omikin Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 My normal rig is a 40 yr old Fender Bassman 100 and Barefaced Four10 which is awesome, but I play a lot of gigs with shared back line or in places where I don't want to take a vintage valve amp, so I'm thinking about a good solid workhorse with a nice tone to have as a backup (and also be a little easier on my back) hence looking at the Ashdown ABM heads. My question is, what are the differences between the different models? Would a 500 Evo II be fine or should I get the latest model? Thoughts? Help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 I've had an ABM500 evo3 and currently use an ABM600 evo4. Theres quite a difference in sound between them - i couldn't get rid of the whumpy pillowy sound with the evo3 but the newer evo4 is capable of a tighter more precise sound. It also sounds heftier to my ears. The evo4 has more eq points to tweak and a different power amp i believe. You also need to eq with your ears rather than your eyes - i have the top end and high mids cranked up to get some zing back into it. And sometimes run the pre shape engaged and crank a load of mids back into it. When you look at your final eq settings they may look a bit mad but like i said, use your ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drake Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 I've got a 500 EVO II and a III. Not too much difference. The 2 doesn't have the compressor but I dont use it anyway. The 2 is a touch darker but nothing that cant be EQ'd to taste. Both very meaty sounding and can get as loud as you like - I pair mine with an ABM 610. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 I've been using my evo II for the last 4 years, very reliable and good sounding amp. I've just bought an evo IV as I want to have a second amp 'just in case'. Not gigged it yet, but got two to play on Saturday, so it'll get a good test. Sound was very similar when I tested them together at home, both powering my Barefaced Super Twin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 As the ABM 600 EVO4 has more eq options, if funds allow, why not get that. I picked one up last year and it`s a great amp, bags of power, very solid sounding with plenty of depth to the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omikin Posted April 28, 2017 Author Share Posted April 28, 2017 I totally get that the EVO4 has more going on, but I don't need compressor, and all the EQ options. And when I can pick up an EVOII for £240, is there a really good reason to stump up the rest? If a 4 was £300, I could totally see the benefit, but otherwise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omikin Posted April 28, 2017 Author Share Posted April 28, 2017 Just snagged an Evo II for £220, so I think this discussion may be redundant in terms of what I might end up buying... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 [quote name='omikin' timestamp='1493383877' post='3287961'] Just snagged an Evo II for £220, so I think this discussion may be redundant in terms of what I might end up buying... [/quote] Well done, bloody good value, a lot of amp for the money. I'm sure it'll sound very good coupled with your Barefaced 410. And, in the unlikely event that anything should go wrong with it, or if you feel like having it serviced, then Ashdown's service is second to none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drake Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 [quote name='omikin' timestamp='1493383877' post='3287961'] Just snagged an Evo II for £220, so I think this discussion may be redundant in terms of what I might end up buying... [/quote] Excellent choice at a great price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 Ridiculously you can get the abm500 evoii combos for under £200 on eBay. I've seen 2x10s 4x10s and 1x15s go for that price. Absolute steals! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted April 28, 2017 Share Posted April 28, 2017 An ABM 500 4x10 combo must weigh a ton! I have a Touring 330 1x15 combo that I can barely lift (though that is partially due to my injured wrist) but although it sounds great, I am unable to take to gigs without help at each end of the journey. It has that great Ashdown sound, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 There is a ABM 400 on here digital version ..very nice amp & a silly price ..I also saw the ABM1000 on gumtee for a equally sillt price . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGBass Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 I like the sound of the early ABM's, I currently own an EVO 500 with the white buttons ( before the II/III/IV models) and find it brighter and snappier compared to newer EVO III versions I've tried at my local rehearsal studio. The early ones don't have compressors etc and the tube preamp is more like a presence control rather than a grind/distortion. They can also be picked up fairly cheaply for such a powerful amp and in my experience are very well made and robust amplifiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 [quote name='dangoose' timestamp='1493509790' post='3288898'] I like the sound of the early ABM's, I currently own an EVO 500 with the white buttons ( before the II/III/IV models) and find it brighter and snappier compared to newer EVO III versions I've tried at my local rehearsal studio. The early ones don't have compressors etc and the tube preamp is more like a presence control rather than a grind/distortion. They can also be picked up fairly cheaply for such a powerful amp and in my experience are very well made and robust amplifiers. [/quote] Ditto all this except for the buttons as my EVO has black buttons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Gigged my evo IV last night (twice!) and it seemed to have more punch and bottom end than my evo II. Difficult to try them back to back at a gig, of course, but it was the first time I had to blue tac my smooth hound receiver to the top of the amp - it fell off during the first gig due to the vibration from my bass. I had the volume up at around half way, standard passive US Precision, and it all sounded very tight and punchy. I'll hang on to the II as a spare, but the IV will definitely be my main gigging amp from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omikin Posted June 21, 2017 Author Share Posted June 21, 2017 Just an update on this. My ABM500 sounded really nice through my Barefaced Four10 at home, little bit crackly on the pots but then it's 12 years old so hey. Took it to rehearsal a couple of weeks later and it crackled LOADS then just did loud buzzing and none of the pots worked at all, couldn't hear the bass or anything other than the buzzing so had to switch off. Sent it back to Ashdown who fixed it and returned it within a week - can't speak highly enough of those guys. It sounds perfect now, no crackles, good as new and lovely tone. So my lesson is - think about the "bargain" as although it only cost me £220, I then had to spend £100 getting it fixed. One of Ashdown's "approved used" ABM500s from eBay would have cost a little more initially but wouldn't have needed fixing quite so soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 I`m picking up a used ABM500 this eve, fingers crossed I don`t have any issues as it`s advertised as in full working order. Gonna be my backup amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omikin Posted June 22, 2017 Author Share Posted June 22, 2017 Hi Lozz - how was it? Nice and clean sounding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 Yeah, tried it through an Ampeg 810, bass was a bit iffy, looked like an OLP Musicman copy with a Fender neck on it, but yep, amp seems fine, went loud enough and sounded fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 I bet your Bassman with the BF 4x10 has the classic old school sound. Glad the Ashdown worked for you. Their backup is great, isn't it? Fair play to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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