Ashdown's classic all valve series, 2011

[Matt Cummings]

Okay, so I'm looking to buy a new amp, preferably a decent combo. Being at uni it's just easier but i've got about £1000 to play with, Plus a little bit more if i sell my KRK Rokit 8's.

After having a search around i've fallen upon Ashdown newest range of 'drophead' valve combo's but to be fair they are pretty prices although they look sweet and it's more or less what i'm looking for. All Valve would be preferable but with an affordable price tag and something thats not so big its a logistical nightmare.

The long and the short of it is: The LB-30 Drophead 15H has an RRP of £1300 roughly, forgive me for being ignorant but isn't it essentially just a little bastard head (£320)

http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/det...n=valve&ID=229

and a 1x15 inch cab similar to the VS-115-200 (£279) with a horn?

http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/det...tion=dt&ID=256

So why the hefty price tag of? £1300 when surely an equivalent can be bought for around £600?

To be fair, i'm quite new at this game and i'm probably completely missing something here i was just wondering if anyone could shed some light?

Cheers,

Matt

P.s. sorry if this is posted in the wrong section of the forum, it's my first post and all.

[Matt Cummings]

bump

[4StringsEnough]

I'm not 100% but I think your understanding is correct. Again, I'm not sure, but I think the Dropheads are made in the UK while the LB is Chinese. That alone should not account for such a difference in price. Maybe there's something else or even an error? Remember also that you're comparing RRP to street price so there'll be a difference there.

[Rob Martinez]

Go see what an Ampeg Heritage B15 is going for, and the Ashdown Drophead looks like the deal of the century. I am considerting getting the Drophead.

[Beskyd]

Matt, You may check this thread to address your question:
Ashdown Drophead

Just use "Search" -> "Advanced Search"

P.S. I do agree that this combo is kind of overpriced as compared to LB head. Nevertheless want one badly))

[Matt Cummings]

I've had a search around and you can get a limited edition little bastard made in the UK for £439 rrp. that still leaves a deficit of £582.

I know the drop head has "special features" ... well basically its a combo.

That extra metal clasp on the side must be made of gold haha.

[Matt Cummings]

Its such a shame because it is exactly what i wanted, something fairly compact that has a quality sound.

Cheers Beskyd, ill check it out

[Smurf-o-Deth]

Get the LB and pick up a cab to go with it, like something from Barefaced, which will be light, compact, and effecient. You can even get a cloth grill on their stuff if you want the old school look. Admittedly, not a combo, but at 25ish pounds in each hand, should still be a totally easy haul.

[Matt Cummings]

Originally Posted by Rob Martinez

Go see what an Ampeg Heritage B15 is going for, and the Ashdown Drophead looks like the deal of the century. I am considerting getting the Drophead.

I know what you mean mate. It's daylight robbery or are they just hoping people are thick?

[LuvMusic]

Originally Posted by Smurf-o-Deth

Get the LB and pick up a cab to go with it, like something from Barefaced, which will be light, compact, and effecient. You can even get a cloth grill on their stuff if you want the old school look. Admittedly, not a combo, but at 25ish pounds in each hand, should still be a totally easy haul.

This is what I did. Got the LB prototype from last winter's NAMM for $700.00ish USD and I had a Carvin 15in cab. Sounds good.

Think I'm going to get another cab though. Right now an Orange OBC115 is the front-runner. About $550.00 USD.

The head and Orange cab....less than $1300 USD.

[Smurf-o-Deth]

I'm still mulling over what to pair my brand new Little Bastard with.

[SactoBass]

Has anyone here on TB actually heard these new Drophead all tubers?

If yes, what is the tone like?

How about the 200 watter?

[Matt Cummings]

Well, i'm assuming the 30 watter is pretty much the same as the LB head?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg04AoqeX-4

[Matt Cummings]

Okay, so i know this is pathetic but i think you guys should read this.

Ashdown have really put my back up with this product, i know it shouldn't annoy me but it does so I've emailed then asking for some clarity and this is how it reads:

"Hi,
please forgive my ignorance however i was wondering if you could enlighten me.

The new to LB-30 drophead 15H looks amazing and i'm seriously interested in it.

I understand it has the same head as the Little Bastard 30 watt valve head and a 1x15 inch cabs with a horn.

Giggear retail the LB head for £399, and a cab not dissimilar to the cab that comes with the LB-30 drophead 15H, the Ashdown VS-115-200 for £279

This equates to £678 in total.

The LB-30 drophead 15H retails for £1214 at the same store, with other stores retailing it at £1320, a total of £536 more expensive than the £1214 price.

I understand that the LB-30 drophead 15H has a horn where as
the vs-115-200 doesn't and that the LB-30 drophead 15H has modifications to make it compact and described as a combo but if i understand correctly you can get essentially the same product from the same brand, Ashdown, separately in the form of the LB head and the vs-115-200 for £500 less.

i was wondering why the price was so dramatically different, i know the Little bastard is manufactured in China however i have found a UK made Edition retailing at a shop for £429 brand new, its still well over £500 more expensive.

This is literally the only thing stopping me from buying the product.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Thank you."

His reply reads:

"yup the cheaper stuff is from china
all drop heads are UK built and have more custom features, covering, materials
cheers
mark"

My reply reads:

So that equates to them costing between £536 and £721 more expensive?

You could buy the little bastard head and a cab twice over for the price of the LB-drophead which is essentially exactly the same, just some aesthetic differences?

Sorry, i'm not trying to be rude i'm just trying to understand.

again, any help is appreciated.

Matt

His reply reads:

yup you can
I can buy an Aston martin got 130k or a KIA for 5k
Chinese is cheaper pretty good but there are no Chinese drop heads
thanks for the interest

My reply reads:

but you can buy a little bastard head built in the UK, not built in china brand new and from a reputable store for £429.

so what your saying is that the cab cost an £506 to build in the UK.

It costs Ashdown an extra £506 to build the same cab in the UK as it does in China?

You analogy doesn't compare to this situation because the Aston Martin is one company and the Kia is manufactured by another, The products are completely different and are made from significantly different materials and parts in what your comparing this situation to.

The case with the LB head and cab and the LB-30 drophead 15H are essentially exactly the same product. Your analogy should read like this:

I could buy an Aston Martin made in the UK for 130K or i could buy the same Aston Martin made in the UK but the chassis is imported from China, but made from the same materials just with a different paint job, for 59K? (I worked out the comparative percentages so this correct)

You would have to be a fool to spend the extra 71k, In fact much like in the case above you could by two Aston Martins ... now wouldn't that look good?

I fail to see how this product is being marketed successfully?



Okay, things started to get a bit heated but i don't like to see people getting ripped off and that is what is happening here.

Yes the product is amazing but essentially they have looked at the Heritage B-15 and though ... well cut the price in half and grab a market share but we wont bother to make a new product, well just rehash some old stuff and crack the price up by 120%.


Right i'm sorry, huge post but i had to get it off my chest.

Please let me know what you think and reassure me im not a raving lunatic.

[4StringsEnough]

You're not a raving lunatic. You actually appear to have a sensible head on your shoulders! New get a sensible head (LB30) on a sensible cab (your choice) and forget the Drophead and any other combo aspirations! Separates are better anyway! ;-)

[Matt Cummings]

I was thinking Behringer to be honest haha, Na I'm messing around, i just dont want to see people get ripped off.

How loud can the LB30 handle?

My guitarists are something to contend with, i can always use the DI thought i suppose?

[christw]

Originally Posted by Matt Cummings

I was thinking Behringer to be honest haha, Na I'm messing around, i just dont want to see people get ripped off.

How loud can the LB30 handle?

My guitarists are something to contend with, i can always use the DI thought i suppose?

30 watts can damage your hearing with the right cab. I'm referring to a 30w guitar amp I used for bass with an undersized output trans through my Bag End 410. It would fit into a loud garage band and do small-medium venues without support.

[JimmyM]

you're a little bit of a raving lunatic, sorry if you'd rather have something cheaper, go ahead and get it. it's out there if you want it. but some folks don't mind paying for higher quality, plus you seem to have a mistaken impression that everything should be priced so you can afford it. not sure what you were trying to accomplish by busting balls, but here's the bottom line...they are entitled to charge whatever they want for anything they build and you are entitled to buy it or not buy it. the end.

[Matt Cummings]

yeah, i know man. too little money and too many pots of coffee?

ha, i guess i just couldn't see where they got the price from.

still gotta have one though.

to be fair it is good that they are sourcing labour in the UK instead of import and export

[JimmyM]

hey, i can relate. wish i could buy it all, too.