Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

On album, Mike's tone almost sounds direct on the early albums. It's almost pure 4001 tone. For gigging I prefer Yorkville (Traynor) and Genz Benz. To show how tastes are, I don't like Mark Bass AT ALL. Try before you buy. Acoustic have a nice sound and are good workhorse rigs. A combo should do you fine. I do all kinds of gigs with a combo.

The amp in that clip is a Bassman 100 w/2-15" cab.

s4001 wrote:On album, Mike's tone almost sounds direct on the early albums. It's almost pure 4001 tone. For gigging I prefer Yorkville (Traynor) and Genz Benz. To show how tastes are, I don't like Mark Bass AT ALL. Try before you buy. Acoustic have a nice sound and are good workhorse rigs. A combo should do you fine. I do all kinds of gigs with a combo.

Hi s4001,

Please have a look to Rick's factory tour link and on 3rd page there's a picture of their own museum, and the only amp for bass is a MARK BASS ! Would it mean
something ? Cheers

http://www.notcot.com/archives/2009/09/ ... ker_gu.php

rickenbackerfac42.jpg

Fabio, that Little Mark II head belongs to John Hall, the CEO of RIC. He uses that head when his band, Hautewerk practices and gigs. Great sounding, very portable and light little head with great tone and power.

rickenbrother wrote:Fabio, that Little Mark II head belongs to John Hall, the CEO of RIC. He uses that head when his band, Hautewerk practices and gigs. Great sounding, very portable and light little head with great tone and power.

Hi Joey,

This makes me very happy (and proud as italian...) as knowing that our MB is used by the owner of RIC is a proof of their reputation in USA also. Let me say that I had to fight my whole life with heavy weight cabs & heads, a nightmare when gigging, and MB came out with such light cabs/heads, without no compromise with
tone and punch... When I'll next switch my axe, I'll think to John doing the same with his Little Mark. Love. Fabio

If my SWR SM400 amp ever goes kaput, my next amp will be one of those Little Mark ones also.

rickenbrother wrote:If my SWR SM400 amp ever goes kaput, my next amp will be one of those Little Mark ones also.

You know, there are ways to make it go KAPUT?

jps wrote:

rickenbrother wrote:If my SWR SM400 amp ever goes kaput, my next amp will be one of those Little Mark ones also.

You know, there are ways to make it go KAPUT?

Well, I ain't tryin' to make it go kaput!

I'll have a talk with Diane.

jps wrote:I'll have a talk with Diane.

I need to have a talk with Shari!

Why? I already got rid of all my SWR gear for Markbass.

I have owned several tube fender amps in the past and the Fender 100 is fairly powerful. The tone controls can be set so you can get a LOT of treble out of them especially with the bright switch on. If your band is not really loud a fender Bassman 100 would probably be ideal for that Mills tones, that and most likely Rotosound swing bass strings. A good Fender tube amp is one of the best sounding amps ever made. Mike Mills also picks right near the bridge, his sound was a combination of his technique which created the trebly tone and his equipment which allowed him to get that very trebly tone.

For a while Mike was/is using a RI Ampeg B15R with the matching extension cabinet.

I will put in a pitch for the Traynor YBA200... good tube tone and light for a tube amp. I prefer it to the tone to the Orange AC200. Being a fraction of the cost never hurt either.

Another great tube amp I had the opportunity to record with was a great Ampeg 100W V4B. I ran it through 2x15's and love the sound to this day. Heavy as sin though.

That being said... I don;t know if either will give you the sound or portability you want, but I figured I would try to plant the seed. Besides, chics dig muscles.