What happened to Markbass popularity?

[B-line]

San Giovanni Teatino-according to their website, that's where MB is located. I thought that they used to be in Milano or maybe it was Torino, but that's neither here nor there.

I'm not a Global Industrialist/Manufacturer, just a simple/Funky bassist! , but I can pretty much guarantee that it costs MarkBass a whole lot less to have their product built offshore, that's un-arguable.

I know this has been addressed so many times, but bears repeating- I can't see any appreciable differences between how their products- designed and spec'd from HQ in Italy - then sent for manufacture/assembly offshore-could or would sound.
There certainly was a lot less furor than when another amp building co. whose name I won't mention- (Begins with "A" and ends w/ "mpeg") made their initial move offshore.

It's just a matter of assembly by workers who are paid a lot less than their counterparts in Italy would be.

I had an Italian built LM-III, the "Marco" edition, and my current Indonesian-assembled LM800T loses nothing in comparison.
Of course it gains from the added heft in wattage, and the tube factor.
Which brings me to another point...
The LM800T will not get the all-tube push, bloom, or resonance as this:

other rig of mine (1 of 3 all-tube rigs) does: (gratuitous pic)
But there is most certainly a defined tube presence in the head, and I personally hear the difference when adjusting the MIX knob. No, it doesn't morph into an SVT, but there is a difference in the output. YMMV, etc.
I would prefer that their manufacturing had stayed in Italy, but I'm not part of their accounting staff, nor do I own stock in the Company.

Maybe it's only the USA that's lost some love for the products, they seem to be hanging in there just fine as far as I can see.

 

[Omega Monkey]

They used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what they are, isn't it.

No but seriously, people are just super trendy and they aren't the "cool new thing" any more. They were never as amazing as people thought they were in the first place (personally they never really grabbed me, although the light weight was cool especially when that was less common). Plus they're probably more expensive than they probably should be for what they are.

 

[avvie]

They remind me of DeWalt power tools.

They remind me of Max Headroom

 

[B-line]

I can't seem to think of any amp before MarkBass hit our shores that was as small, light, and powerful, and less than a couple thou (Walter Woods).
Their intro here was a big bang. Now of course this design is the norm, offered by quite a few fine amp builders.
The current costs seem pretty much in line for what you get in comparison.
As far as the "look"; color scheme & graphics, etc.
If an amp gave me what I liked, I wouldn't care if it were pink with yellow polka-dots (Well, actually maybe I would!) hopefully, point taken though.
IMO, the MB front and rear panels are laid out quite well and are very functional, so...

 

[pfschim]

I can't seem to think of any amp before MarkBass hit our shores that was as small, light, and powerful, and less than a couple thou (Walter Woods).
Their intro here was a big bang. Now of course this design is the norm, offered by quite a few fine amp builders.
The current costs seem pretty much in line for what you get in comparison.
As far as the "look"; color scheme & graphics, etc.
If an amp gave me what I liked, I wouldn't care if it were pink with yellow polka-dots (Well, actually maybe I would!) hopefully, point taken though.
IMO, the MB front and rear panels are laid out quite well and are very functional, so...

GK and Genz Benz both come to mind, I think they were both building light (enough) and powerful amps before MarkBass arrived (certainly by the time MB arrived in the mid 90's). I personally never felt like what MB provided was particularly innovative or certainly not revolutionary as far as bass amps go. Maybe their early use of Neo drivers .. but IMO/IME early Neo drivers were kind of iffy from a consistent quality perspective. Much progress has been made with materials and speaker design using neo though (thankfully). Never got along with the VLE/VPF controls on the MB stuff either, but that's just me.

 

[BassoSaku]

I have the older (now discontinued... and I can't understand why) MarkBass F1 head and 4Ohm 2x10 traveler cab. I can get any sound I can think from it. And a lot of noise. The There is the vintage simulation knob, which in my opinion works very well. Also I very much like the portability of the set. I used to lug Ampegs around and I can honestly say I don't miss that a bit.

BUT the newer models seem downright ugly. I can't understand how is it that the design aesthetics changed so much all of a sudden. I think MB shot themselves in the leg by moving the production overseas and constantly changing and discontinuing WORKING products.

You can see my setup in the background, the foot print is very small, yet the amp packs 500W and fits in a side pocket of my Mono bass case:

 

[JimmyM]

There certainly was a lot less furor than when another amp building co. whose name I won't mention- (Begins with "A" and ends w/ "mpeg") made their initial move offshore.

First off, don't steal my joke and use it in the same thread I used it in. Second, unless this a new name, you weren't on here 10 years ago when Ampeg moved offshore so you missed it, but I don't recall seeing any company get attacked at the level that Ampeg got attacked with the possible exception of Fender. Markbass attacks are few and far between compared to what Fender and Ampeg have had to deal with. And honestly, for the first couple years it was deserved, because their parent company LOUD had a JO running the company at the time and he rushed everything into production and there were a lot of problems with QC and CS. I joined in on some of those attacks as well. But they got rid of him and both QC and CS instantly improved. But they still get attacked to this day. And honestly, I think it's all phony baloney, because the people that do the attacking are almost always the same ones who whine about prices being too high.

 

[JimmyM]

I have the older (now discontinued... and I can't understand why) MarkBass F1 head

I can tell you why...when Markbass came out with the MoMark module amp setups, the F1 was considered duplication because you could build one out of MoMark modules.

 

[BornAgainBass]

MB making their stuff a recognizable color scheme was actually a good idea. But only if lots of bassists got in to using them during big shows. In a dark stadium setting with lights going off all over the place, the MB stuff would stick out like a sore thumb and people would be able to pick out what they were playing through. Even all the way in the back row lol. Then people would go out and buy them trying to chase the bands sound. But they would need a lot of big artists to start using them on stage. Most people who are new to the game see a wall of black amps and don't know what brand the bands playing through. But with that yellowish/black color scheme going on, it's a no brainier. I wouldn't be surprised if they came out with a glow in the dark color on their amps lol.

I actually liked the sound I got out of the CMD 121P at GC but changed my mind on getting a MB for my next amp because one of them had a loud hum to it and also read about people having problems with some of their heads. I have read reviews about them having a humming problem down the road and someone on here said that if they break down and need to be fixed then it's a pain in the a$$ to deal with them. I also think they are way over priced and decided that if I am going to spend that much then I am going to look at a DNA, G/K, Ashdown and SWR Workingman's set up. I will probably go with a Fender Rumble 500 for a smaller portable set up and then decide on which larger rig suits me.

 

[B-line]

GK and Genz Benz both come to mind, I think they were both building light (enough) and powerful amps before MarkBass arrived (certainly by the time MB arrived in the mid 90's). I personally never felt like what MB provided was particularly innovative or certainly not revolutionary as far as bass amps go. Maybe their early use of Neo drivers .. but IMO/IME early Neo drivers were kind of iffy from a consistent quality perspective. Much progress has been made with materials and speaker design using neo though (thankfully). Never got along with the VLE/VPF controls on the MB stuff either, but that's just me.

I don't think so, Gk had not yet intro'd the MicroBass series, the 400/700RB's were considered to be their small units, other than that, they offered the 150 combo, which was/is a pretty good piece of gear. Genz-Benz released the Neo-Pak 3.5 after MarkBass shipped the LM's to the U.S. to claim their piece of the pie.
MarkBass was innovative and revolutionary, if not for the circuitry, certainly for the size, weight, and price.
As far as Neo's, I have no experience with MB cabs, nor do I know the history of Neodynium speakers. I don't think that MarkBass has any claims to bringing them to the forefront as they have with their heads.

 

[howlin]

Play an older Italian made Markbass vs. a newer, Indonesian made Markbass. You'll know immediately why the luster has worn off. There is no comparison.

Yeah, Marco went for cheap instead of protecting his brand. Now nobody wants them. FWIW - I had an Italian MB and it was great - but NOT that great. IMHE it was a clearly over-rated product to begin with and now they've screwed the pooch . . .

 

[B-line]

First off, don't steal my joke and use it in the same thread I used it in. Second, unless this a new name, you weren't on here 10 years ago when Ampeg moved offshore so you missed it, but I don't recall seeing any company get attacked at the level that Ampeg got attacked with the possible exception of Fender. Markbass attacks are few and far between compared to what Fender and Ampeg have had to deal with. And honestly, for the first couple years it was deserved, because their parent company LOUD had a JO running the company at the time and he rushed everything into production and there were a lot of problems with QC and CS. I joined in on some of those attacks as well. But they got rid of him and both QC and CS instantly improved. But they still get attacked to this day. And honestly, I think it's all phony baloney, because the people that do the attacking are almost always the same ones who whine about prices being too high.

I don't see any big smilies in your quote, so I HOPE you're not serious about the "don't steal my joke" thing.
If you are.... C'mon Jimmy, it was a back-handed compliment!!

Moving on- I've "lurked" on TBass since it was a simple typewritten web-page, loooong ago, before you even virtually existed!
I only joined & began posting recently because I've got some time to spend (for now) on the 'net and I really enjoy (most) of this site, even the occasional stoopid posts. (I know, hard to believe they exist...)

I know all about the history of Ampeg, I've owned many SLM-made products, did not at all like the Vietnam era products, and frankly, despite fans like yourself,I am not into the current crop, even the USA built premium models.
Main reason- there is too much other stuff that appeals to me! Please note: I've owned both a B-15N and a B-15R so I've made my bones as a true 'Peg lover.

OTOH- The new stuff looks good, the V4 gets luv (I had a V4BH; excellent) so maybe there's hope for me yet.
And finally I can't understand anyone whining about pricing of any piece of gear. Too much? Get sumthin' else..Or save up.
I have never regretted any money I've spent on gear that I wanted and loved using.

 

[B-line]

Yeah, Marco went for cheap instead of protecting his brand. Now nobody wants them. FWIW - I had an Italian MB and it was great - but NOT that great. IMHE it was a clearly over-rated product to begin with and now they've screwed the pooch . . .

I'll see if I can set up a meeting with Marco, his accounting & engineering staff, and you!
Together you can discuss profit margins, cost of production, etc. maybe re-vamp the Company so that they will build better than over-rated and not-that great amps.

So they've "screwed the pooch"? Why is that? Their site looks pretty healthy to me; some interesting new stuff as well as the "old"-er heads.
Not choosing MarkBass is fine w/ me; what would I care??
Stating that they "went for cheap" (meaning they chose to lower their mfg. costs?) and are over-rated however, is not my opinion at all.
(You know what we say about opinions, right?)

Ciao!

 

[BassoSaku]

I can tell you why...when Markbass came out with the MoMark module amp setups, the F1 was considered duplication because you could build one out of MoMark modules.

Yeah. Right. That is a great solution... on paper. I for one wouldn't want to have sliding parts on my stage rig. Even more chances to have contact issues.

I'm not saying it doesn't work right off the bat as I haven't tested it myself. I like simple products that just work. For me the modularity isn't a value I look for in a bass amp.

 

[B-line]

Yeah. Right. That is a great solution... on paper. I for one wouldn't want to have sliding parts on my stage rig. Even more chances to have contact issues.

I'm not saying it doesn't work right off the bat as I haven't tested it myself. I like simple products that just work. For me the modularity isn't a value I look for in a bass amp.

From what I remember & saw about MoMark, it didn't seem like there would be any "sliding". IIRC, the modules of choice fit together in a frame with connections that would stay in place as far as I could tell.

I virtually built one with the components I liked; It was pretty pricey. At any rate, that concept is n/a, so demand was obviously not there.

 

[StatesideRambler]

Yeah, Marco went for cheap instead of protecting his brand. Now nobody wants them. FWIW - I had an Italian MB and it was great - but NOT that great. IMHE it was a clearly over-rated product to begin with and now they've screwed the pooch . . .

Having posted on this thread and elsewhere about a side-by-side, in studio comparison of my Italy-built CMD121P and a friend's Indonesia-built CMD121P I can confidently and comfortably say to your hyperbolic assertion, "Nonsense!"

 

[AshInAmsterdam]

Markbass was never made in the US. They were made in Italy, now in Indonesia.

Freudian (or talkbassian) slip I think... as if Italy is famed for its technology industry.

 

[StatesideRambler]

Freudian (or talkbassian) slip I think... as if Italy is famed for its technology industry.

Italy actually has a very strong tech presence. It's more industrial than consumer but they're an innovative lot over there and build good products.

 

[mcnach]

Bought a MB LM micro back when it was the rage - and it crashed on a gig. That's only happened with one other brand for me, and that's the unforgivable sin - I abandoned ship immediately.

Because all 'good' brands are known for 0% failure rates...

 

[TrevorR]

(2) WALS!!!!drool

!! I'm dying here!

If it helps, bought 25 and 15 years ago before the big no more Wals price hike (and only 2 basses bought since then - so over time I've spent much less on those basses than the average GAS-fuelled TBer has on their current "perfect, keeper, last bass I'll ever buy" bass!