Why no love for Ashdown?

[Al Kraft]

Just got the latest Sweetwater catalog in the mail this afternoon and while thumbing through it noticed some Ashdown bass gear. This thread has now got me actively looking for the Ashdown presence I've obviously been a bit blind to...so far the catalog is it though.

 

[BaltBass5]

Just got the latest Sweetwater catalog in the mail this afternoon and while thumbing through it noticed some Ashdown bass gear. This thread has now got me actively looking for the Ashdown presence I've obviously been a bit blind to...so far the catalog is it though.

They run adds in just about every issue of Bass Player. They're sold by Sweetwater, GC, Musicians Friend and Amazon.

Quite honestly you have to seek out their higher end stuff. Kinda like Boogie in that respect.

 

[blubass]

I forgot to mention the most glaring and obvious reasons: endorsers and advertisement.

Ashdown has some awesome endorsers, especially to those here in talkbass world. However, we're the minority of bass players, not the majority.

Ashdown is spotty on advertising, what they've advertised, and who they've chosen to advertise it.

Their constant new products and amount of discontinued gear is actually pretty scary as well. They've got a lot of different "versions" of gear. While some look at that as a sign of constant improvement and betterment, others perceive that as poor product testing and rush to manufacturing. It doesn't inspire confidence when someone has purchased a piece of gear and it's discontinued or has a revision before the warranty has expired.

Just food for thought....

 

[StayLow]

They run adds in just about every issue of Bass Player. They're sold by Sweetwater, GC, Musicians Friend and Amazon.

Quite honestly you have to seek out their higher end stuff. Kinda like Boogie in that respect.

Boogie doesn't have lower end stuff, just high-end stuff. Boogie hasn't got dozens of product failure threads either.

Ashdown boomed and bust. Good on them if they can rise again, but it's a long and very competitive climb in a very crowded and relatively small market.

 

[ajkula66]

Their constant new products and amount of discontinued gear is actually pretty scary as well. They've got a lot of different "versions" of gear. While some look at that as a sign of constant improvement and betterment, others perceive that as poor product testing and rush to manufacturing. It doesn't inspire confidence when someone has purchased a piece of gear and it's discontinued or has a revision before the warranty has expired.

I think that you're onto something here...

When I was researching FiveFifteen - which is the combo that I was primarily interested in - there were four (I believe) different control panels over the various revisions of the supposedly same model. And it's not like it has been out for 40 years. Not necessarily a red flag, but definitely a question mark.

I actually tried one of these earlier today - along with a couple of other amps - and it was OK for the original purpose (a teenager's first amp) intended, but I'll definitely try out a few more before I shell out any money...

 

[BaltBass5]

Boogie doesn't have higher end stuff, just high-end stuff. Boogie hasn't got dozens of product failure threads either.

Ashdown boomed and bust. Good on them if they can rise again, but it's a long and very competitive climb in a very crowded and relatively small market.

I wouldn't say that you busted when you have some of the heaviest hitters in music on your roster.

I would also argue that Boogie doesn't have many heavy hitters in their bass arsenal. I personally owned the V12, M6 and the D800 and was far from impressed with any of them.

Again...different strokes but when some of the top touring acts are using Ashdown (Geezer, Nate Mendel, McCartney, Adam Clayton, Guy Pratt, Pino Palladio, etc...) I wouldn't call that a bust...lol

 

[DrayMiles]

Here's where I get into trouble....

I don't remember not liking the actual sound of the gear, I DO remember thinking that the stuff wouldn't survive being on the road.

And to be honest, they do have some names using the gear... But I know that there's Waaaaaaay more to that than you or I will ever be privy to.
It's business, and in this biz, I was told "It's not what it is, it's what it appears to be that matters." The stuff is okay, but my criteria for gear is based on my needs.
I am not rich, and I don't like stuff breaking down on me while on the road. I have enough things to worry about... I need to have confidence in my gear, Ashdown doesn't give ME
any confidence.

I am a nutcase, obviously since I'm a bassist and we all have little voices in our heads (i.e. "The wife will love my girlfriend!" ... Oops, sorry guys, wrong voice! ), but that little voice of experience tells me Ashdown will "let you down..."

Hmmm... I suspect that the top BRITISH acts are the ones that are predominantly using the gear, with an occasional Yankee Doodle Dandy thrown in for marketing poiposes..

After all, Brits will support other Brits won't they? I learned that much after 20 years... Ha!

 

[grenadilla]

I have 2 ABM 600 heads and I like them . Sweetwater and Sam Ash stock the most Ashdown . -that is some of it some of the time. These heads are only 20 lbs. more than the lightweight stuff and the cabinetry is far more classy than a metal box with no handle !

 

[Daniel Piper]

I love ashdown tone. Play their amps

But I don't want to love ashdown. The way they constantly change specs and cabinet configurations is just so sloppy.

Google abm414h, and tell me how many different cabs come up. Some will be front ported, some rear, some with kick plate, some without etc.

Now google mesa powerhouse 212. You will see one product, with a grill color change.

I love ashdown, but they are infuriating.

 

[BlushResponse]

It sounds a lot like the way Trace Elliot was constantly changing gear. I finally picked up a used CTM 300 and I'm having a pretty good time with it. All my cabs are still Trace Elliot.

 

[Daniel Piper]

I have a CTM100 and it's a killer piece of gear.

But to prove my point- some have red faceplates, some don't. Some have speakon, some don't.

Also they inferred (by association with the ctm300) the CTM100 was made in Britain, but wasn't.

Again, I love the amp- But not the surrounding confusion.

 

[BaltBass5]

I'm an Ashdown Endorser and I LOVE their gear but you're 100% right. I have 2 of the ABM 210 NEO cabs which ARE UK and they are both different. They have different Ashdown "badges" and different handles (one recessed and the other typical strap). One has feet on the side as well as the bottom, the other just the bottom.

I also have the CTM 300 and I've seen at least 2 variations of that.

The EVO series ABM heads are consistent across the EVO # though.

 

[BaltBass5]

Here's where I get into trouble....

I don't remember not liking the actual sound of the gear, I DO remember thinking that the stuff wouldn't survive being on the road.

And to be honest, they do have some names using the gear... But I know that there's Waaaaaaay more to that than you or I will ever be privy to.
It's business, and in this biz, I was told "It's not what it is, it's what it appears to be that matters." The stuff is okay, but my criteria for gear is based on my needs.
I am not rich, and I don't like stuff breaking down on me while on the road. I have enough things to worry about... I need to have confidence in my gear, Ashdown doesn't give ME
any confidence.

I am a nutcase, obviously since I'm a bassist and we all have little voices in our heads (i.e. "The wife will love my girlfriend!" ... Oops, sorry guys, wrong voice! ), but that little voice of experience tells me Ashdown will "let you down..."

Hmmm... I suspect that the top BRITISH acts are the ones that are predominantly using the gear, with an occasional Yankee Doodle Dandy thrown in for marketing poiposes..

After all, Brits will support other Brits won't they? I learned that much after 20 years... Ha!

I've got an ABM 500 EVO II (UK) that I've had on the road for 7 years and it works flawlessly. I've also got several cabs and they are built like tanks.

AGAIN....I can only speak to the ABM and CTM series which are MADE for touring musicians.

 

[Daniel Piper]

Yup agreed- the abm evo heads have been consistent.

Do you have any experience with the spyder 550? About to pick one up for an absolute steal- one of the benefits of liking ashdown- very low used prices!

I'm an Ashdown Endorser and I LOVE their gear but you're 100% right. I have 2 of the ABM 210 NEO cabs which ARE UK and they are both different. They have different Ashdown "badges" and different handles (one recessed and the other typical strap). One has feet on the side as well as the bottom, the other just the bottom.

I also have the CTM 300 and I've seen at least 2 variations of that.

The EVO series ABM heads are consistent across the EVO # though.

 

[BaltBass5]

Yup agreed- the abm evo heads have been consistent.

Do you have any experience with the spyder 550? About to pick one up for an absolute steal- one of the benefits of liking ashdown- very low used prices!

No experience with the Spyder, always wanted to try one though. Let me know how it is!

 

[NoiseNinja]

I tried an Ashdown once when jamming with a band, it was just what happened to be in the rehearsal room.

I can't remember the exact model, except it was a rack and not a combo, but what I do remember is that it sounded pretty bland and lifeless to my ears.

I know this is not to much help, since I can't remember the model, but alone based on that experience I would seriously need to be proved that I was wrong by judging the entire brand as poop, before I would not advice against anyone getting one.

I mean I think the same thing about the Hartke Kickback combo's, and I even owned one of those, and I know some people seem to like the sound they get out of those, so might just be a matter of different taste, even if I still think the Ashdown I tried sounded even more boring than the Hartke Kickback.

 

[foal30]

I have a CTM100 and it's a killer piece of gear.

But to prove my point- some have red faceplates, some don't. Some have speakon, some don't.

Also they inferred (by association with the ctm300) the CTM100 was made in Britain, but wasn't.

Again, I love the amp- But not the surrounding confusion.

Did someone hit buy now on your CTM100?
I thought they were all made in the UK as well.

 

[CaptainWally]

I can't speak for anyone else, but as my 10 year old ABM 500 sits in the shop as I await a better quote than $300 for a new transformer, I have fallen out of love for Ashdown. I already have an ABM 500 sitting in my closet with a blown transformer, but at least I got about 50 gigs out of it.

I loved the sound when they worked, though. I'm probably just the unlucky owner of two Ashdown lemons.

Had the same issue with my old ABM. I liked it, but I no longer trust Ashdown. So many issues cited online, and I had one blow up personally.

 

[CaptainWally]

I play through an Ashdown all tube amp and love its tone.

It's reliability has been shocking though. Soldering issues all over the place.

One thing that turns me off about the company us the constantly fluctuating product line, and the special of those products always changing.

I couldn't agree more. It's the most confusing array of revolving oddities. Save the ABM, which is really long in the tooth (and for me, was unreliable).

 

[Daniel Piper]

Nah, withdrew it. Still love that amp!

Nope, made in the people's republic!

Not that the ash down website says so.

Anyways, to prove my rather antagonistic point about ashdown , I'll be picking up an 'abm414h' on Monday. It has a kick plate, rear ports, towel bar, and has the look of an ampeg 410hlf- with angles and tilt back design.

Try finding info on this cab- good luck.

I'm sure I'll love it though.

Did someone hit buy now on your CTM100?
I thought they were all made in the UK as well.