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Thinking about getting a Markbass CMD121p, should i pull the trigger?

bassplayer1494

bassplayer1494

Jan 23, 2009
558
267
Myrtle Beach, SC
#1
I might be getting back with my old band soon so i need to get a better rig. The rig i have now is ok. its a Hartke LH500, into an older GK 410 and 115 cabs. The rig sounds good but its alright. I played the CMD121p and i absolutely loved it. Im considering selling off my stack and my ray34 to get this. Now keep in mind my old band has 2 guitarists, both with Marshall full stacks, and a drummer that likes to mic up his own kit . Im just not sure if it can compete with the loudness of the band. But 300w should be enough right? I probably wont need an ext. cab. ( i really dont want to get one anyways) Do you guys think this is an amp worthy of its price tag? (buying used is an option that i will highly consider)
 
#6
many folks like the 102P combo with a band, but some say the lows aren't there enough. I dunno, personally. But, here's what I'm doing---LMIII + Traveler 151P cab. And I have a second 151P for bigger gigs. If I had it to do over again I'd use either the Club 151 cab, or the new Randy Jackson cab, purely because they are lighter in weight.

It's not that a 15 is deeper than a 10 or 12, but simply that the 15 seems to be able handle what lows I put into it better. I have a 121H combo that will run out of excursion before the 15 will (which is one reason why it's best to use identical cabs when needing more than one). With two guitars and loud drums I think you will like any of the cabs I mentioned better than the 102 combo. Of course if you added another 102P cab to the 102P combo it would kill. But, I'm just saying that I'm getting by in a moderately loud band with just the one 15 cab. I hear that the NY 151 cabs sound good, too, but they have a much smaller box, so I'm not sure how many db you can get from the lows. My Traveler 151P is doing a great job (especially when using both). I only use the second cab maybe 20% of the time. Just one is usually sufficient for me in my situation.

Just food for thought, pal. See if you can find any of these cabs (and combos) to go try out somewhere. BTW, I love the Markbass tone and the colors, too.
 
#9
Bass_Pounder said:
I don't care what the wattage output is, there is NO WAY a 2X10 is going to not only replace a full stack bass rig, but be able to keep up with 2 guitar stacks.

I think your going to be asking too much from a 2X10
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Depends on the gig. I just played a show where my bass rig (MB Little Mark Tube 800 into Eden 210MBX) was borrowed by the following bands. The final band had two electric guitarists through Fender DeVilles, keyboard player through a similar-sized amp, and a loud drummer with full kit. Only vocals and an acoustic guitar went through the PA. My impression out front was that the bass was the loudest thing in the room!
 
#11
bassplayer1494 said:
Yeah but its higher quality than the rig that i have. true my stack may be louder, but it wont sound as good as the markbass
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Ehh...it ain't about quality or non-quality. It's about sound pressure level and frequency. Some 210s may be able to keep up, some not. Some 115s, the same. 2x210 will do, most likely, so will 2x115. In some cases two 12s might work. It really depends on how loud the gig is, and how everybody else eqs their rig. One band that I quit had a drummer that was so loud that I quit playing once in a song and no one noticed. The bass drum was WAY too loud and deep. Ya just never know.

Ok, if I had the 102P combo, I'd expect it to cover a lot of gigs, but not all. I'd at least like to have another 102P cab in addition for when it was needed.

Yes, the tilt-back feature will help, but it will only help YOU hear yourself better.

Maybe start another thread with "102P Combo" in the title in order to get better response from those who have had experience with it. Your "121P" in the title may be throwing folks off base.
 
#13
I think if you were needing 500 watts into a 410 and 115 before, you are gonna be sorely lacking with 300watts in a 210 combo... unless your band has gotten significantly wiser and are playing much softer. I suggest try using your current head through just the 115 at practice, if that is enough for you then the Markbass might hold up...

holding off 2 guitarists and a drummer with a 210 is no easy feat unless you are playing jazz or blues
 
#14
Lots of valid comments above. My two cents, having owned the 121p and 151p combos, has to do with the Markbass piezo tweeters - not a fan. Many folks are just fine with them, and then there are those like me in the other camp. I find them to be too hissy and brittle sounding. If I had to do it over again I would get one of the cabs with a traditional horn tweet or none at all, like the Jeff Berlin.
 
#15
bassplayer1494, I dunno how to change the post title. Maybe ask a moderator for help.

As for the Markbass piezo tweeters, yes, they are lousy. In my case, though, it doesn't matter because I'm running flats and going for an old school sound---for the most part. I actually don't even use them, nor do I hear them in my 151P cabs. I use the VLE filter a lot to roll off the upper highs anyway. My 121H combo has a compression driver instead, and it sounds much better, when I want to hear it.

The 410 and 115 combination is risky since the 15 will be straining to keep up with the 410. IMO, not a good combination. Two 410s or two 15s would be better. My dual 15s can cover anything I'm likely to run into. But, I'm not playing stadiums either. Although, I have played festivals, and the like, with my head also DI'd and did just fine. Thing is, I can carry them with ease and get that big sound.

The Jeff Berlin combo has no tweeter at all, and that is just fine, IMO. However (also just IMO) since it has a smaller box, being a combo, I think you can get better lows from separates (again, I don't know about how the NY 151 cabs sound, being so small).

I take it that you really like Markbass. I certainly do, too. Depending on the sound you're after, though, there may be other options also. Just sayin'...
 
#16
I have the 121p. Great combo and i use it for every practice. I've put it on a speaker stand and pointed it at my head and kept up with a couple guitars and a drummer for a few gigs.. I also had great PA support with the sub right down in front of me. My lead singer actually called it punchy. :).

I wouldn't attempt it without a good PA with subs...

I wont be as close to the subs on my next gig so I'm bringing my GK1001 and an Avatar 212.

Outside I would bring both of my 212s.

I would say it works where it works. I wouldn't count on it being enough for every gig.

The Jeff Berlin model might be enough for most indoor small bar gigs. I think the 121p with the extension cab would be killer for just about anything.
 

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