Markbass Little Marcus 250

[JPJ]

So as I mentioned in another thread I recently blew the amp head in my TC BG250 208 combo and whilst I could replace it like-for-like, I’m considering just using the combo as a cab and adding a Markbass Little Marcus 250.

One reason is I love the range of tones available from my SWR Marcus Miller preamp, second reason is having blown one TC I’m reluctant to go with the replacement option.

Question is, are any of you lovely people using one of these Markbass heads in anger, and if so what do you think of them?

[fretmeister]

I have the 800w gold line version.

I like it very much. 

[Chienmortbb]

Sadly, like the TC, if it goes wrong out of warranty it will be RTB and ££££.

[BillyBass]

I have the 500w gold line version and I have mixed feelings about it.

 

Pros: Great EQ, great form factor (fits nicely on top of a Barefaced One10) and it has a nice warm tone that fits with the Barefaced 10s and a P bass, perhaps with flats.  It's well made and the yellow version has sensible knobs

 

Cons: I'm in a 90s rock covers band and for the stuff we play I need to add a pre amp to brighten it up.  With my Super Compact it's too dull without help from Sansamp.  If we ever do Motowny stuff I'll break out the MarkBass but for the moment my Ashdown cuts through better, at least in the rehearsal studio.

 

 

 

[fretmeister]

12 minutes ago, BillyBass said:

I have the 500w gold line version and I have mixed feelings about it.

 

Pros: Great EQ, great form factor (fits nicely on top of a Barefaced One10) and it has a nice warm tone that fits with the Barefaced 10s and a P bass, perhaps with flats.  It's well made and the yellow version has sensible knobs

 

Cons: I'm in a 90s rock covers band and for the stuff we play I need to add a pre amp to brighten it up.  With my Super Compact it's too dull without help from Sansamp.  If we ever do Motowny stuff I'll break out the MarkBass but for the moment my Ashdown cuts through better, at least in the rehearsal studio.

 

 

 

 

I'd agree with this, but also point out that a BB2 wouldn't have the same issue. The Super Compact / Super Twin tops out at only 5Khz (like an old Ampeg would) so the top end can be lacking with those cabs.

A tweeter cab goes up to 20Khz and releases that full blown Miller crispy top end.

 

I would have bought the Big Twin 2 rather than the Super Twin... but I'd never fit all my gear in the boot if I did that.

[Al Krow]

On 11/09/2021 at 09:48, BillyBass said:

I have the 500w gold line version and I have mixed feelings about it.

 

Pros: Great EQ, great form factor (fits nicely on top of a Barefaced One10) and it has a nice warm tone that fits with the Barefaced 10s and a P bass, perhaps with flats.  It's well made and the yellow version has sensible knobs

 

Cons: I'm in a 90s rock covers band and for the stuff we play I need to add a pre amp to brighten it up.  With my Super Compact it's too dull without help from Sansamp.  If we ever do Motowny stuff I'll break out the MarkBass but for the moment my Ashdown cuts through better, at least in the rehearsal studio.

 

23 hours ago, fretmeister said:

 

I'd agree with this, but also point out that a BB2 wouldn't have the same issue. The Super Compact / Super Twin tops out at only 5Khz (like an old Ampeg would) so the top end can be lacking with those cabs.

A tweeter cab goes up to 20Khz and releases that full blown Miller crispy top end.

 

I would have bought the Big Twin 2 rather than the Super Twin... but I'd never fit all my gear in the boot if I did that.

+1 to both the above. 

 

I also use a Tech 21 pedal (the VTDI) or a presence patch on my Zoom B1-4 to brighten up my Markbass Combo. 

 

I replaced my BF SC with a BB2 for exactly the reason @fretmeister mentioned ie to get more high end zing as it tops out at 20 kHz (well above what most of our ears can hear these days, I suspect) rather than the 4kHz of the SC, per the specs, which must mean it starts attenutating at even lower freqs. 

 

Edited September 12, 2021 by Al Krow