Markbass Schematics

[iriegnome]

I am sorry, can a moderator please close this thread. It has gone way off course and it is getting very unneeded posts.
Thank you

 

[Jaco who?]

Here's my point, that you may have missed above.....techs get paid by the hour. If it takes you longer to work on a MB head than the average head, then you get paid for that time. It isn't wasted time, because you are paid for your time. So long as your client agrees to pay the additional time, you've lost nothing. So to make a stand and refuse to work on MB gear, simply because they won't give you a schematic is taking money out of your pocket.

BUT see the thing is, "B" won't be just spending more time on the MB head, unless you think of infinity as a unit of time. Unless there is something blatently obvious to the naked eye, without schematics, he'd spend infinity staring at it and accomplish nothing.

The way I see it, if iriegnome voting with his pocket book becomes common enough, MarkBass will change there policy, and if it doesn't, they won't, and there isn't a heck of a lot anyone can do about it.

 

[Jim C]

Here's a last thought from a very happy MB owner who wishes the factory would offer a schematic:

Perhaps the factory thinks this policy is a bad one, but, is bound by an agreement by their exclusive importer who wants to have 100% guaranteed, exclusive, repair work.

Just a thought and one that is not based on any facts; would like the factory to be the good guys on this and just explain their position.

 

[B String]

I keep going back to Walter Woods. I don't think he'd give you
a schematic even if you put a gun to his head. And even if he
did, you couldn't buy most of the parts he gets anyway.

I don't know know jack...but maybe (maybe) Markbass has
a number of their parts made especially for them like Woods
does, so it wouldn't matter even if you has the schematic.
I'm just throwing it out there.
I just play the notes. I don't build the gear.

 

[Red Planet]

techs get paid by the hour. If it takes you longer to work on a MB head than the average head, then you get paid for that time. It isn't wasted time, because you are paid for your time.

Customers rarely come in with wads of cash ready to pay "whatever it takes" to repair a product. They usually expect repairs at a very reasonable final bill.

 

[B-string]

Customers rarely come in with wads of cash ready to pay "whatever it takes" to repair a product. They usually expect repairs at a very reasonable final bill.

AMEN!

 

[TheWolf]

Nobody found the Schematics on the internet yet? I did for the Little Mark II and Combo 2005 edition. I will try finding the LM 800 now

 

[PhatBasstard]

Nobody found the Schematics on the internet yet? I did for the Little Mark II and Combo 2005 edition. I will try finding the LM 800 now

Probably because they are essentially the same head and now discontinued. Thus, Markbass may not be too worried about those anymore. Post it if you find any others though.

 

[Flipflop Mojo]

More power to you if MB trusts your brother and brother-in-law as much as you do to send them the schematic.

I bet Markbass as guidance on substitute parts they could share if they wanted.

More power to you if MB trusts your brother and brother-in-law as much as you do to send them the schematic.

I bet Markbass as guidance on substitute parts they could share if they wanted.

Many years later I am the owner of a nice MarkBass that suddenly stopped working out of warranty, but it's infinitely harder for the local tech to fix because they cannot get a schematic. This will make me think twice about buying a MarkBass product again. It is strange to find someone commenting as though having a schematic were not an obvious help in making a repair.

 

[SJan3]

Many years later I am the owner of a nice MarkBass that suddenly stopped working out of warranty, but it's infinitely harder for the local tech to fix because they cannot get a schematic. This will make me think twice about buying a MarkBass product again. It is strange to find someone commenting as though having a schematic were not an obvious help in making a repair.

How many years later? My LM3 gave me 12 faultless years and then suffered power board issues. In my mind, I got my money's worth out of my LM3 and didn't hesitate to buy a BIG BANG and NANO MARK 300.
A matter of perception but when I look at the cost of the amp over those 12 years, it was literally pennies per day and really owes me nothing. That amp made me many $$$ over the years. I wasn't mad when it quit.
I was sad that I lost my ol friend.

 

[seamonkey]

Many years later I am the owner of a nice MarkBass that suddenly stopped working out of warranty, but it's infinitely harder for the local tech to fix because they cannot get a schematic. This will make me think twice about buying a MarkBass product again. It is strange to find someone commenting as though having a schematic were not an obvious help in making a repair.

I'm actually a huge proponent of "Right to Repair"
Manufacturer's should share schematics, service manuals, and parts, to allow independent service/repair shops to repair gear.

Contact your legislature or search on Right to Repair and how you can get involved.

Don't buy new unless the manufacturer is shows their willingness to support you in the future. There is nothing sacred in 10-15 year old gear that shouldn't be shared to allow someone to fix it if the OEM is not willing to.

 

[byacey]

I'm actually a huge proponent of "Right to Repair"
Manufacturer's should share schematics, service manuals, and parts, to allow independent service/repair shops to repair gear.

Especially when the original manufacturer refuses to offer any long term service support.

I think it's ludicrous to replace an expensive circuit board assembly because service information isn't available to help a technician locate and replace what could amount to $.67 worth of parts.

 

[byacey]

How many years later? My LM3 gave me 12 faultless years and then suffered power board issues. In my mind, I got my money's worth out of my LM3 and didn't hesitate to buy a BIG BANG and NANO MARK 300.
A matter of perception but when I look at the cost of the amp over those 12 years, it was literally pennies per day and really owes me nothing. That amp made me many $$$ over the years. I wasn't mad when it quit.
I was sad that I lost my ol friend.

Should service information have been available, your old friend might have still been at your side.

 

[SJan3]

Should service information have been available, your old friend might have still been at your side.

There's no secret as to what was wrong. It was the power board and considering the cost of repair/replacement I opted for new amps. I could have had it fixed but chose to move on.

 

[byacey]

I keep going back to Walter Woods. I don't think he'd give you
a schematic even if you put a gun to his head. And even if he
did, you couldn't buy most of the parts he gets anyway.

I don't know know jack...but maybe (maybe) Markbass has
a number of their parts made especially for them like Woods
does, so it wouldn't matter even if you has the schematic.
I'm just throwing it out there.
I just play the notes. I don't build the gear.

What happens when Walter is gone? Should his customers bury their amps too? I doubt that he uses that many proprietary parts.

 

[byacey]

There's no secret as to what was wrong. It was the power board and considering the cost of repair/replacement I opted for new amps. I could have had it fixed but chose to move on.

I'm not familiar with these amps, but in many others I have repaired, often a single shorted transistor is all that the problem was.

 

[SJan3]

I'm not familiar with these amps, but in many others I have repaired, often a single shorted transistor is all that the problem was.

Well that's great. When you become familiar with this amp, you can quit speculating and offer a fact based diagnosis.

 

[byacey]

Well that's great. When you become familiar with this amp, you can quit speculating and offer a fact based diagnosis.

The point I was making is repair cost vs swapping a board module, assumming they are available.

 

[B String]

The point I was making is repair cost vs swapping a board module, assumming they are available.

The problem for some buyers is that Walter has used many proprietary parts that are specific to his amps, that you just can't get anymore. Before he moved from the Palm Springs area, I'd go hang with him every so often. (I truly miss his wife) Anyway.... I had one of his more powerful amps. I brought it over with me just to make sure it was all good. He told me to sell it, even though it was in perfect shape because one of the main parts he would need to repair it wasn't being made anywhere anymore. Sort of like my Markbass F500 amp. A few years back mine broke. I was told I got the last repair part for it in America, maybe in the world. Really good head, but that part just isn't made anymore because they were only made for that one amplifier.

 

[agedhorse]

The issue of unavailable parts affects every manufacturer and every class/type of product and has been accelerating as parts that were once considered standard are withdrawn from the market.

There are a few parts I can no longer get for some of my earliest designs because they aren't available anywhere at any price.

If you think it's bad in bass amps, you ought to see what's happening in the home entertainment and digital (computer, IT, communication) worlds