Marlin Basses, anyone know anything?

[Themrperson]

Hi guys I have a Marlin Rockbass II and it is not the best bass ever and I wanted to know if anyone knew anything about them or even owned one?

Thanks
Ciaran

[thisnameistaken]

When I first started playing they were a common beginner brand, they were cheaper than Squiers and had designs that appealed more to metal fans. I haven't played one for 20 years so I can't really give an opinion on whether I thought they were any good.

[loki]

All the Marlins I saw were plywood bodied but were decent looking in their day. No real value these days, apart from nostalgia!

[Dandelion]

Marlin slammers and Marlin sidewinders were the beginners guitars of my day.

[jaydentaku]

I do remember them from childhood and I have read some scathing opinions on here.

[loki]

I remember drooling over an ad for a Marlin Sidewinder in 'Making Music' (remember that?!). Happy days...

[Dandelion]

Gowd... what ever happened to Making Music?

I used to like that.

[loki]

It was free too!

Actually that's probably what happened to it...

[Roland Rock]

Marlin Sidewinder was my first bass. Mine was great, doing me for dozens of gigs and some recording! Saying that, I then got a Stingray and the Marlin never again saw the light of day!

[Themrperson]

I have heard about the Sidewinder but nothing on the one I got now and to be honest the Rockbass II is not so bad as it can have a nice tone to it but I don't like the neck finish and the action on it really.

[loki]

OK, just had a quick look and your Marlin Rockbass II is different from the old Marlins of yore and indeed yesteryear we are all guffing on about. These can still be picked up on Amazon and are of Indonesian origin.

I'm grateful for the 'Making Music' nostalgia though. Gotta run, my mate is bringing his Spectrum games round and I'm going to tape-to-tape them

Edited September 18, 2012 by loki

[TomWIC]

My first bass was a Marlin Swordfish. I'm trying to find one again for nostalgia purposes, I'd love to hear how it sounds again.

[Cat Burrito]

I think it's fair to say that anyone who was playing in the late 80s remembers them and few remember them favourably. They were being churned out in Kays catologue and the like

[quote name='loki' timestamp='1347996551' post='1807944']'Making Music' (remember that?!). Happy days...
[/quote]

We had "Demo of the month" in that mag back in 1994. Didn't help us but we won a mic and my Mum was chuffed

[Russ]

[quote name='loki' timestamp='1347998354' post='1807991']
These can still be picked up on Amazon and are of Indonesian origin.[/quote]

Blimey. I had no idea they were still being made. They look like pretty blatant Traben copies. Hopefully they're not as awful as the old ones were.

If some Indonesian company wanted to resurrect a band, they should resurrect Westone - they, at least, were held in fairly high regard in their heyday.

[basslowdown]

[quote name='Dandelion' timestamp='1347996653' post='1807947']
Gowd... what ever happened to Making Music?

I used to like that.
[/quote]

It became Playmusic Pickup then just Playmusic, it was in print up to about the start of this year and now it has gone over to exclusively online. I wrote for it a bit a few years back.

[url="http://www.playmusicpickup.co.uk/"]http://www.playmusicpickup.co.uk/[/url]

[gafbass02]

[quote name='loki' timestamp='1347996995' post='1807955']
It was free too!

Actually that's probably what happened to it...
[/quote]

Actually 'lol'd' at that

Edited September 19, 2012 by gafbass02

[skankdelvar]

Few years back I set up a very old Marlin Strat for a mate who'd bought it for his daughter - £20 in a boot sale. Even with a plywood body, it wasn't a bad little guitar - found myself noodling away on it for an hour or two. Nasty 12th fret marker, though.
[color=#ffffff].[/color]

Edited September 20, 2012 by skankdelvar

[luckman67]

My first bass back in 1987 was the Malin Sidewinder KB-24 , how sad am I remembering that. Either way mine was the white one and for what it was it was ok, it was only £87.50. I wanted the Squier JV Precision but that was £199 how I wish I could get a JV for that price now.

[lee650]

As recall, they were advertised, as beginner basses, and usually came with a little 10 watt amp and a curly lead for not very much money, i really wanted one, when i was a kid i got a marlin guitar , it was black and pointy headstocked and i loved it, i eventuallly sacked it off for a fender strat, and sacked that off for a JV squier jazz that i still have.