A few observations from today..

[Bridgehouse]

Some of you may recall that I run a jam day for a bunch of guitarists (keeps them off the streets for a bit)...

We were at Quad Studios in Leicester today, and I played through about 8 different amp and cab setups.. the difference in quality etc took me back quite a bit.

In the main room there was a Markbass SD800 with a 2x10 and 1x15 cabs.. it was loud, and trousers flapping but seemed a bit woolly and indistinct. In another room, another SD800 with 2 2x10 cabs - it was streets ahead - so much better. Like a lot better. 

Room 3 had another Markbass - a lil old LMIII, with 2 2x10s - it was squarely better than both the other Markbasses!!!! Firmer, punchier and cut through a lot better. I should add I eq’d each flat and used the same bass in all 3.

Also tried an Aguilar TH500 with a Bergantino 2x12 cab. That was a lot more Hifi, but didn’t think it cut through like the LMIII.. 

There were also two Ashdown Mag 300s - I side-by-sided them and flattened the eq on both. One was a lot better than the other! (Tighter, louder, and thumpier) - checked the speaker in the weaker one and it seemed fine. Hmmmm.

Also tried my pf20 with barefaced Compact. At full chat it sounds glorious. Crikey it’s a good amp. Wasn’t as loud as the others, but there was so much warmth, definition and punch there. Cor.

The surprise was an old Peavey 300w combo with a black widow speaker. It was, um, bloody good. Surprisingly so. Like, er, I checked eBay when I got home and saw one for £100 and nearly bought it there and then good. 

I’m looking out for a combo for just these sort of occasions.. and I’m now totally stumped!

[Linus27]

What were the 2x10's on each Markbass rig? Were they Markbass speakers?

[funkle]

There’s a lot of variables there. Including different rooms...which is a big deal...if you had tried all of these out in the same room you might have been able to make easier comparisons. But each rig in a different room (apart from the Ashdowns)...you’re going to struggle to make generalisations. 

 

[Lozz196]

Peavey gear, though a tad unfashionable, is very good, virtually indestructible, sounds great. Only downside is the weight, the older gear is pretty heavy.

[FinnDave]

My band rehearses at Quad - the owner (Bob) is one of our drummers. I can't remember the number of the room we usually use, it's last on the right as you go down the corridor. There's a Markbass stack in the room, which until recently I couldn't get a good sound out of - to the extent that I took my own rig there quite often. Then I looked at Markbass's site and found out what the mysteriously named controls actually do, and set them flat (some are flat in the centre position, some when fully anti-clockwise) and it suddenly sounded much better. We played a gig there in the main reception area a few weeks ago and I was using that rig, and people commented on how good the bass sound was.

Still prefer my ABM 600/Barefaced Super Twin rig though, especially when I have to move it around!

[Bridgehouse]

All mark bass amps were using Markbass cabs. The only mix and match was the Aguilar/bergantino 

I’m not convinced the different rooms made that much of a difference to be honest.. the rooms were roughly the same size/shape and flooring/walls etc so it’s difficult to argue that they would have affected the sound that much. 

The difference between the mark bass amps was significant - a number of guitar players who dabble with bass commented on it to me - I checked each amp and they were flat - including vle and vpf turned off. 

I guess my point was that I didn’t expect such a variance across same brand amps and what were essentially the same setups

[FinnDave]

I was explaining which room we use as I hoped it might help identify the bass rig I use there. I could always call and ask Bob, I suppose!

[Bridgehouse]

4 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I was explaining which room we use as I hoped it might help identify the bass rig I use there. I could always call and ask Bob, I suppose!

I think ironically the room you use is the one that had the best Mark Bass setup in it.. certainly better than the one in the theatre room!

[FinnDave]

3 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

I think ironically the room you use is the one that had the best Mark Bass setup in it.. certainly better than the one in the theatre room!

I guess we get the pick of the rooms, as we play as Bob's guests, rather than as customers.

I have to say that, having played in rehearsal studios in various parts of this country, and in Finland, that Quad is mighty luxurious in terms of space and gear compared with anywhere else I have tried.

Edited November 25, 2018 by FinnDave

[Bridgehouse]

12 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

I guess we get the pick of the rooms, as we play as Bob's guests, rather than as customers.

I have to say that, having played in rehearsal studios in various parts of this country, and in Finland, that Quad is mighty luxurious in terms of space and gear compared with anywhere else I have tried.

Completely agree - there’s a good reason we choose Quad to do our guitar jam days (nearly 30 people there yesterday) and Quad is the natural choice. 

I also agree that Bob’s backline stuff is a cut above. I guess my interest was piqued by variation amongst the same model by the same manufacturer!

[FinnDave]

When we rehearse at Quad, it's a 90 mile drive each way for me, and for some of the others in the band, it's longer than that. Still worth it, though.

[FinnDave]

I just discovered a picture which shows the Mark Bass rig I was using when we gigged at Quad about three weeks ago - I had completely forgotten what it looked like. Looks like a 6X10, but not sure about the amp. Sounded good, though. I was playing an Ibanez SR1006 with a John East pre-amp in it.

 

[gazhowe]

1 hour ago, FinnDave said:

I just discovered a picture which shows the Mark Bass rig I was using when we gigged at Quad about three weeks ago - I had completely forgotten what it looked like. Looks like a 6X10, but not sure about the amp. Sounded good, though. I was playing an Ibanez SR1006 with a John East pre-amp in it.

 

That’s a MarkBass MoMark amp. It’s a modular system where you can change the pre-amp, EQ and output modules. They come with four different powered amp frames. I recently owned two of these and still have a 500w one as my spare amp.  Very underrated IMO but you don’t see many about and now discontinued. 

[eude]

On 24/11/2018 at 22:29, Bridgehouse said:

The surprise was an old Peavey 300w combo with a black widow speaker. It was, um, bloody good. Surprisingly so. Like, er, I checked eBay when I got home and saw one for £100 and nearly bought it there and then good.

Peavey always deliver, always have.
I've not tried any of their newer Class D stuff, but I'll bet they're a lot louder than everyone else's.

I wish they, and everyone else, would concentrate on compact, not necessarily lightweight, solid state amps, I'd buy one in a hot minute!

Eude

[eude]

On 24/11/2018 at 22:29, Bridgehouse said:

Room 3 had another Markbass - a lil old LMIII, with 2 2x10s - it was squarely better than both the other Markbasses!!!! Firmer, punchier and cut through a lot better. I should add I eq’d each flat and used the same bass in all 3.

It's reasonably well known that the older MarkBass stuff is considered to be better, there was a change in design between the LMII and LMIII, change in power supply I think, but I suspect some of the original LMIII's might have had the older power unit.

I expect though, as a lot of folks have chimed in with, the room will have done a lot to change how the rigs performed.

Eude

[wateroftyne]

I can never evaluate amplification in rehearsal rooms. They're not great environments for it.

[Happy Jack]

15 hours ago, FinnDave said:

 

Aaaaaaargh!!!! 

You've got no shoes on! 

It's probably just me, of course, but I simply cannot imagine any circumstances under which I'd gig without shoes.

[wateroftyne]

5 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Aaaaaaargh!!!! 

You've got no shoes on! 

It's probably just me, of course, but I simply cannot imagine any circumstances under which I'd gig without shoes.

It stops the sound of clumpy soles from drowning out the band.

[FinnDave]

It was a long gig, the stage was carpeted, and I couldn't think of any reason not to take my shoes off. Anyway, I have the perfect excuse - my left foot was badly mangled in a bike accident three years ago, and prolonged standing hurts like hell.

And there was I thinking I'd get a comment about the socks!

[eude]

17 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

I can never evaluate amplification in rehearsal rooms. They're not great environments for it.

I've always found that Peavey gear shines in that kind of situation, that and oddly, those older Fender combos, the last of the modern styled Bassman ones which I think they did after they acquired SWR and the cheaper Rumble series, 1st gen I think. I remember using a small room near London Bridge with a "75 Watt" Fender Rumble kickback with a 12" speaker and it was SO loud, I had to turn way down to avoid annihilating the drummist!

Eude

[stingrayPete1977]

My big rig consists of a dual channel 900 watt Genz Benz head with a price tag of around £1100 originally and a Genz 2x12 coming in at around £800, its loud, too loud tbh yet my long gone old Peavey TNT remains my favourite bass sound of all time. 

[Muzz]

I had a Peavey Mk, I think VI head, which was my backup head when my SVT went fizzzzzzzz, as it did with distressing regularity, and I preferred the actual sound of the Peavey. If I hadn't have been such a brand tart I'd never have persevered with the SVT...

 

Edit: Just checking my memory and yeah, it was a Mk VI - one of the all-black/grey early ones. Good gravy: it was 250w into 4 ohms...now, I used it in LOUD 2-guitar bands with an 810 fridge and I never even considered the wattage, or difference in wattage: they were both plenty loud enough. You'd expect it from an SVT, but man, those Peavey chaps could squeeze all the noise out of 250w...

Edited November 27, 2018 by Muzz