Finally!! Ashdown Steps Up with some Small Tubers!! Yes
 

'bout time someone finally figures it out and comes out with some smaller tube amps. Ashdown is the first I've heard of to launch a couple of small wattage tube amps at NAMM. I'm really having a hard time accepting the Class D light weight amp trend thingy - they all seem a bit to hi-fi (even with proper EQing) for my blues taste.

Can't wait to here some clips.

Hmm, my Streamliner600 has more blues than any tube amp I've ever owned, except mebbe my old Mesa 400, and it's way ahead of my Ashdown Lil Bastard.

Ashdown is launching two new bass amps this year: A 100W and 15W full tube amp. Come on no excitement.
http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazin...agnifiers.aspx

Sorry Marty Forrer, the Streamliner I played, even with it's over rated tube pre-amp stage, sound like all the other class D voiced amps.

So?
Fender has had the 100T out for over a year.
Auto bias so you can swap tubes without having to bring it in,tube "heat" settings and you can use the 100T without a cab to record with too.

The Fender Bassman serise T100 and 300 are great amps. However, if I was going to spend 1,200 for the T100 I'd probably just get the 300 for 200 more buck-o-roos. Then at that point I'd probably shop around for a used Ampeg SVT-VR.

I think Ashdown's trying to put amps out there right in the middle of the whole Class D crazy: lightweight, relatively inexpensive and all tube.

How much do you think the Ashdown is going to charge for their amp?
The Little Bastard is $839. I don't think they will hit the 100T's $1200 price here in the US.

It really depends on the sound you want. I don't want a 300 watt head. I want the over driven tube sound without blowing the windows out. If you want clean power there are plenty of hybrid amps that can do that and weigh less then 10 pounds. You would be surprised at how loud a 100T can get on the OD channel and a good cab.
The Ashdown will be a big hit in Europe where the Fender and Ampeg cost a lot more.

Can I just say thatboth of these amps have got me drooling. The worrying thought is that I could easily see uses for them both! :p I've heard the CTM300 in action and it remains, without any shadow of doubt, the finest sounding bass head I've heard. If these can get anywhere close at a lower volume, weight and price point then Ashdown have a winner on their hands.

You've got to applaud Ashdown for doing something different and giving us bass players real choice in the marketplace.

You realize that article is a year old and the little bastard has already been released right?

Edit - the article is dated 2012 but states 2013 release. Either way, they already have some low wattage amps out there for bass. These seem more like they're trying to catch up with the vox nigthtrain, jet city, blackheart, egnater, etc, etc, etc, cheap tube guitar amp trend.

They released the LB30 and Drophead 30 a couple years back. They cover the low wattage tube amp range, really want a Drophead 30, though they are quite pricey.

Will be interesting to see what the new amps are like.

Yep, I can't believe the OP thought this was news! :D

The article details two brand new amps - the 100W and the 15W. Both are from the CTM series and are different to the LB30 and Drophead in more than just power output - they are completely different preamps.

They're not going after the Nighttrain or any of the other lunchbox guitar amps - because they're guitar amps! Noone else (to my knowledge) is making a 15W lunchbox all-valve bass amp and I for one will give it a warm welcome to the marketplace.

Point is, the OP stated this:

New amp models, perhaps, but not a new thing for Ashdown, they already have low power tube amps on the market.

Don't forget the V4B reissue and Mesa's decade long development of I've-forgotten-already.

It is cool that there's a solid variety in the 100W tube amp arena.

Damn...Just bought a Little Bastard...which I love, but it's still way loud for my living room:-/ I would have bought the 15 watter!

I'd love to take a crack at the 15 watter.

+1 I love my LB30 but I would have went with the 15 watter too!

Why reply with this?

+1 On that everyone isn't up to date on all the latest gear out there it's news to me also thank you OP I'm interested in the CTM-15 .

I can't believe people are nitpicking because they put the wrong year on the story... this IS news, and don't tell me you haven't accidentally written 2012 instead of 2013 in the new year. Story was posted yesterday. Why can't we just focus on these cool *new* additions to the market for us and our low end brethren who like to rock some tubage?

In your opinion, would you say the CTM300 sounds as good (or perhaps even better) than a vintage Ampeg SVT?

I have never heard a CTM300, so I'm just curious.