Ashdown Engineering

Founded in 1997 by Mark Gooday, the former chief engineer for Trace Elliott, the Ashdown brand was created from Gooday’s technical know-how and his desire to start his own company. Based in Essex, Ashdown has become a class-leader in the bass amp market, with their products acclaimed for their bullet-proof reliability and of course - tone!

But Gooday didn’t start designing his amplifiers to meet just his personal tastes, he went far further than that. Seeking the advice of some of the most high-profile names in the business to test his early concepts, he wanted to ensure that his designs could make the measure from the very beginning. 

Early testers included John Entwistle (The Who) and Mark King (Level 42), two of the most virtuosic bass players ever. Approving of his early designs, this motivated Gooday and formed the Ashdown philosophy: to offer tour-grade gear that delivers night-after-night reliability and unparalleled sound.

The Ashdown Range

Highly-identifiable by their signature ‘VU Metre’, all of Ashdown’s amps carry this stylish badge of honour. Catering for bassists of all budgets, Ashdown are popular for the variety in their current lineup.

ABM Series

Ashdown’s production series is led by their flagship ABM series heads, capable of producing arena-filling volume with 600W -1200W of headroom throughout the range. With a solid-state design, this hugely versatile amplifier features a 9-band EQ section, letting you tweak your bass tone with near-surgical precision.

RM Series

The RM series is another cornerstone of the Ashdown catalogue, with a smaller, lightweight chassis that offers incredible portability. Available in 500W and 800W formats, these solid-state heads will easily handle large venues too.

Valve-Powered Series

If solid-state isn’t your thing, the CTM bass heads are driven by an EL84 power section, producing a warm, full-bodied bass tone with plenty of mid-range punch. There’s a reason why players such as Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters) and James Johnson (Biffy Clyro) use these amps to push their sound consistently on lengthy tours. 

The Geezer Butler Signature ‘Head of Doom’ is also worthy of note, delivering an immensely strong bass tone. Thanks to its tube-based design, this bass head also features ‘Doom’ controls, producing an engulfing sub-octave for world-ending riffs.