Dark? My ABM 500 always had fine clarity and nice thick low-mids. Not big honky high-mids like you seem to get out of markbass gear - but a good flat sound.
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Ashdowns dark sounding?
- Thread starter juan13
- Start date
Dark? My ABM 500 always had fine clarity and nice thick low-mids. Not big honky high-mids like you seem to get out of markbass gear - but a good flat sound.
Back when this album was recorded, Les was going direct through an ADA MB-2 preamp set for a little overdrive. The MB-2's long been discontinued and he's used Ampeg ever since, mostly the SVT 3 Pro, which sounds exactly like what you are describing that you want.
I know lots of people will say I'm wrong about this, but… I've found that Ashdown's lower end (solid state) amps have weak preamps.
I had a MAG 300H for a long time. I remember having to crank up my bass' volume, the preamp, and each EQ section just to get a signal that didn't sound muddy. Eventually I got a clean boost pedal, cranked it to +10dB, and it finally made the needle jump the right way. All of a sudden, the amp was clear and midrange-y…like I felt it should be.
The same stuff was going on with the EVO models at my local Ashdown dealer a few years back. They called it "vintage tone," but I just called it a low-gain preamp.
I wanted more of a Fender tube amp sound, so I sold the Ashdown and got something else.
I had a MAG 300H for a long time. I remember having to crank up my bass' volume, the preamp, and each EQ section just to get a signal that didn't sound muddy. Eventually I got a clean boost pedal, cranked it to +10dB, and it finally made the needle jump the right way. All of a sudden, the amp was clear and midrange-y…like I felt it should be.
The same stuff was going on with the EVO models at my local Ashdown dealer a few years back. They called it "vintage tone," but I just called it a low-gain preamp.
I wanted more of a Fender tube amp sound, so I sold the Ashdown and got something else.
Certainly doable on the ABM head i have, dial in that tube "grind" and you're good to go. The MAG would also do it but would need help from something like the Joyo American or Ultimate Drive (i get a very similar sound out of my UD)
I was a long-time user of the ABM 500 EVO II in an Ashdown 21o combo. Dark is one way to to describe them, warm is another. They are NOT a hi-fi sounding amp, but they do deliver a deep, warm, tone. That said, you can get them to clank and grind just fine with EQ and pedals.
Thank you for all your answers. Now my debate goes into ashdown abm vs gk rb. First one has a tube and a more vintage kind of thing going and the other is more modern. Need to give it a think. Because if i am thinking in terms of pure funcionality the GK seems to be more tone and sound shapeable/manipulable and it also has this knobs to achieve some overdrive, the ashdown i think is more, say, "organic". And my kind of sound isnt old school or vintage in the sense of the classic rock bass tone but more in the sense of: a jazz bass with mostly only the bridge pick up cranked with mids and treble with gain coming from the original signal, no blend stuff. Raw stuff. And there in the front with the guitars. More of a Who/Motorhead/Yes/Crimson vintage, not low end stuff.
Need to find which one suits better for this "calculated rawness".
To give you a hint: my aim tone to many people is too much horn-sound like,"you need more bass" they tell me sometimes, and i may need some, but is a lot less than what they may put.
Need to find which one suits better for this "calculated rawness".
To give you a hint: my aim tone to many people is too much horn-sound like,"you need more bass" they tell me sometimes, and i may need some, but is a lot less than what they may put.
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I've said this in other threads, but I'll say it here too:
Ashdown can do the modern, bright tones with EQing, but it's natural state is more warmth and fullness. It has in my opinion one of the most powerful EQ's on an amp you can get. That gives you a wide range of options.
GK can do the warm thing, but it's natural state is to be quick and clean, very modern.
My preference is Ashdown, I feel Ashdown can do the modern tone better than GK can do the vintage tone. I've owned the Mag 300 in the past, and it was my primary amp for about 10 years. I recently upgraded to an ABM 500. Look for one used, dollar for dollar they can't be beat IME.
Ashdown can do the modern, bright tones with EQing, but it's natural state is more warmth and fullness. It has in my opinion one of the most powerful EQ's on an amp you can get. That gives you a wide range of options.
GK can do the warm thing, but it's natural state is to be quick and clean, very modern.
My preference is Ashdown, I feel Ashdown can do the modern tone better than GK can do the vintage tone. I've owned the Mag 300 in the past, and it was my primary amp for about 10 years. I recently upgraded to an ABM 500. Look for one used, dollar for dollar they can't be beat IME.
I am an Ashdown Endorsee and have been for about 10 years now. I can tell you that there is a VERY distinct difference amongst the different Ashdown lines and models.
I play UK made only Ashdown gear (ABM 500 EVO II, Ashdown Neo 210 and Ashdown UK-CL 810). Having said this, There are No horns in my cabs. I play primarily rock / hard rock and use primarily high end Jazz Basses (Fender, Lakland and G&L). My tone is very warm and vintage sounding. I was an Ampeg artist for years until I found Ashdown. I would recommend listening to Foo Fighters as this is the best representation of what Ashdown gear sounds like. Personally I have not found ANYTHING that even comes close for my needs!
I will tell you that when you get into the Chinese made Ashdown Amps there is a distinctly brighter sound from my experience. MAG series is a completely different animal.
If you are serious about the UK Ashdown gear IMO you CANNOT go wrong.
I play UK made only Ashdown gear (ABM 500 EVO II, Ashdown Neo 210 and Ashdown UK-CL 810). Having said this, There are No horns in my cabs. I play primarily rock / hard rock and use primarily high end Jazz Basses (Fender, Lakland and G&L). My tone is very warm and vintage sounding. I was an Ampeg artist for years until I found Ashdown. I would recommend listening to Foo Fighters as this is the best representation of what Ashdown gear sounds like. Personally I have not found ANYTHING that even comes close for my needs!
I will tell you that when you get into the Chinese made Ashdown Amps there is a distinctly brighter sound from my experience. MAG series is a completely different animal.
If you are serious about the UK Ashdown gear IMO you CANNOT go wrong.
This, definitely. I also used a GK 400RB back in the day, for reference.
My combo ABM 500 EVO II was also UK-made.
YEAH in my experience. I run UK's pretty close to flat. Had to roll off some of the treble and high mids on the couple of Chinese made units I tried. Also recommend changing the tube depending upon what tone you are going for
Eh? I would say Ashdowns have plenty of highs and mid range.
What they don't do as well, is deliver tight, deep bass. They are more about warm low end.
If you want "big" lows, you will have to carefully match cabs and pickups, with Ashdown heads. Or put a pre-amp in front of it, which has a big low end.
What they don't do as well, is deliver tight, deep bass. They are more about warm low end.
If you want "big" lows, you will have to carefully match cabs and pickups, with Ashdown heads. Or put a pre-amp in front of it, which has a big low end.
I had a MK 500 for a short while; that was the brightest (too bright, actually) sounding amp I ever owned, or even heard. Beat out the SWRs I have owned, easily.
To further complicate....
I could be wrong but I always thought the King Crimson Red and Motörhead type sounds are from using guitar amps into bass cabinets? A 100 watt tube guitar amp could certainly get you to "aggressive mids, not much bass, with overdrive" territory. Problem (or maybe not a problem) is that it won't give you other types of tones.
I could be wrong but I always thought the King Crimson Red and Motörhead type sounds are from using guitar amps into bass cabinets? A 100 watt tube guitar amp could certainly get you to "aggressive mids, not much bass, with overdrive" territory. Problem (or maybe not a problem) is that it won't give you other types of tones.
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Every Ashdown that I've ever played was very dark sounding. Depending on what i was playing it could be good or bad. Heavy overdriven sounding stuff, perfect. Funky or modern (hi-fi) tones.....not so much.
I use a Keeley Bassist at the end of my pedal chain for tightening up
Don't know Crimson, but a lot of pro bands use one guitar cab to get that tone. But since i play on a power trio, that extra stuff the bass amps/cabs/heads gives me the lows the band needs, and i don0t have the money or the transport for having and extra guitar cab. Lets see if this helps: I used for rehearsals (since 1 year and a half) one of those new Orange crush 100 watt combo from a friend and i could get a good tone with that after a loooot of struggle and knowing the combo (it took literaly months), first it was tooooo dark and bassy for my taste (adding also it has a 1x15 doesn't help). But now on this search for MY rig i'm aiming something with more power, volume, flexibilty to my tone and yeah: brightness is something that can help me a lot to cut though the mix without being overly loud, which is THE problem with the orange.
Seems that i can win the struggle with an Ashdown after this, but what "scares" me is it sounding too dark and not helping me in that case. Another thing that really doesn't convinces me is that many Ashdown fans like more of the classic rock bass sound, being back there holding everything with the low mids and low end and i'm more up front doing firecrackers (which doesn't mean its better - at all, in fact, obviously i know i need a little of lows because after all, we are a rock band) but not with that classical "virtuoso" clean sound but more of a SLIGHTLY overdriven tone like the bands i mentioned (yes, crimson, motorhead, primus), and then hitting the strings really hard like i always do. Volume is another issue but i guess the abm is cool with that (and i guess i will ask it later).
The Gk, on another hand, seems more prepared for war, but more "cold". Tough decision.
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OK as a longtime user of the chinese made Ashdown gear (MAG, ABM and LB30), it can certainly nail those tones. Personally i don't think there's significant difference between chinese and UK made. The designs are the same, just labour is cheaper
Look at JJ Burnel's (stranglers) current rig. Don't get much more mid rangey and aggressive than that. Currently uses the Ashdown JJ Burnel sig head + ABM410's + ABM 15's
TOO many words (but the last post i made can be very helpfull): I recorded something that comes close (or is in the way) to what i'm up to. I have an orange 25 combo, have to put the lows at 10 o clock, everything else is flat and i use the tone hammer with the eq settings i like (mid mids at about 3, and treble to have some attack up to what the day tells me). The first 20 seconds are with the ags OFF but with the gain at 1:30/2 o clock, then there is a pause and i play with the ags on but with the gain at 8 o clock, i love how the thinner strings sound, but maybe the low notes sound too robotic and no much edge. I also love how it sounds more hot, BUT, sometimes it goes out of control and fights with the guitar and the audicence comprehension of the song. In a band setting the lows maybe take some place since its my role also (rolling on the bass knob a little or in some cases putting low mids isntead of mid mids). My idea is to find a polished sound that goes somewhere near these two (solving that low fatness that sometimes doesn't help).
