• 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.

OFFICIAL ASHDOWN CLUB

#484
Daniel Piper said:
TB is largely an American community.

Ashdown is about as British as it gets.


Also- outside of the ABM range, the Ashdown roster of products is in a fairly constant state of flux.
Click to expand...

You know what? I'm a member on some UK based forums and Ashdown doesn't seem to be high of the list of those users either. They are all buying a lot of MarkBass & TC Electronic amps. Just my observation....
 
#485
cmcbass said:
I've got a question for you guys. Why do you think the "official ashdown club" thread is so small (compared to other "clubs") when we all love Ashdown so much?
Click to expand...

ebozzz said:
You know what? I'm a member on some UK based forums and Ashdown doesn't seem to be high of the list of those users either. They are all buying a lot of MarkBass & TC Electronic amps. Just my observation....
Click to expand...

I hear ya.

Maybe more detail might be in order.

If I was to postulate- Ashdown amps don't have crazy amounts of 'articulation', 'air', 'clarity' or 'openness'.

In this respect, their cabs are worse.

These are terms that people on TB and BASSCHAT talk about A LOT.

I love the beefy signature Ashdown sound and if works well for most of my applications, but their very smooth midrange and muted treble response doesn't work for lots of players.

I really want an EVO4 head so I can push more hi-mid content into my 414h cab.

On my CTM 100 and original 300 heads I can dime the treble and mids controls and still be comfortable with the sound.

You just can't do that on a GK or Ampeg or Mesa head without getting an ice pick through the ear canal.

My point is: ashdown's signature tone is not en vogue.

(Cue the people who will say they can get ANY sound from their Ashdown rigs...)
 
  • Like
Reactions: cmcbass, ebozzz and javi_bassist
#486
Yes, I think Daniel is right. Its tone is very dark for some people.

To me, my abm is my favourite amp. When the evo4 amps and cabs came out, I bought the abm410. A month later, there are no Ashdown products in the stores (I live in Madrid, Spain). I think they also have a problem with distributors amd distribution. There are certain brands that are always there, but Ashdown is not one of them. I wanted to buy another Ashdown cab, but I didn't find any, so I had to buy one from another brand. Not Not to mention the CTM (I've never seen one in person) and the with the rootmaster happened the same as the abms.

Besides, I think Ashdown products lose value very quickly. Here in Spain, secondhand Ashdown abms are very affordable (about 60% less than what they cost new)
 
  • Like
Reactions: ebozzz
#487
Daniel Piper said:
I hear ya.

Maybe more detail might be in order.

If I was to postulate- Ashdown amps don't have crazy amounts of 'articulation', 'air', 'clarity' or 'openness'.

In this respect, their cabs are worse.

These are terms that people on TB and BASSCHAT talk about A LOT.

I love the beefy signature Ashdown sound and if works well for most of my applications, but their very smooth midrange and muted treble response doesn't work for lots of players.

I really want an EVO4 head so I can push more hi-mid content into my 414h cab.

On my CTM 100 and original 300 heads I can dime the treble and mids controls and still be comfortable with the sound.

You just can't do that on a GK or Ampeg or Mesa head without getting an ice pick through the ear canal.

My point is: ashdown's signature tone is not en vogue.

(Cue the people who will say they can get ANY sound from their Ashdown rigs...)
Click to expand...

It's en vogue for me..... :D

I don't get real dirty but it easily gets dirty enough for me. Cleans up enough for me as well. I like the tone a great deal!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Dasgre0g
#488
Daniel Piper said:
I hear ya.

Maybe more detail might be in order.

If I was to postulate- Ashdown amps don't have crazy amounts of 'articulation', 'air', 'clarity' or 'openness'.

In this respect, their cabs are worse.

These are terms that people on TB and BASSCHAT talk about A LOT.

I love the beefy signature Ashdown sound and if works well for most of my applications, but their very smooth midrange and muted treble response doesn't work for lots of players.

I really want an EVO4 head so I can push more hi-mid content into my 414h cab.

On my CTM 100 and original 300 heads I can dime the treble and mids controls and still be comfortable with the sound.

You just can't do that on a GK or Ampeg or Mesa head without getting an ice pick through the ear canal.

My point is: ashdown's signature tone is not en vogue.

(Cue the people who will say they can get ANY sound from their Ashdown rigs...)
Click to expand...
I've never played through an ABM or MAG so I don't know, but you can definitely get a lot of high end and high mids out of the Rootmaster EVO series. Leaving the EQ flat and bumping up the 1.5 KHz and Treble knobs to about 1:00 definitely gets me into GK RB territory, but with the added benefits of an awesome Compressor and Drive. Me likey.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ebozzz
#490
I just recently purchased an Ashdown Rootmaster RM-800. That makes three amps for me now. I don't know that I would call the RM-800 "dark sounding".
Wicked G said:
I've never played through an ABM or MAG so I don't know, but you can definitely get a lot of high end and high mids out of the Rootmaster EVO series. Leaving the EQ flat and bumping up the 1.5 KHz and Treble knobs to about 1:00 definitely gets me into GK RB territory, but with the added benefits of an awesome Compressor and Drive. Me likey.
Click to expand...

I've played through but never owned an ABM head. I have owned the RPM-1 EVO II preamp, MiBass 2.0 and now an RM-800. Getting enough highs has never been an issue for me using what I've named.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dasgre0g
#491
Daniel Piper said:
If I was to postulate- Ashdown amps don't have crazy amounts of 'articulation', 'air', 'clarity' or 'openness'.

In this respect, their cabs are worse.

These are terms that people on TB and BASSCHAT talk about A LOT.

I love the beefy signature Ashdown sound and if works well for most of my applications, but their very smooth midrange and muted treble response doesn't work for lots of players.

I really want an EVO4 head so I can push more hi-mid content into my 414h cab.

On my CTM 100 and original 300 heads I can dime the treble and mids controls and still be comfortable with the sound.

You just can't do that on a GK or Ampeg or Mesa head without getting an ice pick through the ear canal.

My point is: ashdown's signature tone is not en vogue.

(Cue the people who will say they can get ANY sound from their Ashdown rigs...)
Click to expand...

I would concur with that having owned a few MAG's, an ABM, LB30 and CTM100 plus numerous MAG, ABM and VS cabs. They def have a baked in warm tone. I moved from ABM 210 and 410's (with tweeters) to a Barefaced 2x12 cab (with no tweeter). When you hear a flat cab like the BF (even without the tweeter) you suddenly realize just how "warm" with rolled off treble their cabs are. Not necessarily a bad thing...its just what it is
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dasgre0g and Daniel Piper
#492
boristhespider7 said:
I would concur with that having owned a few MAG's, an ABM, LB30 and CTM100 plus numerous MAG, ABM and VS cabs. They def have a baked in warm tone. I moved from ABM 210 and 410's (with tweeters) to a Barefaced 2x12 cab (with no tweeter). When you hear a flat cab like the BF (even without the tweeter) you suddenly realize just how "warm" with rolled off treble their cabs are. Not necessarily a bad thing...its just what it is
Click to expand...

Yup.

I like that tone, but it is what it is.

Also, look at their roster of (amazing) endorsing artists.

Straight ahead rock players.
 
#493
I don't have a great deal of experience with their cabs but the heads I have tried cover quite a bit of ground in my opinion. The only Ashdown cabs that I have tried have been what I have owned. A pair of Mi 10s and a pair of ABM 408 NEOs. Neither of those had tweeters so I expected them to not be as bright. I was right. They weren't bad at all. Just not as versatile as I would have preferred and they were sold. Never had a problem with the tone of the amps.
 
#494
I think most of the issues with Ashdown's popularity, or lack thereof, have more to do with how they market themselves. This is interesting. A guy from the UK had to come to Chicago to try an Ashdown....

The UK's fretless bass supremo Pino Palladino made his first acquaintance with an Ashdown amplifier when he stopped off at Dan Lakin Bass workshop in Chicago while on tour with R&B star D'Angelo. Dan, an owner of two Ashdown heads himself, organised an ABM900 for Pino to try. Love at first listen was the happy outcome and Pino's been using his Ashdown ever since.
Click to expand...

Pino Palladino
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dasgre0g
#499
5E0887E7-1821-424D-BA03-E478EEEE7E6A.jpeg

Can I join?
Mag 300
ABM 410
ABM 210

f
 
  • Like
Reactions: javi_bassist and Dasgre0g
#500
After a long search and a huge walk looking in every store in my city, I couldn't find any Ashdown 210 ABM cab. But in the last store I went to, there were offering 50% disscount on MESA products so I ended up with this... (yep, I'm a traitor)

2v368zl.jpg


I want to make some comments. First, I don't know why people usually hate Ashdown cabs. In comparison, the Mesa Powerhouse does not have that big of a difference (yes, taking into account that it is a 210 vs a 410). But my bass teacher has a powerhouse 410 and we were compairing them. There are differences of course, but I really like Ashdown cabs. Maybe it's just my taste (or I'm a fanboy) but I really like them. Maybe they are a good match for Ashdown amps but not other brands, I couldn't make that comparison yet. I just wanted to comment that. Ashdown amps get more love than the cabs (and I'm mad because there are no Ashdown products in my area)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back