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Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out
- Thread starter Korladis
- Start date
finally tried the la bella drop tune set with the band. they sound nice, not too scooped with some crunch. they still feel a little grippy to me but not a show stopper. excellent feel in terms of stiffnes for tuning down to anything between C# and A#. could probably pull off A as well. going to order another set to test with the Ric.
^ cool, I got a set based on your previous posts, just haven't had a reason to install yet.
Played with a guy last week that was promising, maybe I need to poke him...
Played with a guy last week that was promising, maybe I need to poke him...
For the first time in 5 years I'm having a bit of a gas attack for a bass amp...
www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GBHOD--ashdown-geezer-butler-head-of-doom-600-watt-bass-head?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI05DxwOmG2QIV1bXACh0ipgQjEAAYASAAEgIaSvD_BwE
Although it wouldn't be much of an upgrade over mine, who doesn't want a knob labeled Doom on their amp?
I was hoping they'd come out with a 100w tube version of the ABM Evo. The 400w behemoth they make is way to much and costs more than I think I'd ever spend on an amp.
www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GBHOD--ashdown-geezer-butler-head-of-doom-600-watt-bass-head?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI05DxwOmG2QIV1bXACh0ipgQjEAAYASAAEgIaSvD_BwE
Although it wouldn't be much of an upgrade over mine, who doesn't want a knob labeled Doom on their amp?
I was hoping they'd come out with a 100w tube version of the ABM Evo. The 400w behemoth they make is way to much and costs more than I think I'd ever spend on an amp.
I saw that a month or two ago. I have never been impressed with the Ashdown stuff, but maybe this one has a bit more mojo.
I was really gasing for it too, but a friend of mine who shares a similar taste is gear as me got one as soon as they came out..
this is what he said about it: "The HoD went back after about 15 minutes. I absolutely hated it. One of the most dull, thuddy sounding heads I've ever played. No life and I hated the dark "dirt" sound." and " I don’t know because I was expecting good things based on what everyone says about the ABMs but it was way to solid state (to the Nth degree) for me. The dirt just got dark and too mushy the more I turned it up."
Im more than surprised.. now the dark and mushy dirt could be, and probably is, the choice of stock preamp tube. I hated the groove tubes in my ABM, but with and EHX or JJ the grit was great!. I figured this is real similar to the ABM in sound and I found those to be a very dynamic, lively, and responsive good tone that just throbbed away. but.. different strokes and all.
Btw. @CL400Peavey ... I just picked up off of him^ another JGR preamp, so Im back in the club. I got #1!
this is what he said about it: "The HoD went back after about 15 minutes. I absolutely hated it. One of the most dull, thuddy sounding heads I've ever played. No life and I hated the dark "dirt" sound." and " I don’t know because I was expecting good things based on what everyone says about the ABMs but it was way to solid state (to the Nth degree) for me. The dirt just got dark and too mushy the more I turned it up."
Im more than surprised.. now the dark and mushy dirt could be, and probably is, the choice of stock preamp tube. I hated the groove tubes in my ABM, but with and EHX or JJ the grit was great!. I figured this is real similar to the ABM in sound and I found those to be a very dynamic, lively, and responsive good tone that just throbbed away. but.. different strokes and all.
Btw. @CL400Peavey ... I just picked up off of him^ another JGR preamp, so Im back in the club. I got #1!
I saw that on FB. Congrats! I knew you would regret selling yours to me, but I still wasnt going to send it back.
15 minutes seems a little short to judge an amp's tone but that's not my problem. That being said, probably an unpopular opinion but while I love Geezer Butler's bass style/technique I have never really cared for his tone.
15 is enough if it connects with you, but way too short if it doesn't hit it off immediately. Some of my favorite equipment I've been all "this is it!" within minutes.
I like his tone on some stuff, but others not so much. It is a bit dark now that I think about it. Very articulate, grit with clarity somehow.
@eyeballkid & @CL400Peavey wow, I've had the same experience with my ABM. So dynamic and versatile. Although I do admit it may be from pushing the preamp so much. I boost most frequencies past 2/3 o'clock and that hits the power section real hard. I actually almost run it to tube like compression. With the tube pre engaged, I set the pre to where my normal attack will push the meter into the edge of the red and I get great attack and some awesome bloom. I think you're right about the tube for sure, mine got better when I changed it.
My guess would be the diff strokes for the quick return.
Geezer's tone has varied a ton over the years. I really love his sound on Master of Reality. Also on Live Evil.
Ive ventured into Ernie Ball Slinky Flatwound string territory. I was told I would lose sustain and that if I wasnt playing Motown than it can not be done, specifically tuned to C at low tempo's. Im so far finding the sustain is better than I was led to believe but my tone is darker than fvck witch is not all bad but I lost definition and must tweak my axe and amp settings. My tone on my axe is always set at 3 but Ive got it cranked to 10 and its still pretty dark. I'll know if I keep them after a band practice. Anyone else using these ropes.
I have to say I like the parametric EQ layout of the Geezer Ashdown head but, in my opinion, the price is way too inflated for that feature set. There are any number of heads you can get new for 500-600$ cheaper that I think sound better, although I have to preface that I am going by the clips of this head as I haven't heard it in person, but I've heard the Mesa Subway D800, GK MB800, Darkglass 900, in person and their online clips and I'd take any of those over this head. I also like the sound of the newer EBS Reidmar and Aguilar AG700 heads over this one. I am also aware those are all class D heads and the Ashdown may be class AB but for $1500 not worth the $$$. Obviously this is completely my opinion but for $1500, no.
When I took my bass out of storage for the first time in ~15 years, I bought a set of Chrome flatwounds and loved the sound. They're still on it, obviously much darker and thuddier than they were when I started, but they still sound amazing at least EADG. I had added a B string and went BEAD but the B didn't really work so well. Maybe its the C tuning?
They're the only flats I tried, but I'm definatly a fan, they sound great with fuzz.
My other bass uses GHS Pressurewounds in BEAD, which I hated when I first put them on but after maybe six months have started to mellow out nicely.
Both basses are P/P and I usually run like 100% bridge and 80% neck, tone at 10 (well, one no longer has a tone know, just soldered in some resistors and a cap).
They're the only flats I tried, but I'm definatly a fan, they sound great with fuzz.
My other bass uses GHS Pressurewounds in BEAD, which I hated when I first put them on but after maybe six months have started to mellow out nicely.
Both basses are P/P and I usually run like 100% bridge and 80% neck, tone at 10 (well, one no longer has a tone know, just soldered in some resistors and a cap).
Last edited:
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
Had a fun gig tonight. Do it every Tuesday when I’m in town. We all pushed our sets early and shortened them because All Them Witches wanted to do a late night set before they head out on a Primus tour. Embarrassed that I’ve never seen em, but they are seriously good
Easily one of my top 5. Those guys can kick it and bring it real heavy live. I had no idea that they were touring with Primus! I might piss myself if they open for the Primus & Mastodon show here in Detroit. $21 tickets...how in the world are they so cheap?
If you guys had to choose between a mesa 400+ and an ampeg svt 2 pro what would you choose to purchase? Thinking about picking up another tube amp to run stereo with my verellen. Looking for something to push more low cleans as i use the verellen pretty dirty most of the time.
Either is a good choice. The SVT probably has a bit more low end.
