Ashdown

[jakenewmanbass]

I had the unexpected pleasure of playing an Ashdown ABM 500 (?)
I did a gig at Canary wharf in the park in the middle (so outdoor stage) and the provided backline was the aforementioned Asdown combo.
In the past I have nodded and agreed with threads that have said they are wooly. Well Jeez this one wasn't, I don't know what the difference was with the last one I played but this one did great service to my Alembic, the bottom was tight and defined and the mids and highs were smooth and audible. I know a lot of it is down to the bass but it was more than just ok I thought it sounded great.
So now this adds to my headache of choosing a rig DRAT!!

Edited July 27, 2008 by jakesbass

[bass_ferret]

What was the speaker config?

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='249202' date='Jul 27 2008, 10:37 PM']What was the speaker config?[/quote]
It had a tight nylon grille so I couldn't see but I would guess at 4x10 as it was quite a big cab area but not very deep. Only a guess tho

Edited July 27, 2008 by jakesbass

[phatbass787]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='249217' date='Jul 27 2008, 10:57 PM']It had a tight nylon grille so I couldn't see but I would guess at 4x10 as it was quite a big cab area but not very deep. Only a guess tho[/quote]

Tight nylon grill? That sounds like a Klystron not an ABM as the ABM's have a metal grill.

Was it this one?


[url="http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/detail.asp?ID=180"]http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/detail.asp?ID=180[/url]

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='phatbass787' post='249248' date='Jul 27 2008, 11:43 PM']Tight nylon grill? That sounds like a Klystron not an ABM as the ABM's have a metal grill.

Was it this one?


[url="http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/detail.asp?ID=180"]http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/detail.asp?ID=180[/url][/quote]

It wasn't, but the grille [i]was[/i] like that, it had the controls on the front, it definitely said ABM on the front I just can't quite remember the numbers after the ABM---?

Edited July 27, 2008 by jakesbass

[bass_ferret]

I was asking because I have a theory that Ashdowns rep for wooliness is due to their 1x15 cabs.

[Bigwan]

Older ABM combos and cabs had the nylon grill.

[thinman]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='249332' date='Jul 28 2008, 08:34 AM']I was asking because I have a theory that Ashdowns rep for wooliness is due to their 1x15 cabs.[/quote]
I'd agree wit that. All the threads on the subject never really differentiate between the heads and cabs being used. I've used a MAG head through an Ashdown 1 x 15" and it could be described as woolyish but not through a BFM Omni10.

Edited July 28, 2008 by thinman

[Machines]

Personally i'd avoid the 1x15 cabs. I think the 10" variants are much better at what they do..

[DirkThrust]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='249332' date='Jul 28 2008, 08:34 AM']I was asking because I have a theory that Ashdowns rep for wooliness is due to their 1x15 cabs.[/quote]

I had an ABM115-500 for a while. That was Ashdown's wardrobe sized 15. Using it with my ABM 500 it was indeed woolier than a real ale drinker's jumper.

Having since used the head with BFM and Schroeder cabs it's anything but woolly. I think speaker config and setup are vital to get the best sound out of the heads.

There was a thread on TB a while ago in which a guy who had an Ampeg SVT CL did a direct comparison with an ABM500. His reasoning was to find something similar sounding to the Ampeg but cheaper and lighter, and he concluded that the Ampeg wasn't worth the extra cost or backache. I wish I could find that thread.

Edited July 28, 2008 by AndyMartin

[tonyf]

[quote name='AndyMartin' post='249915' date='Jul 28 2008, 08:29 PM']I had an ABM115-500 for a while. That was Ashdown's wardrobe sized 15. Using it with my ABM 500 it was indeed woolier than a real ale drinker's jumper.

Having since used the head with BFM and Schroeder cabs it's anything but woolly. I think speaker config and setup are vital to get the best sound out of the heads.

There was a thread on TB a while ago in which a guy who had an Ampeg SVT CL did a direct comparison with an ABM500. His reasoning was to find something similar sounding to the Ampeg but cheaper and lighter, and he concluded that the Ampeg wasn't worth the extra cost or backache. I wish I could find that thread.[/quote]

Me and Machines have been discussing me ditching my EBS gear for Ashdown for a while. Well, when I say discussing, Matt's been humming his Ashdown mantra constantly. Night and day. Hour upon hour. lol

Anyway, until I brought the EBS stuff that I use now, I owned a SVT ProII and 810 (occasionally alternating with a 410HLF for smaller gigs) and gigged that combination for a fair while. Fabulous valve sound, typical Ampeg. Does what it said on the tin. The idea of trying out Ashdown was always in the back of my mind as the pretty transparent but wonderful sounding EBS doesn't really suit the covers band I'm doing at the mo. However, through all the feedback I'd read on here and other forums, I've gotta admit I'd always dismissed Ashdown as having this "wooly" reputation and the reliability issues with the older ABMs worried me too.

However, we ventured into PMT in Brum a few weeks ago and tried out a ABM810 and ABM EVO-III 500 head. Plugged in a Precision and bloody hell, what a sound. Soooooooooo crunchy and punchy, loads of top end articulation and a world away from the "wool" i expected. So valve sounding, really warm and gritty.

Instant love! So much so that I'm now looking at possibly shifting the EBS stuff, something I would have never believed I'd be considering a short while ago.

T

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='tonyf' post='249937' date='Jul 28 2008, 08:52 PM']However, we ventured into PMT in Brum a few weeks ago and tried out a ABM810 and ABM EVO-III 500 head. Plugged in a Precision and bloody hell, what a sound. Soooooooooo crunchy and punchy, loads of top end articulation and a world away from the "wool" i expected. So valve sounding, really warm and gritty.

Instant love! So much so that I'm now looking at possibly shifting the EBS stuff, something I would have never believed I'd be considering a short while ago.

T[/quote]

Thats pretty much how I felt.

I auditioned for a teaching job at guitar-x in acton and tried my then brand new Alembic through an ashdown stack they had there, it sounded absolutely sh*t.

But then the gig on Friday I mentioned earlier, the combo was the best I've heard for the Alembic by a margin.

[acidbass]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='249332' date='Jul 28 2008, 08:34 AM']I was asking because I have a theory that Ashdowns rep for wooliness is due to their 1x15 cabs.[/quote]

Too true. My ABM 2x10 combo doesn't suffer from this at all thankfully!

[johnnylager]

[quote name='tonyf' post='249937' date='Jul 28 2008, 08:52 PM']...bloody hell, what a sound. Soooooooooo crunchy and punchy, loads of top end articulation and a world away from the "wool" i expected. So valve sounding, really warm and gritty.[/quote]
Exactly. Gert chunky bifton, as one might say. Wool? Schmool! Must be them 15's. Or 10's & 15's together So, can I use any power amp with any power cab.....? :brow:

/runs for cover/

Edited July 29, 2008 by johnnylager

[sk8]

i thought my MAG 210 combo sounded muddy

[johnnylager]

[quote name='sk8' post='250147' date='Jul 29 2008, 07:54 AM']i thought my MAG 210 combo sounded muddy[/quote]
And certainly next to Sir's shiny new toy! How you getting on with it mush?

[Merton]

I've always been an "Ashdown is wooly and horrible" person but I did a gig earlier this year where the headline band's bassist was using an ABM 2x10 combo and P-bass. F**k me did it sound good. If I was in the market for a new amp I wouldn't dismiss them quite as quickly as I have done in the past, certainly. But I'm not, I love my V-Types too much

[sk8]

[quote name='johnnylager' post='250170' date='Jul 29 2008, 08:54 AM']And certainly next to Sir's shiny new toy! How you getting on with it mush?[/quote]
with my new P its awesome. You can tweak the EQ and get soooo many useable sounds. Not used it in anger yet but its a great mini rig.

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='249149' date='Jul 27 2008, 09:35 PM']I did a gig at Canary wharf in the park in the middle (so outdoor stage)[/quote]

Jake, was this a one off?

My job is often based in the Wharf, so could have popped over to say hello.

I note they often do things over the year in the square, so could you be back again soon?

Let me know if so, I might even treat you to a Mocha-Frappa whatever from the extortionate Starbucks kiosk there!

As for the Ashdown thing, I am very happy with my MAG 210 combo. I must admit, I rarely use the 115T bin, and when I do, I agree with most posters that there is some sort of cone filtering/phasing going on (more noticeable at higher volume) because with the two together, it does start to sound a bit weird. It does appear to lose definition, which could be what people percieve as wooliness. I wish I'd been gigging enough when I originally bought it all to notice it and swap it for another 2x10 cab or something. Until I get out of pubs and start doing stadiums, I think I'll be alright with my 2x10 for now!

Edited July 29, 2008 by Huge Hands

[lowhand_mike]

been loving my 2x10 mag combo since i first fired it up, certrainly not wooly, guess its just the 15's that do it, they are not as bad as alot of people make out.

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='Huge Hands' post='250259' date='Jul 29 2008, 10:38 AM']Jake, was this a one off?[/quote]

'Twas I'm afraid

[redzombie]

[quote name='acidbass' post='250131' date='Jul 29 2008, 04:57 AM']Too true. My ABM 2x10 combo doesn't suffer from this at all thankfully![/quote]

+1 to that, same applies to my ABM 2x10 and 4x10 cabs, with my 300-EVOII. Saying that, I still prefer the sound of my Sansamp running through it the head, but my Ashdown on it's own ceratinly isn't "wooley".

[lateralus462]

For sure it's the ashdown 15's that give the "wooly" sound. I was toying with the idea of getting an ashdown 15 to go with my 210 ABM combo (just so it all matched) - I borrowed one to try out and it sounded sh*te - nowhere near as good as the combo with my trace cab. I love the ashdown sound, but their 1 x 15 cabs are rubbish

[Welshbassist]

I feel REALLY bad for anyone trying to sell their Ashdown 115 here at the moment...

[Protium]

[quote name='Machines' post='249383' date='Jul 28 2008, 09:39 AM']Personally i'd avoid the 1x15 cabs. I think the 10" variants are much better at what they do..[/quote]

Aye, I'm not a fan of the Ashdown 15's either.