Ampeg or Ashdown Part II

lucky · Post by **lucky** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 5:06 am

In an previous thread someone asked what would be better to use out of the two amps.I own an ashdown EB15 180 combo which sounded good with my 4003 and was light at 42lbs.Then i tried out a ampeg BA 115 and it blew the ashdown out of the water.It is only 100w but the sound was fantastic.The point is that ampeg is the perfect partner for the rickenbacker bass.

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 5:43 am

well..... IMHO I found quite the opposite.

I use an Ashdown 500 head with 1 or 2 2x10 cabs depending on the size of the gig. Sounds really good with both my Rics.

I also use an Ampeg Porta bass 250 head with an Ampeg Porta 2x10. This sound really good with my Fender J and my Musicman Stingray, but sound quite poor with my Rics...?

It is all highly subjective I know.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 5:48 am

Ampeg Porta Bass amps are Ampeg lights, haha! If you got a comparable normal sized Ampeg you would probably notice quite a difference from the porta bass series.

lucky · Post by **lucky** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 6:28 am

It would appear that we all have a certain rick sound in our heads.I would like to sound like chris squire,but i am still looking for the amp which comes close.And for me the ampeg can't be beat.Please answer me one question what does IMHO mean.

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 7:02 am

In My Humble Opinion, which applies to everyone's "ideal sound".

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 7:03 am

that 1x10 Porta-potty cab of mine has them new fangled "neodium" magnet.

Sound is not so impressive.

must be the 'neo' Revolution.

rob · Post by **rob** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 7:07 am

Porta-Potty Cab? You mean it sounds like s@#!, right? Or, are you talking on how it smells?

jnbass · Post by **jnbass** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 7:11 am

that's how I play!

If I actually played my basses...

bear · Post by **bear** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 7:18 am

Before switching to the V4BH I had the Ampeg Porta Bass 800. I was really happy with it until I did an A-B with the V4BH.

The V4BH goes lower and sounds purer in the mids and highs. Totally subjective I suppose but it is probably the tubes in the final analysis.

There was something about the sound, albeit very clean, that was just too clean, even with a Fulltone Bass drive, too sterile, and not Studio sterile either. THe Ultra Low didn't have the depth or kick that the Ultra Low has on the tube head. Gotta be that odd even harmonics from tubes as the Bass Drive adds more even harmonics, IIRC by design, yet sounds much better driving tubes than coloring solid state.
YMMV adn IMHO (o;}

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 8:15 am

I think those tiny little speakers also have something to do with it, they can go two ways when designing them: either very inefficient and need loads of power to get a decent volume, or efficient with a lousy low frequency response because that is where the bulk of an amps power goes. I'm sure they engineer the heads' tone controls for the speaker cabs. IMHO if you want good sound out of tiny amps and speakers you have to spend $$$, because you need a very powerful amp and very good speakers that can handle the power. 1000 watt single or double 10" cabs are not cheap.
I also think tube amps blow away SS amps, watt for watt you get much more sound for some intangable reason. May be something to do with the odd even order harmonics but even when tube ampa are driven cleanly so that you can't hear any distortion at all, they sound bigger and fuller than a comparable SS amp.

henry5 · Post by **henry5** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 9:48 am

I've been using an Ashdown EB180 combo in rehearsal the past couple of weeks (rehearsal room is on the 3rd floor so I thought as it was already there and saved me lugging my gear up I'd give it a try). I quite like the tone, particularly with my 72 4001, but it struggles a bit with my CS; the lows get very muddled and have no real clarity or oomph. Compared to my usual rig (Trace 300SMX and 1153 1x15 cab) it's lacking in clarity, bite, bottom and volume (by a huge amount). However I do find it quite a musical sounding amp, and it's eminently portable, although I wouldn't fancy gigging with one. Although it has nothing like the dynamic punch of the Trace, it sounds quite sweet. I'm actually considering Ashdown for my next rig, but would go for the ABMs. As I've previously stated, my Ricks and Ampeg have not been happy bedfellows in the past, although I live in hope. I'm sure that's down to the way I play though. The guy who bought my 76 4001 tried it through my old Ampeg and he got a great sound, whereas the sound I always got was utterly mediocre. When I plug in my Trace I can get my sound straight away; in over 2 years of using Ampeg I could never get my sound. I agree with Shawn in that we all have a different Rick sound in our heads, but the way you play can have such an effect on how you achieve that sound. I can actually get a sound closer to Squire through my Trace than I could through my old Marshall Superbass, but again that's just because of the way I play. I'm sure through Squire's rig I'd sound nothing like him, just as he would doubtless sound nothing like me through my rig. In my experience it's totally possible for 2 players using very different gear to actually achieve very similar sounds, and vice versa. Whatever nails the sound in your head is the best amp for you. Got to agree with Bob about the power thing though, tube amps always do sound louder and fuller to me too, although I'm not yet convinced they're the way to go for me.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 1:23 pm

The closest I ever got to Squire's sound and this was not intentional was with a 68 P bass/66 jazz neck with new Rotosounds on it played with an old Sunn 100-120 watt lead SS head cranked up through an 8 x 10 SVT cab. It was pretty close too.

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 9:14 pm

The closeset I got to the CS sound was back in 1975. My '74 4001 was going through a Hiwatt 100 head & 2x15 for the neck p/u and an H&H 100 head going through 2 4x12 cabs for the bridge p/u. Sounded as good as I ever got. And yes, we did have a roadie!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 5:21 am

You didn't need a roadie for that light stuff, haha!

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 5:26 am

I don't know, I think you Americans eat too much red meat for your own good...!