N.A D. Ashdown ABM 600

[artisan]

Just taken delivery of my new Ashdown ABM 600 evoIV & am very happy with so far,build quality seems spot on.

However I'm stuck at work & won't get home until late,all week too so won't get to fire it up until Saturday morning 🙃 

I have a gig on Saturday night too so straight into the deep end with it & looking forward too hearing it in a gig environment.

Hoping I really like it after a few years from switching to class D due to an arthritic knee which has now been successfully replaced 😁

Bring on the "heft" 👍

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by artisan

[acidbass]

Class A/B right?  Looks brill!  Enjoy

[artisan]

16 minutes ago, acidbass said:

Class A/B right?  Looks brill!  Enjoy

Indeed it is 👍

Thank you 

[Machines]

Nice, I had an ABM300 and went through a few brands before landing back with Ashdown a few weeks ago (RM500/RM112). Have taken the head to a few practices and it was pretty gnarly.

[artisan]

14 minutes ago, Machines said:

Nice, I had an ABM300 and went through a few brands before landing back with Ashdown a few weeks ago (RM500/RM112). Have taken the head to a few practices and it was pretty gnarly.

I do like gnarly 😁

 

[BassAdder60]

Mine came Monday and used last night at rehearsal 

I will run mine with Shape button IN ( Flat )and EQ nearly flat ( not as image below )
 

Edited November 3, 2021 by BassAdder27

[NAS Bass]

I've used my ABM500 II for years now. The whole ABM series are great amps. Yeah, shape off, start flat on the EQ and don't be afraid to wind up the input gain on these!

 

I usually keep the valve drive down at the 9 or 10 o'clock position. The EQ possibilities on these are vast.

[artisan]

1 hour ago, NAS Bass said:

I've used my ABM500 II for years now. The whole ABM series are great amps. Yeah, shape off, start flat on the EQ and don't be afraid to wind up the input gain on these!

 

I usually keep the valve drive down at the 9 or 10 o'clock position. The EQ possibilities on these are vast.

Thanks for the info 👍 

I will almost certainly crank the valve drive pretty high as I play in a classic Black Sabbath covers band 😁🤟

[BassAdder60]

I find that the drive sounds better when the EQ isn’t too bass heavy 

 

I saw an Ashdown demo where they cranked the input gain and drive gain for a filthy sound.

VU meter needle was permanently in the red !! 
 

 

 

[artisan]

1 hour ago, BassAdder27 said:

I find that the drive sounds better when the EQ isn’t too bass heavy 

 

I saw an Ashdown demo where they cranked the input gain and drive gain for a filthy sound.

VU meter needle was permanently in the red !! 
 

 

 

Now that sounds like my kind of setting 😁

[BassAdder60]

If you keep plenty of mids in your amp tone, a touch of Sub Harmonic will make it sound really good too.

 

Better for standard tuning though I find. 
 

Problem I find at home is you switch out the Shape button ( ON setting ) and you get that deep full tone that scoops the mids. It sounds amazing but don’t try it with the band as your sound will disappear!

The more mid focused or flat EQ sound of the ABM is where the best sound lays and where in the band you get heard 

[artisan]

Lol,I'm an old hand at this malarkey now after 36 years or so of gigging😁

 

I've been using a Darkglass Microtubes 900 for the last 3 years but after using an old class A B at a new rehearsal room on Monday I notice there was so much "more" to the tone,hence my purchase 😀 

Can't wait to unleash it 

Edited November 4, 2021 by artisan

[la bam]

Great amp, great price, and manageable weight to it as well.

[BassAdder60]

My settings that seem to work well 

I play with a pick so factor that in

The EQ flat sound is pretty good, I start there and add a bit more bass and treble .. this works for me … maybe the treble slider isn’t that important as it’s up a tad 

Edited November 4, 2021 by BassAdder27

[Chrisan2]

I’m very happy with my abm 600 iv, one reason Is the new EQ, this 9 Band. seems so different to the previous model going from memory I found the previous model always a little hard to get a good modern bright sound out of, not so of this new one but this is going by memory. Does anyone else also find this? 

[BassAdder60]

I did read the older versions were a bit dark and woolly sounding in comparison 

 

The complete flat sound of the current model is very nice 

[Mudpup]

I loved my old ABM600....it's one of the few amps that i've moved on but would happily buy again at some point. Not too heavy, some proper non class D wallop and (unlike the previous ABM models that i could never get rid of the woolly sound from) they have a lovely valvey sparkle available if you want it. They are so much more versatile than people give them credit for.

[walshy]

They are just a brilliant head. Love the simplicity of it and always sounds class, especially turned up! Paired with a Barefaced cab, sublime!

[Woodinblack]

I am very happy with mine, a few gigs into using it.

[Lozz196]

6 hours ago, Chrisan2 said:

I’m very happy with my abm 600 iv, one reason Is the new EQ, this 9 Band. seems so different to the previous model going from memory I found the previous model always a little hard to get a good modern bright sound out of, not so of this new one but this is going by memory. Does anyone else also find this? 

Yes, I had a couple of 500s as backup amps and found the same.

[BassAdder60]

More learning the great tones from the ABM600 

Pulling down the 340hz slider made a good result of filling the sound yet the mid control keeps the mids presence 

A bit like the “ Shape Out Sound” but not so severe

Try it out and see 

[Jonse]

The suggested settings from the ABM user manual.

 

I quite like using the 'Rock' tone. Sounds good with my road worn precision and TI flats. 

 

This is one of those amps where I don't feel the need for a preamp. Magic. 

[BassAdder60]

Yep rock tone not bad but not sure I would run the Sub IN 

[artisan]

Well gigged the beat last night & bloody hell what an awesome amp,absolutely love it.

Gimme "heft" baby.

[uk_lefty]

On 05/11/2021 at 17:44, BassAdder27 said:

not sure I would run the Sub IN 

It's a funny one, the Sub feature. I quite like it as a "lazy octaver", I call it that because there's a song I'm doing where I want a clean octave down effect and it's easier to push this button than mess about with my Helix to find the octaver that isn't farty. Can't imagine using it as an always-on though, that would be too much.