An open letter to Ashdown...... anybody listening?

hifibass · #1 10-28-2011, 09:21 AM

Last year I saw your new 30 watt "flip-top" at NAMM and was quite taken by it. I would have purchased one but can't figure out your pricing scheme? The best advertised price on an LB-30/15H has been $2799, less whatever "deal" may be running at the time. I can buy a Little Bastard head (the same), with a matching Ashdown VS-115-200 300 watt cabinet for $1190, and get the same deal. If I want to go with a new "demo" head, the combo can be bought for well under $1,000.00/delivered.

My question is...... what in the World would make you think I/we would pay almost 3 TIMES as much for the "flip-top" option????

If you folks ever come to your senses, I believe you could sell quite a few of these nice little LB-30/15H amps.

PBFACTOR · #2 10-28-2011, 09:49 AM

i might be wrong (hopefully jaquo3 will chime in) but i think the lb and the new red cabs that go with it are made off shore and the drophead and the bigger 200 watter aren't. i've been seeing lots of posts on fb from ashdown and they show the hand building of the the more spendy units. the new ampeg b15 portoflex is even more than the ashdown drophead 30. dunno.

crguti · #3 10-28-2011, 10:10 AM

Ashdown is very expensive. I've got the VS-212 cab and it's made of cheap wood and poorly hand made.

hifibass · #4 10-28-2011, 10:29 AM

I have 4 Ashdown UK built Euphonic Audio heads and they are magnificently well built, as were the older ABM's. The Little Bastard is part of the "Classic All Valve Series" which are supposedly US built. Any LB owners out there that want to set us straight?

JAUQO III-X · #5 10-29-2011, 07:58 AM

The combo is UK made. And the VS-115-200 300 watt cab is China made.

s_mcsleazy · #6 10-29-2011, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

The combo is UK made. And the VS-115-200 300 watt cab is China made.

beat me to the punch.

well op. in the uk there like half the price. HA, THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR MAKING US PAY A FORTUNE FOR FENDERS

Kitsapbass · #7 10-29-2011, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s_mcsleazy

beat me to the punch.

well op. in the uk there like half the price. HA, THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR MAKING US PAY A FORTUNE FOR FENDERS

I thought that was the VAT and import taxes that did that...I know for us its the fall of the the US dollar...

hifibass · #8 11-20-2011, 03:39 PM

They're going for around the equivalent of $850 in the UK, not 1/2 the US price.

hifibass · #9 11-28-2011, 03:39 PM

Well the Little Bastard is definitely made in China. I took delivery of a used one today and it sounds WONDERFUL, plenty loud. Makes me wonder where the flip-top head is made?

hennessybass · #10 11-28-2011, 03:58 PM

My LB was made in China. I believe that there were like 100 LB heads hand made in the UK. The UK ones have a white face, the China ones have the silver face.

Not sure about where the fliptop ones were made.

I have two Asdhown ABM compact 15 cabs. I think they are very nice construction. I've played the LB with a 1x15 and 2x15 set up. Nice. ABM, I believe is the top of the line stuff. Both the CL and the VS series have the red cloth. I think the VS series is the lower of the two - with regards to CRGUTI's comment.