Thunderbird Club

[JIO]

Oh no, not those. Just some other examples of your artistic endeavors-

Oh, that's entirely different! One of my latest was a faux marble fireplace/mantle in the Oakland hills at the end of last year for one of my longest running CA clients. It was cast of some sort of acrylic plaster material which I added gold-leaf in the fissures along with 'marble-izing' it. They were very pleased with the result and that's always been my goal.

I've always done things 'outside the box' which blend something established (faux marbling) with something unexpected (the gold leaf addition) in a decorative way.

They are fond of Africa and have visited there a few times -

 

[dagrev]

yours? hmmm....

No sir, but if I needed a backup or something <5lbs, these or the 300 version would be high on the list. Same warm Ashdown tone and flavor, no real learning curve, super light. The 300 was plenty loud. I almost kept mine but decided to keep the older 500 (so I have two ABMs which I don't regret). The 500 stayed at home.

This was like mine. Gives an idea of size. I sold it to a guy who had one, sold it and regretted it.

Peavey used to be warm SS amps. I would look at these as well. Peavey said sometime back they were listening to players and seeking to up their game. Very affordable. May sound awful, but all of their old heads and combos sounded good from what I remember.

 

[MCF]

No sir, but if I needed a backup or something <5lbs, these or the 300 version would be high on the list. Same warm Ashdown tone and flavor, no real learning curve, super light. The 300 was plenty loud. I almost kept mine but decided to keep the older 500 (so I have two ABMs which I don't regret). The 500 stayed at home.
View attachment 7497424

This was like mine. Gives an idea of size. I sold it to a guy who had one, sold it and regretted it.
View attachment 7497430

Peavey used to be warm SS amps. I would look at these as well. Peavey said sometime back they were listening to players and seeking to up their game. Very affordable. May sound awful, but all of their old heads and combos sounded good from what I remember.
View attachment 7497418

I have played through a minimax in a store. A nice head for the price. Were I gigging and wanted a solid backup in my bag for “just in case,” that would probably be what I would get.

 

[MCF]

Oh, that's entirely different! One of my latest was a faux marble fireplace/mantle in the Oakland hills at the end of last year for one of my longest running CA clients. It was cast of some sort of acrylic plaster material which I added gold-leaf in the fissures along with 'marble-izing' it. They were very pleased with the result and that's always been my goal.

View attachment 7497420
I've always done things 'outside the box' which blend something established (faux marbling) with something unexpected (the gold leaf addition) in a decorative way.
View attachment 7497423
View attachment 7497425
View attachment 7497426
They are fond of Africa and have visited there a few times -
View attachment 7497429

I can put you to work in my Bako house.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

No sir, but if I needed a backup or something <5lbs, these or the 300 version would be high on the list. Same warm Ashdown tone and flavor, no real learning curve, super light. The 300 was plenty loud. I almost kept mine but decided to keep the older 500 (so I have two ABMs which I don't regret). The 500 stayed at home.
View attachment 7497424

This was like mine. Gives an idea of size. I sold it to a guy who had one, sold it and regretted it.
View attachment 7497430

Peavey used to be warm SS amps. I would look at these as well. Peavey said sometime back they were listening to players and seeking to up their game. Very affordable. May sound awful, but all of their old heads and combos sounded good from what I remember.
View attachment 7497418

though you had sold the 500..

 

[ectoflanger]

Oh, that's entirely different! One of my latest was a faux marble fireplace/mantle in the Oakland hills at the end of last year for one of my longest running CA clients. It was cast of some sort of acrylic plaster material which I added gold-leaf in the fissures along with 'marble-izing' it. They were very pleased with the result and that's always been my goal.

View attachment 7497420
I've always done things 'outside the box' which blend something established (faux marbling) with something unexpected (the gold leaf addition) in a decorative way.
View attachment 7497423
View attachment 7497425
View attachment 7497426
They are fond of Africa and have visited there a few times -
View attachment 7497429

Lovely work- thank you for sharing!

 

[dagrev]

So which do you prefer?

Hum...I like each for different reasons and would buy either one again. (I got the 300 new for the price of a demo/open box.) The 300 at church I'm getting to where I could use it all the time. The two extra EQ sliders on the 300 are nice. The older 500 sounds bigger. I virtually ran it flat--on the 300 I really crank the bass--but I get there with more to go if needed.
I've got late a '58 and '61 Blackburn Mullards instead of the JJs. Made the JJs sound cold in comparison. Noticable difference, not "well, I think it sounds different." The Mullard sounds better than an late 50s RCA LBP. It had more lows but was also brighter. The way the pre tube is implemented it has more impact than other single pre tube amps I've played. Why, I don't know, but sure seems to be true.

 

[JIO]

Always brings a little Joe to mind.

Loved the James Gang back then!

 

[dagrev]

Oh, that's entirely different! One of my latest was a faux marble fireplace/mantle in the Oakland hills at the end of last year for one of my longest running CA clients. It was cast of some sort of acrylic plaster material which I added gold-leaf in the fissures along with 'marble-izing' it. They were very pleased with the result and that's always been my goal.

View attachment 7497420
I've always done things 'outside the box' which blend something established (faux marbling) with something unexpected (the gold leaf addition) in a decorative way.
View attachment 7497423
View attachment 7497425
View attachment 7497426
They are fond of Africa and have visited there a few times -
View attachment 7497429

Impressive!

 

[dagrev]

though you had sold the 500..

No, kept it and sold the RM 300. I'm clad the wife didn't mind another big head in the room. I love the head. The RMs don't have the heft. (Class D vs A/B I guess?)
Heck, not small but get an old MAG head on the cheap. The one I took on a trade once really impressed me for a SS head. Good sounding "cheap" head. Would do in a pinch and wouldn't be out much. You'd have to like rat hair on the case.

 

[TBird1958]

I will say the ABM 300 IV is a little lighter than the 500 III. Also sounds different when flat. Less bass more mids and highs. So slightly different flavor. A new one would need no back up.

But these are nice. I had the 300w version. Great sounding. The chrome looks cool on the 500, but may be a pain live with light reflecting on it.
View attachment 7497375

Loving my 300, it was just perfect the other night, the SWR cab helps too, it's tight.

 

[JIO]

Lovely work- thank you for sharing!

I did my homework and used my art studio skills, but faux marble wasn't the only Decorative Arts thing I did. I recently visited the Getty Museum in SoCal and they have a room/space there in which a lot of that interior space (trim ) is faux-marbled. Very impressive. And to me anyway, the top tier example of amazing faux-marble is in the Great American Music Hall here in SF. Mindblowing.

Can barely see the massive faux-marble columns - Mermen show I attended (not my pic) - but trust me... the work on them is amazing. I don't know but judging on when it was built (early in the last century) it was seasoned Italian artisans who did the exquisite work.

 

[dagrev]

Loving my 300, it was just perfect the other night, the SWR cab helps too, it's tight.

That's fantastic. And you and I go for different tone and they work great for both of us!
Sound like a fanboy I know, but the more I use them the more I like them.
I have my Ampeg Heritage 410, Ampeg 212 at home and a Fender 115 in my office and ABMs sound great with each.

 

[JIO]

Loving my 300, it was just perfect the other night, the SWR cab helps too, it's tight.

Heathkit, Acoustic, SWR, Ampeg, Mesa, Ashdown - owned a few small amps along the way (Fender, Polytone) but these are the main amps I have used/use.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

 

[Engle]

No sir, but if I needed a backup or something <5lbs, these or the 300 version would be high on the list. Same warm Ashdown tone and flavor, no real learning curve, super light. The 300 was plenty loud. I almost kept mine but decided to keep the older 500 (so I have two ABMs which I don't regret). The 500 stayed at home.
View attachment 7497424

This was like mine. Gives an idea of size. I sold it to a guy who had one, sold it and regretted it.
View attachment 7497430

Peavey used to be warm SS amps. I would look at these as well. Peavey said sometime back they were listening to players and seeking to up their game. Very affordable. May sound awful, but all of their old heads and combos sounded good from what I remember.
View attachment 7497418

If I hadn't discovered talkbass I might still be playing through my Peavey!

 

[JIO]

If I hadn't discovered talkbass I might still be playing through my Peavey!
View attachment 7497485

Peavey is the "meat & potatoes" of amps...

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Oh, that's entirely different! One of my latest was a faux marble fireplace/mantle in the Oakland hills at the end of last year for one of my longest running CA clients. It was cast of some sort of acrylic plaster material which I added gold-leaf in the fissures along with 'marble-izing' it. They were very pleased with the result and that's always been my goal.

View attachment 7497420
I've always done things 'outside the box' which blend something established (faux marbling) with something unexpected (the gold leaf addition) in a decorative way.
View attachment 7497423
View attachment 7497425
View attachment 7497426
They are fond of Africa and have visited there a few times -
View attachment 7497429

Pretty amazing work dude...,such the artiste....

 

[bylar13]

If I hadn't discovered talkbass I might still be playing through my Peavey!
View attachment 7497485

Still have and love my Combo 300 from 1986. It survived 4, US & Canada tours, in the back of a 1973 Ford Econoline box truck, with no issues. When I blew a speaker, I bought a new cone at a music store (it was in stock, Black Widow 15") and bolted the old magnet on to the new cone. Took about 45 minutes from start to finish. Add in a couple hundred local gigs and practices and it only once needed repair.

I then lent it to friend who gigged it steadily for another couple year before it came back to me.

In fact, I was working from home today and in between client meetings, I plugged in and was noodling around on it a few hours ago.

It would probably still be my primary amp if it was not so heavy.

Amps were stored behind the guitars:

 

[TBird1958]

If I hadn't discovered talkbass I might still be playing through my Peavey!
View attachment 7497485

I bet that rig sounds fantastic!