Markbass Little Mark Vintage

OLD SCHOOL TONES FOR THE MODERN PLAYER.

Not satisfied with being the new millennium’s most popular bass amp range, the folks at Markbass continue to release products that are both innovative and entirely practical. Such is the Little Mark Vintage – a compact bass head with loads of character and plenty of power. The

Little Mark Vintage offers preamp and master gain controls, an interactive four-band EQ section, a very musical limiter, and a three-way “preset” EQ switch. But the real business in this amp is the 12AX7 that adds all manner of harmonic content not available in solid state circuits.

There are still some bassists who disregard the benefits of the vacuum tube, preferring the more pristine edge of a transistor-based circuit. But a great many are returning to the more vintage tones that were so integral to early and classic rock.

The tube affects every aspect of what you hear: the harmonic content of the tone, the attack of the note, and the way the sound compresses and decays. The compression factor, alone, is worth the effort of maintaining the tube section (you might have to replace it every couple of years) because tube compression is a most musical effect, whereas solid-state amps tend to be overly snappy, even harsh, in the attack of each note. The 12AX7 squashes the attack just enough, and then allows the note to bloom. The limiter adds to this by capping the peaks as the note sustains and then decays. It’s a very controllable effect, and it adds an organic feel to the playing experience.

The Little Mark Vintage delivers 500 watts into four ohms and 300 watts into eight ohms – plenty of power for most gigs. I switched between a custom PJ (with EMGs) and a fretless Stingray, and fed the Little Mark Vintage into (variously) a Hartke 410, a Hartke 115, and an old EV TL15. No matter the combination, the Little Mark had plenty of punch and projection.

The lows were full and rich, and loaded with the kind of subsonics you’d expect to hear from an SVT-style amp. The mids punched through with authority and the Stingray had that lovely, infectious whine that is so much a part of what we love about the fretless sound. Using the two Hartkes together harnessed the Little Mark’s full output for even more output and serious bass boom, thanks to the acoustic coupling of having that much cone area in such close proximity. But, for smaller gigs, I’d be happy to pair the amp with the TL (the frequency response is 60-to-6.5k, so it has a very rounded top end) or, for a more contemporary sound, a Markbass 210 (like the 102HF).

That previously mentioned three-way EQ switch is surprisingly effective. It provides three “platforms” from which to start your quest for the perfect sound: flat, scooped mids, and an old school muted treble. The scooped mid position creates a very woody tone that’s great for emulating jazzy upright tones. The sound seems to swell around the stage, rather than be noticeably directional. For that classic rock thud, the “Old” setting is perfect for those Who or Zeppelin covers. Other features are, again, entirely practical: like the variable DI – a real, transformerbased DI and not just an attenuated tap off one of the outputs. The back-panel effects loop works well. I plugged in a number of pedals and an old SPX-90

(it has a fabulous chorus using the pitch transposer) and the Little Mark didn’t skip a beat. The built-in limiter, mentioned earlier, is a very “bass friendly” device. You can wind in as much as you like so that it just snips off the peaks or you can squash the whole sound. For straight up rock, you may not need it; but, if you’re a funk player, you’re going to love it. But dial it in gradually, because the natural compression of the tube will do some of the work, too.

Since the Little Mark’s frequency range is 68–10k, I paired it with a full range cab and plugged in my Maton MSH-210D. The Little Mark produced a beautifully clean, controlled acoustic guitar tone, with some serious weight behind every chord. Increasing the Gain and lowering the Master adds a warmth to the tone without losing the clarity, and a touch of limiter keeps everything under control when switching from single notes or fingerstyle to first position cowboy chords. This is a wicked acoustic amp, with more power than you’ll ever need.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Little Mark Vintage is a punchy, tuneful amp with a simple layout and no unnecessary bells and whistles. The tone circuit offers so many options that it’s easy or a player to find their personal sound. And, at just over two kilos, it’s an easy lug. The big knobs give it a ‘60s vibe, but without the oversized enclosure: think of it as two rack spaces high and about half a rack wide. In fact, it doesn’t even need a handle – slip it into your shoulder bag and you’re ready to rock. For the professional or the serious amateur, the Little Mark Vintage represents truly excellent value for money, with a professional build quality and a variety of tonal flavours that allows the player to “grow” their sound into the future. As you develop, the Little Mark Vintage will be right there with you.