For your consideration and FOR SALE only please
The short-lived collaboration produced by Markbass in Italy for Musicman is essentially a Markbass TA503 only the HD500 looks way better . It's a punchy amp that is becoming a bit of a rarity. I've read people comparing it to a beefed-up old school Bassman-type sound with more headroom, which it pretty accurate but certainly not the limit of it's tonal flexibility. There is a 12au7 valve in the front end to warm the sound up and give that little bit of grit which sounds great when diggin' in especially with a pick! I've tried 12AX7's but the pre is designed for the AU7 and the drive sounds more musical with it.
This price will include next day shipping in the UK.
The head features speakons, effect loop, ground lift etc and the usual round the back. On the front panel:
-DI level control with pre/post switch,
-mute function
-built in limiter with selectable release time,
-twin channels with 4 band eq which when centred are: Bass 100Hz, Lo-Mid 400Hz, High-Mid 1.25KHz, High 12.5KHz (I think!)
-VLF control to emulate vintage cabs with on off switch
The EQ is straight forward and has many really useable tones and the bonus of twin channels means you can simply flip a switch to mix it up on the fly when gigging.
These are seriously versatile heads and with the twin eq can be set up for two different instruments or different tones for different songs (how I use it). I recently picked up a new to me head and this is now my back up plus I'm gigging much less these days.
- 500 watts @ 4 ohms - 300, maybe, 350 @ 8 ohms
- Separate Inputs for Active or Passive Instruments
- parallel and series fx loop - keeps the bottom end intact for both time based and drive effects dirt sounds great via the loop!
- Tri-Color Signal Indicator
- Vacuum Tube input stage
- 2 independent Switchable 4-Band EQ Channels
- Tuner Out with Mute Function, Effects Loop
- Adjustable XLR Balanced Direct Send
- Exclusive Loudspeaker Variable Response Control
- Adjustable Limiter
- Footswitchable EQ Channel Selection, EQ Bypass, +6dB Gain Boost, and Mute
I do not have the foot switch but the limiter is engaged and not intrusive whatsoever - works like an amp protector! The mute can be controlled from the front via a switch as is the VLF
- Speakon and 1/4" Speaker Output Jacks
- 2 Space Rack Mountable
- Dimensions: 19"W x 3 1/2"H x 11 3/4"D.
- Weight: 24lbs