Help! Settings for a Little Mark II + Stingray

[dobs1981]

I have just purchased my first musicman (finally), and I am running it through a Mark Bass Little Mark II and a Mark Bass 104F Quad (4ohm).

I have never been any good at knowing if I need more mid, bass etc...

So I hoping someone could give me a head start with how they set up their mark bass rig.

If it makes any difference my gigs are all fingerstyle, rarely slapping (top 40 covers).

I'm just looking for that really sweet musicman tone

Help me please!!!

 

[bovinehost]

I don't generally get involved in these "settings" threads, but this is an easy one.

Set everything flat on your bass. (Center detents.) Turn the volume halfway up.

Set everything flat on your amp. 12 o'clock, my man.

Turn power on. Sound good.

Easy peasy.

Seriously, the LMII is an easy head to get a good sound with. Flat, if you want a more 'vintage' sound for fingerstyle, turn the VLE knob until you smile. If you want a more modern, scooped sound, FIRST TURN THE VLE DOWN then add VLF until you smile again.

But still, my standard advice applies: Turn the knobs until it sounds good. Then stop turning the knobs.

Jack

 

[phatduckk]

ya pretty much the same here.

I EQ the amp flat (12 o'clock) but run the bass at around 2 o'clock. Then futz with the V knobs a bit (i have mine close to zero actually).

 

[dobs1981]

That's awesome guys

I really appriciate your input.

I have another gig tonight so I'll se how it goes

Thanks again

 

[Aussie Mark]

Crank it and don't wank it.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I set the LMII flat and give a little bass boost on the bass. The mid and treble generally stay flat but I sometimes cut the treble just a bit depending on how I feel on any particular day.

 

[Dr Stankface]

I have everything set at 12 o'clock with the exception of a bass boost. Yes, the VLE and VPF are at 12 o'clock too.

 

[oli@bass]

I have everything set at 12 o'clock with the exception of a bass boost.

That makes perfect sense... start out with everything flat, the VLE/VPF at zero. Try out how the two filters work. My bet is that you'll love a bit of VPF.

Yes, the VLE and VPF are at 12 o'clock too.

...while this has me puzzling... the VLE kind of counteracts the VPF... why do you do that? Since the VLE cuts highs and the VPF cuts mids, couldn't you instead just boost the bass? (that's not a rethoric question, I've not had much time to play around with my new rig yet)

 

[mynan]

The VPF boosts the lows and highs and cuts the mids at different frequencies than the eq, so it will give you a different effect than just using the eq. Plus 1 knob is easier to adjust than 4.

 

[oli@bass]

Ah, thanks. Gotta try that!!!

 

[Smakbass]

I always keep my amp Markbass LMK set flat.

 

[Dr Stankface]

why do you do that?

Because it sounds good.

 

[DTG]

i use the same set up,i set the amp at flaqt or at 12 whatever way you look at it.i never use the vle or vlp vse vxd vbme knobs .....at the start of a gig i will keep my sr5 flat too but as it goes on i either boost the mids or boost the bass which ever the song needs,thats the beauty if a MM bass its so damn easy to change the sound of yous bass between songs,with just a wee bit of boost here and there.

what sounds great in one song may not be what you need in another song,so just play with your settings untill you know how to get the right sounds from your bass.

 

[PzoLover]

Sum day soon

YouZ'All are making me hungry to get playing again so I can test drive a MarkBass amp with an SR5 Piezo and twiddle sum knobs and blend sum Piezo sounds into the mixalong with the beautious SR5 H sounds

I've been itching to try a Jeff Berlin 1x15 combo ... anybody here tried that Combo ??? and have a report ???

ATB,
/PL

 

[bigvissch]

Hi Dobs, welcome to the forum from a fellow Melbournian. With the amp set flat you can let the three band EQ in the bass set up your tone envelope. It also lets the bass be in control and gives a true representation of the Stingray sound. The Stingray sounds great when the eq is set with the bass up flat out, mids and treble set flat. To give a little more presence during solos or bass features just ride the mids.

 

[dobs1981]

hey bigvissch

when you said "With the amp set flat" are you including the VPL VLE knobs as well?

 

[bigvissch]

Yep. What I will say though is that I haven't done a heap of messing with those settings on the Little Mark II as I don't have one myself (as yet). I've only had an hour or so on one of the floor stock at the A store in the city. But any form of filter is going change the fundamental shape of the tone of your instrument. I guess it depends how much of a purist you want to be. In the end it really comes down to what you think sounds good. The best place to find that is to start with everything flat and move out from there in small increments.

Seeing as you're local, P.M. me if you want to talk about it offline.

 

[AnthonyD]

Bass flat (at the detents).

LMKII EQ all flat (12 o'clock), with the VLE at the first dot and the VPF at the second dot.

Sweet perfection!

 

[kirkm24]

You also have to consider what cabs are being used. With my 2x12 Schroeder cabinet and LMII head, I have a slight treble cut on my bass, a slight mid and bass boost on my bass, EQ's on the LMII flat, VLE and VLF boosted slightly. If the Stingray is too sizzly I just boost the VLE slightly to "dull" it down. If my bandmates complain they can't hear me, I give a slightly boost to the High mids. This usually solves the problem more efficiently than cranking the master volume. In a medium sized bar, I run the gain at about 1 0' clock and the master at about 9 o' clock.

 

[oli@bass]

If the Stingray is too sizzly I just boost the VLE slightly to "dull" it down. If my bandmates complain they can't hear me, I give a slightly boost to the High mids. This usually solves the problem more efficiently than cranking the master volume.

Great piece of advice!
Thanks