• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Hartke or Ashdown?

J

John Deacon

Aug 24, 2007
917
0
Virginia
#1
I was looking at this Hartke head:

Invalid Link Removed

And I was gonna run it through a 4x10 cab. I have also seen ashdowns. How are the ashdowns?

Also, my guitarist is gonna have a combo and im gonna have a half stack, is that a little backwards? Will I be too loud? Thanks!
 
#10
I'm also looking at a similar choice. Heard a lot of good things about the Hartke LH500 - big power and great tone for the money but no graphic eq. Ashdown also very tempting but less power in the Mag 300 Evo II for similar price level. Hartke's famous 3500a head is about £50 - £60 more expensive than the valve pre-amp LH500 but you get greater tone flexibility with its graphic. I guess all three are great miod-mrange amp choices, I'm leaning towards the LH500 as I go all misty-eyed about valves.
 
#15
John Deacon said:
I mean, I just dont want to overpower him. And with a half stack I feel like I might.
Click to expand...

Obviously you can always turn down, but also something i've noticed from playing bass in bands for about 5 years is no matter what they are playing through, guitar players can ALWAYS cut through.

especially if your guitar player is playing trough like a fender deluxe or some other tube amp rated around 60-100 watts, he'll be heard NO problem.

get the stack.
 
#17
I own an Ashdown ABM 500 EVOII and have played the LH1000(the bigger brother of the LH500) and I don't think you can go wrong but if I had to pick right now, I'd get the LH500. I really dig the tone of the LH series Hartkes, I like the simple layout, that you can rackmount the LH500, and I think they are a better value than the Ashdown heads.
 
#18
I have never tried the new Hartke heads but have only heard good things.

I have the Ashdown ABM 115 Combo and can only say good things about the ABM series from Ashdown. Very versatile EQ, dial-in tubeyness, volume. It's a fine amp.
 
#19
I've played many Hartkes and Ashdowns head to head, and Ashdown WIPE THE FLOOR with Hartke. Hartke are thin and clacky, whereas ashdown have punch galore and real deep bass if you want it. An Ashdown MAG300 I played out-toned the 'Hartke 8x10 mega stack' thing that they made such a big hoo-har over. It was awful.
 
#20
right now i've got an ashdown mag300 head. it was part of a 2x10 combo, but i blew the speakers and took the head out.

for a while i was playing through a behringer paper cone 4x10, with TONS of EQ. I thought it still sounded awful. then i got a GK 1x15 and a Markbass 2x10, and it sounded great but at about half the volume things started getting a little overdriven. The EQ was a little closer to flat, but I still needed to make some adjustments here and there to get it the way i like. NOW though, I've traded the markbass for a 70's Fender 2x15 and i am FLOORED! it's my dream tone- the EQ is completely flat except for the low mids, which i pulled back to about 10 O'Clock. I can crank it all the way up (gain and master) and it sounds BEAUTIFUL!! Punch galore with all the bottom end i could ever ask for, along with a crisp high end and really nice mids. it's the most well rounded amp i've ever played through!

so, i stand behind my Ashdown for now, but only until I can afford a tube head!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back