Markbass introduces Bass Tube Marker distortion unit
(Dave Molter | Posted 2011-03-28)
Many bassists thrive on hi-fi sound: the cleaner, the better. But deep within every bassist also lurks the Distortion Demon, a mischievous little imp that asks the question, "Why should guitarists be the only one using distortion." The Markbass Bass Tube Marker (try saying that three times real fast) is the latest answer to that question.
Known mainly for its line of bass amps, Italy's Markbass has been rolling out more and more bass effects pedals. If you dream of getting the sweet overdriven bass sound of Cream-era Jack Bruce but don't want to lug around a dual Marshall stack, the Bass Tube Marker provides a suitable compromise.
Announced in January an debuted at Winter NAMM 2011 in Anaheim, CA, the Bass Tube Marker supplies natural amp-like distortion, from sweet overdrive to exciting distortion, and its versatility makes it useful for any musical style. It always honors the natural voice of your bass, providing very dynamic, touch-sensitive response and a large output range.
Markbass continues its high quality standard with state-of the-art testing and quality control facilities and top-quality components. The Bass Tube Marker features simple and effective controls -- think it of the bass equivalent of an "Easy Button."
Bass Tube Marker specs:
Input: Mono 1/4" jack
Input Impedance: 1.5 Mohm / 6Vpp
Output: Mono 1/4" jack
Output Impedance: 100 ohm / 6Vpp
Tone: from 200 Hz to 2.5 kHz
Output Level: 0 to Max
Power Requirements: +9 / +12VDC or standard 9V battery
Pricing info is not yet available. Visit www.markbass.it for more details.
Compiled from information on the Markbass website.
About Markbass
Markbass was founded in 2001 by Marco De Virgiliis in Italy. Marco was an electrical engineer working in the telecommunications field, and in the late 80s he decided to start making bass amps and cabinets with Sisinio Olivastri, now Senior Engineer for Markbass. They worked for several years refining their designs, trying to create products that would faithfully reproduce the sound of any instrument played through it. The first brand was called Parsek. In the late 90s, Marco entered a partnership with Ernie Ball and created a brand called Audiophile. During that period Marco pioneered the use of neodymium speakers for bass enclosures, through a partnership with B&C speakers. After a couple of years Marco decided to found his own company, and Markbass was born.
