Markbass Little Mark Vintage Amp

Italy’s kings of bass amplification serve up a new recipe, incorporating a valve preamp for added low-frequency goodness. Mike ‘Gordon Ramsay’ Brooks hooks up some cabinets, and prepares his taste buds

Markbass are never short on new ideas, as their product catalog will confirm, but this new hybrid head has caused a stir due to the inclusion of a 12AX7 preamp valve. As part of the company’s Gold Line range, it also features gold plated components and circuitry. A new addition to the Markbass roster, Mark King, has been seen using the amp across Europe at various festival slots—which won’t have harmed interest in the new amp one bit. So what do we make of it under test conditions?

Build Quality

A solid metal chassis with side venting and a rear fan houses this beauty. The company’s black and yellow livery is in place, as well as gold logos, input, and footswitch sockets that set the amp apart.