molan

My Berg is next on the block 😱

After trying just about every brand out there, I’ve decided that Markbass just works best for me. I like the core sounds and they’ve always been ultra-reliable. All the new kit is Markbass, just different configuration to match all my current gigs/home requirements

3 new amps, 2 cabs and a combo incoming 🤣

NOW SOLD - Price reduced to £575 - absolute bargain for one of these with the midi pedal and gig bag! A lot of amp, and processing power, for the money 😉 Another amp on the block as part of my big clear-out of unused gear as I make way for a new, simpler studio & gigging setup. This is the 'big daddy' of the amazing Multiamp lineup with stereo amps delivering 2x500w into 4ohms, 2x300w into 8ohms or a chunky 1000w if you bridge it! This complete kit was bought for a very specific functions band project that was going to require lots of different core bass tones plus some synthy, octave, delay and fuzz settings. Unfortunately the gig didn't really get off the ground so it sat in my study as an, expensive, toy to be tinkered with. Very little usage at all, mostly just the odd hour or two scrolling through presets & fiddling with small adjustments. The midi pedal has never even been plugged in and the plastic never removed from the control panel! The 2 close-up pics below, of both front and rear, should show the excellent condition There are a couple of small marks on the top from when I had some pedals sitting on it & it wasn't in the gig bag. The rest is immaculate. None of the kit has ever left the house, although the gig bag is definitely designed to be used live with little cut outs for the fan on the side. Mojave wrote a very comprehensive review on it when released and I've taken the liberty of adding that here: I think bass players fall into two categories when it comes to gear. There are those who like to use lots of tech and often use bigger pedal boards than most guitarists, then there are the players who will have a tuner and possibly a compressor, but will then mostly keep their rig nice and simple. Given this review, it may surprise that I fall into the latter category. I don’t use lots of gear and I prefer to keep things simple, but I do also find myself being asked to do something in my function band, at a dep or in studio where I could have done with some distortion, chorus or a completely different rig to give a more valve-y overdriven or soulful sound. With my old setup that left me a bit exposed sometimes and I resorted to one of several multi effect pedals I have used over the years but with no great love, satisfaction or worse, a disappointing muddy or “digital” sound. So to me, the MultiAmp represents a truly “All in One” head and effects rack which, with a choice of cabs, will allow me to turn up and create pretty much any sound/feel required. The hardware There are two versions of the Bass MultiAmp; I chose the mono version. In both cases the input is a single mono input. The mono version has a single power amplifier, running the same as a Little Mark III and all the standard Combo amps, providing 300w at 8 Ohm and 500w at 4 Ohm. The stereo version has [i]two[/i] of the above, and can also provide a choice of output settings to give a stereo output, a bridged mode providing 1000w at 8 Ohm, or a Bi-Amp mode. The fronts of both the units are identical, but some of the menu options differ. From left to right we have a single mono input with a pad switch, allowing you to select between -6, 0 +6 and +12dB. Along the bottom row there are the same Gain, Low, Mid-Low, Mid-High, High and Master pots you would find on all Markbass heads. The only difference is they are infinite, with the levels of these shown by a ring of red LEDs, as the parameters can all be stored. Along the top row there are three amp model buttons, defined as “Solid State”, “Tube” and “Vintage”. There is an independent “Phones” level control and there is the reasonably sized monochrome LCD display. To the right of the display there is the power switch, a 3.5mm headphone out socket, an SD slot and eleven buttons for the menu system. On the rear of both units is a “Speaker Out” section, a pair of left and right line outputs, with a pad switch providing -10 or +4 and a ground lift. The ¼” jack outputs are unbalanced, the XLR are balanced and these can be configured in the system menu to allow you to select the DI path between “End of chain, Post Amp EQ or Pre Amp EQ’. You can also configure the output level and whether the Cab Simulation is on or off. There is a USB port for the Win/Mac programming tool, a MIDI in/thru, and an effects send/return loop. I have connected the XLRs to a desk and, unless I have missed something, the mono version provides the same output signal on each, where the stereo version will provide a stereo image and stereo effects. Using the MultiAmp The display is selectable between the lists of various presets available and, once a preset is chosen, a set of eight “slots” is shown, each of which can be turned on or off independently. The only slot that is fixed is Slot 8, which can only be used for the Cab Simulation. Every other slot can have [i]anything[/i] put in it, including multiples of the same effects. The only rule is you can only have one Amp (a bit obvious really!), but this can be [i]anywhere[/i] in the signal path making it incredibly versatile. So, the process of building a customized patch starts with selecting the amp model and which slot you want it in. Using the scroll keys, find an appropriate slot and pressing the “Slot Select” button, after which you are presented with a choice of functions, the first of which is the amplifier. Using the amp model buttons you choose the amp type you want and each of these has a selection of amps (probably!) as follows:- Solid State: Big Bang (Markbass) Little Mark III (Markbass) T-Green90 (Trace Elliot) RB7Hundred (Gallien Krueger) Tube: TTE 500 (Markbass) Blue ’70 (Ampeg SVT Blue Line) Red ’96 (SWR Redhead) TWval115 (Ampeg B15) Vintage: Bassface ‘59 (US) (Fender Bassman) UK120 (Orange OR-120) JMayor (Marshall Major) Sunny US (Sunn) I say “probably” because there is nothing in writing anywhere on the Markbass website or in the documentation to support this but it’s probably a reasonable guess! You confirm your selection using the scroll keys and the “Enter” button, and then you use the standard level/tone controls to set it up as you wish. You then do the same for any effects or functions you may wish to add to any of the other slots. The parameters for each slot can then be configured by selecting the slot and pressing the enter button. Some of the amps also have further options which are shown in the same way including, for example, the VLE/VPF filters for the LMIII/Big Bang and the “Colour” for the TTE500. The effects currently available are:- B-Tubemarker B-Drive 21 T-Chorus MB Chorus/Flanger Ninethy Phase Reverb Delay Volume Pedal Noise Suppressor Send/Return Parametric EQ MW Octaver Super Synth Compressore Envelope Filter Pitch Shift This includes all the MB effects, a bunch of others, a volume pedal and the ability to patch and switch the effects loop. The MultiAmp allows you to store up to five banks of 128 presets, 640 in total, which can also be saved onto an SD card to back up or have additional libraries. There is now a Mac/Win programming interface available which I have been playing with today. Like most it is fairly self-explanatory, with the eight slots taking most of the screen – not big on fancy graphics but all the controllability there, available and simple to use. It has a neat feature that you can drag and drop the slots if you wish to modify the signal chain order, though you will need to find yourself a Male A to Male A USB cable to connect to the MultiAmp, rather than the usual “printer cable” style, but I easily found a choice of lengths in Maplins. In a live situation the MultiAmp can be controlled from the front panel or using MIDI (I don’t know any detail and don’t quote me, but I have also heard a rumour that there may be a dedicated MB pedal in development. The DVMark guitar version is already available on their website). The MIDI implementation is an area I have not yet done too much with, but the demo MultiAmp at the LGBS was configured with a Keith McMillan SoftStep, which facilitated patch switching, toggling effect slots, volume pedal, tap tempo and a mute/tuner. I already own a SoftStep which I use on my Behringer X32 desk, so am going to start by uploading the configuration MSL have given me and take it from there. The build quality of the unit is exactly what you would expect from Markbass. This kit is built, like all other MB kit, for producing high quality professional sound and trust me, it is in a completely different league to any modelling multi-effects pedal I have ever used (and as said before I’ve been through a few!). The software is very quick with no latency at all that I can detect. It all feels very warm and natural and the amp models are incredibly high quality; it is all very quiet when your instrument volume is off. There is a high degree of controllability to all amps/effects, from almost un-noticeably subtle to utter madness. The platform is very actively being developed; it is one of around six different models of MultiAmp if you include the guitar versions in the DVMark range and the list of features had already grown when the v2 firmware became available, including some additional effects and significant improvements to the MIDI functionality. At the London Bass Guitar Show the MultiAmp generated a lot of interest. There was a mix of people who looked at it and either got it immediately, or said “nah, too complicated for me”. I do completely get both views, but…. While I would agree it [i]will[/i] take a couple of hours of sitting down and pre-configuring, I am not finding this at all difficult or complicated. There are those who will want to set up hundreds of patches and optional configurations but I won’t be doing that myself. I am already most of the way to programming a selection of basic patches for each of the amp models I know I will use, with a selection of useable effects in each. So is it good value? If you are happy with one sound and no effects then possibly not. If you want the versatility of a choice of amps and a quiver of high quality effects, in a simple to use “all in one” rack mountable box, then I personally think it makes complete sense. Though predominantly with studio based technology, guitarists have had a broader choice of similar multi-functional products for a good while now (the DVMark Guitar MultiAmp is proving very successful in that market too), but this is a different concept for many bass players. Having led the lightweight gear revolution, for which my back will be ever grateful, I see this as the next and very logical development. Specifications - from Anderton's INPUT: 1 jack mono OUTPUTS: 2 jack mono (left/mono,right), 2 XLR male (left/mono,right), speaker outs , headphones CHANNELS: Solid State / Tube / Vintage CONTROLS: Gain /Phones Level / Master EQ CONTROLS: Low / Mid Low / Mid High / High POWER AMP: STEREO MODE: 2x500W@4 ohm | 2x300W@8ohm BRIDGE MODE: 1000W@8ohm MIDI Connections: In / Through OTHER FEATURES: 105 Live Mono Factory Presets 105 P.A. Factory Presets 105 Live Stereo Factory Presets > Virtual Amps > Speaker Cabs and Microphones > Mute/Tuner > Effects > External Memory (SD card*) DIMENSIONS: 2U standard rack / depth 12.76"/324 mm WEIGHT: 9.48 lbs /4.3 kg Price based on collection or local meet-up - assume roughly £15 to ship.

I bought this little baby for practicing in the house whilst my external study was being built. However, the builders chose to finish the study ahead of other work so it had barely 3 weeks of use - all at very low volume! I had one acoustic gig with a dummer who had a small 'jazz' kit, semi-acoustic guitar & vocals. I took it along expecting it to struggle but it was absolutely fine as my stage monitor without having to push it & using the excellent DI to feed the PA. Hard to explain but, for such a small thing, it really does work to hear a bass sounding 'right' with some depth & purity of tone - unlike some small practice combos with larger drivers & more powerful amps that can just sound tinny & thin! It also has the huge benefit of being able to plug in an external source to play along to and a decent headphone out socket for completely silent practice. Completely unmarked & from a pet-free home so all of the covering has been saved from cat scratching or stray dog hairs 😆 Description borrowed from Anderton's: The Micromark packs punch, but is still small enough to deliver the Markbass sound anywhere, but big enough to provide a fuller sound with plenty of bottom end! The Markbass Micromark 801 features a single yellow 8" Markbass neodymium speaker. The original Micromark has been astounding people since its first introduction a few years ago. But this new version is even more sonically impressive! Specifications Speaker:1x 8" Power Supply: analog Amp Output Power: 45W @ 8 ohm / 60W @ 4 ohm Speaker Power Handling: 200 W Speaker Impedance: 8 ohm Frequency Responce: 60 Hz to 8 kHz Controls: level / VPF Other Features: aux in / headphone out / XLR line out / speaker on/off speaker out for extension cabinet (minimum load 8 ohm) or optional Tweeter Size: 268 x 268 x 262mm / 10.55" x 10.55" x 10.31" Weight: 5,2 kg / 11.46 lbs Price based on collection or local meet up. I'd guess delivery would be about £15.

Some pics to show the condition. I've spotted one tiny, tiny scratch on the underside and another small one just above the on/off switch. No idea how they got there as it really is in virtually unused condition. I'll knock a tenner off because of these though. Any other marks that might be visible are just dust, reflections, cleaning cloth etc. Even the rubber feet look almost new

EDIT: Spotted 2 tiny marks so reduced to £275 collected or add £15 for shipping (if it's less than £15 I'll refund the difference). My back up studio/practice amp - never used since new until about 4-5 months ago when I sold my other head. Very, very light use since then. Low volume home practice whilst learning new songs only. Comes with original box and outer. Price includes UK shipping. Knock £15 off for collection or local meet up (I’m in Henley near Reading). Borrowed from Anderton’s: The Little Mark III is Markbass' flagship bass amp offering that powerful yet clear tone that the company is known for in a compact format. Powerful Tone This amp can pump some serious volume thanks to its 500-watts of solid-state power, so you're sure to be heard when you're performing. The power amp is a Mark Proprietary Design (MPT) which means it has been designed by Markbass to preserve the natural tone of your bass when amplifying it. The Little Mark III offers plenty of power and punch with a warm, natural tone, all in a head that's easy to transport - a great option for the gigging bassist. Tonal Control While the Little Mark III provides a great natural sound, it also gives you plenty of control when it comes to dialling in your perfect tone. In addition to Gain and Master Volume controls, you can also sculpt the lows, low mids, high mids, and highs to get all the frequencies right where you want them. There's also the VPF (Variable Pre-shape Filter) and VLE (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator) controls for even more tonal options. Functionality When you turn the Little Mark III around you'll finds some functionality that'll come in handy, especially if you're a gigging musician. If you're a bassist that likes to dabble with effects pedals, you'll find the built-in effects loop useful for keeping delay and modulation effects sounding clearer when running your amp dirty. There's also a Line Out output for when you want to forego a cab and go direct into a PA, mixer, or audio interface and you can use the Pre/Post EQ switch to send your signal with or without the EQ shaping from the amp. What Markbass say about the Little Mark III Bass Head: The flagship Markbass amplifier, the Little Mark III is the industry standard for tone, portability and value. This amp adds some high-requested features to its famous predecessor Little Mark II, with the same compact size and weight! The Little Mark III's solid-state preamp has a warm and natural sound, and faithfully reproduces the true tone of your instrument. The 500-watt Markbass power amp (Markbass Proprietary Technology) supplies impeccable bass frequency reproduction. The new DI output features a pre-post EQ switch and output level control, so you can optimize the signal you send to the mixer or recording unit. Specifications Inputs Input: impedance 500 Kohm, max. voltage 15 Vpp Balanced Input (XLR): impedance 100 Kohm, max. voltage 25 Vpp Effect Return: impedance 33 Kohm, max. voltage 10 Vpp Controls Gain: -60 dB to +23 dB range Master Volume Line Out Level Ground Lift (switch on rear panel) Pre/Post EQ (switch on rear panel) Equalization Low: center frequency: 40 Hz; level: ±16 dB Low Mid: center frequency: 360 Hz, level: ±16 dB High Mid: center frequency: 800 Hz, level: ±16 dB High: center frequency: 10 kHz, level: ±16 dB VPF (Variable Pre-shape Filter): center frequency 380 Hz VLE (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator): frequency range 250 Hz-20 kHz Output Line Out: balanced XLR, max. voltage 20 Vpp Effect Send: unbalanced, max. voltage 20 Vpp (pre-EQ) Tuner Out: unbalanced, max. voltage 2 Vpp Speaker Out: speakon/1/4" combo, 1/4" Other Weight: 5.07 lbs / 2.3 Kg Width: 10.87 in. / 27.6 cm Depth: 9.84 in. / 25 cm Height: 3.27 in. / 8.3 cm Output Power: 500W RMS @ 4 ohms / 300W RMS @ 8 ohms Amp Technology: Solid State MPT (Mark Proprietary Technology) Amp Impedance: Minimum 4 Ohms

Yes, it’s a full on vintage replica. Certainly matches a lot of CS builds I’ve seen - just doesn’t have the logo 🤦‍♂️ Will definitely take offers from old mates

If anyone is interested in this but might want to trade, then don't hesitate to contact Will at Bassbros. He's a very fair PX guy (I know this because that's how I first met him when I PX'd a 70's P bass against a Fodera!). He can also accept card payments - particularly handy if you have one of those 'interest free' long term deals that are kicking around at the moment!

I had a P bass that was something like 1976 that had 1966 pots in. For about 5 minutes I thought maybe my '76 was worth a lot more money - then I read all the stories about old parts being rescued from the spares bin 😆

If anyone is interested in this but might want to trade, then don't hesitate to contact Will at Bassbros. He's a very fair PX guy (I know this because that's how I first met him when I PX'd something!). He can also accept card payments - particularly handy if you have one of those 'interest free' long term deals that are kicking around at the moment!

I’ve seen lollipops on both a ‘69 and a ‘70. They were sold as original but I guess they could have been aftermarket swaps. I’ve certainly seen other 68’s with them. As it happens, some of the dated parts on this particular bass are as early as ‘66 but the most recently dated parts, the pickups, are Mar ‘68 from what I remember. The neck has a Feb ‘68 date stamp which probably means it was started in ‘67 and I think the serial number is often quoted as ‘67/‘68. Of course, Fender were famous for grabbing whatever parts they had lying around in the bin as part of final completion. This is particularly true of pots with a lot of later basses, right through to early/mid ‘70’s having ‘60’s dated pots in them. I think it was in ‘66 that they bought a huge number With all these variances kicking around there’s no really definitive guide to exactly when Fender used different parts, neck profiles, etc. In this case, with the pups being dated March ‘68 it seems fair to call it a ‘68, even though some parts are certainly earlier Just for reference - here’s a ‘69 with lollipops.

Yes, I think that’s correct. My ‘65 J has lollipops and dots. Then the binding and blocks came in and stayed until early 70’s.

No, old as I am, I was only 8 when it was built

As an ex Markbass dealer, I found no difference between made in Italy and Indonesia. Just equally as good with slightly less returns on the Indonesian models for repairs and servicing.

With a new Ritter incoming, I decided that one of my old Fenders had to go. As this is the only original finish one I have, I thought it deserved a new home with someone who would play and cherish it. It’s a truly lovely thing and in amazing condition for a ‘68 original finish. It’s been played but, I think, it’s been well looked after during its 55 year life! Currently for sale at BassBross where people can visit, try and talk about PX deals etc. I don’t want to betray any trust with Will so it’s only available for sale direct with him. The description from BassBross is: ”This 1968 Fender Jazz Bass has all the looks and mojo you would expect! Featuring blocks/binding, lollypop tuners, pickup covers, original hardcase. This really is a classic mid-late 60’s look! Everything is original apart from the addition of the some extra screw holes that brings the bridge cover further forward, these can be seen in the photos. This bass has had a life and has quite rightly been played extensively, there are plenty of dings and areas of wear to show this, we think this just adds to making this bass so classic. Please get in touch for any more info/photos. Serial number suggests early 68 Neck dated 7 Feb 68 Pots serial is 6631 = 1966 Pickups dated 3-8-68 = March 68 – Part Exchange Welcome – SPEC Serial Number – 218045 Year – 1968 Colour – Three Tone Sunburst Body Finish – Gloss Body Wood – Alder Neck Finish – Gloss Neck Wood – Maple Fretboard – Rosewood Frets – 20 Scale Length – 34’ Weight – 9lbs8oz/4.3kgs Electronics – Passive Pickups – Orignal Fender Gigbag/Hardcase – Original Hardcase Lots more pics here: https://bassbros.co.uk/product/1968-fender-jazz-bass/

I bought this a few years back after falling in love with the look and the heritage. I’ve never seen another! I did a lot of research before buying and there seems to be some evidence that these were genuinely made as test runs for the Fender Custom Shop. It’s certainly recorded that one of the very first P basses out of the CS was a ‘Mary Kaye’ model. From my experience as an ex-CS dealer, the build quality is certainly up there with the CS. Unfortunately my wimpy left wrist, damaged a few years back in a motorcycle accident, means I really struggle with the classic P bass neck profile so I decided to sell it. It’s currently for sale at BassBross in Leominster. This gives people the opportunity to give it a try in the relaxed atmosphere at his showroom. It is only for sale via BassBross (which also allows for various purchase or trade options). From Will’s text: ”This is a very rare bass indeed! Rumour has it that these were early builds for the US Custom Shop. They made a limited run of Stratocasters, Telecasters, Jazz basses and Precisions. The P-basses and Telecaster 6 strings are generally believed to be the rarest. Fender Custom Shop have recently revisited this model in bring out the 57 Mary Kaye Journeyman relic model. But this one here is the original version! This bass features the full size 13′ body width making it slightly chunkier than the modern day P basses. There are a couple of marks on the side of the body and pickguard, other than that is is in outstanding condition for its age. Serial Number – V034979 Year – 1987 Colour – Olympic White Body Finish – Gloss Body Wood – Alder Neck Finish – Gloss Neck Wood – Maple Fretboard – Maple Frets – 20 Scale Length – 34” Weight – 9lbs8oz/4.3kgs Electronics – Passive Pickups – Orignal Fender Gigbag/Hardcase – Hardcase Lots of pics here: https://bassbros.co.uk/product/1987-fender-mary-kaye-1957-reissue-precision-bass/