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So the mrs. likes to remind me i'm not getting any younger (like SHE is?) and while watching me heft my ASHDOWN Blue 180 combo (bass amp) down the stairs ......she asks "don't you think you oughta get something lighter?"

now, i LOVE this amp. i've been using it for close to ten yrs now. never one problem. 180 watts w a 12" and one of THE best line out DI's i've heard. Great EQ options. when it ain't enough power to cover the gig that line out gets used, and i always get compliments from the sound guy on it. at my truckstop gig where the PA is limited to vocals only, i use a homemade 2x10" or an EDEN 1x12" cab extension cab w it and it gets the job done in a very large "saloon" w/o breaking a sweat. and we play LOUD.

funny thing is, it only weighs 55 lbs. not really all that heavy!

ok, so about a month ago i order a new "blemished" EDEN WXT 500. (F me if i could find ANYTHING "blemished" on it) it's one of these cute little 4lb class D amps. the thing is like 8"x10"x4" and looked totally badass and solid as a tank.

i bought it on line from The Bass Store in AZ. they were closing it out at $400 w free shipping. great price. the amp arrives the day of a truckstop gig and i bring it out to put it through it's paces. i'm running it thru the same 2X10 cab i usually use there.

...and i could not find "MY sound" w it. "my sound" is clean, woody, w nice fat bottom but complete definition.

...and it just wasn't there. i'd get above the "C" at the 5th fret of the "G" string and it got puny. everything sounded very colored and processed. i tried it again next night...same deal. after the 2nd set the next night i switched back to my old ASHDOWN combo and there it was...."my sound".

so, i send it back. these guys were totally cool (remember they paid for shipping it to me) and refunded my money immediately no questions asked. nice.

fast forward to last week when i ordered an ASHDOWN MI-BASS 550 from FULL COMPASS. another little pint sized class D micro amp. ASHDOWN discontinued these about a yr ago so i was able to find one that they wanted gone. $450 shipped.

and perfect timing...it arrived yesterday afternoon in time for me to unpack it, plug it in to make sure it worked, and "load it" into my car for last night's gig.

three piece gig (bass/sax/drums) in a hotel lobby. great acoustics w lot's of nice comfy oversized easy chairs and couches, carpeted floors, and such.... so we're not playing very loud. my bandmates and i were absolutely floored by the tone! i used it w the 2x10 cab and it was purrfect. nice and fat even tone from my lowest to highest notes. no coloration....just the sound of my bass and my fingers.

right now i'm listening to the gig recording (Tascam DR-05) as i'm typing and the bass tone sounds even better than i thought it did last night!

of course i wasn't playing at truckstop volume, so this weekend it gets that test. can't wait to try this head w both cabs! if it makes the cut i'm gonna order another 1x12 EDEN cab.....'cos that 2x10 cab is around 6olbs and the EDEN cabs come in at 30 lbs each.

55 lbs/60 lbs? Wimp! Know exactly what you mean.

GuitarMikeB wrote:55 lbs/60 lbs? Wimp! Know exactly what you mean.

what can i say, mike....i like to think i'm in pretty good shape. 6 foot, 190lbs. i hit the gym a few times a week and i still sport the same 33 waist i did when i was in my 20's.

but you know how it is....i like to keep the peace and try not to argue w the old lady any more than necessary!

she says....."go out and buy yourself a new amp"....who am I to argue?????

Product Description
Ashdown MI - BASS550 - Compact 550 watt Electric Bass Guitar Amplifier Head

It fits in the pocket of a gig bag. Yet it’s big enough to fill a serious venue with warm authoritative Ashdown tone.

Designed from the ground up the MiBass 550 packs 550W of Class D power and a plethora of pro features in a stylish, compact bass head measuring just 8.3 x 2.6 x 6.3 inches – and that includes an internal power supply.

On the front you’ll find a switchable Active/Passive instrument input, input level control that allows you to match the input signal to your bass using the trademark Ashdown VU meter. The newly designed pre amp centers on a 7 band semi parametric EQ for precision tone shaping, use the rotary controls to select frequency and the sliders to cut or boost to the exact amount needed. Add even more low end with the 'Deep' button or instantly switch to a slap happy tone by engaging the 'Shape' button. The EQ can be bypassed completely with an EQ In/Out switch, the output level controls overall volume and what could be neater than a front panel-mounted line input with level control so you can hook up an MP3 player for practicing.

The pro-theme continues around the back, where combination Jack/Speakon speaker outputs share panel space with a Pre/Post switchable balanced DI output for direct connection to a PA or recording console, an FX Send/Return for adding in your favourite effects and a very useful headphone jack for silent practice.

MiBass comes in a range of cool colours - black for the 220W head and silver for the 550W model with replacement blue and purple panels also available to add a splash of colour. And soon you’ll be able to download a template from the Ashdown website and send us a design for your own unique, custom MiBass front panel – keep checking the website for details.


Specifications:



Power Output (RMS)

550 watts

Sounds like a nice rig Planet. Enjoy!

I am also scaling down the herd a bit and have been selling off the heavy stuff and things I no longer use this year. I had a bunch of cash in my wallet from selling an Orange amp that I couldn't find my sound with and this little Fender Super Champ XD shows up on CL for $200. 15w tube output with some amp modeling and a few effects. 22lbs! A nice little grab n go amp. I put some fresh JJ tubes in there and she just sings my tone all day! Shimmering clean tones along with Dick Dale, Robbie Krieger, Hendrix, Gilmour, Santana, Clapton, early Jeff Beck, SRV can all be respectfully found in there with a few dial twists.

I play a lot of 60s and 70s rock with a very California vibe. That usually means Fender or Mesa. If you need heavier British tone for 80s or Metal, don't bother with the Super Champ XD cause it's not your amp. I will never sell my Mesa because it does everything well but for a small gig or practice amp the Super Champ is just enough to run with a drummer and sounds great.

Planetguy wrote:Product Description
Ashdown MI - BASS550 - Compact 550 watt Electric Bass Guitar Amplifier Head

It fits in the pocket of a gig bag. Yet it’s big enough to fill a serious venue with warm authoritative Ashdown tone.

Designed from the ground up the MiBass 550 packs 550W of Class D power and a plethora of pro features in a stylish, compact bass head measuring just 8.3 x 2.6 x 6.3 inches – and that includes an internal power supply.

On the front you’ll find a switchable Active/Passive instrument input, input level control that allows you to match the input signal to your bass using the trademark Ashdown VU meter. The newly designed pre amp centers on a 7 band semi parametric EQ for precision tone shaping, use the rotary controls to select frequency and the sliders to cut or boost to the exact amount needed. Add even more low end with the 'Deep' button or instantly switch to a slap happy tone by engaging the 'Shape' button. The EQ can be bypassed completely with an EQ In/Out switch, the output level controls overall volume and what could be neater than a front panel-mounted line input with level control so you can hook up an MP3 player for practicing.

The pro-theme continues around the back, where combination Jack/Speakon speaker outputs share panel space with a Pre/Post switchable balanced DI output for direct connection to a PA or recording console, an FX Send/Return for adding in your favourite effects and a very useful headphone jack for silent practice.

MiBass comes in a range of cool colours - black for the 220W head and silver for the 550W model with replacement blue and purple panels also available to add a splash of colour. And soon you’ll be able to download a template from the Ashdown website and send us a design for your own unique, custom MiBass front panel – keep checking the website for details.


Specifications:



Power Output (RMS)

550 watts

does it have 6L6's in it? being it's that small I can't see how they could get tubes installed in it..

no tubes, dane...straight up Class D solid state.

Planet my bass rig is a HARTKE hybrid amp, it has a tube preamp, so I get that old school sound and 500 watts solid state, I run it into a 4x10 Acoustic cab, a little more than you are carrying, but when Aint Yo Mama had a gig a couple of monthes ago, our bassist used it and it sounded great, and we do get a bit loud.

Some of the amps out there today are amazing to me.

I added a Fryette Memphis combo and a Tiny Terror combo to the stable and Im loving both.

jw123 wrote:Some of the amps out there today are amazing to me.

indeed. the "tube tone" factor is what really appeals to me about ASHDOWN. for solid state amps (they do make tube amps too)...they have that warm squishy quality of good tube amps PLUS great definition. this new amp and my old sound remakarbly like an old 50 watt BASSMAN head i used to use.

I added a Fryette Memphis combo and a Tiny Terror combo to the stable and Im loving both.

hmmm. not hip to Fryette. but damn....i'd think their PR folks would advise against using a name for an amp that starts with "Fry"!

Nothing like a clean woody.


Congrats on the new amp.

It looks like you can load in, in one trip? Gig bag across shoulder, speaker cab in one hand and base guitar in the other hand!

J-HALEY wrote:It looks like you can load in, in one trip? Gig bag across shoulder, speaker cab in one hand and base guitar in the other hand!

yep. the coveted and much loved "one trip"!!!

'cept when i need to go w two cabs (tonight)

Planetguy wrote:

J-HALEY wrote:It looks like you can load in, in one trip? Gig bag across shoulder, speaker cab in one hand and base guitar in the other hand!

yep. the coveted and much loved "one trip"!!!

'cept when i need to go w two cabs (tonight)

Break a leg Mark! Hope you have double the fun with those 2 speakers!

well, it was interesting using the new rig this weekend. i had a little trouble dialing in "my sound" playing at the louder volume but after a cpl of sets i could get pretty close. i'm gonna keep it and get myself a second EDEN 1x12 cab for these louder gigs.

at 550 watts i was surprised that it didn't have more cajones.....only just a little louder (maybe) than my old 180 watt Ashdown Blue 180 combo. still, enough to get it done.

now, if there was only a way to figure out a lighter and more compact vibraphone!

Planetguy wrote:at 550 watts i was surprised that it didn't have more cajones.....only just a little louder (maybe) than my old 180 watt Ashdown Blue 180 combo. still, enough to get it done.

Solid state watts vs tube watts. I never understood why the two don't equate, but they don't. Usually it's about a 3:1 ratio (in other words 40 tube watts = 120 solid state watts.)