Bigwan

Why buy anything else - surely from your current gear you'll have something to cover A and B (therefore negating C)? It's GAS again, isn't it?

[quote name='4000' post='1198083' date='Apr 13 2011, 12:47 PM']FWIW, my old ABM500 (pre- Evo) consistently dusts everything else I throw against it (no idea where the "woolly" comes from either, unless you're trying to be Brian Bromberg). I'd love something lighter that sounds better (or even as good) but I haven't found it yet. Of course it depends to a great degree what you're putting through it and what you're playing it through....[/quote] I'm in exactly the same position - If I could get the sound of my ABM400RC with EQ off, pre-shape on, preamp all the way to valve, gain up to 3/4 and volume to taste in a sub 8lb package I'd be a super happy camper (see the related thread I posted this morning). I've never played anything that sounds better for me. Perhaps now my band is 'going places' I should think about appraoching Mr Ashdown person about assisting in the development or road testing of such a beast!

[quote name='Paul S' post='1198011' date='Apr 13 2011, 12:12 PM']I would say the very best thing you can do is allocate an afternoon, go somewhere like Bass Merchants (I did, they were soooo helpful) or wherever your nearest large bass gear stockist is and play everything.[/quote] I would do that... if I weren't on the wrong side of the Irish sea! Local stockists of bass equipment are few and far between!

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1197845' date='Apr 13 2011, 09:59 AM']I`ve been very happy with my TC Electronic Classic 450. Very versatile, can do clean/compressed hi-fi, to downright tubey gain. I previously had an Orange Terror, with Sansamp BDDI, and the TC can do all the Terror and Sansamp could, but on its own. I don`t know how the TC would compare to an Ashdown, but I`d certainly recommend a look at TC products.[/quote] The TC Classic is a possibility, although with the RH750 due soon I could stretch to the RH450 since the price is apparently going to drop. [quote name='eude' post='1197885' date='Apr 13 2011, 10:33 AM']This might be of interest matey >> [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=129721"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=129721[/url] Eude[/quote] [quote name='dan670844' post='1197929' date='Apr 13 2011, 11:12 AM']From what everyone is saying why don't you have a crack with there new Ashdown MI thingy. lightweight head, supposed to be quality, have the power and dynamic of a mosfet system i.e your abm. But very light. It has the LG type preamp on it which is very good, if you like valvy warmess try an art valve pre amp they are amazing.[/quote] Don't know if the MiBass would have the slight valve edge I like about the ABM would be my only problem with it... and their history with such designs - although the B&O module in the power amp is a big plus for me over their older designs. I'll be looking to purchase sooner than August though! [quote name='eude' post='1197937' date='Apr 13 2011, 11:18 AM']Or perhaps hold fire a little longer if your back will hold out. You'll see in the thread I posted earlier, there's a chance Ashdown might come out with a micro head with the 427 Smallblock front end at some point. I'm very excited about the prospect... Eude[/quote] That would definitely be right up my street! [quote name='lemmywinks' post='1197944' date='Apr 13 2011, 11:22 AM']Dunno how the new Ashdown thingy will sound compared to your existing amp though, their previous micro heads don't really retain brand identity in that respect. Have you considered taking it out of the casing and mounting it in a rack bag? Will make it much more manageable than carrying it in a bulky case, even just as a temporary measure till you find a micro head you like.[/quote] I don't know if the rack bag would be enough... the thing weighs 14kg (in new money)... that's more than 2 stone! The case it's in is actually a really good fit for it and relatively lightweight. Maybe something cleanish (MB F1 or something) with a valve pre (as Dan suggested) or a Sansamp VT in front would be an option, but even second hand you'd be into more than new Orange Terror Bass money, albeit more flexible sonically and better size-wise for the gig-bag. Tricky...

OK - after an extremely uncomfortable walk from the train station into work this morning with bass on back, normal little work bag in one hand and what felt like a very large bag of builders sand in the other (actually an Ashdown ABM400RC in one of those generic silver tool boxes) I've decided it might be about time I investigated the possibility of a lightweight head. The real kicker is that I'm as pleased as punch with the sound said 'bag of sand' produces. Can anyone suggest a suitable replacement that would sound similar? I run the ashdown with the preamp all the way to valve, gain pretty well up, preshape on, eq off, volume to taste - plug P-bass in and we're away (through my Tech 4x12 which lives in practice room)! I'd thought perhaps the Orange Terror Bass (although I'd prefer something that's fit in my big gig-bag pocket) or the new Genz Streamliner (but I'd prefer something cheaper!), but what else is out there? Suggestions?

+1 on the Line6 Studio 110. If you're only considering those 2 then the peavey every time.

Best £400 I've spent on a bass (S/H from here with NTMB pre). I'm not a fan of Stingray's so can't offer an objective opinion there...

[quote name='Stuart Clayton' post='1079507' date='Jan 6 2011, 09:19 AM']It will undoubtedly seem that I am saying this because I sometimes work for BGM, but do people honestly think that Bassist was a good magazine?[/quote] Yes and yes... [quote]the blokey, man-in-the-pub writing style was appalling[/quote] Maybe you're more highbrow than me... [quote]the reviews were dreadful, the editorial was poor[/quote] I think you've just described BGM rather than Bassist... [quote]and... well, there was that Burt Reynolds bass cartoon as well wasn't there? I did not miss it when it went.[/quote] OK I'll agree with you on that... I think Bassist was vastly superior... One of the things that annoyed me most about BGM, other than the spelling and layout balls ups, was the constant revisiting of the same topics. I, for one, thought I would scream if I saw another interview with Stanley Clarke...

I got my right index finger trapped between a car body shell and a trailer once. Nail went totally black (and finger throbbed like a mofo) and came off a few days later. Once the initial pain goes you'll be back playing while waiting for the new nail to grow back, no worries!

Dingwall and Drophead Little Bastard... Great... My only 2 causes of GAS in the past year in the same photo... Could be dangerous!!!

I know he has 2 Sanamp PSA-1s in his rack if that helps any...

This is the first bass GAS I've experienced in quite some time... Spectacular!

This got an 8/10 in this months 'Rock Sound' - pretty chuffed with that!

Height of my playing career - overhearing the producer of the album I played on this year telling someone that I was the best bass player he'd recorded, after Martin Mendez of Opeth... don't really know if that reflects well on me or badly on all the other bass players he's ever recorded!

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1049141' date='Dec 6 2010, 11:49 AM']Im guessing we are talking £1500+...is the fliptop a system where the actual cab is part of it? If so, make it more like £1800+. Nice gear though, im glad Ashdown are taking new amps on. Basically, they are giving us what Ampeg havent for a long time...and Im guessing it is UK made?[/quote] Could be a lot more considering the Little B*stard Drop Head is £1299!

Anyone know £?

If you know wiring and are confident enough you could open the amp up and have a nosey at the output transformer - it may say what tap the speaker is wired to.

[quote name='deepbass5' post='1048535' date='Dec 5 2010, 06:36 PM']I use a 4 x 12 Techamp Cab 1200 watts into 4 ohm. I use it with a Markbass LMK. It is light too just 54 Lbs you can pick it up easy one man, but i do use a trolley board which i leave it on to play so not to loose the bass on hotel carpets etc. I think most people do not consider it now. The old marshals are 100 lbs, then 4 x10's took over in the 80's and only a few manufacturers have gone back. But with Neo speakers they are starting to re appear. Most people are using smaller combinations now. I went for the 12's as it was the best spec of any cab with the least weight. It sounds fantastic I use it on all but the smallest restuarant gigs so I know I can cope with any venue.[/quote] I have the older (Tech Soundsystems) version of this cab. They sound awesome, if a little overkill!

I have an unused B&O ICEpower 125asx module doing nothing if anyone's interested (originally inspired by Alien's mini power amp build) - bought it to install in my trace v-type preamp, but I just don't have the time or inclination at the minute. It's the same power amp used in the GK-MB500 and some of the EA stuff too (500 watts @ 4 ohms, 300 watts @ 8ohms from memory). VERY hard to get hold of - not usually sold to the public, not in the UK anyway.

The 4 ohm rating of the driver doesn't mean anything since there's a crossover involved. The crossover design determines the ohmage rating of the cab. Use caution when selecting a replacement - an 8 ohm driver used with a crossover designed for a 4 ohm driver will give unpredictable results, impedance wise.

Request *cough cough* engineering samples...

The 8 ohm rating was a typo. It's 900 @ 4, 500 @ 8.