Markbass Little Mark Tube rant

BOOG

BOOG

Dec 13, 2016
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#1
Albeit a minor rant, a rant just the same.

Picked up a brand new MBLMTube amp from GC yesterday, that they had on sale -300 from retail. Got home, unpacked it, set it on the cab to let it get settled in to its new home and acclimate from the cold overnight and through the day. All day long I couldn’t wait to get home, hook up and give her a test run. After flipping the power on there was a pause for about five seconds and then STATIC. ARGH!

It seems to get agitated when fiddling with the knobs. Mostly, it seems to be when adjusting the Gain and Volume. It even happens when mute is engaged. There isn’t much else to do but take it back tomorrow and return it for a new one. Frustrating, nonetheless.

My mediocre guess is that it is dirty pots from sitting in a warehouse for too long. I tried working all the knobs back and forth quite a bit and then shut it down for about an hour. When I came back the noise was minimal and thought it settled in. Nope, about a half hour into it the bastard started acting up again. I engaged the mute and fiddled with the knobs with no favorable results.

Those of you who’v had to deal with this, what did you do about it? I wonder if I made a mistake going against my instincts which told me to stick with Ashdown? The MBLMTube 800 I tried at the store really impressed me, though.

Tomorrow, I will be making yet another trip to GC.:(
 
#2
bump...

Has anyone out there run into similar issues? Am I missing something (put it in a bowl of rice or hang it in the bathroom with the shower running?) that I could do instead of exchanging it?
 
#3
You could try a little contact cleaner on the pots, like Deoxit or something similar. Doing so may end up cleaning up the static you're hearing.

That said, even with the decent price for the unit, if you're not happy I would take it back... GC has a generous return policy. Chasing electrical gremlins can, at times, be a frustrating endeavor.
 
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#6
I am starting to get a little scared from digging deeper in this that MARKBASS is not quite as reliable as I expect a product to be that is listed so high and also, many are commenting that their service process is lengthy, at best.
 
#8
BassmanPaul said:
The spraying of contact cleaner willy nilly into pots is most likely to end up with damaged pots and a void warranty. If it’s not working as expected take the damn thing back and get one that does work properly! It’s a new amp you don’t have to put up with any “drama."
Click to expand...
Completely agree! I prefer drama free. I talked to the store manager (fair and reasonable guy AND fellow Devil Dog) right after this happened and it's NBD to return it and then wait for a new one to arrive. It's a hassle but I am doing a decent job of maintaining my patience and tact.
In the future, as warranties expire and components/equipment ages I think it'll be useful to have this knowledge and handy items like deoxit on hand. As usual, I appreciate everyone for taking a moment to chime in. All good and valid points to be digested!
As it seems I will be exchanging this one, and assuming the replacement is good to go, do you folks think it prudent to purchase the GC warranty? As of yet, I have not because I typically rely on product warranty. Given the track record though, this one is making me unsure about that philosophy.
 
#12
I bought a markbass Big Bang last year and the first one that I brought home had a couple scratchy pots. I figured it’s best not to mess with it since it was purchased new and I exchanged it for a different one. The second one worked perfect. Still works perfect. Sometimes you get a bad one, doesn’t matter the brand.
 
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#13
Mowbro said:
I bought a markbass Big Bang last year and the first one that I brought home had a couple scratchy pots. I figured it’s best not to mess with it since it was purchased new and I exchanged it for a different one. The second one worked perfect. Still works perfect. Sometimes you get a bad one, doesn’t matter the brand.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the good news! That’s the best I’ve felt about this whole crap shoot all day after hearing your experience. I put a lot of thought into whether or not to even exchange it or change brands. Sounds like the exact same problem. Hoping I have the same results.
I took it in for return tonight and am told the new one should show up in six days.
 
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#14
BOOG said:
Albeit a minor rant, a rant just the same.

Picked up a brand new MBLMTube amp from GC yesterday, that they had on sale -300 from retail. Got home, unpacked it, set it on the cab to let it get settled in to its new home and acclimate from the cold overnight and through the day. All day long I couldn’t wait to get home, hook up and give her a test run. After flipping the power on there was a pause for about five seconds and then STATIC. ARGH!

It seems to get agitated when fiddling with the knobs. Mostly, it seems to be when adjusting the Gain and Volume. It even happens when mute is engaged. There isn’t much else to do but take it back tomorrow and return it for a new one. Frustrating, nonetheless.

My mediocre guess is that it is dirty pots from sitting in a warehouse for too long. I tried working all the knobs back and forth quite a bit and then shut it down for about an hour. When I came back the noise was minimal and thought it settled in. Nope, about a half hour into it the bastard started acting up again. I engaged the mute and fiddled with the knobs with no favorable results.

Those of you who’v had to deal with this, what did you do about it? I wonder if I made a mistake going against my instincts which told me to stick with Ashdown? The MBLMTube 800 I tried at the store really impressed me, though.

Tomorrow, I will be making yet another trip to GC.:(
Click to expand...
I guess that's why it was -$300.
Sounds like you got a unit that was returned due to malfunctioning. Get a NEW one.
Nothing is perfect but the LMtube800 is an excellent amp.
 
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#15
SJan3 said:
I guess that's why it was -$300.
Sounds like you got a unit that was returned due to malfunctioning. Get a NEW one.
Nothing is perfect but the LMtube800 is an excellent amp.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
From what I heard out of the one I played it is an excellent amp! With SS I am so paranoid though. When they cook there isn’t a whole lot that can be done aside from ordering a new board and paying out the wahzoo. For the most part, amp repair shops either can’t, or don’t want to deal with them. They seem to have a stigma attached to them with the old school amp/audio repair guys in that they are not worth spending the time on to fix. There lies the reason (aside from the fact that they just sound better IMHO) for my wanting to stick with all tube, originally. But, time passes and I want something that is easily portable.
 
#16
BOOG said:
Thank you.
From what I heard out of the one I played it is an excellent amp! With SS I am so paranoid though. When they cook there isn’t a whole lot that can be done aside from ordering a new board and paying out the wahzoo. For the most part, amp repair shops either can’t, or don’t want to deal with them. They seem to have a stigma attached to them with the old school amp/audio repair guys in that they are not worth spending the time on to fix. There lies the reason (aside from the fact that they just sound better IMHO) for my wanting to stick with all tube, originally. But, time passes and I want something that is easily portable.
Click to expand...
If you want tubes for the tone and "give", I get that. But for the cost of a tube amp that can compete with 800 SS WATTS, you could buy 3 SS amps. So, if just 1 amp goes the distance, you're way ahead. Not to mention how much easier it is to carry a LM800 vs say an SVT. THAT MATTERS ALOT to me.
Finally, I've had my LM3 for 9 years with nary a whimper. And I use it daily for practice as well as on countless gigs.
Good luck with your decision!
 
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#17
Fishheadjoe said:
Have you checked to ensure that the tubes are all seated properly? These things can move about a lot in transit.
Fishheadjoe
Click to expand...
The 6025 tube in an LM Tube:

fudrmolefhw91jkoy55t.jpg


Does make a subtle difference when it's turned on and allowed into the circuit, but a more unusual choice for a tube you will not find, what with it having to be soldered into the circuit.
 
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#18
SJan3 said:
If you want tubes for the tone and "give", I get that. But for the cost of a tube amp that can compete with 800 SS WATTS, you could buy 3 SS amps. So, if just 1 amp goes the distance, you're way ahead. Not to mention how much easier it is to carry a LM800 vs say an SVT. THAT MATTERS ALOT to me.
Finally, I've had my LM3 for 9 years with nary a whimper. And I use it daily for practice as well as on countless gigs.
Good luck with your decision!
Click to expand...
You have given me hope:)
 
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