Ashdown

[johnnylager]

Used my old ABM EVOii combo & cab for many gigs and a couple of recordings - sounded great, heavy though.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='bumfrog' post='471515' date='Apr 24 2009, 01:53 PM']nahhh, that's our guitarists ac30 [/quote]

Which specific model? Which year?

[bumfrog]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='471537' date='Apr 24 2009, 02:27 PM']Which specific model? Which year?[/quote]

he's got one of the re-issue cc2's - get's very hot and smelly. Recifier valve went the other month, quite common unfortunately.

Most reliable valve amps I've used have been musicman/fenders.

Although I'm guessing it doesn't help in the fact that most practise rooms have terrible power supplies and are likely to spike like buggery thus destroying ones lovely valve amp.

I've got a superfly and whilst it does get hot, it doesn't feel like it's going to catch fire. I prefer the weight advantage of not having the big chassis and heatsink because I'm lazy

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='bumfrog' post='471553' date='Apr 24 2009, 02:40 PM']he's got one of the re-issue cc2's - get's very hot and smelly. Recifier valve went the other month, quite common unfortunately.

Most reliable valve amps I've used have been musicman/fenders.

Although I'm guessing it doesn't help in the fact that most practise rooms have terrible power supplies and are likely to spike like buggery thus destroying ones lovely valve amp.

I've got a superfly and whilst it does get hot, it doesn't feel like it's going to catch fire. I prefer the weight advantage of not having the big chassis and heatsink because I'm lazy [/quote]

Ah the CC2. Indeed - not a true AC30 but a damn good sounding amp all the same... and yes, they do get hot. I play in a band with a guy who has one... and surprise, surprise, his rectifier valve went. Being the geek that I am, I have plenty of spares so managed to sort him out... (had to pop back home from the gig to pick it up though).

Older MusicMan and Fender amps are good - built properly and built to last. The newer Fenders aren't so hot... especially the Hotrod Deluxes, Devilles... the screen resistors seem to kill themselves quite regularly...

Ah... the Superfire, give it time... and it'll be schmokin'

[bumfrog]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='471565' date='Apr 24 2009, 02:51 PM']Ah... the Superfire, give it time... and it'll be schmokin' [/quote]

Luckily mine was one of the last, so they'd fixed a lot of the issues. If it does start smoking though, I'll probably start laughing and get the marshmallows out

[Lifer]

[quote name='birdy' post='471529' date='Apr 24 2009, 02:14 PM']Interesting that a lot of you are using these to good effect. My recollections are that they can be deemed to be unreliable, it appears from this thread that perhaps that is not so true and they are in fact good solid workhorses?

Steve[/quote]

Mine had a pint of water thrown over it and after drying out it was as good as always

[The_D]

[quote name='birdy' post='471529' date='Apr 24 2009, 02:14 PM']Interesting that a lot of you are using these to good effect. My recollections are that they can be deemed to be unreliable, it appears from this thread that perhaps that is not so true and they are in fact good solid workhorses?

Steve[/quote]

Another dude running a Superfly here.

I have it running out to a 2x10 400W ALIEN AUDIO cab ( made by our very own ALIEN). The 2x10 is usually enough for the small pubs and clubs we end up in. If its a big enough venue I bust out the 412 Marshall cab and it sounds monster.

I have stripped all the gubbings off my superfly and now it fits perfectly in my gig bag. I can load in and out in one go without the Marshall Effects in one hand the 2x10 in the other and bass/amp on my back

And about the overheating thing. I just switch it off between sets and it cools down fine. It only overheats because it doesnt have a built in fan. Our powered PA speakers heat up just as bad.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='bumfrog' post='471621' date='Apr 24 2009, 03:38 PM']Luckily mine was one of the last, so they'd fixed a lot of the issues. If it does start smoking though, I'll probably start laughing and get the marshmallows out [/quote]

Now that would be a cool stage gimmick.

I played a gig with an originals band with a DJ... and whilst sound checking, the lights guy was mucking about with the smoke machine and strobe light - the most annoying things to have going whilst sound checking. Anyway, he stopped and a while later, the DJ chimes up and shouts to the guy at the back of the hall to stop p1ssing about with the smoke machine because it stinks. Turns out it wasn't the smoke machine... it was his Behringer keyboard amp that he used for a monitor which had given up and caught fire. I love amps catching on fire... always adds excitement to the gig!

Shall have to carry around some marshmallows in my gig bag to cover all possible amp fire marshmallow toasting.

[bassicinstinct]

[b]"And about the overheating thing. I just switch it off between sets and it cools down fine. It only overheats because it doesnt have a built in fan".[/b]

Me too.

Absolutely spot on Sir!!

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Lifer' post='471633' date='Apr 24 2009, 03:53 PM']Mine had a pint of water thrown over it and after drying out it was as good as always[/quote]

...in that it didn't work?

Perhaps we are confusing sounding woolly with "sounds like it's underwater".

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='bassicinstinct' post='471642' date='Apr 24 2009, 03:59 PM'][b]"And about the overheating thing. I just switch it off between sets and it cools down fine. It only overheats because it doesnt have a built in fan".[/b]

Me too.

Absolutely spot on Sir!![/quote]

You what?? Surely that is a big design flaw then.

No use using it as house backline for an all dayer then?

[Lifer]

Woolly? Hardly

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='The_D' post='471637' date='Apr 24 2009, 03:54 PM']I have stripped all the gubbings off my superfly and now it fits perfectly in my gig bag.[/quote]

What gubbins are there to strip off?!

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Lifer' post='471648' date='Apr 24 2009, 04:02 PM']Woolly? Hardly[/quote]


Fluffy?

[The_D]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='471647' date='Apr 24 2009, 04:01 PM']You what?? Surely that is a big design flaw then.

No use using it as house backline for an all dayer then?[/quote]

Certainly not!

Then again I wouldnt use any amp at £200 or less as a house backline for an all dayer!

Its kinda like that other "you get what you pay for" thread. I got a cheap, small amp to go with a small cab that now equals an extremely portable rig and I get a decent enough sound out of mine.

[The_D]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='471651' date='Apr 24 2009, 04:02 PM']What gubbins are there to strip off?![/quote]

The silver side plates and the branded top and bottom plates. You can remove all this to rack mount it but I saw how small it was and tried it in my gig bag pouch. Fits like a glove

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='The_D' post='471654' date='Apr 24 2009, 04:07 PM']Then again I wouldnt use any amp at £200 or less as a house backline for an all dayer![/quote]

I would. Imagine the fire!

[The_D]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='471661' date='Apr 24 2009, 04:17 PM']I would. Imagine the fire![/quote]

I'll rephrase that "Then again I wouldnt use any amp [b]I[/b] paid £200 or less for as a house backline for an all dayer!".

I am a cheap Scot remember.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='The_D' post='471667' date='Apr 24 2009, 04:22 PM']I'll rephrase that "Then again I wouldnt use any amp [b]I[/b] paid £200 or less for as a house backline for an all dayer!".

I am a cheap Scot remember.[/quote]

Do you not like fire?

[The_D]

[quote name='EBS_freak' post='471673' date='Apr 24 2009, 04:29 PM']Do you not like fire?[/quote]

I have no problem with fire but dont really like my stuff burning

[bassmansky]

i use a abm 500w 11 amp with a abm 4x10 cab and never had any problems.must admit that i do have to play around with the amp to get the sound im after.no two venues are the same especially pubs so it might take more tweaking in one than the other.i like the ashdown sound,some hate it but thats why there is loads of choice out there.they are not a plug in and play amp,as i have said a bit of tweaking is needed to get the sound youre after but imo its well worth it.only thing i would change is to get a lighter cab,still would be ashdown though!

[Bigwan]

I hear a lot of people say they have to tweak their amps to venues - I must be the odd one out. I run the ashdown combo totally flat, gain up about 3/4, drive at 1/2, volume to taste. That's it.

[bassmansky]

[quote name='Bigwan' post='471753' date='Apr 24 2009, 06:16 PM']I hear a lot of people say they have to tweak their amps to venues - I must be the odd one out. I run the ashdown combo totally flat, gain up about 3/4, drive at 1/2, volume to taste. That's it.[/quote]
perhaps i should try that

[Pookus]

I play thru an ABM EvoII 900 head and ABM 810 cab. Sound is awsome (even been told to turn the volume down at a festival 'cause it was competing with the PA!) Used the head in the studio too (even with my double bass thru it sounding good). I don't reckon you can judge an amp (or manufacturer) on the evidence of one bassist at a gig. My rig sounds like pants at the Beercart in Canterbury for example, because any bass at all triggers the stupid f***king sound limiter and I have to play really quietly with the bass turned right down.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Pookus

[clauster]

Even though mine's bottom of the range (the electric blue 180 12" combo) it does me for rehearsals and at gigs it sounds great - but at gigs I take a DI from the preamp straight into the FOH desk, so there's no colouration from the power-amp and speaker.

I love the pre but the rest of the package is pretty uninspiring. It is just a 12" driver attached to cheap power amp in a small box. Hopefully my omni 10 (when it's finished - thank God spring is here) will squeeze a bit more juice from the amp and also sound a lot better.