Al Krow

LukeFRC - the quality issue from the Ashdown 420 was from a mate of mine who has just set up a new rehearsal studio as a commercial venture. He bought 3 Ashdown 420s and ALL THREE had problems within a couple of months of acquiring. Ugh!! He has since retuned them all and received a full refund from the retailer and replaced with some second hand gear (a Peavey 450 Tour Head and cab and TC BG 250 model 1) which are all working fine...Real shame 'cos Ashdown, as a British manufacturer, would be one that it would be great to support and this combo (apart from its weight!) looks and sounds good. So I'm hoping that this was just an unlucky batch and Ashdown have sorted out the issue, but for all three to go wrong is kinda worrying..

Hi chrisanthony - look forward to hearing your band (where are you playing?)! I've checked Ed Friedland's review and I get the point about this being an analogue head (and not a class D digital) and hence some of the differences in power output "per watt" and clarity etc. Interested that your preference is for AER amp three 2x8 and not for amp two (240W and 12+4 inch speakers)? The latter seems ideal to me, but I suspect is going to be premium priced? I see that Thomann are doing amp one for £950, how much are amps two and three? Do you know which stores (around London best for me) stock these babies, so that I could try them out? Having owned both, are you really saying this combo is as good as / better than the Mesa Walkabout?!

The TecAmp Puma 112? - The new model seems to be retailing at £1149 on GAK, although Thomann have the Classic on for sale at under £800. Has the latter been discontinued, and do you know why the hike in price on the new model (which takes it above £1k...)?? Be interested to hear why you think the TecAmp wins over the MarkBass?

Hi chrisanthony, must admit I'd not come across the AER amp one before. I think this sneaks in at below £1k...You'll have seen that the MarkBass Combo is (rightly) getting support, so I'm kinda intrigued that you seem to prefer the AER to both the MarkBass and also the MesaBoogie Walkabout? (I'm a huge MesaBoogie fan btw, but the Walkabout is way above £1k so didn't make the short list). Do you have any clips of you using the AER with your band?

Hi stingrayPete I do agree there are some amazing separates out there. But a great 500W head and separate high quality 2x12 cab for £600 all in? I'd challenge anyone to find me high quality separates at that price that could go head to head with the GK or the Fender combos? (And plenty of bass chat comparing different amp heads and cabs, so I thought it would be great to hear a bit more about folk's thoughts on the combo options).

Thanks Ramirez - good to hear a contrary view about the Orange cleansound issue...

So its been 3 years since I originally put this question to the wicked and wise on BC:

I appreciate that a combo is not everyone's cup of tea, but in terms of "plug and play" convenience when doing smaller gigs and getting a better price in comparison to buying separates, they're hard to beat as a concept.

For me a great combo delivers:

• Great sound (of course)
• Ability to cut through the mix, so at least 300w and a minimum of 1x12 or 2x10 speakers [some really interesting debate as to whether this level of power and speaker size is needed or not - see #60 to #62 below]
• Value for money - with a price cap of £1k new
• Portability - ideally weighs less than 50lbs

NOV 2017 UPDATE of previous 2014 conclusions

1= Eich BC112 ProCombo Pro 500W 1x12 £999 31 lbs
Eich is the successor to the much loved Tecamp Puma and this BC112 Pro combines an amazing combination of power, portabilty and sound with its high quality Eich (Tecamp) cab which is very highly rated particularly in its 2x12 form. Just manages to slip in under the £1k limit!

1= Fender Rumble 500 350W (8ohm) / 500W (4ohm) 2x10 £450 37 lbs best value for money 

3 MarkBass Alain Caron121Lite ("AC") 500W 1x12 £989 37 lbs
Formerly 1= in 2014 (and my current combo). The latest model now has an additional 300w into horn. This really also does seem to deliver a great combination of power, portability and sound. Voicing of the cab and EQ of amp could both be improved a touch and hence why it has been pipped by the Eich.


Previously #1 (Nov 2014)
AER Amp One  200W 1x10 £950 (now £1,349) 30 lbs
No longer < £1k. Starting to feel like 'old tech'. AER haven't really updated their range for a decade and a number of BCers who have owned this combo have moved it on because of a lack of power for anything but smaller gigs with folk often preferring / swapping to the Markbass CMD121p + extension cab for a smaller outlay whilst still enjoying great portability and quality. The AER is obviously a great amp, but even if it was still < £1k, it doesn't justify being in the top 3 IMHO in 2017.

What are your thoughts on Line 6 actives (and their amps generally)?

Hi - agreed re the risk on second hand cabs and completely understand where you are coming from. I guess the only sure tip there is to buy from someone you know and trust, be it an individual or via a store?

I've been thinking about a high quality (i.e. something which could hope on a good day to give our beloved Mesa Bs a run for their money), with a single 12" speaker which can provide portability with both size and weight. I think it might be worth us both checking out the TecAmp Puma Combo 112 Classic? £765 via Thomann, compact and just 30lbs.

+1 Wunjo on Denmark St, although if you're looking for amps they are pretty focussed on Markbass
+1 for GuitarGuitar Epsom
and I'm looking forward to the Gallery...

Hi TFR - I think you're right that the alternative combos I have selected (apart from the Orange) are getting on for a similar size to the Mesa M6 Combo, but they are coming in at about half the weight (and a fraction of the price). It's the weight for me that is the biggest issue with portability. If you're happy with a single 12", then I guess the M3 would fit what you are looking for as would the Walkabout, I suspect that they are both great amps, if the M6 is anything to go by - but I've kinda felt that my budget for a second rig should be more modest on principle and I am keen on at least a 2x10 so I don't get lost in the mix, hence the amps I'm looking at.

There's a thread comparing the M3 with the Walkabout on Talkbass. They seem to confirm Thodrik's understanding that the M3 has been discontinued. They also seem to suggest it weighs 65lbs! (vs 50lbs for the Walkabout), so maybe not so great in terms of portability?

Hi TFR. Well it seems we are in identical circumstances, as my main amp is also a Mesa Boogie M6 Carbine combo, which is a superb amp but at 80lbs not something you wan't to lug around. Is the M3 combo still available and if so how much does it cost / weigh?

Like you, I've been thinking about a second amp for smaller venues. For combos < £1,000 (which rules out the TecAmp 212 Classic), with a minimum speaker size of 2x10 (anything smaller likely to get drowned out with a band?), my current order of preference seems to be:
1. GK MB 212 - II 500W £600 41 lbs
2. Markass CMD 102p £800 44 lbs (but apparently not great at lows? and 300W without a second cab)
3. (new) Fender Rumble 500 2x10 £450 (350W) 37 lbs
4. Orange Terror Bass 500 Combo 2x12 £900 53 lbs (number of bass chat comments of not being able to get a clean tone at anything other than a low volume, and folk not wanting to hold on to the their TB kit, which is a shame as it would be great to support a British brand)

I've not A/B'd these yet, so I guess that will be the next thing to do...

Hi - I've played through the M6 carbine combo - incredibly warm creamy sound, particularly when combined with Delano jazz pick-ups. Absolutely love the sound.

Ditto - really useful thread, thanks. At a price point a couple of hundred quid below the MarkBass CMD 102p, this seems like a great option for a lightweight gigging amp for smaller / mid size venues. Welcome thoughts from anyone who has A/B'd both?

Hi Stealth - it seems to me that between Old Ben (bet he's younger than me btw!) and me you could potentially shift your full rig, as I'm interested in the head plus one cab, and he seems to be in possibly interested in the other cab! How long have you owned the kit for, and what condition is the gear in / any dinks, scuffs etc?

Just checked the GG website, seems all three of these "on sale" babies have now been snapped up!

Hi - I would be very interested if we can come to an agreement on price. Please PM me.

Hi - very interested. Looking forward to the picis. Would you sell part of the rig? If so, please PM me.

Hey James - if Pestie doesn't bite your arm off, PM me, 'cos I agree, you are offering this at a great price...

I have to fess that I've thought Sandbergs to be completely gorgeous instruments since first coming across them. Finally set aside my sensible instincts and got myself an Ash / Maple Sandberg California TM4 a short while back and totally loving it - the Delano pick ups are wonderfully smooth, and the sound of the bass amazing, when combined with any decent amp & cab.

Hi - yup, the Rootmaster 420 2x10 Combo.

A mate of mine acquired 3 of these from a reputable dealer for a new studio he has just set up and ALL three had to be returned due to being faulty, within a couple of months. (The dealer has now agreed to refund substantially all of the price, acknowledging that the fault lay with the kit). He has since got in some replacement gear (e.g. a Peavey 450 tour head and 4x10 cab) which is working just fine and which the bands at his studio seem to prefer. Shame, 'cos the gear does look the part and is an ideal size for gigging, but I suspect he (and I) will think long and hard before getting another Ashdown...

Just came across this on YouTube - puts it across far better than I can; and I LOVE the tone he's getting out of the amp.

[url="http://youtu.be/zmu56skSTs4"]http://youtu.be/zmu56skSTs4[/url]

80 lbs of pure fat tone heaven, right?

Having spent quite a while thinking about bass amp / cab upgrade options, I'm bowled over by the value of this offer: a 2x12 combo with a M6 Carbine head for quite a bit less than the price of the Mesa head alone!! It looks great and is not much more than a Markbass 102P combo. Whilst that is no doubt a great piece of kit, it is surely not in the Mesa's league? The reviews I've come across from other Mesa owners seem to be hugely positive. Given its weight and power it would, however, seem more suited to medium / large venues, rather than lugging round to smaller gigs? So having a second lightweight option for such occasions would probably make sense, unless weight-lifting was also a hobby? But I guess a Class D head, to DI, could be funded from the discount on offer here and still leave a few quid to spare, plus the value of a huge smile every time you plugged your bass into such a cool Mesa amp?

Thanks both. Sounds like the Demeter wins hands down!

Thanks - that's very helpful, particularly as you were a previous owner of a TTE! Be great to hear a little more in which areas, in particular, you feel the Demeter blows the TTE out the water?