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Ashdown ABM Line


Onox
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Hey Folks,

any experiences with the old Ashdown ABM Heads (Made in UK)? I´m thinking about getting one of these.
I heard they´ve got a realy deep, thight sound. Should be perfect for Soul, Blues and Rock. I also like the option to dial a little Tube-Grind in. But I´m wondering if these Amps could handle Funk-Style-Music very well? I'd like to use it with a Ashdown ABM 210 Cab, also made in UK.

Regards,
O.

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Yup used my Klystron rig heavily for a number of years and used ABM rigs at gigs too, perfect for the kind of music you mention, great warm thick tone that sits really well in a band mix and you can certainly add a bit of grit with the valve drive, I always have mine on about a quarter just to give that extra warmth and grit you get with the valve in the mix.

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In the past when I'd used (battered and abused) Ashdown in house backline at a local venue I'd really never got on with it.

I ended up using another bassists whole setup when I depped for his band (one of my bandmates had absconded with our lockup key for the weekend!) and it completely changed my opinion. It was an ABM900 with an 810, had to use his Fender Jazz too, and it was one of the absolute best bass tones I've ever had. Really growled and cut through nicely without overpowering the guitars. I loved it!

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I had one of the original ABM 300's and sold it a few years ago when I was skint. Best amp I've ever had in 35 years of on/off gigging. Rock solid, reliable, great tonal variation. I like old school (think JPJ, Zep 11), not surprisingly. They do that very well.
Equally, my current ABM Klystron sounds superb when I come to do Billy Sheehan hammers, pulls, trips, harmonics, chords (just a pity it doesn't fit on my mini cabs :blush: .

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The old ones are superb. I used to have an ABM C110 combo & it sounded great - nice & warm but still very clear. The DI's on them are fantastic too - really quiet.
I only got rid of it because I fancied a change & often think I did the wrong thing in doing so.

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I've had my EVOII head for 6 years, gigged heavily for 4 of them. In that time it's needed a preamp valve and a metal corner after the singer dropped it, and the transformer tightening up as the bolt had come loose

Extremely reliable and great all-round sound which pretty much suits all genres

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It's the DADDY!

I've just recently bought an ABM 500 III and it sounds fantastic. I had a TC Electronic classic 450 head which I replaced with the ABM. as I couldn't get the sound I heard in my head with the TC amp however much I twiddled with it but as soon as I plugged into the Ashdown there was the sound I wanted - deep, defined, warm and punchy with my 2X12. It's got so much low down grunt I turn the bass dial down to zero and use the two low mid sliders to give me the bottom end I need.

It also sounds great with my double bass. The TC head just generated so much feedback it was pointless even trying to plug my DB into it.

Edited by gjones
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[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1329573771' post='1544406']
The old ones are superb. I used to have an ABM C110 combo & it sounded great - nice & warm but still very clear. The DI's on them are fantastic too - really quiet.
I only got rid of it because I fancied a change & often think I did the wrong thing in doing so.
[/quote]

I can assure you that you most definitely did. I hope you didn't buy a TC Electronic Classic 450...........I did :(

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[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1329578950' post='1544470']
I can assure you that you most definitely did. I hope you didn't buy a TC Electronic Classic 450...........I did :(
[/quote]

No, I bought an EBS Gorm 350 watt 1x15 combo which I can't sell for love nor money. :(

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[quote name='Onox' timestamp='1329584436' post='1544561']
Thanks for the answers guys!
But whats your opinion to Ashdown and Funk? Oldschool fingerstyle shouldn´t be a problem but what is with clean slapsounds? Too muddy?
[/quote]

For slap, engage the "shape" button (basically an EQ scoop) and dial out excessive bass with the lowest EQ control :)

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[quote name='Onox' timestamp='1329584436' post='1544561']
Thanks for the answers guys!
But whats your opinion to Ashdown and Funk? Oldschool fingerstyle shouldn´t be a problem but what is with clean slapsounds? Too muddy?
[/quote]

It will also depend on what type of bass you're using.

I always used my Ashdown with the EQ disengaged & the slap sound I got from my Zon Legacy was fantastic.
If you're using something passive which will sound a lot duller then you might have to fiddle with the EQ a bit.
I never found the amp to sound muddy, even with very bassy sounds.

Edited by RhysP
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Ok, I did it. I bought an Ashdown ABM Evo I Amp. It looks like new und is fully checked by a technician.
The Amp shoul arrive the day after tomorrow.
Can you tell me what the Center-Frequencies of the big Bass, middle and Treble knobs are? I couldn´t find something usefull in the old ABM manual on the ashdown-website.

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[quote name='Onox' timestamp='1329769238' post='1547115']
Ok, I did it. I bought an Ashdown ABM Evo I Amp. It looks like new und is fully checked by a technician.
The Amp shoul arrive the day after tomorrow.
Can you tell me what the Center-Frequencies of the big Bass, middle and Treble knobs are? I couldn´t find something usefull in the old ABM manual on the ashdown-website.
[/quote]

On my EVOII: 45Hz, 660Hz & 7kHz shelving. All +/-15dB

Edited by Protium
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  • 2 weeks later...

Sadly, my Ashsdown arrived non working but i got it fixed today.
Lovely amp, very punchy, clear and deep/warm sounding. The Preshape don´t seems to be very usefull, it sounds very muddy to me with too less highs.

Never had such a fat tone with my Jazz Bass. Tomorrow I´ll test it with my Precision. :)

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[quote name='Alec 'Aleb' Mills' timestamp='1330766304' post='1562608']
I suppose it is!
Ah, I guess I'm just a tight bastard then :P
[/quote]

Recently they've been selling cheap on ebay..............around £250/260 on ebay for secondhand ABM 500.

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[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1330770859' post='1562684']
Recently they've been selling cheap on ebay..............around £250/260 on ebay for secondhand ABM 500.
[/quote]
I must admit I haven't been looking very diligently on eBay. I've only come across the discontinued ABM 300 so far! But thanks I'll definately keep a keener eye on eBay.

Edited by Alec 'Aleb' Mills
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The only con is that the fan is too loud if you want to use the amp at home. I think i´ll gonna add an on/off-Schwitch for the fan. Does the Ashdown have a protection circuit for shutting down when it gets to hot in the amp?

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