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Why does markbass have so many amp models?

#41
jzucker said:
It's kind of bewildering to figure out which one might work for a given purpose.

I wish they'd just offer 3 or 4 basic models...
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I love this! On the one hand we see folks bemoaning the lack of variety, or when their fave manufacturer fails to hit a particular niche. On the other, we get this. Just shows to go ya, people ain’t happy no matter what you do lol

There are some manufacturers out there who only offer a few models. Perhaps you should look into their offerings?
 
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#42
ArteK said:
I currently have three Markbass amps:
  • 801 Micromark, the single 8-inch speaker combo (45W) that I bought mostly for upright, but now use for about 75% of my gigs (small rooms, coffee house, etc.)

  • 802 Minimark, basically a more powerful version of the Micromark (two 8-inch speakers, 150W), with a deeper cabinet that I bought to use with a drummer, because the Micromark was just a little too underpowered

  • CMD-121P, their flagship 1x12 300W combo amp, which I use for any big room or outdoor gigs I do
I once had an extension cab hooked up to the CMD-121P for an outdoor gig (500W at 4 ohms through a couple of 1x12 cabs), but it was so loud I had to disconnect it. I've never needed anything bigger than the CMD-121P, but I'm not playing big room "refrigerator" amp type gigs. In fact, the two smaller amps pretty much cover 100% of the gigs that I've played over the past five years. Granted, I'm doing mostly singer-songwriter and acoustic level gigs lately, so this won't apply to people playing in double guitar loud rock bands with Bam Bam on drums.

Obviously, I'm happy they have a variety of amps to choose from.

Sorry to come off as such a fanboy, but they just work for what I need (which admittedly, is fairly modest volume levels with good punchy Precision and upright bass tone).
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I would hardly call the CMD-121P "flagship", as it is rather on the lowest level of the 12" combos. The other have more power, more and better speakers, and more features. Nothing wrong with the 121P, but there are more premium 12" combos from Markbass.
 
#43
coyote1 said:
I love this! On the one hand we see folks bemoaning the lack of variety, or when their fave manufacturer fails to hit a particular niche. On the other, we get this. Just shows to go ya, people ain’t happy no matter what you do lol

There are some manufacturers out there who only offer a few models. Perhaps you should look into their offerings?
Click to expand...

In the same tonal (neutral!) ballpark as Markbass, you will find EBS. They have cut back a LOT in recent years, and gone from three lead sleds plus three SMPS + class D, to now having only two lightweight models (I think), and one €2500 3RU lead sled.
 
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#44
jzucker said:
It's kind of bewildering to figure out which one might work for a given purpose.

I wish they'd just offer 3 or 4 basic models...
Click to expand...

Well, Mark Bass is an Italian company. The Italians are good at annoying everyone, even if it means giving us too many options. For instance, their speakers are yellow. Let me repeat that.... their speakers are YELLOW. So annoying. ;)
 
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#45
AlexanderB said:
I would hardly call the CMD-121P "flagship", as it is rather on the lowest level of the 12" combos. The other have more power, more and better speakers, and more features. Nothing wrong with the 121P, but there are more premium 12" combos from Markbass.
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm using the wrong word, but the CMD-121P was the amp I saw so many players using maybe 10-15 years ago, when I had never heard of MarkBass. It was clearly the amp a lot of players found most useful for actual gigs, at least back then. I know a lot has happened, but in my area (Boston, MA), this combo was the first MarkBass amp I saw in heavy use in the clubs.
 
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#46
SC Bassboy said:
Well, Mark Bass is an Italian company. The Italians are good at annoying everyone, even if it means giving us too many options. For instance, their speakers are yellow. Let me repeat that.... their speakers are YELLOW. So annoying. ;)
Click to expand...


Not mine!
Mark_210_Foam.jpg
Mark_115_Foam.jpg
 
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#47
Dr. Love said:
Get the standard Little Mark iii, that’s the starting point most of the signature models evolved from and is the core Markbass sound. I’ve been running it’s predecessor the LMii since they came out and it’s been great.
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Can't go wrong with the LMIII, I would add the Little Mark Vintage is a safe bet. Note that they are rolling out a Little Mark IV at the moment.
 
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#49
SC Bassboy said:
Well, Mark Bass is an Italian company. The Italians are good at annoying everyone, even if it means giving us too many options. For instance, their speakers are yellow. Let me repeat that.... their speakers are YELLOW. So annoying. ;)
Click to expand...
Besides being incredibly annoying, they are also extremely loud. That also carries over into their amps and cabs...
 
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#51
ArteK said:
Maybe I'm using the wrong word, but the CMD-121P was the amp I saw so many players using maybe 10-15 years ago, when I had never heard of MarkBass. It was clearly the amp a lot of players found most useful for actual gigs, at least back then. I know a lot has happened, but in my area (Boston, MA), this combo was the first MarkBass amp I saw in heavy use in the clubs.
Click to expand...

Agree, I tried it when it was new in the market, but had no need for a combo. Maybe "game changer" or "ground breaking" or "bench mark" are better expressions? I like their innovation, and the Markbass products I have owned or used have been of high quality. I am less impressed with the erratic product changes, and the general lack of foot switch options.
 
#52
Why is the number of Markbass heads/combos/cabinets of any concern to anyone? How has the OP's life been changed by the answers given here? How will it ever be changed by the answers to be given here?

I am a recent convert to Markbass from Ampeg and I love my set up a CMD102P combo and a Traveler 102P cabinet. I can't imagine how I would need anything more than this. Plus, with a total weight of about 75 pounds, it weighs about the same as one of my old Eden 2x10 cabinets. One of the guitar players in my band picked up the combo to carry on Saturday, he could not believe how light it is.
 
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#53
Besides having many amp models, Markbass seems to retire a lot of existing models and introduce numerous new models on a never-ending merry-go-round. Which is their choice. I prefer companies who have few amp models and offer those models for a long time. To me that expresses more of a company's self-confidence in the amp's design. I guess you could say that's my choice. I owned a Markbass amp for a month and took it to several band rehearsals. It was ok, but I decided it didn't thrill me enough to keep it. It was returned. I was actually ok with the yellow and black color scheme.

Markbass SA450.JPG


M. M.
 
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#54
AlexanderB said:
I would hardly call the CMD-121P "flagship", as it is rather on the lowest level of the 12" combos. The other have more power, more and better speakers, and more features. Nothing wrong with the 121P, but there are more premium 12" combos from Markbass.
Click to expand...
I think he means the most pervasive of the combos. I'm sure it's Markbass' #1 selling combo amp. But you're right. There are more expensive models.
 
#57
Seems a lot of companies either have some redundancy in their current line, or they don't really change things up and continue to introduce yesterday's model as something new with only minor variations. IME, it's not just MarkBass. I think it's called Mark-eting.

I'm a fan of MB and it's in heavy rotation in my rigs, and I have a few different amp/cab/combo offerings that are subtly different in either tone, features, or both. But those differences are important to me. I think if you're a fan of the brand you are more forgiving of the marketing efforts and the overlap in features.
 
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#60
My very scientific (hahahaha) survey of exactly one person (me) suggests that Markbass stuff is of very good quality, durable and reliable. I’ve had one CMD 121P for eleven years and another for five plus a Minimark 602 and a New York 121 extension cab and none of them have ever needed repair or maintenance of any sort and they sound very good to my ears.
 
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