Since Markbass first began building basses in 2019, they’ve taken the same detail-oriented craftsmanship and focus on quality materials that they use on their amps and applied it to their 4- and 5-string basses. Today Markbass offers a wide array of body shapes, pickup configurations, finishes, electronics, and overall styles in their constantly growing lineup of instruments. Two recent additions that exhibit Markbass’ range come with the release of the MB GB 5 Gloxy and the Navigator F1 series. The Navigator F1 series got its inspiration from both Formula 1 racecars and Italian physicist Enrico Fermi, creator of the nuclear reactor. While those muses might seem vastly different, they were both part of Markbass creator Marco De Virgiliis’ vision when he set out to design these basses. Balancing innovation with tradition, he appealed to the latter by using body wood from the famed Italian forests of Val Di Fiemme, where legendary 17th century luthier Antonio Stradivari hand-selected spruce trees for his instruments. The future-facing innovative side lies in the Markbass splittable P and humbucking pickups and active preamp. Handmade by Markbass, these electronics provide power and clarity — and surprisingly, the volume difference between passive and active mode is largely unaffected when switching between the two. De Virgiliis’ positioning of the pickups allows for a wide array of tone options, with the splitting option as the catalyst for the wide sonic diversity. The MB GV Gloxy series is Markbass’ effort to offer their basses at affordable prices for beginners and budget-minded players. With a significantly lower price tag, they are made from imported woods in what Markbass refers to as “Glocalisation.” But in terms of electronics, these basses pack all of the power of the other series, as they’re equipped with the MB Instrument Pre and active/passive control to shift between the two modes. Along with MB J-style pickups in classic positioning, there’s plenty of tone shaping on tap.  The MB GB 5 Gloxy Comparing the two models side-by-side, they share a similar feel and sturdiness in their build with great balance, thanks to the MB double shape matching headstocks, which prevent neck-dive. The basses weigh in with the Navigator F1 5-string at 7.7 pounds, and the Gloxy GV5 at 9 pounds, with the F1’s lighter spruce body wood shedding a little weight compared to the Gloxy’s basswood. Both basses have the same onboard controls: six knobs for neck volume, bridge volume, tone (which is also the push/pull for active/passive), and high, mid, and low 3-band EQ.  The Navigator F1 In playing both basses, the first notable difference comes with the weight of each instrument. The Gloxy has a little more heft, but luckily the balance of the instrument doesn’t make it feel too glaring. Both basses have hard maple comfort C necks, while the Gloxy features a maple fingerboard with bl