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Markbass JG SB Tobacco 4 CR MP
Warranty from the manufacturer: 12 months.
Description of the Markbass JG SB Tobacco 4 CR MP
If you’ve been wanting a bass that actually makes you want to pick it up every day, somewhere in the middle of those thoughts the Markbass JG SB Tobacco 4 CR MP appears and gently suggests that comfort, a consistent sound and real musicality can all live in one instrument.
This is a four-string jazz bass created in collaboration with Jeff Berlin, but you don’t really want to call it a dry “signature model”. It’s more like a thoughtfully refined classic Jazz Bass: it feels familiar, behaves predictably in the mix, yet offers modern comfort and very well thought-out ergonomics.
There are no unnecessary bells and whistles here to distract you from playing. Instead, you get a clear, defined tone, a comfortable neck and a voice that gets on just as well with a valve combo as with a solid-state head or an interface in your home studio.
The bass is conceived as a proper working tool: take it out of the case, plug in, tune by ear or with a tuner and simply play. At home, at rehearsal, in a club, in the studio — it doesn’t matter. The best part is that it works equally well in the hands of a beginner and in the hands of someone with a heavy touring schedule.
Why choose this model?
- Comfortable “jazz” neck profile that suits both fast lines and laid-back grooves
- J-style single-coil pickups deliver a familiar, articulate tone with a solid attack and clear midrange
- Passive electronics with no batteries: stable, predictable and always ready to go, with no onstage surprises
- Light yet well-balanced classic body shape that sits great on a strap and on your lap, without neck dive or shoulder strain
- Italian attention to detail: neat finishing, a tasteful tobacco sunburst and quality hardware give the impression of a premium, reliable instrument
Model overview
At the heart of this bass is a classic jazz formula: two passive single-coils, separate volume controls for each pickup and a master tone. Almost every bassist knows this layout, and it’s very flexible. Roll off the bridge pickup and you get a softer, rounder sound with a vintage groove flavour. Bring in the bridge pickup and ease back the neck a touch — the sound tightens up, becomes more focused, with a bright attack that’s great for funk, fusion or more intricate lines. In that sense, the Markbass JG SB Tobacco 4 CR MP is very easy to tailor to the style and band you’re playing with.
The body is made from a traditional tonewood (in this Markbass range it’s most often alder), which keeps the instrument light and responsive. Alder provides a balanced tone: neither overly boomy nor excessively bright. That’s a real plus for live work — the bass sits in the mix nicely, without burying the kick drum or disappearing under the guitars.
The maple neck with a fingerboard (typically rosewood or a similar dark wood) is built to feel reassuring in the hand. The fretboard radius and neck profile give that familiar “jazz” feel, but without being a clumsy plank or an ultra-skinny shredder neck. It’s a comfortable middle ground for players who use pick, fingers and slap. The frets are neatly dressed and the edges are smoothed off, so your fingers don’t catch and don’t tire quickly over long sessions.
The tobacco sunburst finish looks striking without being flashy. This is an instrument that fits into any genre and on any stage — from a covers bar to a festival slot. A classic look with a gentle vintage vibe. At the same time, the hardware — tuners, bridge, pots — is chosen so the bass holds tuning confidently and doesn’t need constant tweaking.
Another important point is balance and weight. The instrument is designed so there’s no neck dive when you’re wearing it on a strap. If you rehearse for several hours at a time, you really notice this. Your shoulder doesn’t seize up, your back doesn’t give out, and you can focus on the groove instead of fighting the instrument. For studio players and those recording at home, there’s another bonus: the bass doesn’t generate excessive noise or hum, and the natural single-coil noise is easy to control with pickup positions and a gate.
In the end you get an instrument that behaves predictably: you plug it in and it sounds the way you expect it to. From there it’s all down to your fingers, your attack and your ideas.
Who is this model for?
This bass can easily be seen as a universal workhorse that covers a lot of ground at once. If you’re just starting out and want an instrument “with room to grow”, the Markbass JG SB Tobacco 4 CR MP is a strong option. It doesn’t lock you into a particular genre or technique. You can play simple rock lines, move into neo-soul, then try out slap or throw in some jazz phrases — the bass will feel at home in all of that.
Self-taught players and those for whom music is a hobby will appreciate its predictability and ease of use. There are no strange circuits, complicated active preamps or a dozen switches. Just straightforward “jazz” logic: two volumes and a tone. You quickly find your sound by ear to match your favourite tracks and don’t get distracted by technical intricacies.
For professional bassists, session players and producers, a stable, “recordable” tone is crucial. That’s exactly what you get here: characterful mids, a solid low end and a clear attack. In a mix this bass usually sits right where it should without much struggle. A couple of EQ moves on the desk or in your DAW and the line already sounds finished. That’s just as useful live: the engineer can quickly pick your bass out in the overall balance and build the set without stress.
For composers and arrangers, it’s important that an instrument sparks new ideas.
Here you’ve got both a classic foundation and a responsive dynamic range. Shift your right hand position slightly and the whole feel of the part changes. Adjust the pickup balance and you’ve got a different “character” in the track. This bass slips naturally into pop, rock, funk, fusion, indie and even heavier styles, as long as you play with intent and precision.
If you’re constantly moving between home, studio and stage, you’ll appreciate another side of it: the instrument isn’t temperamental. With reasonable care and storage it holds tuning well, doesn’t “wander” with every temperature change, and truss rod or action tweaks don’t turn into a complicated quest.
Specifications of the Markbass JG SB Tobacco 4 CR MP
- Type: electric bass, 4 strings
- Construction: bolt-on neck
- Body style: J-style (Jazz Bass)
- Body wood: alder
- Body finish: gloss, Tobacco Sunburst
- Neck wood: maple
- Fingerboard: rosewood or a similar dark wood
- Number of frets: 20
- Position markers: dot inlays
- Nut width: approx. 38 mm
- Scale length: 34" (864 mm)
- Pickups: two J-style single-coils
- Pickup configuration: neck J, bridge J
- Electronics: passive
- Controls: neck pickup volume, bridge pickup volume, master tone
- Bridge: fixed, standard four-saddle
- Tuners: open-gear, die-cast, classic style
- Strings: steel, factory standard gauge (approx..045–.105)
- Hardware: chrome
- Orientation: right-handed
- Applications: live performance, studio recording, home practice, rehearsals
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