Demo: Markbass Super Synth

I have done a lot of reviews for Pedals And Effects and I have never watched my videos and thought “I am going to get killed for this review” but I think this is going to be the first. The Markbass Super Synth was a craigslist purchase I made after checking out fellow bassist Dennis Owens’ of Free Moral Agents use of his. He used it in a very musical and inspiring way but when I got mine and shot this video, I was clearly not inspired and so the result is a lukewarm review. What I should add is that just because I am not a fan of the Markbass Super Synth, does in no way mean I think it is bad pedal for all musicians. It did not move me but it moved Dennis, and it may move you.

Photo credit: Matrix Synth

My commentary throughout this post is peppered with some negativity and, after viewing the video, I feel I should have done a little more research on this pedal. Yes, I am criticizing my own video! Please feel free to let me know what I could have done to get more out of this pedal and it’s review. I do feel that if I was into the pedal, a better review would have come from it.

I won’t be able to do another video on it because I already flipped it for another pedal but in Markbass’ defense, this pedal is exactly what they set out to make. It is a synthesizer pedal intended to make your instrument sound like a synthesizer…I just don’t like the sound of their synthesizer’s presets. I prefer to make my bass sound like a synth meets my bass instead of sounding just like a synthesizer.

There are no greater comments I hear than when a keyboardist asks me what synthesizer I used to get a particular sound. Keyboardists can usually guess what synthesizers other musicians used on a particular song but when they can’t figure out what I used, I am stoked. Marcel Rodriguez asked me what synthesizer I used on a particular Vato Negro track on Bumpers and I was so proud to tell him it was my bass with my Microsynthesizer/Sovtek Fuzz/Dunlop Bass Wah/Boss CS-2 combo. Marcel is a genius behind synthesizers and creating sounds (check his Eureka The Butcher work!) so when a player like him offers up an unsolicited compliment, it can make your year.

There are probably several YouTube videos of the Markbass Super Synth so if you are even slightly interested, check them out and be educated on what you might purchase. From what I have found, Markbass discontinued this pedal so you won’t be able to  walk into your local music store and try one out (there is a similar pedal that does exist called the Octavius Squeezer by Chunk Systems).  And, again, this is only one review and I hope you understand that it is just my humble opinion.

-Juan