What happened to Markbass popularity?

[Jeff K]

While black and yellow is never a great colour combo...

Oh, I don't know... I'm a life-long Steelers fan, so they don't look so bad to me!

 

[mcnach]

I also won't support MB, because Randy Jackson was flogging their products:

This guy is selling gear from China on the Home Shopping Network, so his endorsement = I ain't gonna buy it!
same for Keith Urban

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Ok.

 

[lukehagerman]

Better options from other mfgs?

See: Aguilar

 

[Jason Hollar]

Agreed - here in the land of Black & Gold it blends right in. I've got my CMD 121p running in "stealth mode" with logo removed and my drummer says it sounds better now - lol.

It doesn't really matter cuz nobody cares anyway!

 

[LUCE]

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

I thought they were Italian...

 

[2BitHack]

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.

QFT

 

[Buzz E]

I thought they were Italian...

They were. Then Indonesian...not USA and Chinese.

 

[OldSchool50]

Busy and lively thread.
I have a MB Jeff Berlin 15 and a New York 115 cab. I still can find a vintage-like tone I like a lot, but only with passive JB or especially Precision. I don't like the Vintage emulator but get decent tone with the VPF setting. Active basses are less satisfactory.
The New York 15 was upgraded with a Faital Pro 15PR400 by the previous owner with two positive results:
First, The tone is improved. I've tested the head with either the combo original speaker and with just the Faital extension and the latter is superior. Together, it's a very good mix. I like then better than the two SVTs I've owned and sold.
Second, for everyone bothered by the yellow (really?), the Faital is black so the extension is black only. See photo of extension on the bottom.
My 2 cents.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Who'd Bain offload their interest in GC to? P.S I'm a Green Bay sprout, but it's been ~45 years since I called NEW home.

Still follow the Pack? I'm sure you could Google Bain Capital and CG to get all the details from sites like Forbes, Bloomberg, etc..

 

[Coolhandjjl]

I do not believe I am colorblind, but Markbass signature colors are black and orange, not black and yellow.

I'd call it more of a 'School Bus' yellow. (which my kids call orange )

 

[Haroldo]

Still follow the Pack? I'm sure you could Google Bain Capital and CG to get all the details from sites like Forbes, Bloomberg, etc..

I thought that perhaps you had that info readily at hand...to the Google it is. I am legally obligated to breathe Wayne and Larry each game.

 

[funkinbottom]

I think gear is like most products in general. There are many out there and many are excellent products, but there will always be the "flavor of the month". The newest, lightest, fastest, shiniest, loudest etc..... Of course, you have to have a good product, but I think it's mostly marketing. Markbass was the flavor of the month, now its a different month.
I love my Little Mark, still my daily driver.

 

[DirkP]

Bought a LMII shortly after they were released and a CMD12P 2 years ago. Don't miss anything. The yellow never bothered me, the amp looks well designed to me. Love what the VLE and VPF are doing. Don't know an alternative to the CMD12P if you want a lot of power and a minimum of weight and size.

A lot of people posting here seem to spend much more time looking at their gear than having the gear behind them while playing.

 

[PWV]

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.

 

[LanEvo]

I think the GC center connection really killed them as a premium brand. Nothing says "consumer-grade" like "Guitar Center house brand."

I recently switched to primarily using a Markbass cmd121p combo for most playing situations, plus a 112 extension cab when needed.

I'm in the same boat. The CMD 121P is the perfect knock-around combo for practice and stage. Small, light, and loud with genuinely deep bass. Easy to carry. Not too expensive. Could use some more complexity in the midrange department, but the sound is good enough for a gigging amp.

I much prefer the tone of my Phil Jones Bass gear, but even the larger combos don't put out much volume. And they weigh a ton for their size. The CMD 121P doesn't sound as sweet, but it's a more practical package for "real world" use.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

[

 

[rodv66]

Overrated and overpriced

 

[Uncle Hanky]

I'm sure many others have said this, but other manufacturers now do the light n loud much better at a much more attractive price point.

 

[KillerEddie]

View attachment 1169691

MarkBass, the only brand to have its very own companion Christian hair metal band. Eat that, Ampeg

 

[B-line]

The color thing killed Markbass?? Yeah, I could see some of that. It turns some off.
But this bad boy-

Is no beauty queen either, someone described it as the "Home Depot" vibe.

But like my (non-wasp colored; Anniversary Special Edition)) LM800T, it kicks buttock, and IMO also like MarkBass as a rule is neither over-priced nor over-rated.
And as is said, one man's jewel is another man's , uhhhh, non-jewel