kulabula Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 So, I want a new amp. Small but powerful. Research research research. Got it down to a Markbass lm3 or maybe the 800 watt model to match my Barefaced supertwin. Reading some material on basschat and talkbass it would seem that many ( by many I mean the majority ) are swapping their Markbass amps for fender rumble 500's !!! Wowsers. So, I'm gonna go try one out. I know that fender have bought genz benz and swr, so have they used all that tech on the new rumble amps?? Discuss 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Can't help you with this one but I'm just wondering if the Markbass spell has been broken and they're now yesterday's gear? Hope so, why would you actually want something in yellow italics sat on top of your stack? Verily they offend the eye! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 I've heard the Rumbles are very good. But I'll stick with my yellow italics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Fender has butchered SWR and Genz Benz and as a result their non tube amps (they already butchered Sunn for more tube tech) have become excellent amps, and at a great price. I have owned an MB 800, it was not for me, but Markbass have a strong following and are great quality as well as cost effective so we will see them around for a long time... Or until Fender takes them over and kills the brand I say Rumble, but best to try both and see for yourself which you prefer. But there are many quality class D amps out there nowadays. My Reidmar continues to impress me, the Puma 900 I had was awesome and the Aggie TH500 is a serious bit of kit too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 (edited) If Fender had re badged GB or SWR amps I would have more confidence, but nicking bits of these designs (is there any evidence they actually did that?) to put in their own amps doesn't fill me with any desire to own one. My reading of the situation is that Fender didn't know what to do with the companies they bought. Several including GB came to them when they bought Kamen so it doesn't look to me like they bought GB for its technology. I owned and liked (a lot) a Markbass LM2, so with these choices I'd get an LM3 with no worries. Edit: I own a GB STL 9.2 and Aguilar TH500. Along with Markbass, that's where I'd be doing my comparisons. Edited March 7, 2015 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shockwave Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 (edited) I tried both the new rumbles and Markbass stuff in wunjos a few months ago. The Rumble stuff was fantastic. Very lightweight, great value and had a decent warm tone. I went with a full Markbass rig in the end as it sounded more hi Fi and clean, I have my VT deluxe bass to provide my lofi and overdriven tones and I wanted to cover all the areas. Honestly go try them both out. Edited March 7, 2015 by Shockwave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Try Aguilar, the ToneHammer 500 is an incredible amp and sounds so lush and warm for a solid state/class D! Plus it's damn cheap! Also if you can, try the Gallien Krueger MB800 fusion, they get AMAZING write ups! I'm interested by the new Rumble amps as I had one as my first ever practice amp, it sounded ok but it wasn't the best! So if these new Rumble heads are sounding good, are light, and cheap then I'll be looking to try one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1425721405' post='2709993'] If Fender had re badged GB or SWR amps I would have more confidence, but nicking bits of these designs (is there any evidence they actually did that?) to put in their own amps doesn't fill me with any desire to own one. My reading of the situation is that Fender didn't know what to do with the companies they bought. Several including GB came to them when they bought Kamen so it doesn't look to me like they bought GB for its technology. ............ [/quote] Agree, I don't feel that you are seeing those companies better products in Fender's range... to any any degree that counts, so I get the impression Fender wanted competition out of the way so their offerings don't suffer by comparison. I feel Fender produce products that are just there rather than justify being there..laurels well and truely rested on.. which considering how powerful the name still is, they get away with. IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 One of my concerns buying the new 500 combo Rumble was the untested reliability question, using Aguilar and Genz gear for a good while now and never having been let down by them I had thoughts about the untested v3 Rumble gear. Roll on 7 months later and I have been using it almost exclusively for practices twice a week and a dozen or so gigs and it's been faultless. It's become my favourite for the tone and sound I'm after. As I have stated before I'm not sure if it's the combo's alone that knock out this killer tone or if the stand-alone heads and cabs do the same? I also have the TH500 and Shuttle 6.0 they won't be going anywhere but just not getting a look in with the slightly driven warm sound the 500 combo is giving me. Never owned any MB gear but know it's quality stuff and built to last... Guess it's all down to the sound you are after and what you think suits the music you are playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 (edited) - Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTB Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 I like MB stuff as you can see below. All have been reliable and sound great & I don't mind the yellow - never had any complaints from band leaders, audience, etc. I used my LMII with a Barefaced Super 12 and it worked great. Hoping to be getting another one with my preferred cloth grill very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kulabula Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 Well, this is all very interesting. I'm off to play a new rumble now with my bass Jedi master friend. I will report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikkoantt Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 I have an Epifani UL-501 and I think it's the winner in a light weight stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kulabula Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 I'm back. I played the 210 combo. I was hoping to play the amp alone through my cab, but alas they didn't have one in. It is a very impressive unit, very, very loud. I think if I wanted a combo that would be definitely in the running. The eq was ok. The straight up tone was really solid, can't go wrong kinda thing. It would have been nice to just have played the amp though. As far as a decision goes................. I'm gonna have to try out the Markbass again to see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I have a Markbass LM3 and use it with a 2 x 10 HF and 2 x 10 T cab. It sounds great, is portable and the filters (which I rarely if ever use) can get a nice vintage sound. It tends to be louder at the back than the front of the room although has s great stage presence. I've played through a couple of the smaller Fender rumble combos and found them rather limited - ok for meat and potatoes bass sound. My back up rig is an Ashdown ABM stack. I can't imagine using a Fender bass amp - they were largely blown out of the water back in the 70s by Acoustic and have never really been on the radar since IMO - the Fender Bassman in the band I'm in is used by a harmonica player!!! Definitely try them both. You will be sure to get a great sound with a mark bass rig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I have recently bought an LMIII, and all I can say is that I love it. With everything pretty well flat it gives me just the sound I want (into a Vanderkley 112MNT). However I've never played a rumble, so that's probably not much use to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Mark bass fan here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Sold my Markbass rig - now have a Fender 500 combo and 115 cab. Lightweight, and awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroydiamond Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Plenty of happy Markbass users around my patch. The thing is, Markbass have a plethora of amps on the market in their attempt to attract all comers. In the past I bought a LM11 and thought it was nothing special. Then I got hold of the now discontinued F500 and it blew me away (This is an excellent used buy if you can find one). So I would advise checking out as many Markbass amps as possible before deciding. i cannot comment on the Fender amps as I have not had the pleasure of hearing one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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