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Am I "New School" Now?

bovinehost

bovinehost

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I haven't really compared my Markbass rig to my 'old school' rig - a Sunn 1200s and two Ampeg cabinets (4-10 and 1-15) because I'm lazy, mostly. Also, I figured that the old school rig versus the Markbass was an unfair fight. Hell, the Sunn is 1200 watts! (And weighs as much a Buick Riviera.)

The way I have my MB stuff running, the head is 500 watts.

But I've been using the MB exclusively at home and of course it was gigged last November for the Forum Jam and the Cowpilot set at the Hilton. Sounded plenty good to me.

In the back of my mind, I think I believed that while the Markbass was damned good, the "Big Rig" would be my preference if it really came down to it (and if I really didn't have to carry it!).

Paul (SmallEQ) was over the other night and we were fondling basses and playing some blues and whatnot and he was plugged into the MB rig but I wanted to show him something so I plugged into the Sunn/Ampeg setup.

Wow.

I guess I'm completely converted now. The Sunn/Ampeg sounded so indistinct. I was really shocked. I kind of thought I would be comparing apples to oranges, and maybe it really is, but I find I prefer - hands down, and without any reservations or excuses - the Markbass setup.

And let me add - thank you, Sterling. This thing really does rock.

Jack
 
midopa

midopa

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Time to hang your bass at your knees and play with extreme scooped mids, a pick, and roundwounds. \m/ :D
 
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Aussie Mark

Aussie Mark

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Jack, you're only "new school" if you use the "VPF" control (aka "the Hartke sound"). Keeping the VPF on zero while tweaking the VLF maintains your old school status.
 
n!k

n!k

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And I would hate for anyone to say such a thing, which is why I'd love to take away the bad, bad amp right away so the little bumble bee amps can play in peace ;)
 
T-bone

T-bone

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Bovinehost,

There's something about "pure sound" that turns me on. No pedals, no distortion, just pure, clean sound. Which is why this post caught my attention.

Currently I play through a 2 x 10 combo rig from Eden. I like the combo's because I can carry it in one hand, and my bass in the other. However, in looking at these M/B rigs, and I'm certainly bit by this M/B bug, I'm wondering which way to go? Combo or components? Or will it really matter?

Any insight?

tbone
 
PzoLover

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holy sheep schmidt

Big Poppa said:
Nobody ever told jack that the sunn was a pile of goat dung.....bat feces
Click to expand...

Jack has sucked me into thinking about a 2oth SR5 so I should be ever careful what I pay attention sround here, but the fact is, since I been snooping around the www, I've taken an interest in getting out of rehab to try a n MB 151P Jeff Berlin combo with my Eden 12XLT cab for some cool SR5 piezo tones:cool: snd I s'pose such a rig will help my loyaland trusty1981 BCR Eagle n/t bump&sing ... next comes the warning lettersto my neighbours and the UBC geology dept.:eek:
 
bovinehost

bovinehost

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T-bone said:
There's something about "pure sound" that turns me on. No pedals, no distortion, just pure, clean sound.
Click to expand...

Well, we're on the same page, I think. I'm a caveman when it comes to bass; I want to plug my instrument in and go.

Eden stuff and I have a checkered past. I've tried, various times, to form a relationship with the amps and just haven't had much luck. If I recall correctly, I've had a WT-500 and....ah, I can't remember now. WT-400, maybe? I forget.

A few of my friends had Eden heads and loved them. I couldn't get 'my' sound, though, try as I might, so I moved on. They sure seem to work for plenty of other guys, but not for me.

T-bone said:
Currently I play through a 2 x 10 combo rig from Eden. I like the combo's because I can carry it in one hand, and my bass in the other. However, in looking at these M/B rigs, and I'm certainly bit by this M/B bug, I'm wondering which way to go? Combo or components? Or will it really matter?
Click to expand...

I prefer components under almost any circumstances. It's easier to mix and match, change cabinets, that sort of thing. I love the LM2 head; it fits into a laptop bag (and weighs about as much as my laptop) with plenty of space left over for cables and various junk.

I've only tried one Markbass combo and it sounded great, but according to BP, it's a prototype and there's only one in existence, so there's no point in going on and on about THAT one! I think a few of the forumites here are using combos, though, so maybe they'll chip in.

Markbass has some new heads that should be available before too long, but it's really hard to go wrong with the LM2 paired up with a couple of the lightweight cabinets.

Jack
 
mynan

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T-bone said:
However, in looking at these M/B rigs, and I'm certainly bit by this M/B bug, I'm wondering which way to go? Combo or components? Or will it really matter?

Any insight?

tbone
Click to expand...

One big difference, I believe, is that the combos don't have an attenuator knob to dial out the tweeter and kill the hiss, but I've found that the VLE essentially does the same thing as an attenuator does.
 
GreyDad

GreyDad

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I'm with you Jack - I have a few pedals for "special circumstances" like neat funky noises but most of the time it's that endless search for the best pure tone. I have to say since camping out here I've been much happier with my 5 and Ashdown now that I'm not using the eq on the amp, preamp flat and only a little eq on the 5 ( bit of mid and bass boost), per the common advice.

Components for me - the idea of an amp about the same weight and footprint as my Macbook has my toes going all curly... and my back breathing an anticipatory sigh of relief :D
 
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