dodgnofski Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 Hi Guys, Anyone had any problems with their Markbass amps?? Mine has only had 'ultralight use' - but even so 'died' last night! - no sound at all - apart from a 'frying' sound from the speakers? In 30 + years this is the only amp out of literally dozens from a Selmer Treble & Bass, Marshall Super Bass & even Super Lead, Hiwatt, Acoustic, Ampeg, Sunn, through to Roland. Trace Elliot etc, etc that has ever let me down! One of the main reasons I bought which is supposedly a 'high end' amp was 'reliability'?? The people Markbass put me onto 'guesstimate' that there won't be much change out of £200! - which will make this a very expensive amp, if I get it fixed & dare to trust it again!! Any suggestions? - all donations gratefully received - would love to know if anyone else has had the same problem & how they resolved it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Wow, two of these going down on the same day. Im steering well clear of MB from now on ;-) Good luck getting it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Yeah two out of how many thousands? You ought to know better than that Dave. My first thought before this turns into a MB witch hunt is... Can we establish a connection between these two amps? Date and whether they have the same fault. My LMII is a June 2008 model and I can report no faults so far with almost daily usage since bought from new - which to me is a pretty good track record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='868792' date='Jun 16 2010, 10:08 AM']My first thought before this turns into a MB witch hunt is... Can we establish a connection between these two amps? Date and whether they have the same fault.[/quote] Maybe ask Dodgnofski. He owns them both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 (edited) [quote name='Ou7shined' post='868792' date='Jun 16 2010, 10:08 AM']Yeah two out of how many thousands? You ought to know better than that Dave. My first thought before this turns into a MB witch hunt is... Can we establish a connection between these two amps? Date and whether they have the same fault.[/quote] LOL, the OP has posted this twice so i was just mucking around. As you can see from my sig, i own two MB heads and will never feel the need to replace them. Ive done well over 200 gigs with my SA450 and around 50-60 with the LMII. Other than them getting a bit hot ive not had any issues. Now then, who mentioned Ashdown ;-) Edited June 16, 2010 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='868797' date='Jun 16 2010, 10:14 AM']Maybe ask Dodgnofski. He owns them both. [/quote] Unequivocal connection there then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 (edited) Has anyone ever had a dull - dead sounding - string out of a fresh pack? Well sometimes these things happen. As for Mark Bass, don't be put off by one or even two accident these are great amps, I'vehad mine just under 2 years and have used it day in day out, in and out of cars, vans, on ships with different voltage adaptors in and out of the country and never had a problem with it. Negative word of mouth and wives tales can often constitute ignorant slander. Edited June 16, 2010 by Grand Wazoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='868801' date='Jun 16 2010, 10:21 AM']LOL, the OP has posted this twice so i was just mucking around. As you can see from my sig, i own two MB heads and will never feel the need to replace them. Ive done well over 200 gigs with my SA450 and around 50-60 with the LMII. Other than them getting a bit hot ive not had any issues. Now then, who mentioned Ashdown ;-)[/quote] Ah crap. I'll have to go get mine out of the bin and clean off the tattie peelings now. (on my phone so surfing is a pain - hence why I missed that :blush:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 [quote name='dave_bass5' post='868752' date='Jun 16 2010, 09:18 AM']Wow, two of these going down on the same day. Im steering well clear of MB from now on ;-) Good luck getting it sorted.[/quote] It's the first i've heard of that.. easy.. sounds like just a one off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 (edited) [quote name='algmusic' post='868855' date='Jun 16 2010, 11:21 AM']It's the first i've heard of that.. easy.. sounds like just a one off[/quote] As already explained, i was making a joke of the fact that the poster started two threads about the ONE amp. Hence the ;-) at the end of the first line. And as ive also written i have two MB heads that i love and wouldnt dream of getting rid of them (although i think i might sell one soon as i dont use it much). Its all in this thread above ;-) Edited June 16, 2010 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgnofski Posted June 16, 2010 Author Share Posted June 16, 2010 Hi Guys, I was just asking for help - that's all - no 'witchhunt' intended! - I'm just a bit miffed as this is by far the most expensive amp I've ever bought & my prevous Acoustic, Ampeg, Aguilar, Trace Elliot, Orange, umpteen Marshall - Super Bass '&' Super Lead, Hiwatt, Sunn, Randell, Roland etc, etc amps that I've owned over the past 30+ years, never let me down once - not even my trusty old Selmer Treble & Bass (with the 18" Goliath Cab of course - ooo me back)! The reason the post is on twice is because I originally put it in the wrong section, so did it again in which I thought was the right one & where I thought I might get some help. Thanks anyway ! [quote name='dave_bass5' post='868888' date='Jun 16 2010, 11:53 AM']As already explained, i was making a joke of the fact that the poster started two threads about the ONE amp. Hence the ;-) at the end of the first line. And as ive also written i have two MB heads that i love and wouldnt dream of getting rid of them (although i think i might sell one soon as i dont use it much). Its all in this thread above ;-)[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 [quote name='dodgnofski' post='869093' date='Jun 16 2010, 02:45 PM']The reason the post is on twice is because I originally put it in the wrong section, so did it again in which I thought was the right one & where I thought I might get some help. Thanks anyway ![/quote] No harm done. I do hope you get it fixed. I think people might be a bit negative because you only have to do a search on the various bass forums to see just how reliable MB gear is. Of course there are always exceptions but on the whole MB are one of the reliable companies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesfinn Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Mark bass actually have the best reliabilty percentage out of any other brain I have know. Most companys have at least 5% of theyre products back for repair. Mark bass have around a 2% if I remember correctly. Proel are always very good at getting the amp fixed and back to new in a short turnaround time. If you bought the amp new then you shoudl of got a warrenty card to fill out with it. This extends the warrenty to 2 years which may help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgnofski Posted June 16, 2010 Author Share Posted June 16, 2010 Thanks Dave, It's just a bit 'worrying' when the only two other Guys I know who own Markbass amps - an LMK & an SA450 have just both sent them away to be fixed!! Ah well - they say bad luck comes in three's !! All the best, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 [quote name='dodgnofski' post='869150' date='Jun 16 2010, 03:31 PM']Thanks Dave, It's just a bit 'worrying' when the only two other Guys I know who own Markbass amps - an LMK & an SA450 have just both sent them away to be fixed!! Ah well - they say bad luck comes in three's !! All the best, Tim[/quote] If it helps post a "who owns MB amps" thread and see how many happy owners pop up. I agree, it can be worrying when you read (or experience) problems like this. It can make you very paranoid. I for one would probably never buy another Ashdown head. Ive had two go wrong (one at a gig). But i do know that 100's of people use them without issues so while i expect i was just unlucky, i feel i would be always worrying about it going worng. Maybe thats just me though. Have you contacted MarkBass yet? They do seem to care about their customers and might be able to help or offer advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmpires Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 [quote name='dodgnofski' post='869150' date='Jun 16 2010, 03:31 PM']Thanks Dave, It's just a bit 'worrying' when the only two other Guys I know who own Markbass amps - an LMK & an SA450 have just both sent them away to be fixed!! Ah well - they say bad luck comes in three's !! All the best, Tim[/quote] Have you emailed them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinbass7750 Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 (edited) I've been running an F1 for nearly 2 years now, and it's had some pretty loud gigs to cope with. I did try to fry it by connecting 2 x 4 ohm cabs when i first got it, all it did was shut down. Remove 1 cab and turn back on and it's been as good as gold ever since. I work for an electronics company (we design and manufacture fruit machines). We have a great reuptation for reliability, but I believe we get a 3% return for repair. Hope that helps. Edited June 16, 2010 by martinbass7750 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Fly Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 [quote name='dodgnofski' post='868472' date='Jun 15 2010, 09:43 PM'](...) The people Markbass put me onto 'guesstimate' that there won't be much change out of £200! - which will make this a very expensive amp, if I get it fixed & dare to trust it again!! (...)[/quote] I am not that surprised the amp stopped working - everything can break. What surprises me is the cost of the repair. £200 is really a lot of money especially considering that I don't think there is anything in the F1 that costs more than £10-20. How much money do they charge per hour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I've had issues with my LMK head cutting out, but it seems I've located a faulty Boss PSU to be the cause. I've sent my amp back to Proel for checking, as our soundman thinks the DI is noisy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Personally I wouldn't give a sh*t how reliable other people's amps are if mine was the one that fried and cost me £200 plus to repair. Sale of Goods thing mentioned on the other thread - retailers might not be aware of it but you just have to politely (and perhaps via a legal person) point it out. You should still be covered. Good luck mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmpires Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I haven't seen a repply from Markbass, like I said their have the best customer service nothing short of fantastic, my first port of call would be email them and wait for a repply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 If you don't have any luck with Proel there's John Chambers at Champ Electrics ( [url="http://www.chambonino.com"]http://www.chambonino.com[/url] ) and his mate John Wood Electronics & Transformers (on the same site) in Nottingham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 If you have had numerous amps over 30 years and only had the one problem...albeit a Markbass, I think you have been lucky. I'd see what Markbass say first and then decide if I wanted to get a good local tech to look at it... I wouldn't be liking £200 on the face of it. I have put 3 pieces of kit to my repair guy in the last year and it has averaged out at £35 a time.. Only one of those things broke down, the other two were 'abused' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Im no expert but it seems to me that newer amps, and maybe more so digital ones like the F1, need complete boards replaced rather than things being repaired with a bit of solder. Maybe thats why the quote was so high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgnofski Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Hi Guys, Thanks for the tips & support - much appreciated! I'm sort of with LawrenceH on this one - I don't really care what the 'statistics' say, all I know is that 'none' of the numerous amps I've owned over the past 30+ years ever 'failed' & ALL of them had seen a scrillion times more action than the F1 has! Saving up for the repair now & in the mean time rescued my late 70's early 80's?? Roland Bass Cube from the loft to tide me over - used extensively for 15 to 20 years & then stored in the loft for the past 10 years & yes you've guessed it - it fired up 1st time & is singing like a bird released! The crazy thing is that through all the years of gigging - I never carried a spare head (phew)! & one obvious reason for buying an F1 was the portability & size of the unit - which becomes a bit of a nonesense -if I have to also carry a spare head?? Thanks again Guys, I'll keep you posted. All the best, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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