franzbassist Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Looks nice, albeit expensive at £719! The [b]Ashdown Little Bastard LB-550 Bass Amp Head[/b] is a Limited Edition Bass Amplifier Head, only 50 handmade heads built in Ashdown's UK Custom Shop will be available. The LB-550 features a new version of the much loved LB 30 pre-amp with added Gain control coupled with the 550 watt digital power section from the MiBass; resulting in stunning valve bass tone in a loud lightweight compact head. The Little Bastard LB-550 preamp stage employs ECC83 and ECC82 tubes and features High and Low gain inputs, front panel-mounted Effects Send and Return, rotary gain, Bass, Middle and Treble controls with Mid Shift, Bass Shift and Bright switching, Mute switch, rotary Volume control, balanced DI output and of cource, Ashdown's much loved VU meter. The Little Bastard 550 head partners perfectly with a range of Ashdown US Series cabinets. Each Little Bastard LB550 head will be numbered 1-50 and come with a Limited Editon certificate signed by designer Dave Green and Ashdown MD Mark Gooday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 It looks terrible... I hope that photo is a mock-up. Ashdown stuff just looks cheaper and cheaper with every new release... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted October 8, 2011 Author Share Posted October 8, 2011 Haha, Vive la difference! I should add that I'd never buy it though, as the Streamliner (both of us have one) is a far more versatile amp if valve-pre/digital power amps are what someone is after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 It just breaks my heart that Ashdown gear used to look unique and classy. Now..,. the flat design, the stick-on logos, the terrible fonts - either squiggly and ugly, like a 13-year-old's school project - or boring as hell Arial.If you view the image above full-size you'll see the knob labels are printed all wonky. And that VU meter... GAH! I want to smash it to pieces with a hammer, and make their designer eat all the bits up. ...and relax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Some of us on facebook tried to persuade Mark to call it 'Fat Bastard'. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Basically an Orange Bass Terror but more money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 I like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 I like it - but don't need it - can't see why they didn't change the name? Fat Bastard or whatever - it won't replace my Little Bastard 30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatbass787 Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 I think it looks awesome! The LB pre amp(lot more versatile than bass terror) is great and with the addition of a gain control on this one it should be a hell of an amp. Very tempted... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 I agree with Mr Tyne. They are going for a 50's Hot-Rod, Rock N' Roll type Custom Car design genre, but have only succeeded in making it look a bit cheap and knock off. I quite like the VU meter, but the chatty switches are bogging. The round-end chrome knobs are all wrong for this style, should be squared off alloy, and the graphics should have been chucked away with the paper towel that they were written on. This is the product of something that someone said looks cool, like a trendy teacher trying to be hip, and it fails miserably. I think Ashdown are striving to create a brand image when they don't need to. This box may sound the mutts nuts, but if it's about retro cool, I'd buy Orange, until Matamp get round to doing one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1318109796' post='1398277'] Basically an Orange Bass Terror but more money? [/quote] I'm sure the price will come down when they start full production in their Chinese sweatshop. Poor old Ashdown, they're a British company who've become successful. How dare they!! Just imagine the shitstorm of bashing that would follow if they'd been caught out blatantly lying about "quasi watts" or some other invention of their marketing department. Edited October 9, 2011 by DirkThrust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 [quote name='DirkThrust' timestamp='1318149186' post='1398447'] Poor old Ashdown, they're a British company who've become successful. [/quote] Yeah - the Little Giant and the Superfly set the world alight... Ashdown were a great name in bass amplification. Now they've been eclipsed by every Tom, Dick and Harry after dropping the ball to many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1318150044' post='1398459'] Ashdown were a great name in bass amplification. Now they've been eclipsed by every Tom, Dick and Harry after dropping the ball to many times. [/quote] With respect I regularly see bass players using MAG amps of some kind either in combo or separates. The mid end gear that they produce is pratical and affordable and therefore are still a regular choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 (edited) [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1318150044' post='1398459'] Yeah - the Little Giant and the Superfly set the world alight... Ashdown were a great name in bass amplification. Now they've been eclipsed by every Tom, Dick and Harry after dropping the ball to many times. [/quote] That all hinges on your definition of great. When Ashdown first started they were high end, exclusive and doing something different from all the others. Since then they've gone mass market or down market depending on your mindset. That's just a business decision. Being "eclipsed" is your viewpoint. The sheer amount of Ashdown gear out there speaks for itself. It sells in shops on it's own merit A small number of bashers and GASers on an internet forum drooling over every over hyped new "me too" piece of tat is not the bass playing world The Superfly and LG didn't set the world alight. So what? Why would you expect them to? The Superfly had a really innovative front end and the LGs sell at a price point not many other products match. The worst you can say about Ashdown is they lack focus with too many new products without exhaustive enough real world testing. Some people use them and like them. You don't. Every new product can't set the world alight. Many companies produce duffers. That's just the way it is Criticizing Ashdown because you don't like the VU meter is like criticizing Markbass for being Yellow. Ashdown gets bashed for everything and at every opportunity Edited: To make me seem less angry Edited October 9, 2011 by DirkThrust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 [quote name='DirkThrust' timestamp='1318154522' post='1398520'] That all hinges on your definition of great. When Ashdown first started they were high end, exclusive and doing something different from all the others. Since then they've gone mass market or down market depending on your mindset. That's just a business decision. Being "eclipsed" is your viewpoint. The sheer amount of Ashdown gear out there speaks for itself. It sells in shops on it's own merit. A small number of bashers and GAS monkeys on an internet forum drooling over every over hyped new "me too" piece of tat is not the bass playing world. The Superfly and LG didn't set the world alight. So what? Why would you expect them to? The Superfly had a really innovative front end and the LGs sell at a price point not many other products match. The worst you can say about Ashdown is they lack focus with too many new products without exhaustive enough real world testing. Some people use them and like them. You don't. Every new product can't set the world alight. Many companies produce duffers. That's just the way it is. Criticizing Ashdown because you don't like the VU meter is like criticizing Markbass for being Yellow. Ashdown gets bashed for everything and at every opportunity. [/quote] Settle down, Mr. Angry. It's my opinion of course, but they just aren't what they used to be. The stuff just looks cheap and nasty - the subject of this thread is a casein point. Their attempts at digital stuff has been an embarrassment, and left a lot of people with unusable and broken gear. I want them to be great, because they're a British flagship. I just find them disappointing. In my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AttitudeCastle Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1318109796' post='1398277'] Basically an Orange Bass Terror but more money? [/quote] Thats what it seems like to me, maybe this EQ does something I wonder how similar to the Spyder amps it sounds interesting though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1318155251' post='1398536'] Settle down, Mr. Angry. It's my opinion of course, but they just aren't what they used to be. The stuff just looks cheap and nasty - the subject of this thread is a casein point. Their attempts at digital stuff has been an embarrassment, and left a lot of people with unusable and broken gear. I want them to be great, because they're a British flagship. I just find them disappointing. In my opinion. [/quote] My criticism wasn't specifically aimed at you. Just the general snippy tone whenever Ashdown is discussed. If you don't like it then that's fine but I can't see how they can be expected to be great. In the 15 years since they started up, the marketplace has become hugely more competitive and the fact that Ashdown are still a major player is an achievement in itself. FWIW I think it looks pretty good. The silk screening on the front panel is a bit sloppy but the construction itself looks A1 and the looks are a welcome change from all the other identikit lightweight heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 (edited) I wasn't necessarily attacking Ashdown, I've just never had great experiences with their gear. The BT by Orange is a massive competitor with a low price tag and great tone. I would like to support Ashdown with them being British, but at the moment they having nothing to offer me. Edited October 9, 2011 by Musicman20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 (edited) Im dont get why Ashdown make a big deal of it being made in the UK. Surely anything we buy, no matter where its put together should be just as good (sometimes better IME). Making a big deal about this being made (probably just hand assembled) in the UK should not make a difference to its quality. I also think its looks cheap. Not ugly as such but it reminds me of one of those novelty DAB radios, like the Marshall one. Edited October 9, 2011 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggy Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1318160790' post='1398601'] I also think its looks cheap. Not ugly as such but it reminds me of one of those novelty DAB radios, like the Marshall one.[/quote] It does a bit. I still prefer it to the Orange though, they look a bit like toasters!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluRay Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 I bet it sounds brilliant tho. I think its really good that Ashdown build short-runs of amps - there's something really appealing about limited editions, hand-built etc. Tho personally I don't mind where something is built as long as it works and I can afford it. But I agree this version looks a bit low-rent, compared with some of the competition (that letraset-looking font doesn't do it for me). Their chrome fronted valve gear looks amazing.Hopefully that will re-appear if a version of this goes into full production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I'm not really sure that I would want the word "Bastard" written on my amp. What were the people at Ashdown thinking when they came up with that one? It's similar and just as classy as that fool at French Connection who came up with a branding idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1318155251' post='1398536'] I want them to be great, because they're a British flagship. I just find them disappointing. [/quote] I agree with you. I have a couple of Ashdown cabs, which had potential but were clearly built down to a price and could have been so much better. Whatever you think of their products, Ashdown have a real brand image problem now. You just can't go on serving up shoddy, unreliable and unfixable products for years without paying the price. And their marketing efforts are laughable, too. Just look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSxbFwmXAi0. That's the head of marketing and artist relations. Soooo embarrassing and just not how you build a brand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Aren't there already a bunch of other hybrid amps out there for this kind of money? The reason I liked the original Little Bast##d was because a new, bass specific, low wattage all valve head was fairly unique, whereas most every amp company has at least one solid state or digital model with a couple of preamp valves in its' range. And most all of them look much more compact than the Ashdown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quimbymeat Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) I (PROFANITY REMOVED) hate Ashdown, It's a shame because i am sure all the new valve amps sound great but they look pish and i know Dave Green who used to work for Matamp worked on that but it still says Ashdown. The solid state heads are just the worst, note i can still make one sound good but thats only because of my bass. if i had a regular bass i would be (PROFANITY REMOVED) when i go to a practice pad. nae offence and sorry for the bad grammer and spelling i went to school for one hour. Edited October 11, 2011 by pantherairsoft Edited for language Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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