There's a reason you see them in every backline across our great state. The Markbass continues to be a quiet giant in the world of the four-string, always being a versatile piece of gear and always managing to cut through the mix.
The Markbass story started in the eyes of young Marco De Virgiliis, the founder and mastermind behind Markbass, who entered the music world with an engineering background, working with advanced materials. This technical know-how is what’s helped Markbass stay at the forefront for so many years.
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Markbass has long been the quiet giant in the bass world—instantly recognised by those who know great tone, lightweight builds and unmistakable Italian engineering. And now, with the MB58R series, that legacy has taken a massive leap forward. Players who adopt MB58R gear don’t just want volume; they want clarity, modern performance, and reliability without the weight penalty that used to define serious bass amplification.
For years, Markbass has been a go-to choice in Australia and around the world; there’s a reason why it’s the choice of bass legends like Marcus Miller, Joe Dart and Michael League. Bassists of all types have been switching over to the brand’s forward-thinking materials and designs. In an industry where cheap materials and mass production often overshadow innovation, Markbass still feels like a passionate specialist operating in a very big arena.
MB58R Cabs
The Markbass M58R Cab holds the key to any Markbass product, the neodymium magnets, the most powerful one out there, making sure the best bass tone is achieved. The magnets are housed in an ultra-lightweight resin-based enclosure, making it easier to lug up any dodgy dive bar staircase into a green room. This material is engineered to reduce resonance without adding mass, allowing the cabinets to stay rigid and responsive even at high volume.
There are a few options out there for whatever you need. Whether you’re looking at the 1×12, 2×10 or 4×10 models, each cab is tuned for an efficient low-frequency response with focused mids and clear, controlled highs. Markbass tweeters—piezo or hi-fi, depending on the model—add definition without harshness.
Despite their size and weight, these cabs deliver mammoth depth and intricate projection. The lightweight design doesn’t compromise output; instead, it allows the cabinet to maintain tight, fast transient response and consistent tone across any sort of playing environment.
MB58R Heads
The latest Little Mark and Marcus heads pair seamlessly with the MB58R cabinets. The former is named after Markbass pioneer and music icon Marcus Miller; a result of a collaboration between De Vigiliis and Miller. Like all Markbass heads, you’ll be set with natural sound, and strong punch and dynamics – but this time we’ve been treated with a new tone setting, with 5-band EQ on EQ1, from Ultralow to High and on top of that, an Old School and Millerizer filters featured on EQ2, tailored from the man himself, allowing to obtain sounds you really can’t find anywhere else.
The Little Marcus also features a brand new bi-band limiter, which responds unlike many other limiters out there — it gives the high end of your playing a little bit more room to breathe, and allows for a more natural timbre.
The Little Mark sits in a similar world to the Little Marcus. Complete with a bi-band limiter, this head is built ergonomically, with all the connections and controls on the front panel, leaving the rear for speaker outs and power, making things a little bit easier and prettier. The head also contains a mute switch and a three-way rotary switch, the latter featuring options of a Flat, Scooped or FSW (Footswitchable) EQ options. As is the Markbass way, it’s all housed in an ultralight new chassis in ABS (V0), weighing only a couple of kilos, but able to withstand the biggest bass players out there.
Both these heads feature the staple of the Markbass world – lightweight construction and quality builds, ensuring they can take all the intricacies of modern playing.
MB58R Combos
If you’re keen for something easier to manage, look no further than Markbass’s range of combos, coming in a variety of types to fit any budget. The Minis are stocked with a 1×12″ Markbass classic ceramic speaker and a new piezo tweeter, showing Markbass know size doesn’t mean you’re left without anything. The Mini also only weighs around 10kg, which means there’s no need to dread your set up. Designed for players who want grab-and-go convenience, this combo delivers full-range bass tone with impressive low-end presence for its size.
On the other side of the coin, we’ve got the MB58R CMD 102 PURE, which features 2×10″ Markbass Neodymium custom speakers delivering a tight low end and crisp, fat sound thanks to the new hi-fi tweeter.
The internal cabinet tuning keeps airflow smooth and eliminates unwanted vibration, even when running the combo hard. Add an extension cab, and the system scales effortlessly for rehearsals, small gigs, or full-band stages.
The combos don’t end there. Check out the rest of the MB58R combo range here.
The MB58R series represents Markbass’s most advanced offering yet. Giving us the best parts of their range, an ideal balance of tone, weight, and real-world reliability. Their focus is clear: reduce weight, improve efficiency, and maintain the clarity and punch the brand is known for.
But don’t be fooled. Lightweight doesn’t mean lightweight sound. Head out and try an MB58,R and you’ll hear exactly why this series is becoming a new standard for modern bass players.
For local enquiries on the Markbass MB58R series, head here.
