Ashdown Engineering celebrates 25th anniversary
This year, Ashdown Engineering celebrates 25 years in the business in 2022. Best known for its ABM (Ashdown Bass Magnifier) bass amp, the UK-based company is marking the occasion with a special limited edition run of the ground-breaking – and ground shaking – ABM, with each of a hundred ABM-400 Ltd Edition amp heads being hand numbered and authenticated by Ashdown founder Mark Gooday.
Still very much a family business, Mark’s son Dan now heads up the Ashdown team. Aged just 12 when the company started, he recalls a childhood surrounded by an extended family of musicians that have played an important role in inspiring a whole range of Ashdown products down the years.
“I can remember sneaking a cigarette in the garden of John Entwistle’s Cotswold home, hoping that John’s Rottweilers wouldn’t come around the corner, while him and dad were tuning bass amps long into the night, And the time when my mum burnt the potatoes when Nate from the Foo Fighters came for Sunday lunch, the day after playing back-to-back sell out shows at Wembley Stadium.”
Along with the ABM, landmark innovations in Ashdown’s history include the Superfly MIDI controlled Class D bass amp, Valve Series bass amps, custom Blue Line bass speakers and Signature Series pedals. More recently, Ashdown has moved into the consumer electronics business, where its distinctive, VU-equipped Meters headphones now ship in their 10s of thousands around the world.
“It’s always a thrill to see the glowing VU meter of an Ashdown ABM on the world’s biggest festival stages, but we’re equally proud of our lower cost amplifiers and combos, bringing quality bass tone and features to players who are just starting out on their musical careers” comments Ashdown founder Mark Gooday. “We’re very grateful for all the feedback we’ve received from professional Ashdown users over the years, as it helps us make better bass amps for everybody.
“Along with our dedicated staff, distributors, and dealers, I’d like to thank all the Ashdown owners around the world for a great first 25 years. Here’s to the next 25!”