Please tell me why I should avoid Ashdown amps? (aka why Ashdown are just great!)

[Quilly]

10 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

 

Just to add another can of worms to the pan: I think it depends on the tone you want. I've done small indoor gigs with a Little Bastard 30, and I've done outdoor gigs with a CTM-100 where the rest of the band have suggested I might want to turn down a bit! No PA support in either case, but they were being run into a well-voiced 2x12.

That said, the tone I go for is all about the mids, and I'm more than happy to let the amp break up. If I were after a cleaner sound and/or thick, chest-rattling low frequencies, I suspect I might need a higher wattage...and/or more speakers.

I think my CTM-100 would perform better through a good 410. I'm currently using a barefaced 210 with it and its 'loud enough' . When I play with me TE-500 the 210 is ample but again...its a different sound.   I like the difference.

[Quilly]

1 minute ago, sifi2112 said:

So do you think the CTM30 Little Stubby would be ok albeit a bit overdriven with a decent 212 with a loud rock drummer just for stage volume ?

If you like that sound it should be fine for what you need it for...the cab efficiency is a critical parameter.

[TJ Spicer]

16 hours ago, Al Krow said:

It's the 'just' and lack of headroom...which unfortunately makes it a non starter for me.

I know tube watts are supposed to "sound" louder than D class watts due to more complex harmonics etc, but I kinda like to have 500W+ with a D class amp up my sleeve to have comfortable headroom at gigs. Not exactly sure what that equates to with tube amps, but I'm guessing we'll above 30watts?

This isn't and amp for headroom. I depped on  a pretty rocky set a couple of weekends back, and the Stubby was really being pushed. The joy of it was the compression and sustain from the tubes being driven so hard, but I missed the kind of bottom end punch I get from my Eich T900. I would say 50w would likely be the perfect balance, allowing that compression as well as wholesome low-end. My BTA200 is just brutal and lacks compression from the tubes (although it does have it built in to the preamp), which I've had people say is mighty but just isn't my sound. 

I was using the Stubby with Barefaced One10 on top and Super Midget on the bottom.

[TJ Spicer]

10 minutes ago, sifi2112 said:

So do you think the CTM30 Little Stubby would be ok albeit a bit overdriven with a decent 212 with a loud rock drummer just for stage volume ?

This was exactly my experience. Marshall and 2x12 from the guitarist and a loud drummer with a billion cymbals on a small stage. If I'd have brought my Barefaced BT2 I'd have had a little extra out of the speakers and more bottom, and wouldn't have had to drive it as hard.

[Quilly]

3 minutes ago, TJ Spicer said:

This isn't and amp for headroom. I depped on  a pretty rocky set a couple of weekends back, and the Stubby was really being pushed. The joy of it was the compression and sustain from the tubes being driven so hard, but I missed the kind of bottom end punch I get from my Eich T900. I would say 50w would likely be the perfect balance, allowing that compression as well as wholesome low-end. My BTA200 is just brutal and lacks compression from the tubes (although it does have it built in to the preamp), which I've had people say is mighty but just isn't my sound. 

I was using the Stubby with Barefaced One10 on top and Super Midget on the bottom.

You're a brave man to dep in with a 30W head. 😂. 

[TJ Spicer]

1 minute ago, Quilly said:

You're a brave man to dep in with a 30W head. 😂. 

The Eich is so small that it fits into my gig back front pocket without me noticing. I knew I had the cavalry behind me, if I needed it in the interval. 😂

Here's a shot from that gig!

[Quilly]

3 minutes ago, Quilly said:

You're a brave man to dep in with a 30W head. 😂. 

 

8 minutes ago, TJ Spicer said:

This isn't and amp for headroom. I depped on  a pretty rocky set a couple of weekends back, and the Stubby was really being pushed. The joy of it was the compression and sustain from the tubes being driven so hard, but I missed the kind of bottom end punch I get from my Eich T900. I would say 50w would likely be the perfect balance, allowing that compression as well as wholesome low-end. My BTA200 is just brutal and lacks compression from the tubes (although it does have it built in to the preamp), which I've had people say is mighty but just isn't my sound. 

I was using the Stubby with Barefaced One10 on top and Super Midget on the bottom.

I recently relieved a guitarist of an unused 50W late 90s Carsbro 50 top guitar head for a bag of beans, got new tubes and a basic service. I coupled it with a barefaced two10 and I was blown away by the sound of it. Much more attack than a standard bass amp and I can get a pretty decent low end from it (if I crank the bass all the way). The added bonus is that it has a 'dirty' channel that has the best OD tone I've ever heard on a bass. 

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, Quilly said:

I recently relieved a guitarist of an unused 50W late 90s Carsbro 50 top guitar head for a bag of beans

They also make really good beer, right? 😄 

[TJ Spicer]

9 minutes ago, Quilly said:

 

I recently relieved a guitarist of an unused 50W late 90s Carsbro 50 top guitar head for a bag of beans, got new tubes and a basic service. I coupled it with a barefaced two10 and I was blown away by the sound of it. Much more attack than a standard bass amp and I can get a pretty decent low end from it (if I crank the bass all the way). The added bonus is that it has a 'dirty' channel that has the best OD tone I've ever heard on a bass. 

I always remember the tone on the band 'Dinosaur Pile-up's first record. The lead singer recorded every part on the album, and the bass was recorded through 2 rigs simultaneously. One an SVT and one an Orange guitar amp cranked. That is my perfect distorted tone. I think guitar amps sound great on bass.

[Cuzzie]

Classic bi amp - some of the greatest have done or still do a variation of that

[TJ Spicer]

Hmmmm... They have the amps in the video, which would normally make me think, 'Ah, they didn't use those'. However I'm 95% sure they were what was used, and it sure sounds like Orange type distortion to me. Just a massive sounding album when it comes to the bottom end, and I think the guitar amp gives that little extra clarity as @Quilly mentioned. If I were playing this kind of music all the time, that's the tone I would be aiming for - with plenty of valves! 
 

 

[Woodinblack]

47 minutes ago, Quilly said:

I think my CTM-100 would perform better through a good 410. I'm currently using a barefaced 210 with it and its 'loud enough' . When I play with me TE-500 the 210 is ample but again...its a different sound.   I like the difference.

I would agree. Mine runs through 2 x 1x12's. When I had a 4x10 (which I got rid of for the 2x112s) I would say it had more of a punch to it, but also a more 'fed up trying to get it in the car/out of the car/through people in pubs that wouldn't move.

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

They also make really good beer, right? 😄 

Probably the best......

[fretmeister]

Has anyone done a good demo of the Head of Doom Geezer Butler amp?

 

Not a lot on youtube about it. I doubt I'm in the market, but I'd like to hear it - especially as it's only 500g heavier than the ABM 600 head.

[Woodinblack]

5 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Has anyone done a good demo of the Head of Doom Geezer Butler amp?

 

Not a lot on youtube about it. I doubt I'm in the market, but I'd like to hear it - especially as it's only 500g heavier than the ABM 600 head.

I have played one, but not for long and only in PMT. Sounds ok, but was just comparing it to the CTM-300 that was there.

[EliasMooseblaster]

1 hour ago, sifi2112 said:

So do you think the CTM30 Little Stubby would be ok albeit a bit overdriven with a decent 212 with a loud rock drummer just for stage volume ?

I think it's definitely worth a try! Our drummer is very capable of "doing quiet," but he's definitely a rock drummer and his default setting is "loud."

It's safe to say the cab upgrade was the biggest change for me: I initially upgraded to a CTM-100 after our guitarist traded up his Blues Junior for a Blackstar Artisan (same wattage, but much fuller-sounding), and the extra wattage helped me to keep up. But after one particular gig I felt like I wasn't getting the best out of the amp, and decided that maybe the cheap 1x15 wasn't cutting the mustard. The shift to a high-quality 2x12* made a vast difference - I almost had to double-check I'd connected the same amp to the cab! And actually, with the 2x12, even the LB-30 can keep up with our drummer and guitarist much more comfortably.

*Bergantino CN212, in case you were wondering

[Al Krow]

9 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

I have played one, but not for long and only in PMT. Sounds ok, but was just comparing it to the CTM-300 that was there.

Yeh ditto. Didn't particularly float my boat. And whilst I really like the look, I'm definitely put off by it having three transformers (two more than I'm going to ever need!)

 But tbf I was probably struggling as much with the Ashdown 410 cab I was playing through which was unfortunately very meh and not as good (to my surprise) as the MB 115 they also had available.

[Woodinblack]

37 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Yeh ditto. Didn't particularly float my boat. And whilst I really like the look, I'm definitely put off by it having three transformers (two more than I'm going to ever need!)

3 transformers? Oh yes, I remember you getting upset about that. Aren't two of them for an isolator though, so they will be tiny. If you have a problem with those, avoid valve amps, their transformers are pretty huge (in fact, also avoid radios, they have 10s of transformers and chokes in there).

I am not really worried how it is made, more concerned with the sound. I think it didn't initialy sound as good as the CTM, but the controllability was much better - like the CTM-100, I have no idea what the controls on the front are supposed to do, you turn them and things subtly change, but not in any way that I could predict before hand!

 

37 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 But tbf I was probably struggling as much with the Ashdown 410 cab I was playing through which was unfortunately very meh and not as good (to my surprise) as the MB 115 they also had available.

 

This was going into an ashdown 4x10, didn't hear it with another.

[sifi2112]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Yeh ditto. Didn't particularly float my boat. And whilst I really like the look, I'm definitely put off by it having three transformers (two more than I'm going to ever need!)

 But tbf I was probably struggling as much with the Ashdown 410 cab I was playing through which was unfortunately very meh and not as good (to my surprise) as the MB 115 they also had available.

Ok thanks for that .. I might have to start saving lol

[fretmeister]

Cheers.

 

I'm looking at a new amp to compliment my DG - so I'm thinking old iron options for a change and I was thinking about the ABM 600 and then noticed the Doom as well.

 

I had an old red front Mag400H 15 years ago and it was very nice.

[Reggaebass]

On 29/01/2019 at 20:17, Merton said:

Like a bigger version of my Little Bastard funnily enough. God I’m tempted to add to my VU meter collection.

 

@Merton I have the chance of buying the ashdown LB 30 the same as yours, I fancy the idea of this  amp just to use for home practice , and I love the look of it , I would appreciate your expertise 🙂

[edstraker123]

The LB30 is a phenomenal head - I'm far from being an Ashdown fanboy (as you may have seen from my B- Social comments - and I hated the CTM-15 too ! ) but  a friend was selling one and I couldn't resist it.

I've got it teamed up with an Ashdown VS115 and every bass you put through it sounds amazing - not many bass purchases are keepers but the LB30 definitely is. I couldn't recommend it more highly as a home amp.

Here it is with some acoustic loveliness :

[Merton]

16 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

@Merton I have the chance of buying the ashdown LB 30 the same as yours, I fancy the idea of this  amp just to use for home practice , and I love the look of it , I would appreciate your expertise 🙂

I have no expertise at all, just severe GAS and an inability to practice properly 🤓

For home use it’s bloody wonderful, it can get plenty loud enough to be “too loud” still but as it’s lower powered it can sound gorgeous at sensible volumes too. I tend to use it through a Barefaced One10 at home but did experiment the other day with both that and my Super Compact and it was stupendous.

Don’t expect huge tonal variation - the EQ stack is passive and quite limited, but the core tone is beautiful and the switches for mid shift, deep and bright all really add something when engaged. I find it perfectly versatile enough for my ham-fisted attempts at bass playing.

If you have the opportunity I personally say go for it 😎

[Merton]

1 minute ago, edstraker123 said:

The LB30 is a phenomenal head - I'm far from being an Ashdown fanboy (as you may have seen from my B- Social comments - and I hated the CTM-15 too ! ) but  a friend was selling one and I couldn't resist it.

I've got it teamed up with an Ashdown VS115 and every bass you put through it sounds amazing - not many bass purchases are keepers but the LB30 definitely is. I couldn't recommend it more highly as a home amp.

Here it is with some acoustic loveliness :

I used to have the 2x12 version of that cab, kinda regret selling it as it would have been ace with the LB. That said the LB is glorious with my Barefaced cabs and they’re lighter 😜

[Reggaebass]

6 minutes ago, Merton said:

I have no expertise at all, just severe GAS and an inability to practice properly 🤓

For home use it’s bloody wonderful, it can get plenty loud enough to be “too loud” still but as it’s lower powered it can sound gorgeous at sensible volumes too. I tend to use it through a Barefaced One10 at home but did experiment the other day with both that and my Super Compact and it was stupendous.

Don’t expect huge tonal variation - the EQ stack is passive and quite limited, but the core tone is beautiful and the switches for mid shift, deep and bright all really add something when engaged. I find it perfectly versatile enough for my ham-fisted attempts at bass playing.

If you have the opportunity I personally say go for it 😎

Thanks very much Merton , I’d pretty much convinced myself I need it , you know how it goes 😀   Thanks very much for your advice, I was going to put it through my Markbass NY 115 .

Edited February 18, 2019 by Reggaebass