Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Just saw in a magazine where Markbass will be unveiling their new F1 amp head at NAMM. It's going to be one rack space high, about 10"x 11" deep and wide, and weigh 4.4lbs. Power is 500 watts at 4ohms, 300 at 8ohms, looks to have the same controls and filters as a Little Mark II.
Looks like the main difference is going to be the lack of a fan on the F1. To tell you the truth, as hard as I've ran my LMII so far, the fan has blown nothing but cold air so far. They probably saw a great opportunity to shrink the box size when they realized this.

I also saw that Markbass will release its Classic all tube amp too

I simply can not wait to see it !!!!

They will also release a tube preamp head with lots of gritty overdriven Tone ala SVT apparently.

I will be certainly one of the first to buy one of these !!!

Not a touchy subject, that's not even an Ampeg, like comparing apples to oranges. Nothing sounds like a real SVT (which haven't been made since 1985 BTW), many pretenders have been strewn by the wayside over the years, today's modern wonder is tomorrows ??? There's a reason they have been making some form of an SVT for 38 years now. They're heavy and take a commitment but when you get used to one you won't want to play through anything else unless you have to. The SVT tone comes from the whole head not just the preamp tubes, the cabs also have a characteristic sound which contributes. I bet 9 out of ten here have never tried a real SVT set up, I mean a 70's head with two 70's cabs, nothing compares, you can walk on the sound it's so thick and present and they are not THAT hard to move around. In fact they just re-issued the original SVT head with a few mods (different preamp and driver tubes), it was reviewed in bass player this month, got a glowing review, don't know it if was made here or in China, a little pricey though. I love the 70's heads and cabs myself.

I think Bob is right, nothing beats the real deal. But not everybody can have one, or lug one around. Personally I think my Eden sounds good with the Bassdriver in front of it. It is not a SVT, but sound is good, just different. But sound is more than your rig, it's the way it is played and used. I also think that everybody achieves his/her sound in a different way. It is mostly a long way before you find what your looking for, at least it was for me.....

Someone say Ampeg?

Sorry guys, I've become a Jared, my hero, with Ampeg.

Bob, you seem to be well versed in Ampeg SVT's. I use the rig in the photo, a 2005 model, and love it. I have a chance to trade a played Rick Shadow for a 1972 SVT head. Do you think I would detect a big difference in tone and feel if I did the deal and sat the 72 on my 810's?

I'm impressed with the new gear, is the old stuff that much different?

Hi Gary, that's a nice rig you have there, it's an SVT-CL right? A good 72 would probably be a little dirtier (in a good way) and louder unless it's a SS SVT-350 or whatever they call them, then it would absolutely kill it, for that matter so would a CL. As to whether I would trade a Shadow for a 72 head? Unless the head is in mint condition and the Shadow is beat, the Shadow is worth more money I would think although the SVT's have really taken off these past few years. Maybe you could sell it and buy the head? One other thing to think about is that all 70's Ampegs unless modified had blue grille cloth so it wouldn't match. If I were you I'd keep the bass and buy the head.
I have an 87 Skunkworks head which is #413 among the first SVT's that St. Louis Music made, it's nice, handmade, and has a nice clean sound but doesn't have the oomph my 70's heads have which seems to be the way all of their heads sound to me. If there were no 70's heads though my next choice would be a CL or even the newly reissued head. The first SVT's took bass out of the shadows just like Rics did. Before SVT there was mud and/or anemic sound, Acoustic 370's, 360's, Sunn 2000S's Dual Showmans etc. All nice collectable amps but dated and in no way can keep up with an SVT in sound and volume. SVT's were the first rigs that could actually keep up with 100 watt original Marshalls with no master volumes which used to be very common in clubs believe or not, I have the scar tissue on my ear drums to prove it.
The bottom line is I think you would hear and feel the difference especially in the tone and you could always make another grill (very easy) and put black Ampeg cloth on it.

"Sorry guys, I've become a Jared, my hero, with Ampeg..."

Damn!

Who is a Good Ampeg Dealer?

Thanks Bob!

You know, I kinda like the look of some of those old scraggly looking SVT's.

Reminds me of a girl I used to know...........

Jared, you are the man. Anyone who can put a red tractor on a Rickenbacker forum, and have it make sense, is my kind of guy.

Plus you have singlehandedly made it impossible for anyone to buy the next quilted maple 4004 that becomes available. Brilliant!

"You know, I kinda like the look of some of those old scraggly looking SVT's."

My bass did sound pretty good through this:

Cool Jeff, how old is that little girl?

Oh oh, that phrase will get me flagged.

"How much for the little girl?"

"how old is that little girl?"

Which one are you refering to?

The tall heavy one with the nice measurements, 8x10, Miss SVT.