Ashdown ABM owners club

[Sibob]

I really loved my UK built ABM EVO2 500, it did a lot of gigs and touring with me. But when I started doing gigs where carrying a spare was somewhat necessary, it just became too big and heavy for what it was.
I WISH Ashdown would invest in developing the ABM preamp into a 'mini' form factor. A UK built ABM Mini 500 would be something I'd hop straight on (if it sounded as good as the old ABM's of course).

As it stands though, my next upgrade from my trusty Little Mark's 2's will likely be a Trickfish Bullhead Mini.

 

Si

[Lozz196]

38 minutes ago, Sibob said:

I really loved my UK built ABM EVO2 500, it did a lot of gigs and touring with me. But when I started doing gigs where carrying a spare was somewhat necessary, it just became too big and heavy for what it was.
I WISH Ashdown would invest in developing the ABM preamp into a 'mini' form factor. A UK built ABM Mini 500 would be something I'd hop straight on (if it sounded as good as the old ABM's of course).

As it stands though, my next upgrade from my trusty Little Mark's 2's will likely be a Trickfish Bullhead Mini.

 

Si

My constant dream & longing is for an ABM Preamp/DI pedal. I wouldn`t bother with Compression or Octaver or VU Meter, but just all of the eq on the ABM600. The OriginAL was nearly there but different eq points meant I couldn`t match the sound.

 

But a Mini ABM would be great too - make it so that two could fit width-ways in a standard rack and it would be an ideal gigging rig and possibly no heavier than a real ABM head. Even if they were too wide for that a bespoke made rack to put them one above another would still work nicely.

[BassAdder60]

Rocked the ABM600 head this weekend running it with master volume at 12 o clock ( loudest I’ve had it ) playing another outside gig without PA support. 
 

For a change I used my Squier CV70’s PBass ( upgraded ) and it sounded really good. The two Ashdown ABM210H cabs doing a fine job 

[Jackopie1]

Have been bass shopping recently, and by far the nicest rig I played through was an ABM 300 and one of the Ashdown 210s (Not the Neo, maybe the Rootmaster). 

 

I have always thought the tube preamp thing didn't give too much of a tube feel, but that thing felt and sounded so much like a full-blown tube amp- it's definitely something for me to save for now! 

[BassAdder60]

The ABM amps are difficult to improve on for a gigging musician 

 

They do the job very well 

[Downunderwonder]

My Ashdown experiences have been all over the place for satisfaction.

 

1st was a then brand new full stack of those blue speakered cabs. I was in the audience expecting bass thunder. All I got was a muffled mess that sounded like it had a bunch of duvets over it.

 

I got to play on a sound co

provided 15'' combo from early 90's. That was the real deal!

 

The rehearsal space more modern combo had the 'subharmonic boost' button left on when I came to it one night. I thought it had been broken until I noticed it was engaged. Quite serviceable.

 

Had a miserable gig with a backline stack that had no oomph. Every other bass amp I had plugged in my Ubass had been fine. I am picking it couldn't handle the piezo direct.

 

Definitely variable qualities in the range. I wish they weren't all ''ABM + etc''.

[Merton]

21 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

I got to play on a sound co

provided 15'' combo from early 90's. That was the real deal!

 

They only started life in 1997 so an early 90s one is a rare beast indeed  😛

But I think you've hit the nail on the head about variable qualities, I still feel (personally) that their cabs are not a patch on the amps and that really affects their reputation. An ABM with a Barefaced cab, for example, is something to behold.

[Woodinblack]

7 minutes ago, Merton said:

But I think you've hit the nail on the head about variable qualities, I still feel (personally) that their cabs are not a patch on the amps and that really affects their reputation

 

I think that it is that there are hundreds of ashdown cabs - I don't know what are good ones and what aren't

[Downunderwonder]

9 minutes ago, Merton said:

They only started life in 1997

Which ''they'' do you mean? I got my NOS Kaman issued Trace SMX late in 1995. Ashdown was around then I am pretty sure.

[Merton]

1 minute ago, Downunderwonder said:

Which ''they'' do you mean? I got my NOS Kaman issued Trace SMX late in 1995. Ashdown was around then I am pretty sure.

Ashdown.

1997.

https://ashdownmusic.com/pages/about

[Merton]

8 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

I think that it is that there are hundreds of ashdown cabs - I don't know what are good ones and what aren't

Yep - to be fair some have been better than others. For some reason I got on well with the VS212 cab but hated the VS112. A find the ABM cabs too deep-sounding and scooped. The newer white-coned RM cabs are more my thing but felt very limited in terms of power handling and volume capability.

[Downunderwonder]

2 minutes ago, Merton said:

Ashdown.

1997.

https://ashdownmusic.com/pages/about

Ok. I remember seeing one in store when we were on a road trip with the first band to give the Trace rig a proper workout. NZ must have got them toot sweet. 

[BassAdder60]

I agree Ashdown cabs are not in the same league as the ABM heads 

 

They do the job and seem robust to survive gigging. 
 

There has been so many variations of the Ashdown cabs it’s hard to know which is best 

They had the Klyston series ( heavy cabs ) the low cost Mag series, Mag series Deep 

Then the ABM series with rear ports and a few variations in handles etc 

ABM series today is front ported and is a decent working man’s cabinet who doesn’t mind the weight. 
The ABM Pro Neo cabs are smaller in width and sealed cabs and sound very nice but didn’t have the depth of sound compared to the front ported ABM 

Never tried the RM series but I’ve read they struggle at high power a bit 

 

 

[javi_bassist]

I have gigged with an ABM EVO II paired with an ABM 410 EVO IV and I loved the rig. The cab was heavy (main reason to sell it), but it sounded really really good. The RM cabs... were not so good IMO. 

 

It doesn't have to do with the ABM model, but now I gig with a Markbass head paired with a Markbass traveler 102p cab. Or, I can gig with an Ashdown RM500 paired with the Markbass cab or an old Ashdown RM210 (the first ones, cheap and not that good). The sound of the Markbass head and the Markbass cab is my preferred tone. I love it. But when I use the Ashdown, I much prefer the sound of the really cheap Ashdown cab than the Markbass cab. The Ashdown cabs in general are coloured and maybe that's why many people prefer more transparent cabs with the ABM heads.  

[spyder]

I've never been an ABM cab fan, in fact, the very opposite. I really can't get on with the thick coloured sound....until I tried the new ABM 210 neo pro.

It's a sealed 2x10 light weight cab that doesn't have the thick low end the previous heavy weight ABM cabs had.

Sounds great with a Bergantino and Ashdown head. They let the flavour of both heads shine through.

The ABM 210 neo pro cabs are my current go to single or paired choice.

 

 

[Lozz196]

I`m still to use my ABM PRO NEO 210s, have just been too lazy and used the (pony) Ampeg 810 at the studio. Maybe next rehearsal I`ll give them a go.

 

Have to admit re the regular ABM cabs I found them a bit pillowy so I had Ashdown seal the ports for me, additionally I put plenty of wadding in them, made a lot of difference, really tightened up the sound a lot.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I'll soon be a member of the ABM owners club as I have just ordered a B-stock ABM EVO IV 600 Head from PMT. It should be with me sometime tomorrow!

[Woodinblack]

Its very surprising how many B stock ABM Evo IV 600 heads PMT end up with?!

 

[chyc]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

Its very surprising how many B stock ABM Evo IV 600 heads PMT end up with?!

 

The guys at PMT say that the ABM is the go-to amplifier for letting customers test out basses in their stock. If that's true then it's understandable if it's the amp that gets bashed around the most.

[Woodinblack]

10 minutes ago, chyc said:

The guys at PMT say that the ABM is the go-to amplifier for letting customers test out basses in their stock. If that's true then it's understandable if it's the amp that gets bashed around the most.

 

I guess thats true, its normally the amp they use. Apart from the time the guy run the output of the HOD into the ABM. But either way, its normally an ashdown

[Lozz196]

2 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Its very surprising how many B stock ABM Evo IV 600 heads PMT end up with?!

 

 

1 hour ago, chyc said:

The guys at PMT say that the ABM is the go-to amplifier for letting customers test out basses in their stock. If that's true then it's understandable if it's the amp that gets bashed around the most.

Makes very good sense on both counts.

[Chaddy]

20 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

I'll soon be a member of the ABM owners club as I have just ordered a B-stock ABM EVO IV 600 Head from PMT. It should be with me sometime tomorrow!

Get some fine wine and candles ready for when you use it

[blyn]

ABM 410 - 500 Combo ( ca 2005)

 

[Bagman]

On 15/08/2022 at 20:36, Downunderwonder said:

Ok. I remember seeing one in store when we were on a road trip with the first band to give the Trace rig a proper workout. NZ must have got them toot sweet. 

I think I got the first one in Aotearoa  

Feb 98 Klystrom 

 

Then I got an ABM 1510HX cabinet in 1999 second hand which I think is April 1998 build 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by Bagman

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

My 'B-Stock' ABM EVO IV 600 was delivered today. I've given it the once-over and despite it costing well below half the RRP, it is in near-pristine condition, it was just lacking the original packaging & manual. I have registered it with Ashdown so it has a five year warranty (nice).

 

To help keep it looking good I have ordered a roqsolid cover.

 

I connected the ABM to my Schroeder 1212L and plugged in one of my thunderbird vintage pros, and once I worked out what all the knobs do I can see why these amps are so well regarded. I even like the built-in compressor & valve drive.