ped Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 To be honest I quite like the 'scattergun' approach of Markbass. Yeah most of the products are discontinued quickly, and yeah some are terrible - but I like a brand that tries hard and makes mistakes, because it's often those brands that occasionally come up with something brilliant. Far better and more interesting as a customer to see this rather than 'me too' designs and safe options. That's why I was disappointed they did a P/J bass. Then again I always like the perky underdog. To me, their approach, marketing and design is very 'Italian'. A bit like a Panettone with a lurid design on the box showing a chocolate filled cake but inside it's dry as a bone and barren like the gobi desert 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatcoupe432 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 31 minutes ago, ped said: A bit like a Panettone with a lurid design on the box showing a chocolate filled cake but inside it's dry as a bone and barren like the gobi desert thats probably cause you never tried a real panettone !!! lets take for example a good artisan panettone , ( Mark bass Amps in this case ) they dont look amazing no chocolate dripping on the box , just a generic paper wrapped around !!! cost around £30 and they woudnt be filled with chocolate but with raisins lemon zest etc then there is cheaper version( all the other shitty but good looking amps ) which they look amazing but like you said "they look amazing on the box but when you opene it is empty inside " I know which panettone i rather have .... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 8 minutes ago, fiatcoupe432 said: thats probably cause you never tried a real panettone !!! lets take for example a good artisan panettone , ( Mark bass Amps in this case ) they dont look amazing no chocolate dripping on the box , just a generic paper wrapped around !!! cost around £30 and they woudnt be filled with chocolate but with raisins lemon zest etc then there is cheaper version( all the other shitty but good looking amps ) which they look amazing but like you said "they look amazing on the box but when you opene it is empty inside " I know which panettone i rather have .... Haha yeah my friend owns an Italian food import business in Banbury, we had two panettone for xmas, one was a white chocolate one that was amazing, I think he said it was about £40?! Yeah the box was 'tasteful' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 2 hours ago, Al Krow said: You're right, let's just all stick to what we have, because it's broadly fine, and not bother with competition and choice. After all "if it ain't broke..." Oh and, while we're at it, can someone please call Apple and Samsung and suggest they cancel their next line of smartphones as they really are a bit pointless? But it's not a "next line", is it? It's a 15-year-old line and Markbass are trying to do something with the raddled corpse, looking firmly back towards the future. Are Samsung about to bring out a clone of the third generation iPhone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 (edited) Not sure that the world needs another pub rock band for that matter either does it? But does that mean we all give up and just leave the field open to the bands that came before us? I'm with Ped on this: I applaud firms that are willing to have a go and take a risk and bring products to market by investing their hard earned cash in new product development. Some of them will succeed - by listening to customers and finding out what they want / need from what actually sells. It's the easiest thing in the world to snipe from the sidelines while doing nothing creative or innovative ourselves. Edited January 18, 2019 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatcoupe432 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 (edited) 40 minutes ago, tauzero said: But it's not a "next line", is it? It's a 15-year-old line and Markbass are trying to do something with the raddled corpse, looking firmly back towards the future. Are Samsung about to bring out a clone of the third generation iPhone? what if they did and was far better then the actual iphone at a more resonable price ? Edited January 18, 2019 by fiatcoupe432 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Never sure why some people have such strong feelings regarding the MB aesthetic, I always thought they looked pretty neat personally. They carved out an identity for themselves and are instantly recognisable which is quite difficult to do, as soon as you see one on a stage you know it's a Mark Bass rig and it must be working as I tend to see an awful lot of them regardless of the setting or level of gig. I'd also argue that they are pretty consistent with their amp and cab lineup, they have regular ranges which they have been doing versions of for years and supplement that with more diverse products. For example you can buy a rig today which is almost identical to the 10 year old one I had up until last year, albeit with rat fur instead of nice tolex. Regarding the basses - neither floats my boat but the Richard Bona one looks alright and is obviously what he wants (which is what matters). Can't really fault them for doing a Fender style bass when almost every other manufacturer seems to offer one. Disappointed there is no yellow and black bass though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 If they can make it sell, all power to them. They seem to be doing OK...? I'd rather have the gear being produced and have the decision to or not buy it (hopefully for the company others will)... rather than no gear produced. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 1 minute ago, EBS_freak said: If they can make it sell, all power to them. They seem to be doing OK...? I'd rather have the gear being produced and have the decision to or not buy it (hopefully for the company others will)... rather than no gear produced. Exactly It's like some people think we should all be issued with a sunburst P bass at birth and be done with it. Remember - any new products for us bass players are good for the industry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Stollen has more heft 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 We just paid to get into this venue... but just discovered what the bass amp is. We're kinda thinking we should get out, cos obviously the bass is gonna sound shi*te. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 10 minutes ago, Al Krow said: We just paid to get into this venue... but just discovered what the bass amp is. We're kinda thinking we should get out, cos obviously the bass is gonna sound shi*te. Has the owner taped over the badge on the grille...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 28 minutes ago, wateroftyne said: Has the owner taped over the badge on the grille...? He/she must have seen this thread 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 2 minutes ago, LukeFRC said: He/she must have seen this thread Ha ha ha... a pic of an MB amp out in the wild in defence of the brand, and... the owner has taped over the logo. What's the chances of that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 10 minutes ago, wateroftyne said: Ha ha ha... a pic of an MB amp out in the wild in defence of the brand, and... the owner has taped over the logo. What's the chances of that? All you need now is a black marker pen... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, wateroftyne said: Ha ha ha... a pic of an MB amp out in the wild in defence of the brand, and... the owner has taped over the logo. What's the chances of that? And there you go, the strength of the brand: you all instantly recognised the amp without any need for a logo! Not sure who is having the last laugh here... 😄 Edited January 19, 2019 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickJ Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 2 hours ago, wateroftyne said: Has the owner taped over the badge on the grille...? I suspect it's protective, they probably didn't want the logo to pick up any scratches whilst in transit to sully his/her treasured amplifier 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 10 hours ago, ped said: Exactly It's like some people think we should all be issued with a sunburst P bass at birth and be done with it. Remember - any new products for us bass players are good for the industry. Do you mean new products that don't look exactly like old products? The aesthetics of the Richard Bona one don't appeal to me, but the Squier Standard clone isn't innovative. So they're pushing the boat out stylistically on one, and mooring it firmly to the jetty and dropping a few concrete blocks in it for the other one. And it's difficult to know what the average bass player can do other than praise or snipe, because most of us aren't actually in a position to bring out our own range of basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 9 hours ago, Al Krow said: We just paid to get into this venue... but just discovered what the bass amp is. We're kinda thinking we should get out, cos obviously the bass is gonna sound shi*te. At least the combos' gaudy aesthetics are in keeping with the offensive carpet and the rug draped over the drum riser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 They clearly don’t know their market very well at all. Bass players are stereotyped as the quiet one at the back who never gets any groupie action... They’ve created an attention-grabbing bass design that also has a ‘G-Spot’ control. Can you imagine the pressure of all the eyes in the room being on you whilst also not being able to find the G-Spot in front of the club chairman and a bunch of bingo-hungry coffin-dodgers?! I think I’ll stick to a precision, a dark corner and 3rd place in the meat raffle, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 I like Markbass amps (cabs not so much) and while those basses don't repulse me, they aren't awfully exciting. Like with every other instrument, it would be a case of playing one rather than prejudging it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Thanks for the laughs folks. I'm sure none of you really experience such strong emotions about the look of an amplifier or a guitar. Being serious for a moment, I like everything about the MB gear I have except for the fact that I can't buy bits or schematic to repair my broken amp myself. That stinks. Anyway sorry for hijacking a fun thread. Let me try to join in: Um, phwoooar I love how that bass looks/think it's horrid. (Delete as applicable) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Sorry if it's already been mentioned, but isn't the Bona model reminiscent of the Michael Manring Zon Hyperbass? (but with frets and without de-tuners) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 Got to say I love gold basses. Shame it's active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted January 19, 2019 Share Posted January 19, 2019 That control layout is criminal. The gold hardware on a gold bass and the headstock is godawful. the Richard Bona one is sort of ok - the More I look at it...but it misses the spot a bit (the post above about it being half curvy and half pointy...) they won’t sell many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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