Ashdown LB 30 Any Good??? Bassman - Ampeg B15

[Ghost Rider]

I may have the chance of an Ashdown LB30 Head & Mag 212 cab (not the matching cab).

I have read a few reviews & they seem to be good for the money. The LB30 that is for sale is made in china, parts & specs are the same as the UK I believe.

I do have a fender bassman 135 head & 215 matching cab but would there really be that much difference between the ashdown LB30 & my bassman rig on low volume? I'm ideally after an an Ampeg B15 but can't seem to find one at a reasonable price hence the hunt for other options.

Any input would be appreciated

[KiOgon]

I was the first to place my order for the Little Bastard, have had from new - straight from the workbench - Number 1 - UK hand made It's never let me down & sounds exactly how you want a valve amp to sound - every time

Highly recommended, can't comment on the Chinese version, sorry, HTH!

Cheerz, John

[Ghost Rider]

Thanks John, you're a Diamond!!! I have read that the ones made in china have all the same parts & are built to UK spec. Do you think the Mag 212 cab would spoil the head as oppose to the cab it is supposed to be matched with?

HTH?

Cheerz!

Edited May 16, 2017 by Ghost Rider

[v8bass]

Been very happy with my PRC made LB30 ( currently on its way overseas )

Very well put together and better , dare I say than a UK made LB550 I have

Surprisingly loud with a good inherent tone , easy to dial in warm rich deep

Ruby Tubes supplied as standard I think , so some easy swapping to be done

Gigged with an acoustic/folk Inc a drummer on brushes , sounded great through an orange (OBC ) and (SP12 )

Long time since I played through a B15 but with similarities iirc

In terms of cab , it's looks and performance ( ideally it would be in the flip top arrangement ) for aesthetics , or something vintage ( y )

Matching cabs / cloth always get a big vote from me , so maybe rework the MAG to match

LB30 thumbs up here and no qualms re build / quality ( everything KiOgon says above )

Hope That Helps

Also to add , it's a very saucy little amp for guitar too ( if that's your thing )

Cheers
Gary

Edited May 17, 2017 by v8bass

[Ghost Rider]

Thanks for the input Gary.

I've not heard any bad reports about them. I suppose it can't harm to go & have a look at the one for sale as its not too far away from me.

The matching cab & head thing looks great so I may sell the Mag 212 & get the matching one or maybe a 115 cab to pair with the head, that may get closer to the Ampeg B15 tone. I'm a sucker for matching heads & cabs

Thanks mate - Anth

[KiOgon]

When I ordered mine I asked about a matching cab, they said they were making a 212 to go with. All I wanted was a single 12 & couldn't understand why they would put a 212 up with a 30W amp. Anyway the great british Ashdown team put together a custom 112 to match especially for me. In time I found it was 'just lacking something' in tone, so I got a s/h Ashdown Mini 48, same width cab to go with. The Ashdown guys very kindly supplied me with grill cloth, piping & badge to transform the 48 to a match for the 112. I can't find my old pictures atm, I'll get a fresh pic up for you, it's a great looking 'mini stack'

Cheerz, John

[KiOgon]

Sorry for the crap pictures taken in a rush but here it is;
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kqu4t6yftuinv3c/2017-05-17%2017.01.18.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ny5qbzwp3zxbzwl/2017-05-17%2017.02.09.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ezurjrmi3dmi63d/2017-05-17%2017.02.23.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9nj4z8q77t344o1/2017-05-17%2017.02.47.jpg?dl=0

Cheerz, John

[dannybuoy]

[quote name='Ghost Rider' timestamp='1495002468' post='3300258']
I've not heard any bad reports about them.
[/quote]

Ok then, in the interests of balance, I had one for a while and it sounded terrible, I couldn't get rid of it quick enough! Sounded very harsh/brittle to my ears.

I also tried a CTM15, which sounded OK with the gain all the way off at low master volume... but again sounded very harsh with the master volume pushed, and the gain knob seemed to just be a treble booster, the tone being unusably bright above 9 o'clock!

I too was after a B15 vibe on the cheap and did not find what I was looking for.

Edited May 17, 2017 by dannybuoy

[Ghost Rider]

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1495037462' post='3300766']
Sorry for the crap pictures taken in a rush but here it is;
[url="https://www.dropbox.com/s/kqu4t6yftuinv3c/2017-05-17%2017.01.18.jpg?dl=0"]https://www.dropbox.....01.18.jpg?dl=0[/url]
[url="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ny5qbzwp3zxbzwl/2017-05-17%2017.02.09.jpg?dl=0"]https://www.dropbox.....02.09.jpg?dl=0[/url]
[url="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ezurjrmi3dmi63d/2017-05-17%2017.02.23.jpg?dl=0"]https://www.dropbox.....02.23.jpg?dl=0[/url]
[url="https://www.dropbox.com/s/9nj4z8q77t344o1/2017-05-17%2017.02.47.jpg?dl=0"]https://www.dropbox.....02.47.jpg?dl=0[/url]

Cheerz, John
[/quote]

Thanks for the pics John. Looks like a tidy rig

[Ghost Rider]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1495039721' post='3300786']
Ok then, in the interests of balance, I had one for a while and it sounded terrible, I couldn't get rid of it quick enough! Sounded very harsh/brittle to my ears.

I also tried a CTM15, which sounded OK with the gain all the way off at low master volume... but again sounded very harsh with the master volume pushed, and the gain knob seemed to just be a treble booster, the tone being unusably bright above 9 o'clock!

I too was after a B15 vibe on the cheap and did not find what I was looking for.
[/quote]

Thanks for your input. I think the best bet is for me to try it out & see how it sounds.

Shame there is no B15s for sale

Cheers!

[Bigwan]

I've had 2 (well, an LB30 and a CTM30, but they're the same thing under the hood). Loved them both. Warm with an edge when pushed. Really dynamic and the LB212 is a great cab (but WAY heavier than advertised! It's also advertised as 100w when it's actually 300w so...). I'll own another some day...

Edited May 18, 2017 by Bigwan

[magee]

I had a LB30 and loved it - it's my joint favourite sound that I've had, tied with a little all-valve 18 watt Fender Bassman combo I've still got.

I only got rid of it because it wasn't loud enough to gig with so I didn't really have a use for it, but the sound itself was lovely: warm, rich, dynamic, responsive. With Fender basses and flats it was a great old-fashioned sound.

[EliasMooseblaster]

Last December I got a chance to compare an LB30 and a B-15 against each other - not a perfect A/B as we didn't have the right cables to connect them both to the same cab, but I felt like I was able to get a comparable tone out of both of them. The Ashdown was a bit darker-sounding; the engineer who was recording it mentioned that it was producing a lot of subs, and I have indeed found that you can make them sound a bit "woolly" if you push the lows too hard. Back off the bass frequencies a bit and you're on to a winner.

(Longer and more waffly review here, if you want to read yet another one: https://thecrowfrombelow.wordpress.com/2015/08/03/gear-review-6-ashdown-little-bastard-30/ )

[Ghost Rider]

Thanks for all the input guys... I'll update here if I decided to go for it.

Cheers - Anth

[Lozz196]

I bought a new (used) bass today - Precision, natch - and the amp the guy had for me to try it through was an LB30, connected to a matching 1x15 cab. Tell you what, if I ever ditch my punk boots and start up a Motown band the LB is the amp I`d want for it, assuming it would be loud enough of course. Beautiful tones through that amp, made the bass I was buying sound great, way different to my regular assault on the ear-drums for sure.

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1501006917' post='3341756']
I bought a new (used) bass today - Precision, natch - and the amp the guy had for me to try it through was an LB30, connected to a matching 1x15 cab. Tell you what, if I ever ditch my punk boots and start up a Motown band the LB is the amp I`d want for it, assuming it would be loud enough of course. Beautiful tones through that amp, made the bass I was buying sound great, way different to my regular assault on the ear-drums for sure.
[/quote]

Don't rule it out for punk, either - back off the bass, turn on the mid-shift and push the treble, and unleash your inner JJ Burnel!

Granted, it's probably not loud enough for a full-on punk gig, but it's an absolute delight to record with.

[kevvo66]

Brilliant rig, I've just taken lb amp and matching cab in trade with Martin (MB1) I love this rig and can't see me getting rid of it ever , it's awsome , ashdown got it right with this rig

[BluRay]

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1501082633' post='3342353']
Don't rule it out for punk, either - back off the bass, turn on the mid-shift and push the treble, and unleash your inner JJ Burnel!

Granted, it's probably not loud enough for a full-on punk gig, but it's an absolute delight to record with.
[/quote]

Plus one.
For punk-type gigs, the CTM 100 is the way to go. I can't imagine that the LB / CTM30 would be sufficient (f you have heavy hitting drummer and a couple of noisy guitars), but the 100 has it covered. :-)

[Bigwan]

LB30/CTM30 are certainly not loud enough for an animal drummer unless you have a supremely efficient or VERY large cab (might work with an 8x10 or 2x15 i suppose)...

But what a tone! The LB30/LB212 is probably the rig I've enjoyed the most out of everything I've owned in the past. I had an Orange Terror and Tech Soundsystems 4x12 as my gigging rig at the same time and it was vaguely similar tonally (not as flexible as the LB30), but painfully loud...

[BluRay]

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1501145191' post='3342763']
LB30/CTM30 are certainly not loud enough for an animal drummer unless you have a supremely efficient or VERY large cab (might work with an 8x10 or 2x15 i suppose)...

But what a tone! The LB30/LB212 is probably the rig I've enjoyed the most out of everything I've owned in the past. I had an Orange Terror and Tech Soundsystems 4x12 as my gigging rig at the same time and it was vaguely similar tonally (not as flexible as the LB30), but painfully loud...
[/quote]

I definitely agree about the tonal similarities with Orange- I'm using an Orange 4 Stroke mostly at the moment, but took the CTM and the Orange to the studio for recording and really there wasn't much in it at all - couldn't tell them apart on the sample recordings - which I found really surprising considering they are utterly different amps.I find the CTM eq a bit limiting, but the core tone is lovely.

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='BluRay' timestamp='1501144036' post='3342751']
Plus one.
For punk-type gigs, the CTM 100 is the way to go. I can't imagine that the LB / CTM30 would be sufficient (f you have heavy hitting drummer and a couple of noisy guitars), but the 100 has it covered. :-)
[/quote]

I gig with a 100 for exactly those reasons!

The core tone is indeed wonderful - and whilst it's true you can't really "sculpt" a tone with a passive 3-band, the shift/shelf switches make it surprisingly versatile. (Not that I have any need/want to deviate far from that core tone...!)

[BluRay]

Yeah the buttons are the best bit about the CTM EQ - the knobs do bugger all really....but the overdrive is amazing tho, if you like that sort of thing. I don't have a use for that in a band situation unfortunately (prefer a mostly clean sound with just a touch of drive), but its a lot of fun to crank the gain up when the guitars get too showy waahhahaha.

[2elliot]

[quote name='BluRay' timestamp='1501146238' post='3342770']


I definitely agree about the tonal similarities with Orange- I'm using an Orange 4 Stroke mostly at the moment, but took the CTM and the Orange to the studio for recording and really there wasn't much in it at all - couldn't tell them apart on the sample recordings - which I found really surprising considering they are utterly different amps.I find the CTM eq a bit limiting, but the core tone is lovely.
[/quote]

That is interesting. I take it the 4 stroke is a lot more versatile when it comes to altering the tone.

[BluRay]

[quote name='2elliot' timestamp='1501174036' post='3343106']


That is interesting. I take it the 4 stroke is a lot more versatile when it comes to altering the tone.
[/quote]

Yes very much so. The 4 stroke doesn't do crazy overdrive like the CTM but sounds very similar at moderate volumes (and the EQ is much stronger). The CTM feels a little "wider" when cranked, but the Orange cuts through more (and has stupid amounts of volume) so horses for courses really.

[GarfyBass]

Another loving the CTM30, just a great tone in a small package. The 100 is a fantastic amp, having tried one recently.