Ashdown LB30

geddyfan · #1 11-16-2011, 10:23 AM

Anybody with any experience with this head and a fearful 151566 cab? Would this be loud enough for small gigs. I'm always looking to try something different and this sounds fun.

hennessybass · #2 11-16-2011, 10:53 AM

I would say yes, but I think most people would say no. You can read all over TB about JimmyM using his 30w B15 with a 2x15 set up. It can be done.

I can't comment on the fEarful cab directly, but I own (currently for sale) a LB30. I played it with a 2x15 set up at several gigs. People think I'm crazy, but it was kind of cool.

I think for small gigs you would be fine. It all depends on on the sound and volume you want, and depends on the band you are playing with. If you are looking for clean, then NO. If you are looking for a warm buttery tone with very musical distortion, then YES.

The gigs I was doing were in a good size room (kind of an enclosed outdoor space) with a full on rock band - 2 guitars, loud drummer, and keys. With no PA support. The amp did OK. It starts to break up pretty fast. When the band played quiet stuff, it sounded great. A light touch on the bass was key to getting a big sound out of it and letting the bottom end come thru. The cabs I was playing are "compact 15s", so the fEarful might do better here. When the band would crank it up, and I would dig in on the bass, the sound would really thin out and distort - I would just loose all the low end in that situation.

For a small gig, or more quiet band, the LB sounds great - if you are into that sound. Especially if you have a big cab to run it thru. I used it at practice quite a bit with a single 15" and it was great for that.

You can get a lot of different tones out of the LB, but it is kind of a specialty amp. Perfect for a rock thing where you are not looking to make peoples ears bleed, but you still want that super saturated sound. It is VERY sensitive to how hard you play. Makes a great little practice amp, and great for recording (don't forget it has a DI that is after the tube output section).

It's a cool and fun amp to have. I have a B15 which is also a 30W tube amp, so that's why I'm selling my LB, but otherwise i would probably keep it. I kind of want to keep it anyway... ****. So many amps!!!

geddyfan · #3 11-16-2011, 12:18 PM

I play in a rock band and our volume typically is not that loud. If it needs to be thats why I have a 400+

hennessybass · #4 11-16-2011, 12:28 PM

It's tough with an amp like the LB, cuz if the guitar player if feeling frisky, and decides to be really loud that night, and you don't have enough volume, there is nowhere really to go without getting into some real distortion - and you will start to loose that low end.

If you can DI out to the PA, then no problem. Or if your band can control the overall volume, then no problem.

It's a cool amp.

rodl2005 · #5 11-16-2011, 02:47 PM

+2, I agree with Hennessybass on both points. Great li'l amp, & if u got FOH PA no probs, but in a LOUD band & no PA you might run out..... I used my LB-30 in our 12 piece Motown band last nite & that band generates a lot of noise with 3 horns, 5 voc & loud drummer.
With 2 x 115's it worked a treat tho
I had it DI'd but hardly had any bass in the FOH.

geddyfan · #6 11-16-2011, 04:30 PM

Well it sounded fun but maybe not.

rodl2005 · #7 11-16-2011, 05:07 PM

Only real way to know is to try one.
I know that with 2x15"s this li'l B gives heaps of volume, but ymmv.
One man's loud........
I've used mine also with a 212 in our blues band, no PA support & it was cool. But a LOUD pub rock band with 2 gtrs might be a li'l much. Again ymmv

It is a sweet li'l amp tho. Luscious tone.

geddyfan · #8 11-16-2011, 05:51 PM

We are a rock band but not too loud. 1 guitar and a controlled drummer. Guitar player plays a 50w koch so no ear shattering volume. I could run through the pa if need be and I'm not looking for a pristine clean tone

hennessybass · #9 11-16-2011, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geddyfan

We are a rock band but not too loud. 1 guitar and a controlled drummer. Guitar player plays a 50w koch so no ear shattering volume. I could run through the pa if need be and I'm not looking for a pristine clean tone

I bet it would work for you... especially if you had a big cab like you were talking about.

rodl2005 · #10 11-16-2011, 08:16 PM

Yep, ime, it'd be great! Especially thru 2x15"s. It sure breaks up nicely. I'm gonna try a 12au7 in the v1 pos asap, to see if I get a li'l more clean headroom. Will report back asap.

rodl2005 · #11 11-16-2011, 11:45 PM

I just tried swapping some pre amp tubes around in my LB-30.
Didn't have a lotta time & the 'v1' labelled tube is on the opposite side to the input socket? Don't know what's going on there (I ain't NO tech-as you may've gathered

Putting a 12au7 in the socket closest to the input jack did lower the overdrive, but also seemed to lower the headroom also. Is this normal??
It comes with ax7's in v1(closest to input) & v2(middle) & an au7 in v1(furthest from input).
I ended up putting another 12au7 in the v2 pos. This, seemed, to give it a little more clean headroom & didn't lower the overall volume noticeably.
I'd be interested in hearing others views on this.
I also tried some old '70's Philips ax7's & didn't really notice a marked difference from the Ruby's in there.
The 12au7 I put in v2 was a JJ that I had here.
Some gut shots.