretty cool. I'm just happy to see more 12's in bass amps these days. I was getting tired of 10's.
I have two EV 15's not doing anything... hmmmm.... (in Bill Shatner voice) got... to... make... a... cab....
But I've had a lot of 2X15" cabs. That was pretty standard back in the 70's.
My original GK cabs were 2X12 and 1X18. That was a nice setup. I can see 2X12 and a 15 working well. Hell, the more I think about it a cab with a 15 and a 12 and a tweeter would be pretty cool. I'm just happy to see more 12's in bass amps these days. I was getting tired of 10's.
I have two EV 15's not doing anything... hmmmm.... (in Bill Shatner voice) got... to... make... a... cab....
Hmmm...there's a thought...replace the CTS speaker in my B-15 with one that can handle 400w. But then I'd probably punch a hole in the CTS by poor storage methods.
I don't know why this idea of buying a 15" cab is gnawing at me like it does, but I see another credit card about to get maxed out
I don't know why this idea of buying a 15" cab is gnawing at me like it does, but I see another credit card about to get maxed out
Jimmy - trust me on this - you need one of these.
The bottom end is really loud and meaty - I can't believe they've done this with a cab so small, honestly. I was staggered by it. I've heard 15s go lower, but the ones that do it are much bigger and heavier than this.
For a cab you can carry easily to go with your little combo to release it's awesome power, you couldn't beat this. Sorry. Any chance you can change your mind before delivery?
Only trying to help, really. But I have to say I haven't tried the 12s so I may be overstating the advantages here.
The bottom end is really loud and meaty - I can't believe they've done this with a cab so small, honestly. I was staggered by it. I've heard 15s go lower, but the ones that do it are much bigger and heavier than this.
For a cab you can carry easily to go with your little combo to release it's awesome power, you couldn't beat this. Sorry. Any chance you can change your mind before delivery?
Only trying to help, really. But I have to say I haven't tried the 12s so I may be overstating the advantages here.
Why must thou tortureth me so? 
I'll tell you, much as I liked my B-15N with the 12" combo, there is no difference in the freq range of either cab except the 12" has a tweeter. They both go down to 40hz. So I think it's more a question of will I like my sound better with the 15" than the 12". I can say for sure that I'll like moving the 12" more, light as the 15" is. I think what I may need to do is take my combo down there and slave it to the display Mini CMD121P and the Berlin combo and see what I think. Hmmm, better act fast! it's 7!
On second thought, I already ordered the Tuki cover for the 12" cab and I already cancelled one order they shipped for the Nemesis combo I just bought and flipped.
I'll tell you, much as I liked my B-15N with the 12" combo, there is no difference in the freq range of either cab except the 12" has a tweeter. They both go down to 40hz. So I think it's more a question of will I like my sound better with the 15" than the 12". I can say for sure that I'll like moving the 12" more, light as the 15" is. I think what I may need to do is take my combo down there and slave it to the display Mini CMD121P and the Berlin combo and see what I think. Hmmm, better act fast! it's 7!
On second thought, I already ordered the Tuki cover for the 12" cab and I already cancelled one order they shipped for the Nemesis combo I just bought and flipped.
Putting a post here to let MB know that I would love to see them add their 500w power section to that Studio Pre that is coming out. That could possibly be a contender for an actual "SVT Killer". Anyone else think so?
A real deal SVT killer in every way? I doubt it, but I'm definitely encouraged that it can happen now.
I don't see what's so special about SVT's. I like my Mesa a lot better, and I'd trade that for a MB tomorrow!
SVT's are fine as long as you don't want to actually hear your bass... just the amp.
SVT's are fine as long as you don't want to actually hear your bass... just the amp.
Now see, you had me behind you until you started talking that foolishness about the glorious SVT
I've played a hundred SVT's and used to use a 400 when I played in an earlier band (they owned it, not me), and I really can't tell much of a difference once I dial in the sound I like. But since the SVT is the tube gold standard and not the Mesa, the SVT gets all the glory.
I've played a hundred SVT's and used to use a 400 when I played in an earlier band (they owned it, not me), and I really can't tell much of a difference once I dial in the sound I like. But since the SVT is the tube gold standard and not the Mesa, the SVT gets all the glory.
By "SVT Killer" I only meant that I actually prefer tube bite and distortion in my amp. I love the interation between my bass and a raging tube amp. If I could get close to that in a 10 pound head, that would be the ultimate to me.
The MarkBass Studio Pre looks awesome - 1 chanel with THREE types of distortion and the ability to blend that with a clean chanel with a tube pre amp. If they would do an amplified version of that, I think they would have an amzing rock amp going.
The MarkBass Studio Pre looks awesome - 1 chanel with THREE types of distortion and the ability to blend that with a clean chanel with a tube pre amp. If they would do an amplified version of that, I think they would have an amzing rock amp going.
They probably will do a head version of the Studio Pre eventually if it proves to be popular. All I'll say is I've yet to hear a SS or hybrid head that does power tube breakup as well as tubes, but I hold out hope for the Studio Pre. At the very least, I bet it gets closer to that goal than most.
to all.
I went to buy MB...... just can't afford it..... I got the next best thing for my $.
sorry for starting somthing... not what I wanted....
I went to buy MB...... just can't afford it..... I got the next best thing for my $.
sorry for starting somthing... not what I wanted....
I think what you're hearing is the output transformer breaking up. SS amps don't have one.
Check out the review in BassPlayer on the new Warwick Jonas Hellborg amp. It's a SS amp built like a tube amp... output transformer and all.
It's also outrageously expensive!
I think where I'm coming from was growing up with bass amps where you couldn't get a clean tone if your life depended on it! They were big, under powered, and just not very good. My first "real" amp was a B-15N. Great tone, but hardly loud enough to play with a drummer.
Regarding the Mesa vs. the SVT. The Mesa is 500 Watts, the SVT is only 300. The Mesa has 12 6L6's in there. What I don't like about the SVT is the preamp, especially the tone stack. When I bought my 400+ I was looking for an SVT (they weren't making them back then), but I didn't like any of the used heads I tried.
The only reason I don't use the Mesa any more is it's too heavy! 45 Lbs for that sucker... and that's not counting the way too heavy 4X10 cab (with Eden speakers).
My 50 year old back can't lug this stuff around anymore...
