Ashdown at Festivals

[TheRockinRoadie]

I have three Ashdown heads because they're awesome and reliable. I'm glad to see more and more artists are signing onto their roots.

[TheRockinRoadie]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1403728384' post='2485760']

Mine was sold as spares or repairs on ebay at around 6 years old.
[/quote]


My 13yo ABM 300 has just popped it's valve stage, but still sounds awesome and ashdown are happy to fix it for me. If you think about how often cars are repaired, I'd say 13years without trouble makes them pretty reliable.

[JTUK]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1403723925' post='2485699']
Ashdown being british (like Barefaced) means that the lovers tend to show lots of love around here, and the haters do the british thing of really really hating one of our home grown companies.
Instead of secretly being quite pleased that us in the UK can have one of the top amp makers here in Essex we knock them down cause we don't like the sound the build quality or so on.
I wouldn't mind so much but I don't really see it happening with other US or EU based brands.

............................
[/quote]

Maybe they do, but just because it is British doesn't mean people have to be blind to what the products does for them..
I am very big on buy British but I'll only buy something that cuts it, otherwise I then switch to other western makers...but they have to
cut it as well.

The French buy French cars and must pretty maintain their car industry as no one else seems to rate them mich...
oh well...that is for them.
I'd love the U.K to have a creditable car manufacturer but we sold them ( the good ones ), iirc...or they weren't very good at all.

For the record, all my basses, amps and cabs are U.K and U.S because I rate them as the best I have found.

[paul_5]

[quote name='TheRockinRoadie' timestamp='1403767076' post='2485969']
I have three Ashdown heads because they're awesome and reliable. I'm glad to see more and more artists are signing onto their roots.
[/quote]

If they're so reliable, why THREE?

[throwoff]

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1403710972' post='2485542']
Yup no problem - quite often artists either upgrade or freshen up an old rig and we end up with the old gear back and knock them a bit off the new gear. The old gear then gets cleaned up and serviced and either sold to other artists or in that case to a store which we do every once in awhile if things build up
[/quote]

Makes sense, thanks.

FWIW I rate Ashdown highly, they don't sound the best, they don't look the best but for the money? Nothing comes close to the reliability and volume one puts out. Not many gigs your average school age band couldn't handle with a MAG300 and 410 under it.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='TheRockinRoadie' timestamp='1403767242' post='2485974']



My 13yo ABM 300 has just popped it's valve stage, but still sounds awesome and ashdown are happy to fix it for me. If you think about how often cars are repaired, I'd say 13years without trouble makes them pretty reliable.
[/quote]
That's good for you but mine wasn't, Ashdown were not interested in any repairs or servicing when I emailed them, this was around 2008 or 2009 though. I switched to Genz and never looked back, I also wanted to go for something lighter if I had to buy a new amp which I did due to the intermittent fault on the Ashdown and as I had plenty of gigs coming up, I looked at the super fly head but lets not go there! Lol

[Sonic_Groove]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1403715858' post='2485597']
When I saw From The Jam earlier this year, Bruce Foxton was using his Ashdown stack (410 + 810) and it sounded amazing. I need light gear so my Markbass set-up is ideal, but if I were looking for a set-up now, after hearing Bruce I`d be checking Ashdown gear out - and if it were light enough, no doubt buying it as well.
[/quote]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1403722182' post='2485675']
Were you on the stage? If not did they have an ashdown pa?
[/quote]

Actually I did stand right in front of Bruce's stack (could hardly hear vocal/guitar, drums) & it sounded fantastic.

Lozz is was actually a 4x10 & a 2x15 -- but yeah the amp looked like it weighed a ton!!!

Brendan

[Alec]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1403726385' post='2485729']
I have to admit Pete, no I wasn`t, and no I don`t think they id. But the rig was miked, rather than DI`d, and whilst I know that PAs/soundmen will generate the sound required, it must be the sound that Bruce is famous for, so I can`t see him setting the amp to do something completely different, then getting the PA to alter it to what he wants out front. Having done a show with him, from recall the sound he had on the night I saw them was the same as his regular sound was in a studio.
[/quote]

With FTJ, Bruce's rig is miked plus DI from the bass and another from the head. His regular sound guy is obsessive about quality (the guitar cab is triple miked).

And I can confirm from soundcheck that the bass rig sounds great by itself. I can also confirm that I'm quite happy to let others shift it...

While we're on the subject - anyone seen FTJ on their acoustic tour? Not sure if it would work - but it does - you see the real soul released from their material. Check out [url="http://youtu.be/eCRpiDEOV5o"]Going Underground[/url]. (The small Ashdown combo was just for emergency use - the bass was 100% DId through a DBX DB12)

And, I have to say the best DI feed I think I've ever received was from Derek Forbes (ex Simple Minds, now with Big Country). Completely flat through the PA it sounded so good I had to get him to kill his stage level for a minute as I couldn't believe I was getting such a tasty feed. Doesn't come across that much in this video of [url="http://youtu.be/kXJvm21DQ00"]Look Away[/url], but trust me - it sounded superb. It was a direct feed from the back of an Ashdown 900 head feeding an 8x10.

[Ashdown Engineering]

Gotta laugh sometimes(or cry maybe in this case) Loads of threads regarding amps and tone etc, favourite live sounds etc and GAS for 'insert boutique brand of the month here' but a couple of people say they were impressed by the live sound of an Ashdown rig and suddenly the amp is actually irrelevent and its all the PA... Off to bang head into wall.

[TheRockinRoadie]

[quote name='TheRockinRoadie' timestamp='1403767242' post='2485974']
My 13yo ABM 300 has just popped it's valve stage, but still sounds awesome and ashdown are happy to fix it for me. If you think about how often cars are repaired, I'd say 13years without trouble makes them pretty reliable.
[/quote]

Because they all have different flavours and are all awesome! The MAG combo is for rehearsals and 'quick setup' gigs, the CTM100 is the main head, with the ABM300 as back-up. I swap the MAG and ABM chassis out of the head and combo depending on what mood im in

I'm sorry to hear that stingrayPete1977, I've always had great customer service from them and find them very helpful (mMrshall on the other hand, i can't slag off enough after the trouble i had with the MB range). I run my heads though a Genz cab, who's amps I'm also keen on.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Sonic_Groove' timestamp='1403784504' post='2486293']
Actually I did stand right in front of Bruce's stack (could hardly hear vocal/guitar, drums) & it sounded fantastic.

Lozz is was actually a 4x10 & a 2x15 -- but yeah the amp looked like it weighed a ton!!!

Brendan
[/quote]

Blimey, a 2x15. I thought it was an 810 purely cos of the size of it. Great sound, pity the roadies........

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1403801495' post='2486625']
Gotta laugh sometimes(or cry maybe in this case) Loads of threads regarding amps and tone etc, favourite live sounds etc and GAS for 'insert boutique brand of the month here' but a couple of people say they were impressed by the live sound of an Ashdown rig and suddenly the amp is actually irrelevent and its all the PA... Off to bang head into wall.
[/quote]
Where did you get that from?, loads of people banged on about the great sound, I pointed out that the pa will make more of a difference especially if its a clean di but I still see most people happy they are still hearing the bass amp. Your Ashdown tone never got to foh during my time with one (about 6 years)other than some bleed to punters right in front of it maybe as I always have a clean di to the desk for the engineer to do as he/she pleases, I never corrected anyone that said my ashdown sounded great when what they heard was a stingray into a great EV pa at our own function gigs and whatever pa system was at others.

I understand product placement and the reality of clean di and iem too

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='TheRockinRoadie' timestamp='1403801507' post='2486626']


Because they all have different flavours and are all awesome! The MAG combo is for rehearsals and 'quick setup' gigs, the CTM100 is the main head, with the ABM300 as back-up. I swap the MAG and ABM chassis out of the head and combo depending on what mood im in

I'm sorry to hear that stingrayPete1977, I've always had great customer service from them and find them very helpful (mMrshall on the other hand, i can't slag off enough after the trouble i had with the MB range). I run my heads though a Genz cab, who's amps I'm also keen on.
[/quote]
Tbf from what I have seen since joining basschat their customer care has improved a lot.

[JamesBass]

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1403801495' post='2486625']
Gotta laugh sometimes(or cry maybe in this case) Loads of threads regarding amps and tone etc, favourite live sounds etc and GAS for 'insert boutique brand of the month here' but a couple of people say they were impressed by the live sound of an Ashdown rig and suddenly the amp is actually irrelevent and its all the PA... Off to bang head into wall.
[/quote]
Don't hit your head too hard! Don't want you guys destroying your amp making genius!

As it happens I've only owned 3 amps, 2 have been Ashdowns and one was a tiny Fender Rumble series, I've played Ampeg B15s, which are exquisite, the SVT series which was a bit underwhelming but the only amp I will NEVER sell is my CTM300. It's the most amazing head I've ever used and the tone is sublime, I can get everything I want from that head tonally and it doesn't freak live and studio engineers out by having no DI!

Surprised that not all your artists use the CTM, I appreciate Sir Paul's back might break lugging it about but it's without doubt the best amp tonally I've ever used.

[BruceBass3901]

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1403811272' post='2486784']
the only amp I will NEVER sell is my CTM300. It's the most amazing head I've ever used and the tone is sublime, I can get everything I want from that head tonally and it doesn't freak live and studio engineers out by having no DI!

Surprised that not all your artists use the CTM, I appreciate Sir Paul's back might break lugging it about but it's without doubt the best amp tonally I've ever used.
[/quote]

I second all of this!

I love the CTM 300 to pieces and cannot wait to let it roar with my new band once we get gigging. Just need to get my flightcase sorted for it and find a way of getting it in the car alongside the ABM 610... Which should get a priority seat; my CTM or my girlfriend?

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1403801495' post='2486625']
Gotta laugh sometimes(or cry maybe in this case) Loads of threads regarding amps and tone etc, favourite live sounds etc and GAS for 'insert boutique brand of the month here' but a couple of people say they were impressed by the live sound of an Ashdown rig and suddenly the amp is actually irrelevent and its all the PA... Off to bang head into wall.
[/quote] welcome to basschat!
Anything new is good, the newer the better - unless it's old enough to be one of the things that was better in the old days. A new version of the old thing will have been improved in some was so isn't as good as the original - unless its expensive enough, then it will be better than the original.
A thing made in America or UK will be better than a thing made in the far east , except Japan who confuse us. German made things also confuse us as being too foreign and maybe so well made its not cool.
We like new things made by people in their shed/small workshop even if they take ages, and look like they are made in shed. We don't like when they get the same thing and make it in a shed big enough to be a factory - then it's bad. Unless it says fender on it and any old crap will do.

[Ashdown Engineering]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1403868263' post='2487240']
welcome to basschat!
Anything new is good, the newer the better - unless it's old enough to be one of the things that was better in the old days. A new version of the old thing will have been improved in some was so isn't as good as the original - unless its expensive enough, then it will be better than the original.
A thing made in America or UK will be better than a thing made in the far east , except Japan who confuse us. German made things also confuse us as being too foreign and maybe so well made its not cool.
We like new things made by people in their shed/small workshop even if they take ages, and look like they are made in shed. We don't like when they get the same thing and make it in a shed big enough to be a factory - then it's bad. Unless it says fender on it and any old crap will do.
[/quote]

Ha - just spat coffee everywhere reading this! ;-)

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1403868678' post='2487245']
Ha - just spat coffee everywhere reading this! ;-)
[/quote]

Careful you don't spit it into your amps!

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1403869297' post='2487257']


Careful you don't spit it into your amps!
[/quote]
Unless it's on fire!

[JamesBass]

[quote name='BruceBass3901' timestamp='1403864871' post='2487200']


I second all of this!

I love the CTM 300 to pieces and cannot wait to let it roar with my new band once we get gigging. Just need to get my flightcase sorted for it and find a way of getting it in the car alongside the ABM 610... Which should get a priority seat; my CTM or my girlfriend?
[/quote]
Oh it roars! It's an incredible amp!

Now, let's be realistic here, your bank balance might not handle a new girlfriend

[Krysbass]

Just like to add my +1 for Ashdown amps. I'm still regularly gigging the Superfly 500 I've owned since 2008 - I still think this is a great, practical amp that needs very little EQ-tweaking to get a good sound. It has never let me down. I also have a Little Giant 1000, which has also been gigged regularly - again; no problems with this one. Have had compliments on the bass tone/presence at gigs - both when using my rig stand-alone or when DI-ing thru the PA.

[stingrayPete1977]

Just watching the 1975 at glastonbury, two ashdown rigs with 8x10 cabs......molded in ear monitors

[jazzyvee]

Most of the gigs I've done in the last couple of years where a back line has been provided have been Ashdown rigs of various types, whether that be big festivals or venues, and I can say that from my experience I have not enjoyed playing through any of them. All have given me a distorted/overdriven sound regardless of what bass I've used and I don't play loudly. The only time I get a reasonable sound is when I use my own pre-amp directly into the return socket of the head although many times that socket has not been working or it's the cabs that are trashed and causing the distortion.

I think a lot of venues use them because they are cheaper than the traditional Ampeg rigs that used to be on the festival circuit, and if it's a rock band they are not looking for the same kind of clean tone that I want from playing Reggae so they don't usually have a problem with the cab.

[AttitudeCastle]

I wish the Spyder Amp was still made, loved it's fat valvey grindy grunty goodness, wished I'd managed to get one too!

Been thinking of going back down the Ashdown route, but don't really have the funds to just take a plunge!

Never had an issue with any Ashdown gear, regardless of age, so never been worried about reliability. My buddy plays an old ABM300 410 +115 rig and sounds huge!

[Musicman20]

Ashdown amps have always, IMO, been pretty bulletproof and seem to be used and abused in practice rooms but STILL just keep on going.

I think their recent tube amps look great.

What do I want from Ashdown? Perhaps more expensive cabinets with higher power handling. A nice 600W rated 2x12 with high end speakers/crossover/tweeter with a decent weight would sell well in the UK. They may already make one, which makes this idea redundant.