Yeah, I love them! I am putting together my first all tube rig, but will certainly keep these Ampegs!
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new amp day!!! Ashdown Little Bastard
- Thread starter DerekP
- Start date
Yeah, I love them! I am putting together my first all tube rig, but will certainly keep these Ampegs!
...and the point I'm making is that I use it and it works for me. I make no mis-representations and clearly state exactly how I use it. If someone can't figure out if the amp will work for them or not based on the info I provided, then they have only themselves to blame.
OK Ill chime in here as well.
I have used my Lil bastard with the following:
Berg NV412 - loud and crunchy, not quite loud enough to cover a loud hard hitting rock drummer but with another cab stacked I reckon it would work without PA
Eden XST/XLT 2 x 410 stack - lots of mids from the XLT and beef from the XST pretty loud but didnt get to try it with the band.
Ampeg PF115he - beautiful fat tone, and with the master set so the power tubes start to OD... well this is my favourite cab with this head. I recorded several songs on my bands upcoming album using this combo. So great for studio/ home jam type scenarios.
Overall I found that 30w might not be enough for a loud rock band (we have 1 guitarist but a very loud drummer), however its actually not far off and IMO the 2 x 410 would probably cut it.
I think this amp is amazing value for the quality it puts out. I wouldn't describe it as being super clean/hi fi, however that could be altered with the right bass. In fact my LSS Dingwall was pretty articulate. I would however suggest that you can get a beautiful vintage breakup from this amp with the right bass, eq setting and speaker combo if that's your thing.
PS that is def my thing
Cheers
Mike
I have used my Lil bastard with the following:
Berg NV412 - loud and crunchy, not quite loud enough to cover a loud hard hitting rock drummer but with another cab stacked I reckon it would work without PA
Eden XST/XLT 2 x 410 stack - lots of mids from the XLT and beef from the XST pretty loud but didnt get to try it with the band.
Ampeg PF115he - beautiful fat tone, and with the master set so the power tubes start to OD... well this is my favourite cab with this head. I recorded several songs on my bands upcoming album using this combo. So great for studio/ home jam type scenarios.
Overall I found that 30w might not be enough for a loud rock band (we have 1 guitarist but a very loud drummer), however its actually not far off and IMO the 2 x 410 would probably cut it.
I think this amp is amazing value for the quality it puts out. I wouldn't describe it as being super clean/hi fi, however that could be altered with the right bass. In fact my LSS Dingwall was pretty articulate. I would however suggest that you can get a beautiful vintage breakup from this amp with the right bass, eq setting and speaker combo if that's your thing.
PS that is def my thing
Cheers
Mike
I got my Ashdown Little Bastard and today received an Ashdown VS-112 cab, and what a cool rig! Great, smooth, warm tone with my Hofner Club bass. Took a few minutes to get used to the EQ, but it really is a nice amp.
I was a bit concerned 30 watts would be insufficient, but no worries now. This little amp can get loud! At least for my uses, which is 50s and early 60s music.
Later, I want to get the VS-115 cab. Cool!
I was a bit concerned 30 watts would be insufficient, but no worries now. This little amp can get loud! At least for my uses, which is 50s and early 60s music.
Later, I want to get the VS-115 cab. Cool!
Rob, make sure you switch between both inputs. There is a big difference in the gain between the two. The high input gets you loud with little breakup. Also, be sure to experiment with running the volume wide open and adjusting the volume with the instrument and vise-verse. Lots of flexibility there.
Just picked p a second VS-115. All i have at the moment is a cellphone pic from last night's gig, stacked with my older VS-115 and Little Bastard. I grabbed it on the way to the gig.
The newer one has some differences, the logo, the port is bigger, it only has Speakon jacks and it is made in UK instead of China.
The newer one has some differences, the logo, the port is bigger, it only has Speakon jacks and it is made in UK instead of China.
Nice looking rig and even nicer looking bass!
Well I guess I need to get out of the business then, because I regularly make a mockery as to why more powerful amps were built, and I couldn't give a rat's ass.
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What does that have to do with anything? So you're saying that because you couldn't make a B-15 work, nobody could? Total crap and nonsense. Not only have I made it work with PA, I have made it work many times WITHOUT PA, in as large as an 800 seat theater. My band is not extremely loud, but we're not quiet, either. The only time I ever came close to struggling was when I played a 150 seat nightclub doing classic rock. Started out just fine, but then the guitarist kept turning up and up, so I did, tooAt the end of the last set, I was distorting a little. Sounded good, though.
Some of need more wattage...some of us don't. But don't try to tell me I do when it's painfully obvious that I and many of us who gig our B-15's don't. Thank you.
BTW, my B-15 is the 25w version, so there!
Jimmy M, i'm a noob when it comes to Mic's: What Mic are you using for that cab?
Played the Ashdown drop head 30 today (which i think is virtually identical head to the LB, apart from the v cool flip top design), was really surprise at how much air i could move with 30w through a 15"! Am tempted by the bone crushing OD that doesn't completely blow out your ear drums!
One thing i couldn't figure out is the EQ. Anyone got any pointers on it? I've read the manual and i'm still not clear? What setting gives you a flat response? Do the dials cut and boost freq's or do they just cut like the passive tone pot on a bass? If so does that mean when i have evrything dialled clockwise i have a flat EQ?
One thing i couldn't figure out is the EQ. Anyone got any pointers on it? I've read the manual and i'm still not clear? What setting gives you a flat response? Do the dials cut and boost freq's or do they just cut like the passive tone pot on a bass? If so does that mean when i have evrything dialled clockwise i have a flat EQ?
Dunno re the eq. Think it's passive, as when everything's down there ain't no volume??? Same as my Fender
Didn't try to get a "flat"eq, just dug the drippy lushness
Didn't try to get a "flat"eq, just dug the drippy lushness
Meh, exactly.... but sent that back and got an Ashdown Touring 330 2X10. no regrets at all
Sadly I had to sell my LB30 
The blues/jazz band I'm in has lost it's regular Sunday gig at the lounge bar & now are doing mostly corporate gigs & functions & my other bands play pretty loud. So loud that the Li'l Bastard couldn't work.
I miss most using it at home for practise & of course the blues/jazz Sunday gigs.
Such a lush tube tone that you can ONLY get by running an all tube amp at close to it's full output-even b4 overdrive kicks in.
I can get pretty much the same vibe outta my Traynor YBA300, but volume levels are up there..... & it weighs a lot more.
I miss that Li'l Bastard muchly.
The blues/jazz band I'm in has lost it's regular Sunday gig at the lounge bar & now are doing mostly corporate gigs & functions & my other bands play pretty loud. So loud that the Li'l Bastard couldn't work.
I miss most using it at home for practise & of course the blues/jazz Sunday gigs.
Such a lush tube tone that you can ONLY get by running an all tube amp at close to it's full output-even b4 overdrive kicks in.
I can get pretty much the same vibe outta my Traynor YBA300, but volume levels are up there..... & it weighs a lot more.
I miss that Li'l Bastard muchly.
Sadly I had to sell my LB30
The blues/jazz band I'm in has lost it's regular Sunday gig at the lounge bar & now are doing mostly corporate gigs & functions & my other bands play pretty loud. So loud that the Li'l Bastard couldn't work.
I miss most using it at home for practise & of course the blues/jazz Sunday gigs.
Such a lush tube tone that you can ONLY get by running an all tube amp at close to it's full output-even b4 overdrive kicks in.
I can get pretty much the same vibe outta my Traynor YBA300, but volume levels are up there..... & it weighs a lot more.
I miss that Li'l Bastard muchly.
Yet more proof that 30 watts is a thing of the distant past without augmentation from FOH on anything but lounge gigs.
