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Narrowed-Down Amp Head Recommendations

DaleyKD

DaleyKD

Oct 19, 2010
94
4
Anna, TX
#1
So, the MarkBass Little Mark III I was going to buy was purchased before me. This puts me in quite a predicament.

With a budget of ~$400, any recommendations for an amp would be greatly appreciated. I've heard recommendations for the LMIII, GK MB series, and GB Shuttle. I would love to find an amp that allows for a nice, smooth-flowing, warm tone.

The amp would be going into a custom 2x10" 8 ohm cab, with the desire to add a second 2x10" (or 1x12") when necessary.

Love learning from you guys; thanks in advance.
 
#4
I was in the same boat as you not too long ago and I was really looking forward to checking out the markbass little mark iii and heard awesome things about it but when I tried it, i hated it, that's just my opinion though. I felt like there was no control over the tone. In the end I shelled out the extra cash and got a gk 700rb mark ii. You might be able to find one used closer to your price range.
 
#5
CL400Peavey said:
Who is building/designing the 210 you are going to be using?
Click to expand...
So, I'd LOVE to find a fEARful 2x10 design (if there is one, I'm TOTALLY overlooking it). My friend and I were going to build it (if it sucks, then I threw away money, but I would have learned some carpentry skills in the process). My buddy has built many-a-cab, so I'm not concerned about that aspect.

EDIT: I see that there's a fEARless F210 model, but I liked the idea of having a sealed cab.
 
#6
DaleyKD said:
So, I'd LOVE to find a fEARful 2x10 design (if there is one, I'm TOTALLY overlooking it). My friend and I were going to build it (if it sucks, then I threw away money, but I would have learned some carpentry skills in the process). My buddy has built many-a-cab, so I'm not concerned about that aspect.
Click to expand...

Nope, no fEARful 210. Only the fEARless F210 which is AB only.

Are you looking to build this as a combo?
 
#8
DaleyKD said:
Forgive me, but I'm not sure what "AB only" means.

As for building it as a combo: if you mean "am I going to put the head in the box," the answer is no. Otherwise, I'm not sure what you mean by that question, either.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

AB - Authorized Builder. No free plans

Ok so you are looking at building a sealed 210 then. I would look at the 4 ohm Legend BP-102. Two of them in series per box would give you 8 ohm loads. Build two of them, stack them vertically.
 
#9
CL400Peavey said:
AB - Authorized Builder. No free plans

Ok so you are looking at building a sealed 210 then. I would look at the 4 ohm Legend BP-102. Two of them in series per box would give you 8 ohm loads. Build two of them, stack them vertically.
Click to expand...

Hah @ AB. I was thinking it was more like A+B. Glad I asked!

I had looked at the BP102-4. I had a feeling that was going to be the chosen speaker (or one from Aguilar, but it's 50% more expensive).

Knowing that this is my cab, is the LMII/III still the best choice for the buck?

I'm using this mainly as a church rig, and we play in an elementary's cafetorium.

Thanks for all of your input!
 
#10
DaleyKD said:
Hah @ AB. I was thinking it was more like A+B. Glad I asked!

I had looked at the BP102-4. I had a feeling that was going to be the chosen speaker (or one from Aguilar, but it's 50% more expensive).

Knowing that this is my cab, is the LMII/III still the best choice for the buck?

I'm using this mainly as a church rig, and we play in an elementary's cafetorium.

Thanks for all of your input!
Click to expand...

Personally I think the Markbass amps are pretty lifeless, but that is a personal thing. I would much prefer something like the GK MB 500 or the Aguilar TH500.
 
#11
+1 on the GK 700rbii.
Try one at your local music store.
I've seen 2 for sale on the talkbass classifieds around $350!

Another option would be ampeg PF-500.
I ran this through an Avatar 4x10 and GK NEO 4x12.
Sounds pretty warm too me!

Good luck!
 
#12
Just wanted to let you guys know that I went to GC and played on the 700RB-II and the LittleMark III. With all EQ set at noon, coutour/presence set to ~0, and connected to a SWR Workingman 210T, I fell in love with the GK!

Now, if only I could find another one for sale in the TB classifieds.
 
#13
DaleyKD said:
Just wanted to let you guys know that I went to GC and played on the 700RB-II and the LittleMark III. With all EQ set at noon, coutour/presence set to ~0, and connected to a SWR Workingman 210T, I fell in love with the GK!

Now, if only I could find another one for sale in the TB classifieds.
Click to expand...

All the heads you are considering sound great in their own way. Just making sure, but when you said 'all EQ set to noon', where did you have the filters set on the Markbass head? If you had those at noon, that is a typical error, and would have resulted in a very dark, bloomy, dull tone.

'Flat' on the LMII/III (and it really is very close to 'flat' on a scope) is EQ at noon, and both filters OFF (totally counterclockwise).

The GK heads are quite a bit more aggressive in the upper midrange and treble versus the LMII/III, which is more 'neutral/warm'. +1 on the comments about the EQ though. The EQ of the Markbass heads is more like a channel strip EQ, designed to be 'EQ' (i.e., to keep the inherent warm/neutral tone of the head constant across rooms and cabs. The GK and Genz EQ is much more about revoicing and 'effect' (which is also cool).

Can't really go wrong. The GKMB500 is probably the best deal out there for 'wump per dollar'. If you buy used, make sure you get one of the later revisions of that head (version 6 or later I believe), since they went through a bit of a learning curve with that one. With the Genz Shuttle amp, I greatly prefer the fatter, bigger sound of the 6.2 revision than the original 6 model, but pure IMO there. The 6 is very articulate and a bit 'bright and airy', while the 6.2 revision adds a bit more low end meat that is more similar to the LMII/III and the GK MB series.
 
#14
You're right. I did play the MarkBass with EQ set to noon. I fiddled with the other two knobs, hoping to find something I liked.

My wife and 3 month old were with me, not allowing for much test time.

Guitar Center didn't sell Genz Benz or Aguilar, and they were in the middle of remodeling, so I don't know if they had an MB series. Maybe I'll go to another one tomorrow and look.
 
#15
Gk all day baby. I recently played a show with my 700rbmkii through the svt 8x10 and the sound guy said he didn't have to change a thing for me which made me very happy and the tone I had listening back on the videos we got is just....sexy. And I agree with the comment about genz benz. Do a search online on the genz benz website for local retailers that carry them. As for a cabinet, their 212 is amazing.
 

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