Thurbs

I also upgraded from MAG to ABM and the head is definitely worth the extra money. Night and day really. The MAG 115 wasn't that meaty in terms of wattage so I also have a ABM 115 but still use the MAG 410.

I had a crap ending to my gig last night... went to the car to bring it to the stage door to find someone had put a brick through the front window. Not happy.

I am not sure what the problem is to be honest. Who wouldn't love a 400W power valve head? I would... As for the drop head, likewise it would be awesome to gig with one but you wouldn't do it in a pub or on a stage you share with other bands. The £2,200 would also put me off, but if you have the money... why not!? Good on them i'd say.

3 months on and we have another gig tomorrow with a 32 song set. We have had 3 drummers, the current one is only a dep and a new second guitarist who literally fills any silence with constant, pointless and annoying twiddling. He is a pretty sh*t so is obviously trying to prove something... cant solo and is really disorganised. I cant see him staying with us for long... That begin said, the drummer is an ex pro, is awesome, drives the dynamics brilliantly and we are doing everything we can to convince him to make it a permanent arrangement. All in all I am looking forward to it, here is the set now... Beautiful Day Heavyweight Champ Monster Have a Nice Day Wonderwall Creep Use Somebody Pretty f***ed Up 59 Sound Cant Get Enough 20th Centry Boy Get Back Bohemian Like You I Fought The Law Sweet Home Alabama Use Somebody Don’t You Forget About With or Without You Good Riddance Morning Glory Disco 2000 Mustang Sally Gimme Some Lovin Long Train Running Lets Spend Night Tog You Really Got Me Summer of 69 Sex on Fire Johnny B Goode Run Wanted Dead or Alive Dakota

Instant Fish playing rock and indie covers from 9 onwards. [url="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187919957915745"]http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=187919957915745[/url] Give me a shout if you are there!

For the guitar, I have a Zoom B9 which has all the effects I could possibly want + a valve pre-amplifier to DI straight in to the desk stereo style!! I don't bother with a amp + cab most of the time as I have gone to IEM. I play mostly covers so try to re-create the original sound as much as possible. This involves playing along side the original cycling through the inbuilt maps and picking the closest. I am not trying to hide behind any effects and as others have said, tightness is more important when you have some fuzz than if playing clean. When using the DB, that is mic'd straight in to the PA and any required comp & EQ the sound man can do on the desk.

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback. I was trying to review the amp based on the price offered, not compared to the quoted output. In comparison to other £500 amps it is quiet, hence the lower score. For example, my ABM 500 is much louder and they are similarly priced but the tone is not as good. I also tried to give a fair and impartial view, however hard this may be. It is quite easy to fall in to the trap of justifying your own purchase!

This is my more considered view after a few rehearsals and gigs: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=127949"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=127949[/url]

Here is my review of the Ashdown Engineering Little Bastard. [url="http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/detail.asp?ID=229"]http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/detail.asp?ID=229[/url] [b]Gear used[/b] - Ibinez BTB575, Squier Vintage Jazz Modified, Yamaha RBX 170, Zoom B9.1ut, Ashdown ABM 115, Ashdown MAG 410. [b]Styles[/b] – Rock, Indi, Jazz, Blues & Acoustic. [size=4]Spec & Blurb[/size] Ashdown Little Bastard: an iconic, all-tube mini bass amp head. Rated at 30-Watts, the Ashdown Little Bastard won’t rip your head off, but its EL84-equipped power section is more than capable enough for small gigs. And, of course, it won’t put your back out on the way. The Ashdown Little Bastard preamp stage employs ECC83 and ECC82 tubes and features High and Low gain inputs, front panel-mounted Effects Send and Return, rotary Bass, Middle and Treble controls with Mid Shift, Bass Shift and Bright switching, Mute switch, rotary Volume control and balanced DI output. Ashdown Little Bastard main features: • Controls: Middle, Bass, Treble, Volume • Bass Shift and Bright switching, Mute switch • ECC83 and ECC82 tubes • High and Low gain inputs • Effects Send and Return on the front panel • Power Output (RMS) 30W • H x W x D (mm) 220 x 400 x 225 • Weight (kg) 14 [size=4]Finish – 8/10[/size] I have little idea about the quality of a product made from valves or electronics so I can only comment on the finish as I perceive it. The box was large, solid and protected in the innards very well. The amp was wrapped in plastic and had a little label on it extolling it’s virtues. The finish was highly polished, not a mark on the exterior and looked factory fresh as you would expect. The amp is covered in some kind of faux leather (I think they call it tolex or something) with corner protectors made from plastic. After peering inside the amp through the many grills it all looks good, shiny and new! The sockets have a solid feel, the dials turn smoothly and linearly and I love the old school switches. The unit didn’t get full marks because of the plastic edges on the case and the switches and dials are a little close together for my big fat fingers. It is easy to knock a dial out when trying to make quick change in-between songs… [size=4]Tone – 9/10[/size] I bought this amp being sceptical about the whole valve thing but I am now a total convert. I just love the tones the little amp can produce from its completely passive EQ. I have played for hours and am constantly amazed how a single flick of a switch or the twist of one dial can completely change the feel and tone it produces. It really is a versatile little amp and goes dirty, clean, boomy, tinny, fat, thin... anything really! However as it is a passive EQ, each setting has an effect right across the frequency range and as a result takes some time to get used to. I personally haven’t heard better but have restrained from a perfect 10 because it would be nice if Ashdown could give more guidance or suggestions in their manual about how best to use the 10 different settings switches and dials in combination with each other. [size=4]Power – 6/10[/size] This is a 30w amp so it is never going to blow your head off. What I can say about the 30w’s is they are not 30 SS watts, it sounds more like the Ashdown Mag 300 head I had a few months back. Funny how our brains perceive volume isn’t it! I am in a 4 piece rock band and the amp is good for on stage monitoring, but that is about it. Sure for quiet pub gigs you might get away with it but for anything bigger then you need to DI in to the desk. Personally I don’t find this a problem however for those who like to kick out massive stage volume or a singer who is possessive about the PA, this is not for you. For acoustic, jazz or other lower volume gigs it is just perfect. It is because of the limited power output and the high retail price I have knocked off 4 points. This is the compromise in the amp, make no mistake. [size=4]Practicality - 9/10[/size] 15kg’s, pretty small, handy handle it is no chore to carry this around. Not sure about public transport or walking long distances but if you use a car/van, it is a doddle. My only niggle is for (what I can only assume) aesthetic reasons the top handle is centred to the dimensions, not to the weight. As a result you carry it on the piss as the valves weigh down the rear and there is no weight at the front. [size=4]Value – 7/10[/size] I paid £450 for a Chinese made ‘B’ stock item from DV247.com with a 3 year warranty. It looked and sounds brand new and I consider that pretty good value. Not sure I would pay £550 or £650 for a UK one though. I feel it is worth £500 for what you get overall. At the time of writing there is a second hand UK one for £350. A bargain if I ever saw one at that price. [size=4]Overall - 8/10[/size] If tone is your aim and you don’t mind about keeping up with insanely loud guitarists then this amp is the one for you. If on the other hand you like a precise EQ and a massive output stage volume then look elsewhere. This is a amp which is very clear about its aims and does not dissapoint.

Here is my review of the Ashdown Engineering Little Bastard. [url="http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/detail.asp?ID=229"]http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/detail.asp?ID=229[/url] [b]Gear used[/b] - Ibinez BTB575, Squier Vintage Jazz Modified, Yamaha RBX 170, Zoom B9.1ut, Ashdown ABM 115, Ashdown MAG 410. [b]Styles[/b] – Rock, Indi, Jazz, Blues & Acoustic. [size=4]Spec & Blurb[/size] Ashdown Little Bastard: an iconic, all-tube mini bass amp head. Rated at 30-Watts, the Ashdown Little Bastard won’t rip your head off, but its EL84-equipped power section is more than capable enough for small gigs. And, of course, it won’t put your back out on the way. The Ashdown Little Bastard preamp stage employs ECC83 and ECC82 tubes and features High and Low gain inputs, front panel-mounted Effects Send and Return, rotary Bass, Middle and Treble controls with Mid Shift, Bass Shift and Bright switching, Mute switch, rotary Volume control and balanced DI output. Ashdown Little Bastard main features: • Controls: Middle, Bass, Treble, Volume • Bass Shift and Bright switching, Mute switch • ECC83 and ECC82 tubes • High and Low gain inputs • Effects Send and Return on the front panel • Power Output (RMS) 30W • H x W x D (mm) 220 x 400 x 225 • Weight (kg) 14 [size=4]Finish – 8/10[/size] I have little idea about the quality of a product made from valves or electronics so I can only comment on the finish as I perceive it. The box was large, solid and protected in the innards very well. The amp was wrapped in plastic and had a little label on it extolling it’s virtues. The finish was highly polished, not a mark on the exterior and looked factory fresh as you would expect. The amp is covered in some kind of faux leather (I think they call it tolex or something) with corner protectors made from plastic. After peering inside the amp through the many grills it all looks good, shiny and new! The sockets have a solid feel, the dials turn smoothly and linearly and I love the old school switches. The unit didn’t get full marks because of the plastic edges on the case and the switches and dials are a little close together for my big fat fingers. It is easy to knock a dial out when trying to make quick change in-between songs… [size=4]Tone – 9/10[/size] I bought this amp being sceptical about the whole valve thing but I am now a total convert. I just love the tones the little amp can produce from its completely passive EQ. I have played for hours and am constantly amazed how a single flick of a switch or the twist of one dial can completely change the feel and tone it produces. It really is a versatile little amp and goes dirty, clean, boomy, tinny, fat, thin... anything really! However as it is a passive EQ, each setting has an effect right across the frequency range and as a result takes some time to get used to. I personally haven’t heard better but have restrained from a perfect 10 because it would be nice if Ashdown could give more guidance or suggestions in their manual about how best to use the 10 different settings switches and dials in combination with each other. [size=4]Power – 6/10[/size] This is a 30w amp so it is never going to blow your head off. What I can say about the 30w’s is they are not 30 SS watts, it sounds more like the Ashdown Mag 300 head I had a few months back. Funny how our brains perceive volume isn’t it! I am in a 4 piece rock band and the amp is good for on stage monitoring, but that is about it. Sure for quiet pub gigs you might get away with it but for anything bigger then you need to DI in to the desk. Personally I don’t find this a problem however for those who like to kick out massive stage volume or a singer who is possessive about the PA, this is not for you. For acoustic, jazz or other lower volume gigs it is just perfect. It is because of the limited power output and the high retail price I have knocked off 4 points. This is the compromise in the amp, make no mistake. [size=4]Practicality - 9/10[/size] 15kg’s, pretty small, handy handle it is no chore to carry this around. Not sure about public transport or walking long distances but if you use a car/van, it is a doddle. My only niggle is for (what I can only assume) aesthetic reasons the top handle is centred to the dimensions, not to the weight. As a result you carry it on the piss as the valves weigh down the rear and there is no weight at the front. [size=4]Value – 7/10[/size] I paid £450 for a Chinese made ‘B’ stock item from DV247.com with a 3 year warranty. It looked and sounds brand new and I consider that pretty good value. Not sure I would pay £550 or £650 for a UK one though. I feel it is worth £500 for what you get overall. At the time of writing there is a second hand UK one for £350. A bargain if I ever saw one at that price. [size=4]Overall - 8/10[/size] If tone is your aim and you don’t mind about keeping up with insanely loud guitarists then this amp is the one for you. If on the other hand you like a precise EQ and a massive output stage volume then look elsewhere. This is a amp which is very clear about its aims and does not dissapoint.

I am interested in making a living from being a musician over the next few years so I am interested in the approximate effort it is likely to take!

[quote name='51m0n' post='1165539' date='Mar 17 2011, 10:56 AM']My understanding of the 10000 hour figure (Having not yet read the article by the OP) is that that is the amount of practice time required to become a virtuoso performer, not the amount of time required to become a functioning pro quality musician. There is a very big difference![/quote]How many hours would the latter take in your opinion?

Interesting article... Just out of curiosity, the 10,000 hour figure, is this a widely accepted reference point? Do you include... learning the theory behind music and harmony in the practising hours? Gigging? Rehearsing? A quick calculation has me at about 1,000 hours total playing so far and at the moment I am practising at the rate of 750 or so per year... I guess if I ever want to turn pro I need to give up the day job! Even if you did 40 hours p/w (ie a full time job) that is only 2,000 pa. 60 p/w has this over 3,000 pa. You have really got to love it to do it!

I am learning the principles around composition and harmony at the moment... and I have to agree with the theorists. Overall it makes you a much better musician, if not directly a better player. My main goal is to play Jazz and to play in that kind of environment you need a very high level of musicianship. The other reason I am learning is a bassist who can read is rarely out of work... I am by no means there, but when you start down the road you quickly realise what you have been missing. You turn from being unconsciously incompetent to consciously incompetent! A secondary benefit is that it is so much easier learning songs by getting the key noted, any significant rhythm changes and the chords down on a lead sheet. It has cut my learning of a song from an entire evening to about 20 minutes. I also believe transitioning on to the DB has been easier given the knowledge and theory I had behind what I am playing and how it all hangs together. I have found I needed to adjust my playing style to suit and I believe this was made simpler because of what I had learnt. Finally... learning and practising the theory allows much greater chance of improvisation, knowing what will sound right in advance without trying it 10 times before hand. This in turn means knocking out songs at rehearsals with 3 or 4 chords in them can actually be quite fun. Something like Mustang Sally is actually only one chord the whole way thorough but you can have so much fun with it providing you stick within the rhythmic and harmonic guidelines. Obviously you have to tone it down for a gig and remember you are not a lead guitar (although I often think a Ned's style lead bass role would be quite fun to get involved with).

I was in a similar situation to you all of last year. After 7 months and 8 songs I called a meeting and asked everyone to pull their socks up. I also booked a private party for all of our friends and family in the hope everyone would focus and not want to be showed up. 3 months later we had 11 songs, 5 of which were passable. I gave it one final chance and after 5 weeks over Christmas break we rehearsed again. It was a large bag of sh*t and I phoned them up the next day and told them that was it for me. I left, joined another band... we have 25 songs there after 3 rehearsals and a gig in 2 weeks with a 32 song set. Every one is focused, motivated and professional. I now realise what a mug I had been and wish I left after 3 months of nothing happening.

Do you have a crossover? Passive or Active?

[quote name='bassbluestew' post='1162030' date='Mar 14 2011, 05:23 PM']Thanks guys, also can't find any weights on the Ashdown website. Is it heavy?? I play in a 6/9 piece wedding function band - live drums, not too noisy guitar. We can play on some largish stages. I'd like to still get the feeling I'm moving some air, but don't expect it to match my current rigs. But do hope it will be lighter !! You guys are the bestest ! S[/quote] 16kg so pretty light. About the same as my 500w ABM. As long as the volumes are not crazy, you will be fine for most gigs. Any large venue should have a decent PA which you can DI out the back from anyway. Deffo for keeps this one.

All I can say is 30 valve watts does not equal 30 SS watts...It is kind of weird how we perceive volume. 200 value watts will rock the house down. What kind of venues will you be playing?

Just took delivery of my new Little Basterd and what a little bastard it is! Having previously owned only SS gear (sometimes with a valve pre-amp) I wasn't sure that (a)30w wouldn't be much louder than my 15w practice amp I bought when first starting out and ( surely valves are not that much better sounding are they? I am now a total convert. It sounds awesome and goes much louder than I ever thought possible (and strangely sounds louder than a 300w SS amp I had). I have a gig in a week or so with a huge 3kw PA so will DI in to it from the handy outlet at the back and use it for stage monitoring... I will let you know how I get on. I can see the disadvantages in packaging, size, weight, price etc, I guess with everything there is a compromise somewhere. However, bring on 1920's technology, this bassist is now going old skool! BTW, I am running it through a ABM115, going to try the MAG410 later...

Hi guys, I have just sent you an email. Look forward to talking soon, Richard.

Hi all. I am interested in joining a Jazz, acoustic or mellow trio/quartet. Open to anything really outside of the usual rock/metal kind of stuff. 32 with all the gear, commitment and hopefully a modicum of talent to go with it! Drop me a line!

I have just bought one of these also! It is at the Luthers having the bridge lowered and the finger board re-shaped as it was buzzing at 1/2 position and the action was crazy high. I have on my desk some Innovation Honey's which are going on at the same time. When I get it back, I will mic it up and post some samples.

It is really good… I echo the comments about you being the centre of the band. It should be the singers really...

I have been a corporate dog’s body & corporate hore thorough most of my 20's. Left to set up my own business (the same, but no one is telling you to be a hore, you just become one) and regularly work away for weeks at a time overseas or up and down the country. I could virtually tell you the time table for most trains, planes and have a myriad of rat runs in the car. I drive a big fat car, have a big fat mortgage and earn a big fat wage. What a life hey… Then I went and saw my friend Stuart (http://www.lettuceheads.com/) who is the bassist and MD of a very successful covers band. It is his only job and they do pretty well out of it. They are very good, regularly tour Europe, have a good fan base and have even ventured in to a rockie-okie, which goes down a storm. It is at that point I decided I wanted a slice of that action. Because of Stuart’s inspiration, I picked up a guitar for the first time about 18 months ago, practice for an hour or two each day, take weekly lesions and try to gig (for nothing) as much as possible. I hope in about a year’s time I can sell the business and follow his footsteps… To the OP: I have the same dream… and I say go for it. There are always downsides to any job but if you remember what and why you are doing it, focus on those points then the rest doesn’t matter.