Making a MarkBass Combo better?

[yorks5stringer]

Whilst I'm happy with my MarkBass gear (MM101Combo, CMD121P Combo and NYC 121cab) I've had issues with handles, not only the rubber breaking down over the metal innards even with little use  but also with the aesthetics. On the 101 it is short, tight and very difficult to hold too if you have big hands!

I had a short-lived daliance with a MB Ninja Combo and thought the leather handle added a touch of class and was much easier to hold too. So scanning the internet one evening I came across some very affordable pleather handles which I've added to my 101 and 121 Combos. They are not so clever on a cab because if you have to stack on top it stops them lying so flat. However you get all the parts with the handle including the inner sockets which attach themselves into the wood so they don't vibrate free. This is the handle on the 101 Combo. On this, the existing holes are covered, on the 121 it comes up a little short but rather than fill the holes I just reinserted  the old handle's screws into the holes and it looks fine.

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by yorks5stringer

[Al Krow]

That's a really good hack! Please do post the link to the seller you bought from.

My suggestion for making a MB combo better is to add "presence" to the sound to prevent too much high end roll-off (if that's not your thing). I do that by boosting the high mids at +1.5kHz and 'usable' treble at +6.5kHz each by 6 dB.  The older LM2 and LM3 heads have a considerable EQ gap between 800Hz and 10kHz so I've sorted by either using an EQ pedal, or pair with a Tech 21 VTDI which has a "bite" (= presence) button. 

Wished I'd discovered that particular refinement before moving on my MB AC 121 Lite combo a couple of years back, which for me is still one of the very best combos available and the only one that I'm aware of that can deliver a full 500W through its 12" speaker without need for an extension cab, but I'm putting the presence EQ boost to good use with my more modest MB 121H combo where it works a treat.

Edited November 30, 2020 by Al Krow

[yorks5stringer]

It's an easy change, just remove the grill and speaker and drill 4 holes. If the wadding comes loose, just stick it back again. Needless to say I waited to do this until after the warranty ran out. The handle sellers do a number of colours  including black with different colour stitching too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313&_nkw=1Pack+Amplifier%2FSpeaker+Vintage+Leather+Strap+Handle+Part+Durable+&_sacat=0

[mr zed]

11 hours ago, Al Krow said:

My suggestion for making a MB combo better is to add "presence" to the sound to prevent too much high end roll-off (if that's not your thing). I do that by boosting the high mids at +1.5kHz and 'usable' treble at +6.5kHz by 6 dB each The older LM2 and LM3 heads have a considerable EQ gap between 800Hz and 10kHz so I've sorted by either using an EQ pedal, or pair with a Tech 21 VTDI which has a "bite" (= presence) button. 

Wished I'd discovered that particular refinement before moving on my MB AC 121 Lite combo a couple of years back, which for me is still one of the very best combos available and the only one that I'm aware of that can deliver a full 500W through its 12" speaker without need for an extension cab, but I'm putting it to good use with my more modest MB 121H combo where it works a treat.

This is interesting - I’m going to try adding some presence to my mb121p tomorrow by using my eq pedal. Thanks for the tip.

[Al Krow]

8 minutes ago, mr zed said:

This is interesting - I’m going to try adding some presence to my mb121p tomorrow by using my eq pedal. Thanks for the tip.

Welcome - do let us know what you think?

[mr zed]

23 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Welcome - do let us know what you think?

Well, that worked well enough. Only played at home volume levels but definitely worth exploring more once I get back in the rehearsal room and playing at volume. It’s like a hole in the eq spectrum has been filled and there is a ‘sheen’ present that wasn’t there before. Thanks again for the tip. 

[Al Krow]

9 hours ago, mr zed said:

Well, that worked well enough. Only played at home volume levels but definitely worth exploring more once I get back in the rehearsal room and playing at volume. It’s like a hole in the eq spectrum has been filled and there is a ‘sheen’ present that wasn’t there before. Thanks again for the tip. 

Thanks for confirming - always good to get a second opinion!

Btw the selection of frequencies was not random - I found that the Tech 21 VTDI was amazingly good at "lifting the blanket" from all my rigs and particularly made a difference to my MB Combo. Its bite switch boosts in the high mids and treble (and also uses an HPF to tighten the low end). The key clue, though, was from the new range of Berg Forte amps which has a "presence" switch and very helpfully disclosed that this boosted by +6DB at 6.5KHz. It was just a case of putting it all together after that.

[Nebadon2000]

I just bought one of these for my CMD 121P, on it's way;

https://reverb.com/item/19910861-markbass-leather-amp-handle?utm_campaign=BundledCheckoutMailer%23notify_buyer_purchase_complete&utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email

[yorks5stringer]

6 hours ago, Nebadon2000 said:

I just bought one of these for my CMD 121P, on it's way;

https://reverb.com/item/19910861-markbass-leather-amp-handle?utm_campaign=BundledCheckoutMailer%23notify_buyer_purchase_complete&utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email

Looks good, obviously keeps the handle looking stock too. I think with postage it would probably double in price for the UK however.