VAMPYRE 5

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183974374975 Some nice pics of this rare and historically interesting beast?

...it’s all about the TONE.

Who mentioned the word ‘alone’? Tone IS in the fingers or are all the great pioneers of bass talking crap? (Great guitarists for that matter, bless ‘em ). They all have their own tone or ‘character’ that makes them recognizable due to a lot of factors inc. skill and technique. Tone pots sell (gimmicks) & help root-note ploders think they’re bassists! 👊🏻 😂😭

...although I have to be honest. I bought these NEO1x15’s (400w Sica loaded) over ABM’s primarily because they DID sound better. Broader, less honky with LOTS of headroom. Fantastic cabs.

You’re nuts!! Neo are lighter- simple. Just remember John Entwhistle always sounded like himself, regardlesd of what rig he chose. Tone is in your fingers so pracrise amd remember... give those HPF’s a wide-birth! lol

😂😂😂

Moving In The Shadows - XII ...Thought it’d be cool to have something ‘Bass’ on the cover of a Rock band album instead of a band or guitarist or singer/ frontman. (Of course it wouldn’t be unusual on a Bass instrumental album). Anyone else featured their beloved on the front of an album or CD, etc?

Lovely @Dan Dare indeed. 👍🏻

@Kevin Dean Your ‘hair splitting’ has worn me out lol. Payment advice or Invoice - doesn’t really matter because the point is (please no more splitting hairs?) Ashdown do not need to justify their business practices especially to forum nerds who have no ACTUAL knowledge.

A company showing an invoice or any financial document to a fan / joe public isn’t necessary so must’ve felt REALLY under fire?! Saw the credit section and did wonder? Ashdown paying Foo’s? ??? 😂😂 @Kevin Dean?

@Al Krow;@Cuzzie; @krispn; I don’t think it was Al, er...erm... you went all...erm... well...er...sod it! You went all Forum Nerdy by wanting to move off Topic. Bit of conversation never hurt forums except the HPF i.e. anti-Bass brigade mutterings 😂😂 ANYWAY, BACK ON TOPIC!!

Blimey @Ashdown Engineering !!! You actually showed an invoice? How many players have played big gigs let alone made live albums/ dvd’s or released anything on major labels? 😏 Top marks for full disclosure though 💪🏻 What matey failed to realise it that most effects run in-line thru an amp... Even if thru an fx loop then that still has to be present in the D.I. or no fx FOH or in wedges?! Bedroom playerz.. bless ‘em 🤭

Elites Stainless

Very 😉 If you didn’t know @NancyJohnson the world runs by ‘who you know’. Unfortunately talent alone doesn’t get you the gig (middle class uni types headlining rock festivals!!!) and same with manufacurers whose business is to... wait for it... take our money. Of course they’ll name drop. I never had multiple basses and artist deals aren’t free, honestly, more like 50%

D’addario Pro Steels are fantastic strings. Blimey!! I forgot how good they are! I still have a pack unused. Very, very rich in harmonic overtones, zingy resonant tone and bendy for soloing too. @radiophonic good call.

Elites stainless give me the longest ‘zing’ on a gig. Solid tuning stability within 10mins. Zing gone after an hour. Non gigged and they’re kinda bright enough except the B & E string sound bit rubbery. Red Warwicks give Roto’s a run especially for the money.

I run 2 x15” cabs most of the time now. The Ampeg HLF410 has some serious low end happening which I’ve used a fair amount but it’s a big lump to lug around!! It’s like CD’s vs Vinyl. 15’s are like vinyl, you also ‘feel’ rich, warm bass extension. 😋

Carefull or the HPF police will be making a visit!!! 😂 I once tried out the ABM 1x15 which was a bit honky so tried out the ‘shelf ported’ Klystron Neo 1x15 - Cleaner, weightier bottom end. More even tone right up to the glassy top end and surprisingly fast so I made a purchase...

Kings X certainly made waves way back when and definitely influenced many bands.

IRON ETHER ~ XEROGRAPH - LPF with 12db or 24db slope down to 40hz!! Touch of resonance and it rumbles like an angry herd of wildebeast!! (HPF nurds’ll be foamin’ at the mouth!!) 😉🤭 Static LPF or bash in an expression pedal for sweepability. Class act worth every penny.

Nice one Al 👍🏻

...as do LPFs 🤘🏻🤘🏻

That’s a very cool sound. Geddy insired? Wonder if there’s any clean top end in the mix if you crack the strings? Ashdown lets through bit of clean ‘zing’ over the driven tone if you get the gain just right..

Warwick Vampyre SN5 High Gloss Black Custom Shop.

0m:36s Ashdown Drive Plus!! Received it 10 years ago when I gained an Ashdown Artist edorsement. Tried all their other pedals, chorus and dual-band compressor, etc but they really weren’t up to much for my tastes and yes they are a size but the growl & colourful harmonics can’t be matched. Bought and returned or sold just about every OD pedal going froum US to 80’s Jap over the years even more recently the Darkglass’s. Serious pedals (instant production & gratification) BUT you get the ‘cold’ sound everyone has nowadays and really, just not convinced.. Other pedals sound like lo-gain distortion which is kinda thin, fuzzy and cold. The Ashdown is all about response so it demands to be practiced for months to ‘get’ it. Sure, get a pick out and strum like an unknowing thug and fuzz is all you’ll get. Dynamics will lift your game. Fingerstyle will definitely give you a tone and timbre that can be truely tuned. Fine tune the Hi gain then figure where on the string and how hard to pick/ strike is best to get a tone!!! Basics!! ...and nevermind being sidetracked with HPF scientific -20hz debates 😂😂