Ashdown FA-60 Fallen Angel

All features described from others above this post :)
One thing that amazed me is the volume foot switch. very helpful for live gigs if you are guitar - straight to amp plug and play!

I use Fallen Angel 60 with a marshall cabin 4x12 (modified at 4 ohms, and rewired to play only the two speakers). Wouldn't recomend this modification at high volumes cause you could damage the speakers. It's sounds like a boosted sound at lower volumes.

Never heard my amp on Ashdown cabin. They didn't have at the store here in Greece!

Guitars: Ibanez JS1, Baritone Custom made (bridge: seymour duncan dimebag, middle: seymour duncan single coil (can't remember model) neck Tom Anderson ST2), Epiphone Les Paul (seymour duncan's).

Style: Drive is near perfect for heavy metal dark sound. Much better from a Messa Boogie Mono Rectifier. Of course can't be next to a Dual Rectifier (This Amp kills!!!)

Noise: I get some radio noises at home. Don't know yet which radio station is!!! Never tried it at studios though.

Clean Channel: Not as good as I expected. This amp is made for heavy music. So I don't think it's a must for that amp. I would choose a fender twin reverb or something else for clean parts.

Distortion:

- Lead Channel. Exactly what I was looking for. Full dark sound, controllable drive for fast playing and great low responses.
- crunch is also great.

I always manipulate my gear and push everything to the limit. My Fallen Angel is new and haven't test it "properly" yet. But, yes, I would take it on gig and explode it!

never have problems with the amp. Works fine 'cause it's still new and fresh.

Ordered a cover and an extra foot switch for volume control (Too bad it comes separately). Shipping was very fast (I live in Greece that's why my english are not so good)

I play guitar for 15 years. I used to have an AVT150H Marshall. Didn't like it and sold it to buy Fallen Angel. Nothing sounds like a tube amp! I was going to buy a dual rectifier but it's very expensive. So the cost of Fallen Angel for how it sounds is a 10!
I intend to keep this amp forever.
I heard that all models from now on will be made at China. Don't know if this is true.

2 Channels + Gain Boost, all footswitchable
2 Master Volumes, footswitchable on separate circuit to channel switch
60 Watts
4 12AX7 valves in Preamp-stage
2 EL34 valves in power amp stage
Serial FX Loop

All the reviews go on about the bass being really bassy and there not wrong start with set at 3 and work from there, I moved from a Marshall JTM 30 which has quite a bright tone, the FA60 is far darker.

Blew a fuse second day I owned it checked everything and even replaced the valves before calling ashdown, I only live 2 hours away from there factory in essex, so I arranged via e-mail to take it there and wait for it to be repaired. which I did, found out there are 3 internal fuses on the main board inside. It would be nice if they could fit these to external fuse holders. Despite the quick repair and good service, I had to make a 200 mile round trip to replace a 10p fuse. Though I do know now how to get the damn thing apart.

Can't fault them they reply'd to my e-mails promptly and arranged evrything really quickly.

Its a nice amp, not sure that I'd buy another yet haven't had it long enough to be sure. If you like your music heavy say korn etc .. its probably great. I belive these things are better when really driven hard, and I haven't had the chance yet to try that. If your going to use at home I'd buy a THD Hotplate or something and drive the bugger hard. But construction seems tough, and I would gig with it.

(Combo Version)
2 Channels + Gain Boost, all footswitchable
2 Master Volumes, footswitchable on separate circuit to channel switch
60 Watts through 2x Celestion Vintage 30 Speakers
4 12AX7 valves in Preamp-stage
2 EL34 valves in power amp stage
Serial FX Loop
Supplied with footswitch for 2 Channels & gain boost and a set of castors.

The main reasons for choosing this amp was the ability to control the channel switching with a G-Major. In addition, the serial fx loop was an important issue as I want to be able to control the master volume without tap-dancing (more on this later, this is the reason for the 9 instead of 10). It's not seriously lacking in any feature, though some compromises still have to be made. Where it scores big over Vox & Marshall is the use of simple connectors rather than proprietary wiring for their own footswitches. Marshall also have parallel fx loops instead of serial, & 100% mix in marshall-land is 50% in the real world.

Using the amp with two guitars, a PRS CE22 and an old Charvel Model 4a. Playing pretty much mainstream rock, needed a more reliable amp than my ageing peavey bandit that gave me similar levels of gain on the lead channel but a more rounded sound & better high-volume quality. I use a G-Major (as stated above) with a Behringer FCB1010 controller board, so am dependent on the amp supplying the right amount of gain on each channel.

Clean Channel (channel 1)
With careful pickup selection & using the guitars volume control this can pretty much be anything from crystal clear through to very mildly driven, and it's all very warm sounding. Soft picking gives a very defined sound, and hammering the strings gives a nice little bite on full chords without sounding nasty. The CE22 sounds slightly better on this channel, especially the neck pickup & one click back from it. The bridge pickup doesn't sound too harsh either.

Rhythm Channel (channel 2)
Chunky chops! With the gain down low, there is marginally more drive than full gain on channel one, but cleanish sounds can still be had. There is enough gain using the Charvel for fairly smooth lead, though the CE22 gives a very different sound here - not unexpected but the difference is quite drastic. Not much noise overhead either. Others have mentioned, and I agree totally, that most of the EQ differences are over a very small range, perhaps from 9-oclock to 3 oclock, the extremes making very little difference beyond that. I have to say that the sounds are a touch on the raw side, maybe just a little too little drive with the gain full, but playing with the EQ gets things sounding just 'so'. More ACDC than Iron Maiden, though.

Lead Channel (Channel 2 + Gain Boost)
I don't think they could have got this any more right. The rhythm sound is relatively unchanged, but all of a sudden there's feedback on demand, along with the associated hiss when you stop playing. If you want the marshall sound, stay away. If you want the boogie sound, stay away. if you like both but want something somewhere in between, this amp is for you. Every nuance is clearly relayed through the speakers, harmonics & squeals aplenty, & the limit of gain is about as far as anyone really needs (unless you like to swim in the kind of distortion that hides the note definition along with the fingering mistakes).

One thing that did strike me, on all three settings, was that the G-Major seemed to cut a lot when the compressor was used. I didn't expect that & so have some playing around to do, however as I've only had the amp a few days its difficult to make too much of that.

I've no cause for complaint at this time. As for gigging without a backup, the backup is the unreliable Peavey that I still have. I'd take both, plus a brace of spare tubes just in case. You'd need to be a gambler not to take spares for a valve amp. I can't give it a 10 because it's too early to tell, but it worked out of the box & I had it singing nicely in under 10 minutes. As new, it's perfect (apart from a missing psu cable, but that's the retailers fault)

I contacted them before buying to find out about downloading sound bites or pointers as to where I might listen to artists using similar equipment to me. They got back to me same day, unfortunately in the negative, but they called around on my behalf to find a dealer with stock. Unfortunately this also bore no fruit because so many music shops don't like to work to sell equipment & marshall sells easier. No Ashdown guitar amps in Scotland, I had to make a 660 mile round trip to try out a british made amp.
I believe the warranty is 5 years.

I've been playing for 20 years, & this is my first foray into the world of valves (at least that I've paid for myself). Previous amps were Marshall 5150 (no, that's not a mistake), Yamaha Hundred-115 (customised with a 15" JBL Black Diamond speaker) & an 80's Roland Cube 60. Also the 80 watt Bandit that I still have. The best clean sound I've ever had at low volumes was the cube or the Peavey, but in all cases the difference between channels was almost too severe, always unable to reach that middle ground, & to my mind Ashdown have delivered a stunning package for the price. RRP is #699, its main competitor is the Marshall TSL602. The Ashdown beats it easily on flexibility (fittings, serial loop) and individuality (both in sound and in looks). I think the 602 is also heavier. If I had to put a downer on anything it is this : Two relay switches is actually enough to get four combinations, all open, all closed, inner ring closed + outer open & vice versa. This, in my mind, means that they COULD have put the master 1/2 circuit easily into the channel switch circuit. Instead, they have the master separate & as a result I need to put a cable between the behringer & the amp to make the switching automatic with the patch. It's a bitch to have to do that, especially as I can't then select that via the g-major but have to store it with the foot-controller. The gain boost doesn't push the output volume, just the preamp (which is perfect in itself). Many have said this amp is maybe too bass-oriented, & I'm not hearing that at all. If anything, this is the first amp to get the bass response right, & I don't do drop tuning nor play 7-string guitars.

Finally, the G-Major was covering up for the bandit shortcomings, I found I had to start almost from scratch again because it went the other way, the G-Major was actually degrading the sound. I couldn't really ask for a better amp for this kind of money, & as it stands, yes, I'd buy another one no bother. Would have been nice to try the new one with the DFX, but I'd still probably stick with the one I have

This is an update to my earlier review.
After a bit of playing, the channel footswitch stopped working. I tried it in the master volume socket and it worked fine, so it was the switching socket that had failed. It would often work when the amp was well warmed up, but never when cold. Also when I played at full volume (ouch!) the mains transformer got very hot. I phoned Ashdown, who said if I brought it down to the factory they'd fix it while I waited. My dad said he'd take it, but I forgot to tell him about the while-you-wait bit. So he left it there. After a few days the bloke phoned and said "I've been playing this thing for quarter of an hour and I can't get the footswitch to fail."
Anyway, they sent it back, I plugged it in, same problem. I phoned them and told them, they said "Really? Ok, we'll pick it up at 2:00 tomorrow."
A week or so later I got it back, with a service slip. They'd replaced the switching relay, and also replaced the mains and output transformers. That chewed-up input jack was fixed, and it has a new VU meter (I cracked the old one by banging it against another cab, and as I considered it my fault I hadn't actually told Ashdown it was broken).
It's possible that they just put a new amplifier in - it's the same cab, and the same speakers - but from a remembered scratch on the backplate I don't think so.

Either way, it works fine and Ashdown didn't charge me for the cost of shipping 30 kilos of amp all over the place by Lynx. The Ashdown technician phoned me 2 or 3 times over the weeks to keep me updated and ask me questions, and replied to my emails.
So for me, I'm happy with the way Ashdown dealt with it - good work guys. I just wish it hadn't broken down in the first place (apparently an industry nickname for Ashdown is Breakdown).

I live about 2 and a half hours' drive from Ashdown, but obviously if you live in Ohio you'll probably have to take it to your dealer.

- Ed

2004 60W Tube amp, Combo version (2x12) with Celestion Vintage 30s.
Pre stage: 2x 12AX7EH.
Power stage: 2x EL34 (mine was with JJ tube).
2 Channels: clean and lead with boost function all footswitchable.
Separate eq for each channel
2 master volume footswitchable (I found very useful)
Reverb
Serial Fx loop with volume control
Impedance selector
2 Cab extension output: 8ohm speakers to run in parallel with internal speaker, and dedicated 16ohm 4x12 speaker

What else do you need?

I play in with a LTD MH-100 or a Kramer Imperial (explorer shape) and run a TC G-major through Fx-loop. I also drive a Marshall 1960A 4x12 speaker for extended bottom end.
Basically I play metal, mostly old and modern Thrash, but I also try something different, more experimental and mixed keeping a metal sound. I'm most focus on riffing.
Something immediately impress me is quietness. Even at I high volumes you don't feel the need of a Noise gate. I come from a 5150 experience so I can do a comparison. I think 5150 has better attack and low response, but FA60 wins on versatility both in clean and lead(with boost function you virtually have two channels, crunch and lead). Also find better sustain in the FA60. Harmoics come out easy.
As everyone said it's very bassy and when I start to work on eq in search of my own sound I was pretty disappointed because I felt good potential but I couldn't find a good control on mid-bass range, even with g-major eq. Then I did learn how the combo eq works and the secret is the highs. Keep it from 1 o'clock to 4 and you can better work with bass knob. Now I don't use external eq.
But guys it wasn't enough for my taste. I tried to put in EH 6L6 instead of EL34. Damn! I faced HEAVEN! The sound I was looking for...
more definition in the mid-bass department, more tightness!
So my friends, give it a try on 6l6 if you can, sound much better if you're looking for a fat-solid-defined metal sound.
Someone complains about lack of distorsion, but I think there's enough for every kind of music. I don't like a mosquito behind my sound!

Clean channel is a clean channel! It's What I needed. A nice clean, not the best, but usable. Anyway I like some effect on cleans so...

At the beginning I was worried if It had enough power to step in a band situation. Hey guys it delivers fists in your face! Now I'm asking myself what do you need 100W and more power, when you got to play in rehearsal room and when play live they mice your cab?

So I rate 7 with stock tubes, but give it 9 with EH 6L6!

It look like a tank. It's heavy like a tank. So it seem a long lasting amp. I got it only 3 weeks so I'll see!

I did send some questions through the online module a week ago, still no answer!

I can say it's a winner! You can't find anything else in its price range and beyond like this nice tube amp. Don't be fooled by its price, It's not a second-best, but it can be a first choice amp.
If you look for a Hard rocking metal machine, definitely I recommend it. I suggest the combo version and a 4x12 quality cab so It give you the wall of a stack, but you keep the moveability wich a combo can deliver!
Finally try 6l6 tubes! Trust me guys, it becomes a killer tone machine!

I can't really be arsed to right a review of this amp, i've got one and believe me it rocks. Having read the review the last guy left i can tell he's a gimp for not falling in love with this amp. i bet if i met him i would hate you cos you're not worthy of even sucking my fathers penis. Someone should stick a guitar up you're ass
gayboy penis fucker

you'll get nothing better, i was amaze at the clean sound

never had a problem

excellent

remember it's british
It rocks like a mother fucker.

God save the queen

This amp was made in 2003. It is quite the versitile amp. The boost option is definately a must for metal heads. What more can you say for features...

I'm 18. Played for 8 years, yeah i know "this kid just doesn't know.." I know Avatar rocks, and Splawn amps are the best. The Sound out of this amp is incredible especially with the boost on. One dual footswitch can control the switching of channels and boost on/off. The harmonics and warm tones out of this amp is great. The name for this amp doesn't really do it justice. You would think it would have a much more metalish gainy sound, but it was built for tone. It does have plenty of gain dont get me wrong. The bottom end for this amp seems endless. I run this through an avatar 4x12 loaded with greenbacks. I get more lows than my bass player on stage. It is incredible, I keep it around 3-4. Dialing in this amp takes a lot of patience, If you know what sound your looking for you will find it, but be patient. The distortion seems to get warmer and tighter the louder you go. Not great for low volume venues, definitaly needs to be stage sweeped, you cannot point this directly at your audience if you want a heavy sound, its just too loud. But overall AMAZING sound for the price

I giged this amp about 3 times before it died on me. I'm not really sure what happened. All the sudden the output stopped but the lights were on. I thought a resistor blew, that then blew an internal fuse. But not so, says the manufacter (i'll get him later).Do not use this amp withoput a backup or at least some extra fuses. The head casing is built like a tank though. Only shacking thing is the UV meter, plastic, it falls out of place alot put its easy to glue back.

OKAY... story time. On stage this amp lost its output. Silly me the one time i didn't take a backup. anyway, after a long time of trying to find someone in the US who would honor the warranty (because its made in England) i found on in New JErsey. These jokers made me pay for shipping, the guy on the phone said it was a fuse problem and wouldn't honor the warranty for false accusations against the amp. I didn't even know someone would do taht.. yaeh i'll send my amp halfway acroos the country for $40 just as a joke. These guys take forever and i pity the fool who has to put up with the guy i talked to. He says umm so much, i dont think he knows what a tube is.. dont tell him i said that

I've played for 8 years. I've been gigging for a long while. I've played throuh Marshalls out da wazoo. Gibson SG stadards. SOldano, I know what i like, 2 of these amps would be just fine for a touring experience or a heavy gigger. It totally replaces most need for pedals, cept for the necesityies, chorus, delay, tremelo, wah, ext.... If it were stolen i would replace it.. its the best for the cheapest thats for sure...

2 channels with a boost feature. Came stock with Electro Harmonix EL34 power amp tubes. Has footswithable master volumes, which is cool to give you another another boost for solos. Has effects loop, reverb, etc. Has plenty of power for a 60 watt head. I wish that the footswitches came with the unit (mine didn't) and I wish that all buttons were on one footswitch instead of 2 separate footswitches. I also wish it had a midi interface, but that will never happen for the price of this amp. Also, the cover for the UV meter on mine cracked in shipping. It wasnt a problem because I glued back on and you cant even tell anything happened...but it is a little suspect.

I use custom warmoth soloist guitars with duncan jb's in the bridge and duncan jazz in the neck. I play metal in the vein of killswitch, unearth, slipknot, etc.

The amp isnt noisy and the distortion is brutal!! When I first got this amp I was a little concerned because I hadnt been able to play it in a store, so I was taking a chance. When I first bought the amp I was disappointed with the gain channel because it wasnt what I expected....then I turned on the boost function. One the gain channel with the boost on, outstanding. Another thing I noticed is that the further down you tune, the better this thing sounds. Something about this amps design lets it handle the lower frequencies. Maybe its me, but the lower you go, the better it sounds. The amp is EXTREMELY bassy...I keep it on about 4...and I play Metal!!! Has good definition and is definately sharp looking.

I would definately gig with this amp. Built like a tank

never dealt with them

I have been playing 10 years and have owned several amps over the years, most recently a 5150. I would definately buy this thing again because for the money you cant beat it. I run mine into a soldano 4X12 cab and it sounds amazing. No need for distortion pedals. One of the big selling point for me was that it was something different, and when I play out people always ask me what I am playing through....definately different from the mesa,marshall, 5150 trend but definatley in that category or above (in my opinion).

Tube amp head with Electro-Harmonix EL34's stock. Two channels with a boost function. Effects loop, reverb and has footswitchable master volumes. Plus the thing just looks extremely cool. The only thing that I dont like is that if you dont have the footswitch, you cant access the boost function.

Clean sound is excellent. For an advertised gain monster, this thing has a suprisingly good clean tone. The gain channels sounds good too, but doesnt really shine until you kick in the boost. Whoa! I love the tone of this amp. Serious crunch, serious sustain but very versatile.

I would have to gig without a backup---I am a poor musician!

Never dealt with them, hope I never do---I believe they are in England

I love this amp and have had it for about 6 months (I wanted to use it for a long time before giving a review). I have been through many different amps over the years in search of "that sound." I am confident that I have found it. I also wanted to get away from the stereotypical mesa/marshall thing. I run mine through a Peavey Triple X cab (awesome cab by the way) and it sounds smokin. I bought mine when it was only $599 but I think these things are starting to catch on because they have raised the price to $850 or so. In the end of my search it was between this and a Triple X, and I just felt like this amp was much better. Buy it, you wont be disappointed!

2 Channel, footswitchable boost. You know the routine.
Reverb, 2 master volumes.
2 Celestion Vintage 30s.
FX loop and 4 casters that can be attached and detached as required.
It can have a 7 as that's not bad as valve amps go.

At the moment I have an Epi LP with stock pickups. I've also played this amp with an Ibanez S-somethingorother, and a Fender Duosonic.
Clean channel first. It's a good 'un. The amp's reverb, although not Accutronics, is very good. The clean channel starts to crunch up with humbuckers at about 12 o clock on the gain if you pick hard. Good Sweet Home Alabama sounds if you like. With the volume on the guitar turned down it really is a very clear, smooth clean.
With the gain maxed on the clean it isn't. It's getting really crunchy. Think AC/DC.
The lead channel I use with the boost on pretty much all the time. It just sounds better. There are things that sound better without it though, so it's nice to have the option.

I usually use the lead channel like this: Treble, 8-9. Middle, 8-9. Bass, 3-4. It's got lots of bass, far more than the combo cab can handle, but I've tried this through a Marshall 4X12 and you can bring the bass up quite a bit with a 4X12. If you like metal, and palm muting, the low end power availiable from these amps is just so much fun. Running it through that 4X12 really put a smile on my face. It's got plenty of chug, but if you don't want it that's what the bass knob's for.
Depending in what you do with the EQ, particularly the middle, and the gain, you can go from Metallica to G'n'R and all kinds of places in between.
The Vintage 30s sound great, although maybe a tad dark sometimes. that's just my taste though. Also they make it very loud. Lack of volume is not an issue. I'm looking forward to seeing what it sounds like with 6L6s. Oh yeah, all the preamp tubes bar one are Electro Harmonix. Which is nice.
Not tried the effects loop yet.
Give it a 9 because I wish one of the speakers was a G12T-75 because I'm fussy.

I don't gig, and am poor, so I have no backup. the tolex covering is tough, it has metal corner protectors and a solid sheet metal grill over the valves.
Recently I over-enthusiastically tightened the input jack, stripping the thread inside, which turns out to be plastic. Hmm. So I went to take it apart to replace it with a bog-standard metal jack socket.
This amp has the kind of ease of dis-assembly that anyone who has ever owned an Olivetti computer can identify with. Me and dad looked at it from all angles and can't figure out how to get it apart short of removing the caster sockets and the baffle. Not not a simple slide-out-the-chassis-backwards job like a Marshall, as the faceplate hooks over the baffle instead of being behind it. It can't come out forwards becasue there are 2 transformers in the way. The amp still works fine, just the jack wobbles a bit. I'll get it fixed sometime...

We phoned Ashdown and he said "Well, I wouldn't like to try and get one apart, and I work here." He sent us a couple of new socket front pieces of differing thread sizes in case one would bite into the chewed plastic inside. Failing that, he said, bring it down to Colchester and we'll do it. Fair dos. I wish they'd pick it up though.

Been playing 2 years, this is my first big amp. I've had it about 3 months. I used to use a Marshall Jackhammer for distortion but the beautiful distortion on this has rendered it redundant. I use a V-Wah.
If it were stolen... I'd cry for a while. I'd probably say it was worth a lot more than it was on the insurance and buy the 180W Fallen Angel head and cab instead.
What do I love about it? Everything so far. I have yet to find sound that I want it to do that I can't get out of it. Using the V-Wah as a treble booster into the already-crunchy clean channel gets a great Brian May sound. It's more versatile than the marketing would suggest.
When I bought it I compared it to the Marshall AVTs, the Fender stage 160(?) and lots of other things that I've forgotten at the London Guitar Show. (including an AC30. Way out of my range but good fun for a big Queen fan like me to play with.) I think these are going to get popular - they're very good value for the sound and specs. A friend of mine has a Marshall JCM800 Zakk Wylde head and cab and we both this sounds better, esp. though the 4X12. But stop reading HC, you'll turn blind. Instead, go to a shop and try this excellent amp that the whole world and his dog hasn't heard about yet.