Riaz

Today nipped out to Andertons as they had a couple of second hand Markbass amps, plus I wanted to try out the MB Mini CMD 121 combo. I've been playing a theatre residency with a back line provided, the Ampeg micro-stack was recently replaced with a Little Mark lll amp and 1x15 cabinet. The latter has really impressed me, despite the Ampeg looking so much cooler onstage. Markbass Mini CMD 121 combo - decent bottom end, amp responded well to attempts to create a rock / plectrum sound or softer finger playing. Good at higher volume but less clarity on lower notes. There were no NY cabs in stock, but this gave a sense of what the MB 1x12s can do. Trace Eliott Elf 1x10 - having read other peoples comments on this, was keen to give it a go. Tried 3 different heads, but just couldn't get on with it. Orange OBC 112 - it was ok with the Orange head, but felt it really came alive with the two Markbass amps, Little Mark lll and 58R. Excellent bottom end, coped well with higher volume. Ultimately, am looking for a set up that can be used at home, rehearsals and gigs with the option of running 2 cabs at 4 ohms. I really would have liked to try the New York 121 cab and sense this might be the best option. I bought the Markbass Little Mark lll amp. Am pondering either the Markbass NY121 cab or the Orange 112, there's plenty of second hand ones out there. Am wondering if anyone else has been using different makes of cabs and amps?

So, I've resumed playing after a while out and been helping out a mate's band. Been using their Carlsboro Cobra 90 bass combo, first with an Epiphone semi-acoustic, and more recently a Gibson SG. It's impressive how both sound exactly the same, and having tweaked what I would generously describe as the graphic equaliser, everything still sounds the same. The bottom end exists in a kind of murky muddy splodge of ugliness, the middle is dominant no matter how much the mids are cut, and the top resembles a fish being slapped across the face. Thankyou for this thread which has provided much needed therapy.

Ok, the title doesn't work, but anyway, after a long long break, have resumed playing the bass. Here's the current line up. The Precision was used for hundreds of gigs in the 80s touring with a post punk band called the Shout, then the Epiphone for 90s Brit Rock, recently picked up the Gibson which was gigged for the first time in March this year, and is currently my first choice. Yup, an SG over a Precision. Mad. Currently involved in 2 projects; helping out a mate's band using a Carlsboro Cobra combo, and a live band theatre thing with a borrowed MarkBass Little Mark 3 and 15" cabinet.