ern500evo

I enjoyed it, was a little bit surprised that there was no mention of Larry Graham though.

Only caught some of the show, actually really liked the performance by The Record Company.

Bought my first brand new rig there, a Trace Elliot AH350SM, plus 2103H and 1518 cabs. I remember having to do a job in Gloucestershire in the morning and all I could think of was getting it done as quickly as possible so I could then go rushing off to Wapping. Made sure I parked my work van where I could see it while I did the job, as the envelope full of cash for the rig was in the glove box.

I’ve got a 7 plus and I’ve never noticed any issue with volume during a call.

if you’re always gonna use headphones, i’d buy a Behringer BDI21 Di pedal and a small cheap mixer. You’ll have an aux in on the mixer for phone/iPod, and an headphone out socket.

I bought my Dingwall NG2 from them. Had very good communication with them via email beforehand, just to check what they had in stock. Traded my MM Bongo in, and the whole thing was a pleasant transaction. Mark wasn’t there, but the two younger guys were both very friendly and professional. Set me up through a Genzler amp and cab, showed me the various controls on the bass and then left me to it, occasionally popping his head back around the door tomask if I was ok, and did I have any questions. I wouldn’t hesitate using them again, in fact have just ordered some Dingwall strings, but they only had one set in stock (I ordered two sets), had a very prompt email asking if I wanted to cancel the order, take the one set now and wait for the second, or wait and have both at the same time. Very professional in their approach to everything.

Covers band at the moment, covering a variety of styles. I guess, for me, a lot of it comes down to heavier amp plus pedal board, or lightweight amp and no pedal board. Strange this is, if I’d tried a M900 before I used my ABM for these couple of gigs then I think I would’ve snapped up a M900 without hesitation, I really did like the sound of it.

I’m really torn at the moment. I’ve really liked using my ABM500 for the last few gigs, and I’m sure the 600 would sound killer. However I had chance to have a play with a Darkglass M900 and it sounded fantastic! Two very different beasts. I love how fat the ABM sounds, but I also love the zinginess on tap with the M900, and the DG would also give me the opportunity to ditch my small pedal board, which only contains 2 drive pedals and a switching pedal for the channels on my GK amp. Decisions decisions. There are worse problems to have I guess!

I assume the rackmount RC version is now discontinued? It shows up on the list on Ashdowns website but if you click on it, the page is empty. Also noticed that the only place selling them is PMT. they’re £100 cheaper than the normal version, which is quite tempting as I’ve already got a rack case that my current ABM is in.

Used the ABM500 again last night. It really is tempting to go for a 600. I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but the 500 sounds so different with this bass and cab combo. If the improvement in the new models is that big, it should sound killer!

I think that’s pretty much where I’m at Lozz. The brightness and zing from the cab and bass, coupled with the warmth of the amp, seems to be a good match. Think I’m gonna try it again tonight, but maybe use my Yamaha Attitude Ltd and see what the results are like. This is definitely an unexpected bout of GAS!

I do like a fairly modern, bright sound but not all of the stuff I play requires it. Maybe that’s the reason I stopped using it originally, but that was with a passive bass and through a MAG cab, whereas no I can get pretty much all the zing from the Dingwall and BF, while the ABM seems to bring the warmer element, and it worked quite nicely. I’ve yet to see or hear anyone have a bad word to say about the 600, which is always a good sign!

After a lot of years using various Class D amps (GK MB Fusion, TH500, RH450&750, GB Shuttle 9.2) I decided, for some unknown reason, to dust off my old chrome fronted ABM500RC at the weekend and use it for a gig. I used my Dingwall NG2 and ran through my Barefaced Big Twin 2, and I really liked it! I’d estimate that it’s 7 years+ since I gigged this amp. I stopped using it when I bought a Warwick Tubepath, and then eventually moved to class d amps. Now this has got me thinking, I always used to use a drive pedal in front, to give it some edge and brightness, but that was with my old MAG810. I noticed on the gig that even without any pedal switched on it sounded a lot different to what I remember, much clearer. A lot of this is owing to the darkglass pre in the Dingwall and the BF cab no doubt. It’s led to me looking at ABM600 s, and most of the reviews I’ve seen say it’s a fairly big improvement over the 500 series. So I was wondering if any of the BC collective are using the ABM600 through a relatively hifi cab? Reading reviews and watching YouTube vids is all good and well, but if any of you guys can offer some real world thoughts, it would be much appreciated!

Latest addition, NG2 in Laguna Seca blue. Loving it so far!

Cool, I’ll have a listen when I get chance, thanks!

I only really stopped using it as I wanted to go more lightweight. As I said, Saturday was the first time I’ve ever gigged it through my Barefaced Big Twin 2, and it just seemed to work. I always prefer quite a bright, modern type sound, but I’m guessing the combination of Dingwall NG2 and the BT2 provides as much of that as I need, and the ABM gives it some girth and warmth. Reviews I’ve read and watched of the 600 Evo 4 all seem to be very complimentary.

So after the weekends successful gig with my old ABM500 RC, I now find myself looking at ABM600 Evo iv’s! Here we go again!

Saw Reef at the Cheese and Grain in Frome on Thursday. Second time I’ve seen them this year, also saw them at Motion in Bristol. Such a good live band. First time I’d been to the venue, really small place which was cool, hard to imagine that the Foo Fighters did a gig there before headlining Glastonbury! Support was from Broken Witt Rebels, who were excellent, singer has a great voice with a very powerful blues rock tone.

Decided to take my original ABM500evo RC on last nights gig. First time I’ve gigged it with my Barefaced Big Twin 2. I’ve owned the ABM for about 10 years, but have been using various class d’s since owning the BF cab, and for the last couple of years, I’ve been using a GK MB Fusion. I’m not really sure what prompted the decision to dig it out of the spare room and use it, but I’m glad I did, it sounded great. Used my Dingwall NG2 all night, and I’m not sure if it was the contrast of hifi bass and cab paired with the warmer old school tone of the ABM, but it just worked! So much so that it’s going back into a rackcase tomorrow and I’m going to use it for the remainder of this year’s gigs. To think, I put it up for sale a couple of years ago for £175 but it didn’t sell, maybe it wasn’t meant to be. These older ABM’s are an absolute bargain on the used market.

I had a very similar experience at the Winter Gardens in Weston super Mare! Looking back now, I don’t know why the type of venue didn’t raise alarm bells immediately! 😂

Cadbury Court, I think it’s called Cadbury House and is quite a posh hotel now.

Worst gig ever was a band showcase, or at least that’s what it was billed as, at a Country Club/ hotel type place. We were told there would be travelling expenses plus food and drink for all the acts. Arrived at venue to be told that travelling expenses info was incorrect, not really an issue as it was only half an hour or so away from us. We were a originals rock band, all hair and Ibanez guitars (as was the thing back then), we then get told we were on between the magician and the Neil Diamond impersonator, alarm bells are starting to ring. Go to the backstage room, here’s the free food and drink, a huge bowl of stale crisps and a crate of out of date light ale! Get through the gig, being largely ignored or frowned at, and as we’re packing guitars away in the backstage area, the organiser comes in and says “well done lads, you finished second, Neil Diamond won”. Feeling very deflated by now, our guitarist pipes up to try and cheer us up and says “ah well, he was very good, at least we came second” at which point our drummer walks in and says “turns out only three acts turned up, and while we were getting ready backstage, the magician tried to saw his assistant in half but the table broke and she fell off the stage and fractured her wrist, and we only beat him by one vote”! Luckily no one else wanted the light ale so at least we could drink enough to see the funny side of it all!