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Why isn't Ashdown popular?
- Thread starter pica
- Start date
I had no idea! I hope he isn't stuck with one of those all tube models (can't remember what they are called... B-17's or something, and the bigger one... SUV or something like that).
This is akin to saying Eminem is the best singer because he sold the most records. And we all know that aint' true.
The first big player and some good advertising being one of the reason. Then get a lot of big names using your product and bassists see and hear their icons using that equipment and want to follow in their footsteps.
There certainly is no "best" when it comes to something that's subjective.
I wouldn't say Ampeg is the most common in the UK, but I certainly like 'em
Sure there was good marketing and endorsements, but it's still great gear.
When I used Ampeg I plugged in and got a solid sound straight away. Partly that's because they defined the sound by being on seminal recordings, but it's still true. And fwiw, same with my Fender Precision. Not spectacular, but absolutely perfect in a certain context.
I don't own Ampeg, and I own other basses besides my Precision, but credit where it's due....
Eminem will be the first to tell you he's not a singer but a rapper.
This is akin to saying Eminem is the best singer because he sold the most records. And we all know that aint' true.
Analogy fail.
I had a MAG300 head and two MAG410 cabs.... They were reliable and had a great sound, I just really dig GK's tone more so the Ashdown was sold.....
Satisfaction is by nature an individual thing - I am very happy with the tonal variety and features of my UK-made RPM-1 preamp, but it may not be all that for someone else. I notice Ashdown gear on many stages, behind artists of all genre(s) so there are plenty of others who liked it and were sold at least once.
I was in a local music store just the other day and was pleasantly shocked to see an Ashdown banner, so there is some marketing effort being made. But that effort is apparently weak - the only actual product I could find was a single pedal. If someone walked in saying, "I'm looking for a bass amp," there is no way Ashdown will be represented and therefore no possiblity of a sale. As a customer I have no way of knowing where the breakdown is, I only know what I have the opportunity to buy. In Northeast Tennessee it isn't Ashdown, at least not in this store.
I was in a local music store just the other day and was pleasantly shocked to see an Ashdown banner, so there is some marketing effort being made. But that effort is apparently weak - the only actual product I could find was a single pedal. If someone walked in saying, "I'm looking for a bass amp," there is no way Ashdown will be represented and therefore no possiblity of a sale. As a customer I have no way of knowing where the breakdown is, I only know what I have the opportunity to buy. In Northeast Tennessee it isn't Ashdown, at least not in this store.
I always forget about Guitar Rez. Never heard of Austin Basstraders... but I will be checking it out (thanks for the tip). Austin Vintage is one of my favorite shops in town,,, but ya it's pricy. They have great basses, but the amps department is lacking... at least for bass players.
+1 on austin CL.
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
I had 2 ABM 500's...still have an ABM500 410 combo...good stuff. They sound pretty good to me...mine is about 10 years old or more...at least 500 gigs on it and still sounds nice. Once their endorsement policies got nutty, I jumped ship, and am much happier, but I had no real complaints
I think the Basstraders guy still works out of his house, have to make an appointment or something. Deals in pretty much highend stuff, Glockenclang, Fodera, Ken Smith, Tecamp, bunch of other stuff.
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Never dealt with him, just puttin' that out there. Seems to get good remarks though.
Austin Vintage Guitars, that's it. Ya, not much for bass amps in there but a ton of cool instruments. I did buy a poweramp there once but even that was a CL deal. Guy just happened to work there or had a friend that did or something. I never even met him, he just left it there for me to check out, pick up and I gave the money to his boss...or whoever that was. Had I bought it from the store it would've likely cost me 3x that much.
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
The last time Trace Elliot did any thing significant in the states was when they first came out and that ended when TE was sold. After that and even to this day TE in the states is far more scarce/elusive than the Ashdown brand is in the US..
And Marshall hasn't been relevant to the bass market in the state in almost 20 years. Even more scarce/elusive than Ashdown and TE combined.
I used TE in the 80's and loved the sound.
True - emphasis on the word "did" ;-)
Was thinking more of Marshall as a g****r brand.
Had Trace not sold out to the kiss of death for good brands known as Gibson (to be fair, how was anyone to know? Gibson was making killer stuff under their own name at the time), I think they'd still be right up there.
But I think Captain's point was that other foreign countries have no problem selling to musicians in America. I don't see Markbass struggling too hard to sell stuff. Nor do I see brands that are made in China struggling as long as they make products that people over here like. I really don't think it's being foreign that's caused Ashdown's lack of recognition in America. I think it's higher pricing combined with some newer products that weren't setting the world on fire. Maybe the Kentucky factory will help them make stuff cheaper in this market and expand their market. Kind of weird that our country is now being viewed as a place to outsource labor, but I guess all that stuff is cyclical, isn't it?
But I think Captain's point was that other foreign countries have no problem selling to musicians in America. I don't see Markbass struggling too hard to sell stuff. Nor do I see brands that are made in China struggling as long as they make products that people over here like. I really don't think it's being foreign that's caused Ashdown's lack of recognition in America. I think it's higher pricing combined with some newer products that weren't setting the world on fire. Maybe the Kentucky factory will help them make stuff cheaper in this market and expand their market. Kind of weird that our country is now being viewed as a place to outsource labor, but I guess all that stuff is cyclical, isn't it?
What kind of mods? I've been thinking of removing the top, (Already out of that stupid case) and mounting some kind of stupid large fan to keep it from overheating.
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
The not made in USA did play a part in the popularity of Ashdown in the states. That has been changing in the last 6-8 years with the influx(a mild one) of other none USA offered brands and Ashdown is slowly getting where it fits.
And there was a time for a while in the late 90's early 2K's when Ashdown wasn't even in the states because they could not find a north American distributor that could do for them what was so urgently needed.
And there was a time for a while in the late 90's early 2K's when Ashdown wasn't even in the states because they could not find a north American distributor that could do for them what was so urgently needed.
