Ashdown knockers

[skychaserhigh]

I've had my ABM 300 for 11 years now I think and it's superb. Never gone wrong and always sounds great.
I don't like Ashdown cabs much and have always used cabs by other companies , I think thats where the woolly reputation comes from but the heads are great.
I find the ABM pre amp really easy to use , huge sounding and everything from deep and warm to clear and bright.
I would put my ABM against any class D amp , including the Streamliner , and it will sound better through the right cabs. I think the power transformer in them makes a big difference to the sound.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

If your preference is for ultra-modern clear as crystal tapping sounds, the Ashdowns may sound to your ears, 'wooly'. It is true, their natural tone tends to err on the warm and valvey side, but they are very versatile. I toured with an ABM 500 and matching 8x10 for years and I would not tolerate a wooly, indistinct amp.
It's becoming quite a lazy stereotype, almost up there with 'Rickenbackers have no bottom end' and 'Gibsons sound like mud'.
It's all swings and roundabouts. I dislike Ampegs. And the much admired Genz-Benz Streamliner, for example, sounded awful to me when I played through it - [i]in my own style[/i] - but I don't doubt for a moment it is a very high class and high quality amp. It just doesn't suit me. Everyone's style and ears are different, and nobody is right or wrong.

[JTUK]

[quote name='daveparker123' timestamp='1367952304' post='2071541']
[url="http://www.guitarmagazine.co.uk/features/the-only-way-is-essex-the-ashdown-story/"]http://www.guitarmag...-ashdown-story/[/url]

Says here they don't pay out for artist endorsements.
[/quote]

They may not.... but they would have to pay for the promo seminars and workshops...
so I guess it is some sort of play on the contract...

Not having to pay people for your stuff sounds a nice creditable stance.... if you can carry it off...

I know drummers who/were are major endorsees and they have to provide workshops etc as part of the deal...

[Dave Vader]

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/50579126@N03/8726330646/][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/50579126@N03/8726330646/]ashdownknockers[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/50579126@N03/]Plastic Squirrel[/url], on Flickr

[mike257]

I've heard them take some stick on here, and joined in myself in the past. After using battered house rigs or ending up pushed gear sharing and having to use someone's crap EB combo that should never have left their bedroom, I really had a distaste for the stuff.

All changed when I borrowed an ABM500 EVOIII and ABM810 for a few gigs. Without doubt the best bass tone I've ever had. If I was playing the kind of gigs that justified a big rig like that, that's exactly what I'd be using. As it is, its too much for the occasional wedding/function and the odd pub gig my bass is seeing lately. Top gear though, and I certainly don't knock it now that I've used the good stuff!

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1368015574' post='2072031']
I never bought a Little giant because of the bad press they got. But The Jazz bar in Edinburgh have one as their in house amp and not only does it sound great but it gets a lot of abuse (3 bands per night 7 days per week) and is still working as well as ever. Maybe it just goes to show that, with technology, you only hear about the small minority that go wrong but never hear about the ones that are super reliable.
[/quote]
Does that mean they've finally got rid of the knackered Peavey that was there last time I played there? Result!

[Ashdown Engineering]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1368191525' post='2074293']


They may not.... but they would have to pay for the promo seminars and workshops...
so I guess it is some sort of play on the contract...

Not having to pay people for your stuff sounds a nice creditable stance.... if you can carry it off...

I know drummers who/were are major endorsees and they have to provide workshops etc as part of the deal...
[/quote]

We do not give gear to artists... We may loan the odd rig here and there when required but generally speaking if someone wants to use Ashdown and be an artist we insist they put their hand in their pocket. In fact it's only really ever young bands who need a little help that we loan gear to. Nate Mendel, Adam Clayton, Pino, Shavo, JJ etc etc have all paid for their rigs. We don't have contracts and don't expect anything in return apart from them except using the gear for as long as they want to, we would never want a player using Ashdown because he/she is paid/contracted to do so(which quite a few large brands do either in salary terms or via paid clinics) its hard these days as many company's are giving away boatloads of free gear and offering the world to people but for us as a little UK family company it means something that the player likes and wants to use the gear and isn't using it because its free/they're being paid to do so...

[gjones]

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1368267261' post='2075059']
We do not give gear to artists... We may loan the odd rig here and there when required but generally speaking if someone wants to use Ashdown and be an artist we insist they put their hand in their pocket. In fact it's only really ever young bands who need a little help that we loan gear to. Nate Mendel, Adam Clayton, Pino, Shavo, JJ etc etc have all paid for their rigs. We don't have contracts and don't expect anything in return apart from them except using the gear for as long as they want to, we would never want a player using Ashdown because he/she is paid/contracted to do so(which quite a few large brands do either in salary terms or via paid clinics) its hard these days as many company's are giving away boatloads of free gear and offering the world to people but for us as a little UK family company it means something that the player likes and wants to use the gear and isn't using it because its free/they're being paid to do so...
[/quote]

Just out of interest, why did Ashdown change the eq controls on the MiBass? Was it to make it a bit simpler? I have one and really like it but the semi parametric EQ did take some getting used to. Personally I think the old little giant layout was perfect, just like the ABM controls but in miniature.

Edited May 11, 2013 by gjones

[Conan]

I once owned a pair of Ashdowns, but I am not a knocker! The MAG 410s were incredibly bright, almost brittle-sounding with both an Ampeg SVT200-T and (even more so) my Hartke LH500. They could have done with a horn attenuator really, but woolly they definitely were NOT!

[Ashdown Engineering]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1368310610' post='2075660']


Just out of interest, why did Ashdown change the eq controls on the MiBass? Was it to make it a bit simpler? I have one and really like it but the semi parametric EQ did take some getting used to. Personally I think the old little giant layout was perfect, just like the ABM controls but in miniature.
[/quote]

Quite a few people moaned that they didn't understand the semi parametric EQ on the original MiBass which is a shame as those who get it love it and it is massively tweakable and versatile. So for the new MiBass we figured most people should understand Bass, Middle and Treble... ;-)

Edited May 12, 2013 by Ashdown Engineering

[LITTLEWING]

I must admit, I'd love an Ampeg rig if I had the money (the 100w 1 x 15" combo in our rehearsal rooms is awesome). But since acquiring an Ashdown Mag 8 x 10" to partner my Ashdown EVO 2 300w head, I'm more than happy each venue we play at. Very rarely do I have to alter any EQ, the sound is huge, heavy and crystal sharp and certainly not 'wooly'. I find the trick to the sound is both low and high buttons 'in', low bass on 3 o/c, mid bass on 12 o/c, mids on 12 o/c, mid treble on 3 o/c and the high treble on 3 o/c. I have the input meter just clipping the red on the B string and final volume at 2 o/c. We're a three piece rock covers band and simply using the tone on my bass does everything I want. This setting even works on my Ashdown Compact 1 x 15" very nicely at praccy. The bottom line is Ashdown cabs need to be driven, not tickled. BTW, what exactly does anyone get from the 'sub' button??? To my ears it's a totally nasty sounding, unwanted, waste of "technology". Yuk! Sorry!!

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1368267261' post='2075059']
We do not give gear to artists... We may loan the odd rig here and there when required but generally speaking if someone wants to use Ashdown and be an artist we insist they put their hand in their pocket.
[/quote]

Could ya send me one of the big valve jobs for techy review?

[jezbass]

I use a Klystron 100 head with two classic neo 4x10's, been regularly giiging with them for about 4 years now. Absolutely no problems at all, get the head serviced every 6 months. Definately the best rig I've ever had, just run the eq fairly flat with just a touch of mid boost and it sounds awesome. Dont boost any of the bottom end or it can become a bit boomy. Ran it side by side with a Mesa M9 carbine head and two powerhouse cabs and the ashdown blew it away.

[Ziphoblat]

People who call Ashdown gear muddy need to understand that this is all subjective, but Ashdown gear definitely isn't muddy? Right.

I've had more than my fair share of encounters with Ashdown gear and every time I find the tone to be too muddy. Interestingly enough I formulated this opinion long before encountering anybody else saying anything similar on forums. The lower end gear is downright weak in my opinion, the higher end stuff simply doesn't have the definition and responsiveness that I'm personally looking for in an amp. Furthermore, they seem to have a large footprint on the tone of an instrument to the point where many can end up sounding far too similar, and almost restrict the dynamics, which is why I really detest their frequency in music stores. There was a time when you couldn't try anything out in PMT in Leeds without plugging it through an Ashdown amp, not much good if you want to hear the instrument itself.

It almost certainly is dependant on what an individual wants from their gear and tone. What one man finds acceptable, another man finds muddy. I've had to use Ashdown amps and at a gig and hated the whole experience, but found that it sounded really good when the next band were on because the thumpy less defined tone worked well for them. However, there's no doubt in my mind that they have far less definition than most gear, and that's where all these claims of muddiness come from. Just because somebody finds the amount of clarity he gets from his Ashdown amp to be acceptable, that doesn't mean another's claim that Ashdown amps are too muddy for him is somehow invalid.

I remember being caught off-guard by an Ashdown combo at a rehearsal studio in a period between amps (I'd sold my old cab but not received my new one yet). We returned a couple of weeks later, and I still had no amp of my own, so decided to bring an XLR cable with me. I had a cunning plan to overcome the mud. I DI'd the bass into the PA, rolled off all the low end and introduced it to the speakers very slightly just to get a little bit of top end fizz coming from my bass. It was an acceptable sound, at least some nuance was there. About half an hour in the guy working in the studio popped his head round the door and had a hissy fit because the bass was plugged into the PA (rather unnecessarily, because it was extremely quiet, had the low end cut, and the damn thing had a pair of 15 inch subs hooked up anyway, but that's another story). He proceeded to question my sanity, and following an explanation of my quest for definition, he began to tweak the dials on the amps EQ (all five of them, as if I'd never touched an equaliser before myself) until he'd satisfied himself that it would now sound nice and sparkly. "Try that" he said. I played a bit of bass. "There you go" he said, happy that the bass now had enough definition. Sounded fine to him. Still sounded like sh*t to me though.

[discreet]

Well there you have it - sound is subjective, beauty is in the ear of the beholder, there's nowt as queer as folk, one man's meat is another man's mud, and never wipe your arse with a broken bottle. Unless it's the second Friday in April. Wibble.

Personally I've never had any problem with Ashdown gear. You just need to keep a fire extinguisher close by is all.

[MiltyG565]

I have an old ABM 400 rack head, and I think it sounds great. It wasn't expensive either. It's the head I used to record my half-rounds review (I don't have a DI box). I've not used many amps, but this one is definitely the best that I have used.

[BassTractor]

My Little Bastard with the LB cabs sounds wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Carefully rounded off top, and far from dull. May not be the most hi-fi thing, but fits everything from Squier CV '51 P to Music Man Bongo.
It's also masterful when used with a rock guitar like the Peavey Tracer II. Dunno how it would sound with a Les Paul, but expect it to be grand.
As a result, I'm selling my guitar amps now. No need to keep them.
Did I say I lurv it?

My MAG 410/307W evo II combo IMHO sounded indifferent more than woolly to my ears. It made me enthusiastic the first days I owned it, and from there it alas went downhill. Not saying I'm right or anything - just sharing my personal experience.
I liked it best with the Bongo.
Did like the EQ section very much, once I got to grips with having to dial relatively much. It was very flexible.
I appreciated the compressor. It was often on, in a modest setting.
The sub was a funny, slow effect with my attempts at playing bass. Nice on long tones, unusable on short tones.


I think the OP's impression of Ashdown knocking going on is incorrect. People have been positive AND negative about just about every brand, including Aguilar, Barefaced and Genz Benz. Even Vanderkley has received some lashing.
Ashdown do very many different things, their products are often affordable, and, as far as I can understand, are rather popular. More popular = more people having an opinion.

Just my thrupenny.


best,
bert


Edit: Before I get arrested: I'm not saying the Les Paul is not a rock guitar. It[i][b] is[/b][/i] different to a Tracer though.

Edited May 16, 2013 by BassTractor

[aende]

I love my 500W Superfly.

Nothing wrong with it, never let me down, loud enough for most gigs, portable and sounds great; though, admittedly, I use an expensive bass guitar. Growls on the lows and is clear on the highs - even our guitar player asked how such a big sound came out of something so little, he was impressed by the definition.

**Never used the MAG or ABM heads, though I am tempted by an ABM 1K for the power!

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='aende' timestamp='1368718709' post='2080679']
I love my 500W Superfly.

Nothing wrong with it, never let me down, loud enough for most gigs, portable and sounds great; though, admittedly, I use an expensive bass guitar. Growls on the lows and is clear on the highs - even our guitar player asked how such a big sound came out of something so little, he was impressed by the definition.

**Never used the MAG or ABM heads, though I am tempted by an ABM 1K for the power!
[/quote]

I've got an ABM head, and it's really good. Nice warm tones, but not so warm as to be classified "vintage" sounding. Just a nice roundness to it, and a lovely balance to it, not too trebly or middy. It's really good, considering the money I paid for it. Obviously, there's better amps out there (which would be a matter of opinion) but for the money, and from what I can tell, it's pretty damn rocking!

[BluRay]

I really like my abm - beefy articulate sound, got a fantastic eq, looks great - if you like that sort of thing - and plenty loud. I guess it does have a certain signature which not everyone would like (evidentally by some of the posts ) but thats what makes it what it is. I get on with it. A couple of tracks here which are straight bass-thro-abm (eq flatish and even mix of Di/mic) with nothing else added. It will sound crap to most (and may prove some of the negative points) I'm sure - but hey ho...
[url="https://soundcloud.com/bonesparkrider/the-girl-in-the-record-shop"]https://soundcloud.com/bonesparkrider/the-girl-in-the-record-shop[/url]
[url="https://soundcloud.com/bonesparkrider/heroes-to-me"]https://soundcloud.com/bonesparkrider/heroes-to-me[/url]

[Jono Bolton]

I've been fond of Ashdown since I first used an ABM 300 head at a gig about 6/7 years ago. After while of searching I managed to pick one up second hand for not a lot of money as I'd been given some "20% off any ebay purchase" discount code from Paypal. I used it through a MAG410 cab initially, but I sold that and bought an ABM 210 instead. I love the sound of it, I've never found it to be wooly, or muddy, or however the detractors would like to describe it. I've always found it to be a really great, full sound, but that'll be in part to how I have the EQ set, my strings, pickups, playing style etc. All these variables will ultimately affect the sound and therefore how each of us views the brand.

Funnily enough, I joined Basschat as I was looking for some information on Ashdown, much the same as this (and many other threads) there were folk who were pro-Ashdown and some who were anti-Ashdown, people were bemoaning the quality of the Far East production, someone said 'chinks' and it all went quickly downhill from there. What an introduction to the forum!

Edited May 17, 2013 by Jono Bolton

[bassmansky]

just like the old days,knocking ashdown!lol.All though not so many on here as there used to be,they must be doing something right at last!Ive never had a problem with them in the last 8 years ive used them and am still using one today.Not everyone will like ashdown same as not everyone likes ampeg,markbass etc.thats how it is and is a good thing as people still have lots of choice.

[JamesBass]

I think the issue here is the low end Ashdown stuff, which as anyone would expect, isn't the best equipment as it is cost effective, which is the same for EVERY brand out there, I think the reason Ashdown get the bad press is because of the amount of people who use their stuff, having said that though, from what I've read and heard about their ABM series, it's all supposed to be good gear, even more so that CTM 300 head, I've heard lots of positives about it, just wish I could afford one right now (Casual hint to Ashdown if they are reading this thread still)

[Stealth]

Had two sold two bit Marmite really i found everything i put through it sounded simular if you like the sound get one if you dont you wont get it sounding HiFi.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1369231203' post='2086644']
I think the issue here is the low end Ashdown stuff, which as anyone would expect, isn't the best equipment as it is cost effective, which is the same for EVERY brand out there, I think the reason Ashdown get the bad press is because of the amount of people who use their stuff, having said that though, from what I've read and heard about their ABM series, it's all supposed to be good gear, even more so that CTM 300 head, I've heard lots of positives about it, just wish I could afford one right now (Casual hint to Ashdown if they are reading this thread still)
[/quote]

ABM heads sound great IMO! The guy I bought mine off said he always ends up coming back to the Ashdown gear (although he was using a little bastard at the time I believe), and he had some really nice gear, so the Ashdown gear obviously wasn't that bad. I don't know what exactly he liked about it, but personally, I like the warmth and roundedness of the ABM head I have. It has a little valve in the preamp, which some would say doesn't do much, but it sounds to me like it's definitely doing something. You can turn up the preamp volume too and get some nice grit from it. It's just cool.