Congratulations and welcome to the fold! There's a lot of exploration to be had dialing in tones but once you figure out how it all adjusts it's as versatile as any amp out there. They each seem to be a bit different as well. I've had a China built and UK build and they were pretty different from each other.
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Let's talk about the Ashdown Little Bastard
- Thread starter Joris 55
- Start date
@JIO This is a very relevant comment:
I have one of the original Sino LB30s and it sounds pretty similar to my 427, which has the old Dual Tube preamp used in your Spyder.
I also have UK Custom Shop Mk2. The sound is much more mid scooped and HiFi, with huge lows.
Near as I can tell, the tone stack in the Mk2 has different component values and one connection has been changed, so it functions more like a Hiwatt tone stack than a Fender tone stack. It does not sound like a Hiwatt though. The Mid control rotary does little to nothing, depending on the position of the switches and other rotary controls. The Low Freq switch also does not really produce much, if any audible change. As far as I can tell the Low Freq switch adjusts the cutoff for an HPF, and both options are so low that I can't hear a difference.
You can quickly tell the difference by looking at the front panel. The order of the tone control rotaries on the original amps is Mid, Bass, Treble. If the order is Bass, Mid, Treble, you have a Mk2. No idea if this is true for all Mk2s.
Both are great sounding amps, but they do sound considerably different.
If you are curious, the newer CTM 30 Little Stubby is voiced similar to the original LB30s. The LB30 sounds a bit more vintage and Little Stubby sounds a bit more modern IMHO.
Hope you enjoy your "new-to-me" amp.
Ashdowns tend to be awesome, but they can be a bit quirky.
I have one of the original Sino LB30s and it sounds pretty similar to my 427, which has the old Dual Tube preamp used in your Spyder.
I also have UK Custom Shop Mk2. The sound is much more mid scooped and HiFi, with huge lows.
Near as I can tell, the tone stack in the Mk2 has different component values and one connection has been changed, so it functions more like a Hiwatt tone stack than a Fender tone stack. It does not sound like a Hiwatt though. The Mid control rotary does little to nothing, depending on the position of the switches and other rotary controls. The Low Freq switch also does not really produce much, if any audible change. As far as I can tell the Low Freq switch adjusts the cutoff for an HPF, and both options are so low that I can't hear a difference.
You can quickly tell the difference by looking at the front panel. The order of the tone control rotaries on the original amps is Mid, Bass, Treble. If the order is Bass, Mid, Treble, you have a Mk2. No idea if this is true for all Mk2s.
Both are great sounding amps, but they do sound considerably different.
If you are curious, the newer CTM 30 Little Stubby is voiced similar to the original LB30s. The LB30 sounds a bit more vintage and Little Stubby sounds a bit more modern IMHO.
Hope you enjoy your "new-to-me" amp.
D
Mine is a MkI then. The tone controls all work fine, although they interact in a way that I needed some some time getting used to.
It's a great sounding amp, and I love the tone I get when pushing it into the edge of breakup. It does have a rather "baked-in" tone that can't really be dialled out though. It's definitely on the dark/warm/fat side of the tonal spectrum, bordering on muddy with SOME cabs. I guess you could call it a "vintage" tone, although that would indicate that all vintage amps have a dark/warm tone, which really isn't the case at all.
I got mine on a sale for the equivalent of around $5-600 (if I remember correctly). The tube DI output was worth the price alone. It's a shame it can't be run in silent mode and that the tone controls affects both the signal going to the cab and DI output. It would have been so much more versatile for recording if the tone controls hadn't affected the DI output. But I guess that would have been impossible when the DI output is tapped off the output transformer, which is probably the reason why can sound so AMAZING for recording direct. Output tube saturation rather than fizzy preamp distortion? YES PLEASE!!!!
It's a great sounding amp, and I love the tone I get when pushing it into the edge of breakup. It does have a rather "baked-in" tone that can't really be dialled out though. It's definitely on the dark/warm/fat side of the tonal spectrum, bordering on muddy with SOME cabs. I guess you could call it a "vintage" tone, although that would indicate that all vintage amps have a dark/warm tone, which really isn't the case at all.
I got mine on a sale for the equivalent of around $5-600 (if I remember correctly). The tube DI output was worth the price alone. It's a shame it can't be run in silent mode and that the tone controls affects both the signal going to the cab and DI output. It would have been so much more versatile for recording if the tone controls hadn't affected the DI output. But I guess that would have been impossible when the DI output is tapped off the output transformer, which is probably the reason why can sound so AMAZING for recording direct. Output tube saturation rather than fizzy preamp distortion? YES PLEASE!!!!
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,591
- 221,978
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Thanks so much guys
- this for me is what makes tb a great place to hang. I do favor a more vintage tone and it's why I like my Ampeg B15 & Ashdown 550 Spyder. Both bands I play with play many of what I consider '60s "classical pop" songs, of which I try to cop that specific bass sound/tone. (pick & palm muting included) I will know more about the order of the front panel control rotaries once I get it and will post pics. I think tubes have been upgraded but again, will know specifics soon.
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Just picked up a used CTM 30 the idea being for use with acoustic gigs! Been using my elf or Eich until now! First impressions are very good ! The depth for 30w is amazing and allot of character in the sound. I always wondered how Valve amps do that 
@Wasnex had one modded with a dummy load, very clean mod.
That was @Nuage420 Here is the post: Low-Wattage Tubesters Official Club
I believe he sold that amp (Mk1), and then had sellers remorse and bought another one (Mk2).
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I would buy that first one back if I knew who had it. I did buy another but a UK built this time but haven't sent it to Sushi to be modded yet, it's currently sitting at my brother's in his home studio. I'm going there in January and likely bringing it back with me.
Edit!!! Hahaha that's right you have it!
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,591
- 221,978
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Here's a pic of my new (to me) LB30 So the HIGH - LOW input order seems correct, and the main controls are MIDDLE / BASS / TREBLE / VOLUME with corresponding MID SHIFT / BASS SHIFT / BRIGHT / MUTE switches. I'll have more pics and details soon.
Selling mine here and on reverb, I priced mine high enough so I can keep using it ! knowing sooner or later someone will snag it !
For Sale/Trade - Ashdown Little Bastard 30 Watt Tube Head
For Sale/Trade - Ashdown Little Bastard 30 Watt Tube Head
D
Interesting, thanks!
I already have a nice home recording setup with a Fryette Power Station AND a Grossman Iso Box. With these combined I can crank a Plexi with hardly any sound in the room whasoever. I don't even have to go nuts with the attenuation on the Power Station. Just a little bit of attenuation and let the Iso Box take care of the rest. The Grossman iso cab works surprisingly well for bass too, to the point where it almost feels like it defies the laws of physics.
I actually get better guitar/bass recordings in my home studio now than in my proper recording studio.
A built in load box would be a LOT more convenient though, at least when I'm only recording the DI output, with no mic'ed cab.
But sometimes I want both and I can't see a way around the OTHER "problem" with the LB's DI output, that the tone controls affect the DI output. This isn't ideal if I want to combine a mic'ed signal with the DI signal. I definitely don't want the same eq on those. The solution is to eq the mic/DI separately downstream of course but still... It's always better to get things right at the source. That's the price I have to pay for that glorious DI out tone I guess. It definitely wouldn't sound the same if the DI output was pre-tone stack (and therefore also pre output tubes/transformer).
Interesting, thanks!
I already have a nice home recording setup with a Fryette Power Station AND a Grossman Iso Box. With these combined I can crank a Plexi with hardly any sound in the room whasoever. I don't even have to go nuts with the attenuation on the Power Station. Just a little bit of attenuation and let the Iso Box take care of the rest. The Grossman iso cab works surprisingly well for bass too, to the point where it almost feels like it defies the laws of physics.
A built in load box would be a LOT more convenient though, at least when I'm only recording the DI output, with no mic'ed cab.
But sometimes I want both and I can't see a way around the OTHER "problem" with the LB's DI output, that the tone controls affect the DI output. This isn't ideal if I want to combine a mic'ed signal with the DI signal. I definitely don't want the same eq on those. The solution is to eq the mic/DI separately downstream of course but still... It's always better to get things right at the source. That's the price I have to pay for that glorious DI out tone I guess. It definitely wouldn't sound the same if the DI output was pre-tone stack (and therefore also pre output tubes/transformer).
Just realized that the latest version of the Ashdown CTM-15 also has a built-in power soak, so that might be worth looking into.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,591
- 221,978
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Just finished first practice with the CTM 30 and made direct comparisons with the Elf. What a great little amp ! If the DI sounds anything like the amplified sound I will be very satisfied! Although not set loud (semi acoustic practice) way more bottom than the ELF with bass fully dimed. As handy as the elf is it’s the backup shelf for this little elf ….
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,591
- 221,978
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Just received the LB30 - learned it is actually NOS, original tagger still attached. (I unraveled it instead of cutting it for prominence-sake ) It's been in a music store in Santa Cruz since new, of which the proprietor Dave was an Ashdown dealer.
Speaking of which.., was it made in 2010? (based on the serial #?)
I peeked in after removing the top vent ... I'm going to take an educated guess that removing the corner bumpers will let me remove the interior from the case. Let me know.
In anticipation I ordered a custom cover for it - it fit "like a glove".
(I unraveled it instead of cutting it for prominence-sake ) It's been in a music store in Santa Cruz since new, of which the proprietor Dave was an Ashdown dealer.Speaking of which.., was it made in 2010? (based on the serial #?)
I peeked in after removing the top vent ... I'm going to take an educated guess that removing the corner bumpers will let me remove the interior from the case. Let me know.
In anticipation I ordered a custom cover for it - it fit "like a glove".
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,591
- 221,978
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
