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Whos Got a Little Bastard?


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[quote name='dannybuoy' post='871300' date='Jun 18 2010, 10:59 PM']There's an Ashdown vertical 2x12 designed to go with this cab, looks pretty good. Is there anyone in the London area that has one of these LB's and wants to meet up to A/B it against my Orange Tiny Terror?[/quote]
I'd like to - can't promise yet, way things are at home at the moment :) I don't have the 212 BTW but :rolleyes:[attachment=52665:DSCF0801.JPG]

Edited by KiOgon
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[quote name='LuvMusic' post='870907' date='Jun 18 2010, 04:31 PM']The Little Bastard in church.......... :)


What cab(s) are you using?[/quote]Berg AE210 but i've got a Purple Chili PCB112 on order. A single 12" celestion green label in a ported box with no tweeter.

Sounds thunderous through my Berg NV412

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  • 3 months later...

I tried one of these out at the weekend. I was really disappointed in it. It was far too distorted for bass (it wasn't mild distortion it was a LOT of distortion). I don't get it - because bassists rarely distort their sound much even in metal or Punk bands.

Much more suited to guitar I would have thought

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[quote name='Spoombung' post='972164' date='Sep 29 2010, 10:32 PM']I tried one of these out at the weekend. I was really disappointed in it. It was far too distorted for bass (it wasn't mild distortion it was a LOT of distortion). I don't get it - because bassists rarely distort their sound much even in metal or Punk bands.

Much more suited to guitar I would have thought[/quote]

there's alot more distortion going on on bass than you think, try some out for yourself in a band situation. Also try not playing on full to get less distortion.

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[quote name='Spoombung' post='972164' date='Sep 29 2010, 10:32 PM']I tried one of these out at the weekend. I was really disappointed in it. It was far too distorted for bass (it wasn't mild distortion it was a LOT of distortion).[/quote]

That's what I found too. However, flipping one of the switches made things a lot more pleasing as the distortion wasn't so much upfront. I agree though, it's too dirty. I guess that is why it's a Little Bastard.

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[quote name='umph' post='972217' date='Sep 29 2010, 11:19 PM']there's alot more distortion going on on bass than you think, try some out for yourself in a band situation. Also try not playing on full to get less distortion.[/quote]

Well I like some [i]slightly[/i] distorted sounds like Chris Squire's, for instance, but this was waaaay over the top. I thought it could do with a re-design, personally.

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[quote name='Spoombung' post='972164' date='Sep 29 2010, 10:32 PM']I tried one of these out at the weekend. I was really disappointed in it. It was far too distorted for bass (it wasn't mild distortion it was a LOT of distortion). I don't get it - because bassists rarely distort their sound much even in metal or Punk bands.

Much more suited to guitar I would have thought[/quote]


I found a way of lowing the input gain by replacing the two ECC83 valves for ECC82's. These have around 20% of the power of the ECC83. This has stopped the preamp from distorting completely. If you want distortion just crank up the master volume.

Its a very cheap fix.

Mine sounds great with the new valves, warm and juicy with no fuzzy distortion.

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[quote name='voxpop' post='972453' date='Sep 30 2010, 10:37 AM']I found a way of lowing the input gain by replacing the two ECC83 valves for ECC82's. These have around 20% of the power of the ECC83. This has stopped the preamp from distorting completely. If you want distortion just crank up the master volume.

Its a very cheap fix.

Mine sounds great with the new valves, warm and juicy with no fuzzy distortion.[/quote]

Brilliant, sounds like you've found the ideal solution. I'd be interested in hearing it. Perhaps Ashdown should offer that as an option?

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[quote name='Spoombung' post='972474' date='Sep 30 2010, 10:56 AM']Brilliant, sounds like you've found the ideal solution. I'd be interested in hearing it. Perhaps Ashdown should offer that as an option?[/quote]


You have the option of simply changing the two preamp valves yourself....

ECC83's will give you 100% of the available gain.
ECC81's will give 70 - 80%.
ECC82's will give 20- 30%.

Simply remove the wooden case and start swapping to find the gain that suits you and your bass.

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[quote name='voxpop' post='972487' date='Sep 30 2010, 11:05 AM']You have the option of simply changing the two preamp valves yourself....

ECC83's will give you 100% of the available gain.
ECC81's will give 70 - 80%.
ECC82's will give 20- 30%.

Simply remove the wooden case and start swapping to find the gain that suits you and your bass.[/quote]

I'm from a generation that were told that electricity was dangerous.

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[quote name='tayste_2000' post='972550' date='Sep 30 2010, 12:09 PM']Unless you pull them out with your mouth :)

It seems the Little Bastard suffers from the same issues most Mesa 400+'s do, they just shouldn't be putting 12ax7's in the drive section.[/quote]
83's really aren't the ideal valve for the drive section in any amp, 81's do a much better job, 82's an even better one and 12bh7s / ecc99's even better than that!

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[quote name='umph' post='972608' date='Sep 30 2010, 12:52 PM']83's really aren't the ideal valve for the drive section in any amp, 81's do a much better job, 82's an even better one and 12bh7s / ecc99's even better than that![/quote]

Perhaps Ashdown should take note about where they're going wrong then!

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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='972627' date='Sep 30 2010, 01:09 PM']I've been tinkering around trying to mod a 30w amp to have enough headroom for clean bass. Here's what I have so far:

[/quote]

1000 Watts then unless those are KT100 over 88's

You guys should see the new Matamp JC4000 400w 8 KT88 amp, it weighs sooooo much, I can't even describe.

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I have been having a good old play with my little bastard today and have set it up to a very neutral sound using EA CLX110 cabs and a wide range of music from Jazz to Rock.

The setting that give the most accurate hifi sound are..............

Mid knob at 1 o'clock position
Mid shift down
Bass knob 5 o'clock position (full)
Bass shift up
Treble knob 9 o'clock position
Bright down

When I then play my Sandberg through it, it sounds just like going into a desk for recording......................very neutral.

Once you have this 'neutral' position you can then change the sound to suit knowing where you came from.


Hope this is a help.....................or it could be I've to much time on my hands since being made redundant. :) :lol: :)

Edited by voxpop
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Question for valve tweekers - years ago I put 5751's in my SWR and Alembic, so I could keep them sounding nice and clean. From memory, the relative gain was approx 70% of the 12ax7 - is that right? Are there any other differences between the 12ax7/ecc83 and the 5751 spec?

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  • 2 weeks later...

For those of you who havent had chance to try the Little Bastard yet, just spotted Guitarist Mag have put their review online -

[url="http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/amplification/instrument-amps/bass-amp-heads/little-bastard-lb-30h-head-284590/review"]http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/amplifi...d-284590/review[/url]

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[quote name='phatbass787' post='988913' date='Oct 15 2010, 10:06 AM']For those of you who havent had chance to try the Little Bastard yet, just spotted Guitarist Mag have put their review online -

[url="http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/amplification/instrument-amps/bass-amp-heads/little-bastard-lb-30h-head-284590/review"]http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/amplifi...d-284590/review[/url][/quote]

I'm not surprised the guitarists like it. It's a guitarist's amp.

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