munkonthehill Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 (edited) Ok chaps, Worst case senario, during my approx 7th song, my mb4210 300watt broke. It started 'farting' then finally began cutting out all together. We tried pushing on and hopefully it would kick back in,,,,,but as im sure we all know this was an empty wish and the lump of pish gave up. So a mad rush to my home to pick up my little 50watt peavey max115 which is my only other amp was in place. Now the marshall has great tonal qualitys and great output, so how did the peavey hold up, well im glad to report that it did the job, it wasnt amazing but by god the we fella saved the day, i could be heard(just) and the show went on. So well infact that the pub booked us for a further 2 gigs. So Sunday morning i got all the amps packaging together (it was only 2months old) took it back to the amazing guys in merchant city guitar and they did a straight swap for a Hughes & Kettner BK200 200watt amp. Not tried it at rehearsals or gigs yet but looking forward to it. If anyone has any experience on these amps, either the marshall mb4210 or mainly the hughes & Kettner BK200 then please add to this thread. Cheers for reading folks, oh and just to add, the peavey is now my hero and although it wont be my gigging bass I can highly recommend them. Steven Edited September 28, 2009 by munkonthehill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moos3h Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I've used a H&K BK200 and whilst I thought it sounded okay, I found it drastically underpowered if being used as the only source of volume. Do you DI to the PA, thus making your amp just an on stage monitor? Cheers, James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkonthehill Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 nope, i only use my amp as my source of power. the marshall served me well in my first 2 gigs with it. im hoping that I will only have to use the amp and not DI it. Surely the 15inch speaker with 200watts should pack enough welly(fingers crossed). my crowds only range from 50-100folk. I would only di out if im playing a much larger gig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moos3h Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I guess all these things vary, what bass you have, what venues you play, what your style is like, how loud you like the bass in the mix and how heavy a hitter your drummer is. For me, the H&K just couldn't cut it but it may work for you! The one thing to check is that it does put out the full 200w into the 15" and doesn't require an extension cab to reach its full output power. I think part of my issue is with 15" speakers too, in general I find them too low and unfocussed - i'm a 10" man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkonthehill Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 i hear what your saying mate, i loved the sound out the 2x10 on the marshall, the clarity was sh*t hot, just a shame about the reliability hahaha. I just couldnt believer my 50watt took on the job at the gig. Im kinda putting that down to the 15"driver filling the room Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkonthehill Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 also on the H&k can you explain the compressor on it, ive never used one so unsure on the use of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moos3h Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 In theory, it gives you more balls to the sound by evening out the difference between soft and loud notes - however I just had it on and forgot about it really...I'm not much of a fiddler once I've found a sound I like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonshelley01 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Never had a problem with my Marshall but I have heard some others have had issues, mostly to do with overheating. I also tend to run it with the extension cab, so maybe that helps? I think I would have got the Marshall repaired under warranty or exchanged for a new one, especially as you say you liked the sound you were getting and was happy with the output level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkonthehill Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 this was my second mb4210, the first one stopped working after putting slight pressure on the top of the cab, now the second one stopped working after running it for about 30mins, I couldnt trust another one of these amps due to my experience. although i was happy with the amp, i did feel the lack of bottom end, so hopefully with this new amp i will get what i need, i just need to get a live band practice to try it out properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 (edited) My MB4210 started farting and spluttering at the gig last Saturday, I thought I was pushing it too hard but at yesterdays rehersal at 1/3 volume it was spluttering and distorting. Very disappointing. I took it apart (cos I like taking things apart, oops - warranty voided) and found a loose fuse block on the little splitter pcb inside the cab. Now I already had problems with the splitter pcb on the 115 extn cab, the choke coil was loose and had broken where it enters the ciorcuit board. Marshall sent me the wrong replacement piece at the time which is in fact now the bit I think I need to repair the 4210. That was lucky. Don't do this at home kids - amps carry big currents and can fry your eyebrows. On both occasions I think the respective components were not secured well enough to the pcb, and having a little mass and leverage, worked themselves loose with the vibrations of gigging and transportation. These amps are really cheap for what they are but unless marshall iron out their Indian assembly plant QC they are going to ruin their reputation for rugged reliability. These splitter PCB's look to me like a particular design weakness. I'm hoping that replacing the splitter pcb will resolve the problem - I have added an extra coupl of cable ties to the one already there to help secure the remaining components onto the board. These amps HAVE to withstand big vibrations and some knocks & bumps during transit if they are to be used as an everyday gigging tool. Tone-wse they are ok for the money i guess, a pretty wide range of sounds available, the 115 extn cab heps tremendously to reinforce the bottom end, but they are not a £1000 boutique amp quality, I don't have £1000 to spend on an amp, I just wish the Marshalls were a little more fit for purpose. Edited September 29, 2009 by Al Heeley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbytodd Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 welcome to the marshall mb club.mb stands for made badly i had the exact same problem with my mb 115 and twice the thermal protection on the head has cut in so now im saving up for a peavey bv2 and the tour cabs.i'll never buy another marshall bass amp or cab again still its true what they say you get what you pay for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I had the thermal cut-out issue back in the Spring when the 115 was playing up - the head was trying to power the extn cab and becuase of the broken coil the signal was not getting thru, and this overheated the amp. Sad to say, last Marshall I shall buy. Need to find someone to buy mine now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbytodd Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 anybody that reads our posts on the mb's reliability will think twice about buying em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkonthehill Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 hey there Al, looks like we meet again hahaha. Im really glad you guys have came on this thread, I hated handing my 4210 back, i really liked it, but i couldnt trust its reliability after the second one crapped out, lets hope this hughes and kettner is better(anyone know anything about them?) plus the chaps from ma band also couldnt trust ma amp, not fair on them either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Our guitarist has a H&K head and 4 x 12 stack, sounds great and has these cool blue LED's, but I have never tried a H&K bass amp. My Marshall is fixed now with the replacement of the splitter board, but who knows how long before something else works loose? I have sadly lost confidence in it, a lot of amp for the price, as has been said before, but more attention to QC needed please. I reckon you just shook yours to destruction with that big fuzz box matey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkonthehill Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 [quote name='Al Heeley' post='612331' date='Sep 29 2009, 06:53 PM']I reckon you just shook yours to destruction with that big fuzz box matey [/quote] hahaha maybe Al, check my picture on this profile, look on the floor at my right foot. recognise anything? haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbytodd Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 my 450h is now my backup head because i had lost confidence with it soi bought a peavey max 450 off this site.the thing is built like a tank it also weighs the same and runs at 2 ohms all day without getting hot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 [quote name='munkonthehill' post='612344' date='Sep 29 2009, 07:08 PM']hahaha maybe Al, check my picture on this profile, look on the floor at my right foot. recognise anything? haha[/quote] Cool, glad its gone to a good home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popsock Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Hi, I just joined this forum looking for answers about my MB4210, and clearly they've got big issues. My own was cutting out a lot recently, so I installed a second fan in it exhausting out the side of the amp, and that reduced the amount of cutting out, but it wasn't perfect. However, the cure was much simpler. Putting just about any household fan on any setting directly behind the amp blowing at the built-in fan massively reduces the internal temperature and completely stops the cutting out. At work I sell thermometers with remote sensors, so it was easy to see just how much difference inside the amp this really makes. my second internal fan dropped the temp 2 degrees, the fan at the back dropped it by 13 degrees C. So simple. Bloody ridiculous, but easy to get around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I had one of these and the [u]exact[/u] same thing happened to me - except at a rehearsal thankfully. It was the pre-amp valve. I switched to the clean channel and all was fine. Replaced the valve and all was fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 [quote name='popsock' timestamp='1345411460' post='1777281'] Hi, I just joined this forum looking for answers about my MB4210, and clearly they've got big issues. My own was cutting out a lot recently, so I installed a second fan in it exhausting out the side of the amp, and that reduced the amount of cutting out, but it wasn't perfect. However, the cure was much simpler. Putting just about any household fan on any setting directly behind the amp blowing at the built-in fan massively reduces the internal temperature and completely stops the cutting out. At work I sell thermometers with remote sensors, so it was easy to see just how much difference inside the amp this really makes. my second internal fan dropped the temp 2 degrees, the fan at the back dropped it by 13 degrees C. So simple. Bloody ridiculous, but easy to get around. [/quote] Does this make you a big fan of Marshall? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I'ver got one of these, had trouble with the first one, Marshall replaced it, since then it's been fine, love the sound with a 1x15 extention cab, mind you my ext cab has no tweeter so no crossover to break down which seems to be the main problem here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1345469649' post='1777789'] I'ver got one of these, had trouble with the first one, Marshall replaced it, since then it's been fine, love the sound with a 1x15 extention cab, mind you my ext cab has no tweeter so no crossover to break down which seems to be the main problem here [/quote] I don't get what you mean. How would a crossover stop it overheating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 [quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1345476026' post='1777893'] I don't get what you mean. How would a crossover stop it overheating? [/quote] no crossover to go wrong stops it overheating, I got the impression the the faulty crossover, or splitter?, was causing the amp to overload and therefore overheat, mine gets quiet warm but it's never cut out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1345476967' post='1777913'] no crossover to go wrong stops it overheating, I got the impression the the faulty crossover, or splitter?, was causing the amp to overload and therefore overheat, mine gets quiet warm but it's never cut out [/quote] Ah! I see. I didn't know what the cause of the fault was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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