la bam

It's good when you get used to it. It's different to the ABMs in that you dont have to max the input to get the drive valve working properly. So the sound can be achieved at a lower volume setting.

If I remember rightly, as a youngster in the 90s, trace gear, fender basses etc were SO far out of the reach of start up players it's hard to comprehend nowadays. They cost a fortune. Probably the equivalent to a few months wages for someone in their first job. There was no real second hand market (near me anyway) unless your local music shop managed to get something in on part ex. This also kept prices very high. In context my first bass amp (straight out of school) was a second hand gorilla 30w guitar amp, as it was all I could afford, and that was about 2 weeks wages! My next upgrade was a used, knackered carlsbro stingray 90 head and terrible no name cab - that set up cost me trading in my old amp and £200. So again a big payout for what was a load of rubbish. No decent second hand market meant the high end gear like Trace was also marketed at everyone from seasoned players to full rock stars all in the same promo material - and in a strange way it made it more desirable. Something to aspire to. Those catalogues bring back some great memories. Not necessarily of the actual gear, but the aspiration to own one.

That's were the concept falls down for me. Putting a tiny, small powered amp through a small 8ohm 2x10 in a large room is never going to get loud. You kinda need a large 4ohm cab (410) to get loud volume and max power from it. Then you're bringing a larger heavier cab to save a tiny amount of weight and size on an amp head. Itd be more efficient to bring a larger amp and smaller cab (2x10, 2x12 etc). I played the elf through a 30kg ashdown 2x12 cab and it only just coped (luckily we always di'd too). It was much quieter than a 3kg 500w head through a 1x12 cab. But, a band we gig shared with played an elf through a 4x10 old trace cab (DI'd) and it sounded awesome. But he had to lug around 40kg of cab around. Made no sense. However if trace developed a lightweight 410 and incorporated the head into a combo it would work much better.

I bought an elf. Like others I thought itd be great as a backup or emergency amp...... However, as soon as I realised i wouldnt be able to gig with it as my main amp, it started dawning on me that it would be no use as a backup should I ever need it. Unfortunate, because it was innovative, small, good sound, good DI, but just not enough. I can see it being more than fine in small venues and pubs etc though.

Yes. Different beasts imo. The iv can do everything the iii can do, and a whole lot more. Its punchier, louder and much more versatile. It can fit nicely in any genre. The 9 band eq is very versatile.

It's done it to me before, saying parcel had been delivered before I'd even sent it. Then after a day it seemed to update and go back to what it should. It could just be the systems not updating until tomorrow.

Ok, so it's probably the insanity of not practicing or gigging, but it's got me thinking more and more about what I'd like, and simple changes that could be made. Specifically for ease of set up, protection of equipment and transportation. So, I'll start - feel free to add any like quirks youd like to see changed on any amp or cab. I'm not saying its viable to do so, but you never know. Ashdown RM500 / 800 - the problem I have is that it needs a padded bag, or metal carry case to transport to keep the great front end (and rear) protected. However, it's already housed in a sturdy metal case, why dont they just add lightweight clippable front and back compartments (like with rack cases or the handbox stuff) which can then be just unhinged in a second and ready to play, or likewise put back on in a second and packed away. Add a carry handle to one of the ends and it's even easier to transport. Just an idea....

That's a great brochure! Really makes you want to read it and choose your ideal rig. Probably an art form sadly lost now with everything just plonked online.

They are quite exciting brochures. They do make you want to look and read them and possibly aspire to put one on your shopping list! Every trace rig I heard in the 00s sounded great.

Dont forget this isnt a 9v driven pedal. Off the top of my head it's an 18v pedal with a stepper in there somewhere.

It's the Roswell pick up one. Theres a special drop down to choose that one, so hopefully itll be right.

I bought one last a few weeks ago. It's absolutely superb. So punchy and clear. I'd say it's better than the pre in the abm. There are loads of wiring options and tonal adjustments. The drive is a proper drive rather than the warmer on the ABMs. Very loud, very solid pre. I got mine from pmt where it was indeed labelled the "FS origin" pedal, but it was in fact the new "originAL". £199 compared to £379. It's a big saving.

Nice one, I've placed an order. Thanks.

Hi all, Pertyy straight forward really - does anyone know where to get a replacement scratchplate for a harley benton pb 50 bass? Cheers

I had a g&l l100. That was superbly built too.

The korean made spector I have is hands down the best made and assembled bass I've ever had. I'd have no problem with and bass from the cort factories etc

Ashdown have just reissued this for 2021 with an upgraded evo iv spec if that helps.

The ctm300 breaks up the more you turn the gain (not the master volume). So you can pick you ideal sound using the 2 together (gain and master). Its not really to do with the vu on the valve amps, it's just using your ears to find the sweet spot.

In my opinion they are very different. I gigged the old style revision 1 mag 300 and mag 410 for years and the ABMs for a couple. The mag is more middle based to my ears, sounds good, but quite individual. The abm seems to fit nice and warm in the mix more easily. The main difference for me is in a band setting. The abm on it's own can sound quite uninspiring, but in the mix it's great. The mag (from memory) is quite nice isolated and needs more work to fit. Just be careful when choosing an ashdown - theres that many revisions and versions of the same names amp it can be very confusing. Ie the mag 300 is absolutely nothing like the 220. The abm evo 2 is nothing like the abm evo 4. Then theres mags with evo revisions! Theres also the rm range. Then rm cabs with mag revisions and straight rm cabs.....which are half the weight. It can get confusing!