• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Why don't I like my Markbass LM III?

R

rage941

Sep 11, 2011
87
7
#1
All I could find was 5/5 star reviews for all markbass gear. I ordered an LM III without batting an eye. I got it home and tried it with my mexican P bass through my Ampeg SVT 4x10 cab and could not get a sound I liked. ESPECIALLY with the VLE and VPF knobs turned all the way down...it sounded like I was in a tin can. Messing with those helped, but I could only get it with too much lows. I don't get it and I feel like I'm doing something wrong. I also went to guitar center and tried the 2x10 combo and tried the LM III through the 2x10 traveler cab and could not get a good sound with various basses. I also tried another more expensive markbass head that they had there, forget which, and I still didn't like it. All in all I only played through 10" speakers, do you think that could have something to do with it? What am I doing wrong? I doubt I could have that much of a difference of what sounds good than 99.9% of other bassists...
By the way I play rock and roll and I only use a pick.

I'm bummed; I had two 2x10 HLF cabs lined up for $700. It was going to be a perfect set up since I really wanted light weight stuff, and I'd have the option of using 2x10 or 4x10 depending on the gig.

I want to order all Eden stuff, but now I'm scared since there aren't any local for me to try out.
 
#4
If it's any consolation, I did'nt care for the LM head either, but really dug the F1. The F1/F500 head is alot more " in your face ", chunky and loud. But, I use a Jazz, not a P.
 
#5
LM2 and LM3 have a different topology compared to the F1/F500. Maybe Ken will chime in on the particulars. I don't like the LM2/3 either. The F1/F500 is the real deal. Much tighter in the low end. Sorry to hear about your woes but that amp will sell here in the classifieds if you want to flip it.
 
#6
MarTONEbass said:
Did you set the gain correctly? The manual tells you to turn the volume and gain to zero and play while you turn the gain up. When the blue light comes on, turn the gain down slightly and volume up. If the gain is too high, it won't sound good.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I didn't, and now I sold my cab so I can't try that out. I think I tried it between 8-12 o clock.

Also what's weird is every review online is ecstatic but every bass player I talk to in person hates markbass. They say it's cheap, not good quality, sounds like ****, etc.
 
#7
Another problem for me is it's hard for me to describe exactly what I like and don't like since I can't put lables on everything since I don't have enough experience to really know all the terms if you know what I mean. Like when people describe the sounds you can get out of different amps it doesn't really mean much to me since my mind can't correlate those words with sounds since I'm new to bass. I guess I like low end though? I played a friends set up and LOVED it. It was an Eden WT400 with two 2x10 acme low B cabs, and he said they have a lot of low end.

I guess I'm going to just have to trust my ears and make the drive to bass central to try out all of the different gear. I'm having problems finding a bass that I like as well since the local stores are limited and only have a few brands of basses and amps.
 
#8
What kind of general tone are you looking for? The little bit of markbass I've heard, I would characterize as a "warm but clean" or generally "smooth and warm" type of amp. Enough eq there to get brighter sounds but something gritty or overdriven I don't think it'll do without a pedal in front of it.

If you got closer to what you wanted but it was "too bassy", the HLF may not be the cab for you either. Those things have a lot of bass output but not much for mid clarity or detail either. So basically what did you hear and what did you want?
 
#9
All amps sound different, that's why there are so many amp manufacturers with different models and a sound that one person may love you can be sure that another will hate. I love the sound of valves while others love the sound of transistors. Keep trying as many amps and cabs as you can, eventually you'll find the one that's right for you and remember that advise is just that, advise. You and your ears are the final arbiter.
 
#10
rage941 said:
Another problem for me is it's hard for me to describe exactly what I like and don't like since I can't put lables on everything since I don't have enough experience to really know all the terms if you know what I mean. Like when people describe the sounds you can get out of different amps it doesn't really mean much to me since my mind can't correlate those words with sounds since I'm new to bass. I guess I like low end though? I played a friends set up and LOVED it. It was an Eden WT400 with two 2x10 acme low B cabs, and he said they have a lot of low end.

I guess I'm going to just have to trust my ears and make the drive to bass central to try out all of the different gear. I'm having problems finding a bass that I like as well since the local stores are limited and only have a few brands of basses and amps.
Click to expand...

Acme cabs have more real bass (deep) than most things on the market, but, since they also have mid drivers and some tweeters, they also have better representation of the middle and upper frequencies of your bass too. If that's what you thought was good...you have a good ear....and you may have been spoiled. "Speaker in a box" type cabs can't do what those things can do with that much full frequency range representation, detail and clarity, especially when you're hearing them from anywhere other than on center with the speakers...search "dispersion" for a better explanation of that.
 
#11
I love my LM III. I've had it for 1 1/2 years ang gig with it all the time (mine is the 800watt model) with Avatar B410 Neo speaker cabs,
and I can get every tone I can imagine out of it.

I play a Deluxe Jazz with 3 way EQ, as well as a Fretless Jazz and a P-Bass occasionally. They all sound great through it, so you can tell
I was surprised to read your post.

One thing that's critical with any new amp is to sit down with it and start experimenting with each individual control to hear what it does to your sound.

Set all controls at neutral and one at a time boost a knob to full ON position and play a riff. Listen to the sound. Now go back to neutral and
go counterclockwise and subtract that frequency. Listen to the sound. Back to neutral.

Do the next knob the same way, same riff. Listen to the different sound. Write down your impressions - - -take notes.

In short order you'll be combining different knobs in different positions and finding tones that are "keepers". Write down those settings.

If you will spend a good hour doing this, it will pay you huge dividends. You'll find out some of what the amp can do and be off to a
strong start in learning to use it to get what you want.

The Markbass LM III is a fine piece of equipment in an unbelievably light and small package. I wouldn't give mine up for anything.
I love it. So does my band.

Good luck with yours. BTW, you may also want to try another bass with yours. It could be your pickups that are the problem.

- THORRR :bassist:
 
#16
THORRR said:
I love my LM III. I've had it for 1 1/2 years ang gig with it all the time (mine is the 800watt model) with Avatar B410 Neo speaker cabs,
and I can get every tone I can imagine out of it.

I play a Deluxe Jazz with 3 way EQ, as well as a Fretless Jazz and a P-Bass occasionally. They all sound great through it, so you can tell
I was surprised to read your post.

One thing that's critical with any new amp is to sit down with it and start experimenting with each individual control to hear what it does to your sound.

Set all controls at neutral and one at a time boost a knob to full ON position and play a riff. Listen to the sound. Now go back to neutral and
go counterclockwise and subtract that frequency. Listen to the sound. Back to neutral.

Do the next knob the same way, same riff. Listen to the different sound. Write down your impressions - - -take notes.

In short order you'll be combining different knobs in different positions and finding tones that are "keepers". Write down those settings.

If you will spend a good hour doing this, it will pay you huge dividends. You'll find out some of what the amp can do and be off to a
strong start in learning to use it to get what you want.

The Markbass LM III is a fine piece of equipment in an unbelievably light and small package. I wouldn't give mine up for anything.
I love it. So does my band.

Good luck with yours. BTW, you may also want to try another bass with yours. It could be your pickups that are the problem.

- THORRR :bassist:
Click to expand...


This ^^ is great advise for anyone who doesn't "get" all this frequency stuff, as well as anyone trying out an amp. Do this on your own and you'll get a good idea of what the system can do.....then do it with your whole band while listening from as far away as you can reasonably get and you'll hear what sounds good with what. What sounds great alone, won't sound great with the band, and vice versa.
 
#17
will33 said:
What kind of general tone are you looking for? The little bit of markbass I've heard, I would characterize as a "warm but clean" or generally "smooth and warm" type of amp. Enough eq there to get brighter sounds but something gritty or overdriven I don't think it'll do without a pedal in front of it.

If you got closer to what you wanted but it was "too bassy", the HLF may not be the cab for you either. Those things have a lot of bass output but not much for mid clarity or detail either. So basically what did you hear and what did you want?
Click to expand...

Well like I said in the post above yours I'm not too sure how to put what I want into words. I don't have enough experience to associate terms with sounds, I just know what I like and what I don't like when I hear it. And I sold the ampeg cab. Now I don't want to give the wrong impression, I DO want it to have a lot of bass...but I don't want it to sound flat and boring either.
will33 said:
Acme cabs have more real bass (deep) than most things on the market, but, since they also have mid drivers and some tweeters, they also have better representation of the middle and upper frequencies of your bass too. If that's what you thought was good...you have a good ear....and you may have been spoiled. "Speaker in a box" type cabs can't do what those things can do with that much full frequency range representation, detail and clarity, especially when you're hearing them from anywhere other than on center with the speakers...search "dispersion" for a better explanation of that.
Click to expand...

I'm beginning to think that may be it, if the Acme cabs have as unique of a sound as you're making it sound. I'll have to look into those, but I thought I remembered reading something bad about them...reliability wise or something, I can't recall at the moment.

THORRR said:
One thing that's critical with any new amp is to sit down with it and start experimenting with each individual control to hear what it does to your sound.

Set all controls at neutral and one at a time boost a knob to full ON position and play a riff. Listen to the sound. Now go back to neutral and
go counterclockwise and subtract that frequency. Listen to the sound. Back to neutral.

Do the next knob the same way, same riff. Listen to the different sound. Write down your impressions - - -take notes.

In short order you'll be combining different knobs in different positions and finding tones that are "keepers". Write down those settings.

If you will spend a good hour doing this, it will pay you huge dividends. You'll find out some of what the amp can do and be off to a
strong start in learning to use it to get what you want.

Good luck with yours. BTW, you may also want to try another bass with yours. It could be your pickups that are the problem.

- THORRR :bassist:
Click to expand...
I did do that with the settings. That's why I'm stumped. And it's not my bass because like I said I went to guitar center and tried an american standard P, american special P, an ibanez, and a musicman. The music man sounded a lot better than the P but still sounded better through the other amps I plugged it into.
 
#18
I want you guys to hear the sound that I want, but posting these are probably pointless since they were taken on an iphone. Since I heard the sound in person though, when I hear it played back on these videos I know exactly what it sounded like. It's worth a shot letting you listen to them though...
This was through the Eden and Acmes.

You can hear me the best at:

0:10-0:20
The wallies - YouTube

0:30-0:40
1:05-1:15
2:38-end
Invalid Link Removed

All of my other gigs with with my ampeg and peavey, the sound was just...dead. It was always either too flat and bassy or too trebley. Could never get what I wanted.
 
#19
rage941 said:
Unfortunately I didn't, and now I sold my cab so I can't try that out. I think I tried it between 8-12 o clock.

Also what's weird is every review online is ecstatic but every bass player I talk to in person hates markbass. They say it's cheap, not good quality, sounds like ****, etc.
Click to expand...

:confused: Not sure who you are talkng to.

The LMIII is a unique combination of clean but warm and musical. It has a relatively transparent voicing (i.e., it tests out reasonably 'flat' on a scope with the tone controls set to noon and the filters of)f. It has a sterling reliability record, and is high quality (i.e., it puts out its spec'd wattage, and seems to use high quality components.

That all being said, if you are looking for an amp to really color your sound or add a bunch of distortion, the LMIII is not for you (unless you use a pedal in front of it).

As one matures as a player, you will eventually realize that 'not liking a particular piece of gear' does not mean 'it sucks':)

Here is a clip of the LMII (same tone as III) set flat through a reasonably even, full range cab. This, IMO, is the inherent tone of the LMIII (at least with a 60's style J bass with nickel wounds). Sounds like a nice bass through a nice recording console to me:D Of course, if your tone goal is an SVT or Orange tube amp pushed to full snarl, then a pedal would be needed to 'dirt it up'.

AudioKinesis with LMII and Alleva-Coppolo LG5 - YouTube
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back