danhkr

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1318339044' post='1400784'] I have a feeling their market share is shrinking, though. People just don't talk about them like they used to. As for a huge roster of pro players... so they offer a lot of endorsements. Who doesn't want free gear? [/quote] Apparently they give nothing away free, and that came from a couple of endorsees I've met, one particularly high profile. [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1318340280' post='1400803'] I would 100% disagree with any comments regarding Orange and 'cheap build'. The British made equipment not only sounds stunning, (and quite 'original' as in has a tone Orange are becoming quite famous for)but the aesthestics and quality are hands down brilliant, even for the price point. I would always, on another point, pick Hartke over Ashdown. Great price, great tone. [/quote] So because they sound good and are aesthetically pleasing, that makes the build quality good? What odd logic. The AD200B is just a printed circuit board based amp, differing little inside from a mass-produced far-eastern made example yet it's astronomically priced at around £1400. At least something like the Marshall VBA 400 which is also PCB based, gives you twice the output, proper wired output valve bases away from the PCB and is around £200 less. I'd happily consider the view that if the tone is right, perhaps the above doesn't matter too much particularly if you look after your gear, but the price should reflect this and the volume of returns and faulty orange valve gear I've experienced in retail and in bands suggests otherwise. Sadly Orange are very expensive cheap amplifiers.

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1318266983' post='1399895'] I agree with you. I have a couple of Ashdown cabs, which had potential but were clearly built down to a price and could have been so much better. [/quote] And if they had been 'so much better' I'm pretty certain they would've cost more. That's what building to a price means. I have a couple of MAG cabs and for the price I think they're superb. Slightly more expensive than the likes of Behringer, but miles better. Despite this at under £300 they're not going to be up there with top end cabs are they? [quote name='stevie' timestamp='1318266983' post='1399895'] Whatever you think of their products, Ashdown have a real brand image problem now. You just can't go on serving up shoddy, unreliable and unfixable products for years without paying the price. And their marketing efforts are laughable, too. Just look at this: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSxbFwmXAi0."]http://www.youtube.c...?v=wSxbFwmXAi0.[/url] That's the head of marketing and artist relations. Soooo embarrassing and just not how you build a brand. [/quote] A real brand image problem?! They're the biggest selling bass brand in the UK with a huge roster of pro players - they must be doing something right. People are perfectly entitled to dislike them but how conceited is it to believe they have an image problem just because [i]you[/i] don't like them!? I find people's heavy criticism of Ashdown bizarre at times. In my experience in retail, selling 3 or 4 times more Ashdown gear than any other bass brand you'd expect to see more back with faults but we had no more returns than any other equivalent brand and price point. Compared to Orange which were a total nightmare, cheap build and inflated prices - it was like two ends of the spectrum, yet Orange seemingly can do no wrong on this forum. Tone-wise amongst buyers ABM was nearly always favoured over solid state/hybrid equivalents such as Ampeg, SWR and the MAG stuff over Hartke and Marshall. End of the day it's horses for courses; I know players who swear by Ashdown and those who aren't keen on it. Personally, I'm not overly taken by this new amp, I think their 550 head represents better VFM, but it's amazing how some people have a bad experience, think they make too much product or take a dislike to the VU meter or a youtube vid and all of a sudden the gospel according to whoever thinks the majority of what they do is poor quality and they have an image problem. Which in reality, judging by how successful the company is, couldn't be further from the truth could it?

At below £400, I can't see them being Mexican. The blacktop stuff is cheap, this is even cheaper and bordering on Squier VM/CV series prices. They're also bringing back the 'original' japanese made jaguar bass (around £800), so it'd be interesting to see how this one compares to that at half the price...

[quote name='Ashdown Engineering' timestamp='1317141831' post='1387304'] Happily build you a totally made in England MiBass but doubt on the whole people would want to pay the price difference, sadly that's what we are up against these days and to be honest after working with our china factory for 10 years now the quality of our Chinese made products is so good would you want to pay a large premium simply to have made in England on it? If you do want to buy British we still make plenty of high end totally made in Essex products and offer a total custom shop service too... [/quote] Sorry to go o/t but the last few brand new ABM Evo III's I've seen in stores have said 'manufactured in England'. I was quite surprised at this as I thought it was now common knowledge that ABM production had been shifted to the far east. Has there been a rethink regarding ABM?

[quote name='KiOgon' post='1369988' date='Sep 11 2011, 11:10 PM']What would I do? What I have just done - buy from a USA retailer who ships to UK, at a bargain price & save a tidy packet The Fender UK dealers 'fixed prices' are just crazy. Cheerz, John[/quote] Blame Fender UK/Europe for the prices. Dealers would be literally paying the customer to take fender product away if they were doing it any cheaper.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1368487' date='Sep 10 2011, 12:40 PM']If I was to buy an Ampeg now, Id ignore the lot apart from the SVT Pro 7. Nice price, fairly light, powerful, and powerful.[/quote] Tried one. It was good, but preferred the tone of my Ashdown ABM. Considering the valve route really, just don't want to spend loads on an amp that's going to be a liability. I take on board what you say about Orange and I'd certainly consider them, but having worked at a shop that does repairs I've been put off by the surprising amount of their valve gear that came through the door needing work.

[quote name='JTUK' post='1368414' date='Sep 10 2011, 11:34 AM']Not had a detailed look inside many Ampegs, but an amp tech I know hates working on the things. He says cheap components and awful lay-out...plus they are such a handful on the bench as well. Whether that would be any different if they were made in the U.S I am not sure, but then at least you could more justify the price premium on the basis of western build costs etc etc . I'd agree with Gareth... most companies would trumpet U.S made.. if that was the case.[/quote] Thanks for the input guys! Problem is, in my experience a lot of people in this industry have one bad experience of something and spend the rest of their lives telling everyone how poor that company/product is when it could quite easily be a one-off or not even the case any more. I'm not saying this is the case with the tech you know, but my point is; is he referring to all Ampegs, or just a couple he's happened to have worked on which to be fair could've been made in one of three different countries? I've heard a lot of criticisms of the pro (rackmount) series, and others have said the more traditional heads are a lot more sensible. It really is a minefield. As you say though, USA made might just mean the same components put together in a different country (maybe even not to as high standards if labour costs mean production needs to be quicker), but there is something quite off-putting to be spending a grand plus on an amp that's made in Korea or Vietnam. I guess you just have to look past that and try and establish which is the best to go for with regards to build quality. It appears that is not an easy task!

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1367775' date='Sep 9 2011, 03:51 PM']I dont think any of the Ampeg products are USA made apart from the Heritage. Granted, it seems Ampeg have sorted themselves out, but Im still wary of their customer service.[/quote] Cheers MM! When you say 'sorted themselves out', how do you mean? Were their QC issues, and if so, which period/models should be avoided?

I know they used to make the SVT classic head in the USA before shifting production to Korea (and/or maybe Vietnam?), but I was told they've gone back to making them in the states. Anyone know if this is true, doesn't seem to say where they're built on the ampeg site (which usually smacks of far-eastern build to be honest)?

[quote name='crez5150' post='1035902' date='Nov 25 2010, 10:05 AM']K&M or the Beyer badged version... GST 400 or GST 500 (extended boom) are what most Toursound companies use as they are fairly indestructible and you can buy all spare parts too.[/quote] +1 on that. K&M's are a million times better than bog standard mic stands even stuff like quik lok. Pricey but as long as you dont leave it at a gig, you'll never need to replace it.

Very similar to the highway 1 series but with a gloss finish and standard bridge. I think the HW1's are an acquired taste with the satin finish and usa standards have got really expensive, I guess the specials are fender's reaction to these two factors. Wouldn't surprise me if the HW1s are discontinued soon.

Worth at least a look if he's local I'd say.

You just enquiring or actually dealing with them direct? Only asking because normally they just deal with stores.

I use an Ashdown ABM500 Evo III and I think it's a great sounding amp. I used SWR Workingpro stuff before I got it and the Ashdown just opened up a whole new world of 'tone' in comparison. I've got the ABM610 cab and it's got tonnes of head room and sounds really punchy. My only criticism is they dont make a cover for it! I've also got MAG 410 and 210 cabs and to be honest the amp sounds pretty-much as good through those even though they're cheaper cabs. I've tried mag heads and combos, and whilst I think they're a brilliant option for the price, there's a big jump in tone when going to ABM, but I guess at around £300 difference, you'd probably expect that.

Pictures aren't great, but something tells me this isn't a squier. Could be great for the money or could be an absolute dog. I'd say play it safe and look for a second-hand squier affinity, I doubt you'd pay more than that but at least you know it'll be a decent bog-standard guitar.

His main live rig for the last 10 years...wonder when it was last re-valved

Tried some of the new Fenders recently. Very good - definitely better than they were, apparently now made by D'Addario and still only £12-£15! Still love Elixirs though.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1339999' date='Aug 14 2011, 08:26 PM']Blimey. At least it sold. [/quote] Actually, it didn't it was mine and the seller pulled out. To be fair to him he had a genuine reason to do so and was very honest. In a way it's not too bad for me as although I need the money, I was hoping it might have fetched a bit more. I guess stuff just isn't really moving at the minute and as amazing as the Big Al is, it probably doesn't have the commercial appeal that certain other models do.