Painy

I'm curious as to how it actually differs in sound from the ABM 600. I know the valve drive is tuned differently to suit Geezer's preference but is it just that, the double VUs and the way it can be slaved to another head that make it different or is there something in the core tone? 

I'd happily have one either way! 😁

15 hours ago, ped said:

@Ashdown Engineering get him a free CTM300!

24 minutes ago, lemmywinks said:

 I agree with the site owner, sort it out Ashdown!

21 minutes ago, Teebs said:

C'mon Ashdown!

Absolutely this! 😄😄😄😄

3 minutes ago, doomed said:

Looks great, I'd like a case for my Head of Doom just to save having to have it in a rack case, if it had a nice wood/tolex sleeve like the ABM,  so you could just buy a slip cover to go over it, it would be perfect.

It is a bit strange that tolexed rack sleeves seem so hard to come by or are really expensive if you do find them. 

I reckon the sleeve that Aguilar make for the the DB751 would probably fit the Head of Doom but at $199 (and possibly plus shipping and import duty from the US if they're not available over here) it's a pretty expensive option. 

5 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

Nice job & great thread Painy. Zilla never replied to my email but did read my Messenger, which they couldn't even be bothered to reply to. 

Even a "sorry, can't help" type reply would have been something but I'm seriously disappointed with them. 

Thanks. 🙂

That is a bit disappointing. If it gives you any indication of price this is what they quoted me :-

Yeah I've got some of them. 😁

After getting my quote from Zilla I decided to just have a go at building one myself to save a few quid. 

I've just put a post up with the result of my labour here:-

3 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

Nice work. You should go into business, building old school sleeves/cases for those of us who use modern class D jobbies and want the vintage look.

To be honest, as much as I love the sound of that, there's a fair amount of bodging under the surface! 😄

I did have fun doing it though so maybe. 🤔

I really love the classic look of the Ashdown CTM300 head but unfortunately it's just not in my price range at the moment. To tide me over until I can save up a couple of grand, I decided that I'd try to at least achieve the look of the amp even if I can't get the sound of it right now. 

I've spent my spare time over the last week building this new case from scratch for my ABM 500rc Evo iii and I'm really pleased with the result so thought I'd share it here. 🙂

2 hours ago, scrumpymike said:

Disappointing that.  Must say that I've thought more than once I should be buying a new ABM600 to support Ashdown.  It's a decent amp that's good value for money IMHO - certainly the best in their range for me.  If it went on a diet and shed a few kilos I'd be there!

Buy the rack-mount one and put it in a lightweight Gator case or a rack bag to save the weight of the plywood sleeve? 

Sorted! 😁

My Squier VM P5.

Admittedly took a few modifications to the electronics to get the sound where I wanted it but it just has the most comfortable, playable neck of any bass I've owned (which has included enough basses that cost several thousand pounds to make that an impressive statement for a sub £300 instrument). I've also been able to get it to take a far lower action than any other bass I've owned.

Try contacting Zilla through Facebook Messenger. I contacted them that way for a quote on an amp head sleeve a couple of weeks ago and Paul got back to me within half an hour - and that was fairly late in the evening too. 

Just traded a TC combo with Andy for his Ashdown cab. 

As easy and friendly a transaction as you could hope for with great coms!

6 minutes ago, dodgnofski said:

Great cabs, I remember buying Pete Acadamys - RIP 😥😥 - he was the original Bassist with Nearly Dan. His Dad had fitted telescopic legs which dropped down under gravity - so it had to be carried upside down - but worked a treat to elevate the cab on stage 😂😂 - GLWTS 👍👍

Genius! 😁

PM'd

16 minutes ago, paddybass said:

Yep!

Yeeeeaaah, sorry about that. 

6 minutes ago, obbm said:

I used to run a pair of these with an ABM-500 head.  Very loud and punchy but I had difficulty hearing myself when standing directly in front of them.  30 feet away was a different matter, they could slice cheese.

Yeah, even stacked they'd still only be about waist high which never helps when you have to stand right in front of it. 

I'm planning to sit it on one of these to try and get it up a bit closer to ear level. 

1 minute ago, TheGreek said:

I know somebody else who might be slightly jealous.

 

I almost feel guilty now.... Almost. 

10 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I had one.

A courier killed it by dropping it and wrecking the speakers. 

Which is why, come the uprising, the couriers will be the first against the wall!!! 

I'd love to pick up a second one to be honest. I reckon that would be a lot of fun. 

I picked up this mini-beast yesterday for what I think is a very decent price. It's an Ashdown ABM 48 mini. 4x8, 600w at 8Ohms and, despite its small size and from the weight, apparently constructed from the heart of a neutron star. 

Our lead guitarist recently took a power amp with a blown transformer in for repair with a local amp tech but the guy made a mess of it and then promptly folded his business. The guy offered our guitarist this cab as compensation for the damage and he has now sold it on to me for the measly sum of £60. 🙂

I'm going to use this in smaller venues where there either isn't space or access is difficult for me to use my ABM 610 cab.

I gave it a quick blast during last night's sound check and, while it obviously can't really compete with the 610, it's was a surprisingly loud and full but precise sound - certainly enough for on stage monitoring with PA support and probably enough on its own in the kind of smaller venues where I intend to use it. 

Great little cab and I'm now actually looking forward to the next time we play a tiny little pub with a stage area the same size as the pool table.

On 06/09/2019 at 19:29, bassmayhem said:

For tomorrow's gig I asked my guitard: "Shall I use one or two?"
Without hesitation he said "TWO!"

That demands an explanation. We are gigging on one of the town's bigger stages, with massive PA support. Massive!
Still, it is nice to have a lot of air pressure behind the back, so I go for a twin 810 setup with two tube heads.
Necessary? Heck no! Will it feel good and look good? Absolutely!

They are not identical, but close enough. I have to work a bit with getting the cabs equally high. Just for visual appearance.
The Super Bassman into Bassman 810 Neo, daisy-chained to Bassman 100T into Hughes & Kettner 810, masked as a Fender cab. Jule Amps Monique in front of everything.

This is surely the first and last time I do a stupid thing like this, but I can always blame the guitard: "You said I should!!!" 😁😁😁

There is a very simple way to get around the problem of them not being equal in height - simply stack them vertically like this. 🤪

I'm finding the older I get the more I actualy prefer a heavier bass. This is because, as I've gotten older my belly has started to protrude further beyond my belt. I find a good weighty bass to be better at pushing down on my belly and flattening it back out. 😁

In all seriousness though I don't really like the feel of an overly light bass. They just feel kind of flimsy insubstantial to me. Anywhere between 8.5 and 12 lbs and I'm pretty happy. 

Forgot to mention that the one time the bridge cover gets in the way is if I ever need to play with a pick (can't palm mute with a bridge cover).

To get around the problem I have made my bridge cover quick release using strong magnets counter-sunk and epoxied into the body. The screws are then epoxied to the bridge cover and the screw holes drilled out very slightly larger than the thread so they work as locating pins that slot in to stop lateral movement. 

If I ever have to use a pick I can just pop the bridge cover off and then back on again when I'm done. Also makes string changes and setting intonation / action a lot less of a faff as I don't have to unscrew the cover to get to the bridge. 

I don't find that they get in the way at all as my preferred playing position for tension and tone is between the P-pup and the bridge anyway. In fact I went to a great deal of trouble to find covers to fit my 5 string precision (purchased on ebay from a seller in China who would only post to the US. They sent it to - if I remember correctly - the New York home of the sister of helpful BCer. She then took them with her to Florida to give to said BCer who was meeting her there for a holiday. He then carried them back in his hand luggage to his home in the Republic of Ireland where he finally posted them on to me here in Norfolk).

I'm very happy with them. 🙂

That after meeting at a gig and having watched my band play all night, this beautiful young lady then actualy agreed to go out for the rest of the evening with me - and eventually to marry me. 😊