What happened to Markbass popularity?

[Killed_by_Death]

one of the best gems I found in the local pawn shops was a made in Italia MB 102P, but like an idiot I got tired of it & sold it

I'd never buy one of their new cabinets or amps!

I've checked out their amps at GC, no bueno

 

[Selta]

You've been here (on talkbass) almost 6 years... you know how it goes around here. A piece of gear (bass, effect, cab, amp, whatever) becomes popular. A ton of folks jump on board, declare it the "best thing ever", also declare that they need not purchase anything else, and yell from the mountain tops how they have "finally, after XXX years, found the tone I wanted".

Then, about 6 months later, the classifieds are jam packed with that gear, because something else came out.

 

[StatesideRambler]

I recently started a thread that asked the TB hive mind which "tube-ish" class D head they thought was better for my purpose: fat, vintage, ampeg-ish; but light and powerful.

I wouldn't expect to see Markbass mentioned in a thread on that topic.

 

[Krakmann]

I still have a CMD12P (waiting for its new owner to come for it). Bought it because I wanted a really light and small amp. It is light, small and packs a punch, and made me a great service... but I never really liked its tone. In fact, I have ended disliking it actively, to the point where I play at home through my computer's audio system, thin as it is. Also, I don't like how it sounds with 5 string basses. I recently replaced it with an EBS Reidmar + TC RS210, to my great satisfaction.

But I understand why people like these amps. They are powerful and so small... And they really sound fine... but they are not my thing, not anymore.

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

I agree with those that said Markbass was not mentioned in the OP's other thread because the products didn't meet your tonal descriptions. My perception of Markbass is that it acheived some popularity by being new, well-marketed, having high-profile endorsements and having some eye-candy appeal. Every time I've heard a Markbass rig I have thought to myself how dry, burpy and overall unnappealing the sound was. ONE TIME I heard a guy emulating upright on a fretless with a Markbass rig and it did that perfectly.

 

[tubedude]

What's the name of the band with the wasp outfits? Some of those ladies have facial hair!

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

.

one of the best gems I found in the local pawn shops was a made in Italia MB 102P, but like an idiot I got tired of it & sold it

I'd never buy one of their new cabinet or amps!

I've checked out their amps at GC, no bueno

Love the TubeMeister 18. Great amp!

 

[Killed_by_Death]

scooped like crazy though, you've almost got to dime the mids knob & low & highs to zero for it to be flat
I found out mids are something I dig & the TM is lacking on those.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi TCT

fat, vintage, ampeg-ish

Boogie D800+ and the GK MB800

Genz Benz, Darkglass, Quilter, Genzler, Demeter, and a few others; even SWR was mentioned.

I would not ask why nobody mentioned Markbass. They are everything but not "fat, vintage, ampeg-ish".
and of course they are yellow as yellow can be... but...

just one question: nobody mentioned Ampeg?

may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[Ant Illington]

You've been here (on talkbass) almost 6 years... you know how it goes around here. A piece of gear (bass, effect, cab, amp, whatever) becomes popular. A ton of folks jump on board, declare it the "best thing ever", also declare that they need not purchase anything else, and yell from the mountain tops how they have "finally, after XXX years, found the tone I wanted".

Then, about 6 months later, the classifieds are jam packed with that gear, because something else came out.

This. People will rationalize it all away but this is it for the far majority of less speak of ANY once popular thing.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

aren't those the amps that people use at guitar center to demo basses? Like when none of the other amps are plugged in?

 

[Doner Designs]

Moving production overseas and being a Guitar Center exclusive brand may have had something to do with it. Or maybe the yellow just wore thin. But I believe the competition caught up and bested them at their own game.

All of the above are probably factors. I still love my MB112 combo with the 112 extension cab. Still one of the lightest best sounding rigs out there, but mine was made in Italy and the combo head is a Class A/B LMIII vs the new Class D version which is not any lighter. As far as I know it's still the smallest lightest 1x12 out there and this is why I hang on to it.

 

[40Hz]

Tb members never liked them starting with the color. The sound isn't for everyone and a lot of people say they're overpriced.

I see them being used a ton, most often than any other brand, amongst under 35 bassists. I think they're still the "it" brand.

Jazz dudes like them too

Must be where you are. I haven't seen all that many Markbass amps at shows and places I've been to. And they're hard to miss.

GK and Ampeg seem to rule the roost most times I've been out. Ampeg actually struck me making a big comeback since the advent of their new version of the V-4B came out.

 

[Haroldo]

I am still using a LM II with a Euphonic Audio Wizzy 12 and a P bass with flats. It's a great combination. I also use a hollow body bass with nylon flats with this same amp setup. There's plenty of highs and the lows are smooth. I am very happy with this setup.

Are you me (at least some of the time)? I have used that amp/speaker combo alot with a very wide variety of basses, mostly with success.

 

[40Hz]

I'd rather buy SWR for sure.

I've got an SWR SM-400/Goliath III, and I can confidently say SWR is not going to be to everyone's taste.

I have a real half-assed love/hate relationship with mine. There's days when I'm happy with it and days I'd like to drop it out a seventh story window.

 

[theevilplankton]

I had a Markbass rig, bought it in 2009 - primarily because of the light weight nature.

Never was mad about the tone, just lacked something for me. Combo was fine, cab developed a nasty wiring fault after a year, which I had repaired.

2015, I read about the new Fender Rumbles. Lightweight, and to me, sounded a whole lot better than my old MB setup.

So, I moved on. Simply found a way of staying lightweight (main aim), and getting a way better tone.

....I do miss the colour scheme, though...I had my covers custom made in the same black/yellow combo!

 

[Wisebass]

aren't those the amps that people use at guitar center to demo basses? Like when none of the other amps are plugged in?

Hi Mantis

Well the other amps are more for guys like you and me
the acoustic folk guys that play unplugged

rock on!!!

Wise

 

[oren]

Marcus Miller became a Markbass endorser this year. Which would make sense along with them not being mentioned in a thread about vintage sounding amps.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[StatesideRambler]

WRT Markbass amps, I've found that there are a lot of buyers who don't think through their amp purchases before the transaction. e.g. You want the SVT sound but you don't want to haul 250 lbs of head and cab around so you buy a small/powerful Markbass, deluding yourself into thinking you can twist the knobs into an SVT setting. Of course, the amp is at fault for that failure. I'm a Markbass fan and owner but I've steered more people away from it than toward it for just that reason. It's not for everybody and neither is an SVT. So, if you're looking for a class D amp with a "tubish" sound you might try Markbass with a possibly suitable tube emulating pedal BEFORE you buy or, better, you should look elsewhere. I suspect that's substantially why Markbass was left out of the OP's other thread.

As far as Markbass' popularity decline, if it's actually declining, I have no idea. I'm old enough to have seen many companies in this business come and go, occasionally going down in flames without good reason. We often see dictates of fashion trump quality/function. It's clear that the amount of conversation about a product or brand is a weak indicator of anything, be it quality, popularity, sales, suitability, et al. Markbass moved manufacturing to Indonesia a few years ago setting off a gossip-fest about devastated QC and cheapened manufacture threads. In another thread I described a side-by-side comparison of my Italian-built and my friend's Indonesian-built CMD121P. No difference discernible to anyone in the studio that day.

 

[Double E]

I have an Indonesian CMD121P. I think it sounds great and very comparable to the Italian one I owned years ago. I think perception twists reality, these are still great amps and mine is a loud ass work horse which gets compliments wherever I play it.

I was ready to jump into your thread to mention Markbass but like others I ultimately felt it didn't meet your criteria. You seemed to be asking for advice regarding two specific heads.

Also, the Little Mark heads are not Class D, they are AB.