The story: from Trace Elliot to Essex
The Ashdown story begins with Mark Gooday, who entered the music industry in 1985 at Trace Elliot, a pioneering bass amp maker, starting in production4. He went on to become managing director there, and Ashdown points to that history when it introduces its founder:
"way back to his days as MD at Trace Elliot"
Trace Elliot itself lives on as a brand sold through Peavey, which currently lists bass overdrive and acoustic preamp pedals under the name910.
After his time with Trace Elliot, Gooday went on to found Ashdown Engineering, the maker of the NM2 and the Ashdown Pedals range11. The company describes itself as having "provided bassists with the best possible sound for two solid decades"8.
Known for ABM bass amplifiers and Ashdown pedals
Ashdown describes itself as having "provided bassists with the best possible sound for two solid decades"8. The ABM line extends beyond heads and combos into rack gear: the RPM-1-JE preamp puts all the ABM facilities in a rack-mounting package, with a blend of solid state and dual triode tube preamp stages that can be preset and selected by footswitch12.
The pedal range covers most effect types a bassist would want, and much of it is designed specifically for bass:
| Pedal | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Triple Shot | Blended multi-band bass overdrive | Pedalboard-ready standard jacks3 |
| Octa Dose | Octave pedal | From Dr Green's surgery with Ashdown13 |
| Bass Verb | Reverb pedal for bass | High quality reverb designed for bass6 |
| Bearded Lady | Bass fuzz | From Dr Green's surgery5 |
| FS-Drive Plus | Distortion | Tailored for modern bassists14 |
| FS-Bass Ometer | Tuner | Developed for bass specifically15 |
| Booster Shot | Guitar boost | High end and full signal boost16 |
| FS-EQ12-DI | 12 band graphic EQ DI | Footswitch selects between your EQ curve and the Ashdown shape17 |
| Cubicle | Reverb pedal | Guitar reverb18 |
| Studio Compressor | Compressor | 5 year warranty2 |
The range also includes signature pedals built with named players:
- The Lomenzo Mega Drive, a 9V pedal evolved from the Ashdown Hyperdrive19
- The Geezer Butler Pedal of Doom, housed in a rugged 1.6mm Zintec steel chassis and engineered in Essex1
- The John Myung Double Drive20
Dr Green
Dr Green is Ashdown's effects range, launched in 2013 by Ashdown's Dave Green2122. Several current pedals carry the branding, each described as coming "straight from Dr Greens surgery":
- The Octa Dose octave pedal, from Dr Green's surgery with Ashdown13
- The Bass Verb, a high quality reverb designed for bass6
- The Bearded Lady bass fuzz, in conjunction with Ashdown Engineering5
Warranty and support
Every Ashdown product purchased includes a 5 year warranty2. Support runs through a UK-based team, which Ashdown says is "always ready to help"2, answering phone and email contact within 24 hours on weekdays2.
Ashdown's own store does not sell outside the UK. The company states plainly: "Currently, we do not facilitate orders to outside of the UK," and directs international customers to its Dealer Locator3. Players in the United States and elsewhere need a dealer or third-party retailer.
Within the UK, orders placed before 3pm Monday to Thursday are dispatched the same day and shipped on a next-day delivery service via TNT7236. Spare parts, footswitches, and accessories can be purchased directly through the in-house service team2.
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Questions
Does Ashdown ship pedals to the United States?
No. Ashdown states that it does not facilitate orders to outside of the UK through its own store, and directs customers elsewhere to its Dealer Locator to find a retailer in their region. US players looking for Ashdown pedals need to go through a dealer or a third-party retailer.
Where can I buy Ashdown pedals outside the UK?
Ashdown's own store does not ship outside the UK, so international buyers are directed to the company's Dealer Locator to find a stockist in their country. Within the UK, orders placed before 3pm Monday to Thursday are dispatched the same day and shipped on a next-day service via TNT.
Who makes Dr. Green pedals?
Dr Green is an Ashdown Engineering effects range launched in 2013 by Ashdown's Dave Green. Several Ashdown pedals, including the Octa Dose and Bass Verb, are described as coming straight from Dr Green's surgery, and the Bearded Lady bass fuzz is part of the same line.
What does ABM stand for on Ashdown amps?
ABM stands for Ashdown Bass Magnifier. It is the company's flagship amplifier range, and the name carries over into rack gear such as the RPM-1-JE preamp, which puts the ABM facilities in a rack-mounting package.
Can I buy replacement footswitches for Ashdown gear?
Yes. Ashdown says spare parts, footswitches, and accessories can be purchased directly through its in-house service team. The company also answers phone and email questions within 24 hours on weekdays.
Where is Ashdown Engineering based?
Ashdown Engineering is based in Essex, England, and describes its gear as engineered in Essex. Its support team is UK-based, and its pedals are conceived and designed in the UK.
Sources (23)
- Geezer Buttler Signature Pedal Of Doom Pedal, Ashdown Engineering
- Studio Compressor, Ashdown Engineering
- Ashdown Triple Shot, Ashdown Engineering
- ABOUT US, Ashdown Engineering
- Bearded Lady, Ashdown Engineering
- Bass Verb, Ashdown Engineering
- Hairy Tongue, Ashdown Engineering
- Norman Watt-Roy Pre-DI, Ashdown Engineering
- Trace Elliot® Overdrive Pedal, Peavey
- Trace Elliot Acoustic® Transit™ A Acoustic Pre-amp & Effects Pedal, Peavey (peavey.com)
- NM2 - Nate Mendel Double Drive Pedal - Ashdown Engineering, Ashdown Engineering
- ABM-RPM-JE, Ashdown Engineering
- Octa Dose, Ashdown Engineering
- FS-Drive Plus, Ashdown Engineering
- FS-Bass Ometer, Ashdown Engineering
- Booster Shot, Ashdown Engineering
- FS-EQ12-DI, Ashdown Engineering
- Cubicle - Ashdown Engineering, Ashdown Engineering
- Lomenzo Mega Drive, Ashdown Engineering
- Ashdown John Myung Double Drive review, Guitar World, 2022-03-04
- Ashdown Pro-FX Vintage Fuzz review, Guitar World, 2021-12-10
- Ashdown Pro-FX Retro Drive review, MusicRadar, 2022-04-20
- Life Support, Ashdown Engineering