Ashdown FA-60 Fallen Angel

I got this amp in 2005, I play mostly blues and rock which this amp is really good for. I think that the reverb sucks and the effects are limited. The clean is really nice you can get a bit of that vox tone out of it along with the fender type tones. The distortion channel is great, when you hit the boost it really opens up.

I play a Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Strat, this amp loves humbuckers does well with the clean channel with the single coils, you can crank the gain on the clean channel with the single coils and it is great for blues. The distortion channel un-boosted with the humbuckers gives you a really nice classic type rock sound and with the boost look out you get in to that metal range. I boost that even further with an TS-808 overdrive and sustain for days. This amp is not noisy at all, this amp is very versitile.

I have never had a problem with it, and it has never let me down.

I tried to email them about getting the pedal attachment for the effects but never heard from them, I use my own pedals anyway so that was not a big deal.

I have been playing for about 5 years, I have an Marshall 18 watt also. I would be bummed out if I lost this amp I really like it a lot, prior to me getting this I checked out a bunch of Marshall JCM800's and I liked this so much more than the 800's and for the price you can't beat this thing. I love the sound, the low end that it puts out, I hate the reverb and effects on this thing though. I really wish it had better reverb and it did not have the effects on board, I think that if they put the time and money into the reverb rather than that crappy effects area this would be a great amp. If I had to buy it over again I would, over all I am very happy with this amp.

I thought it was kind of pointless to have 4 chorus effects 4 flangers and 8 delays i was rather dissapointed to find out my amp really only had 3 different kinds of effects and there are 16 setting knobs

i use and ibanez jtk4 jet king on my amp and its great for switching from blues to metal instantly on this amp, no noise what-so-ever on mine but i havent had the opertunity to really take this thing out and crank it up

im not sure if its dependable or not i havent gotten the chance to max turn this baby up past 4 to find out its real potential but im sure it will be great

i havent had to deal with them

i have been playing for a year and i used to play on a ashdown g20r before i got this and before that a line 6 spider 2 and also a roland micro cube. this by far has had the best sound out of all those amps. i love this amp because it gives me all that i want with the exception of the effects being limited, i will say though that it does the job so far and does it damn well and i'm very happy with my purchase i would suggest this amp to anyone amateur or professional.

2 channels, both able to produce a great amount of gain. I love the clean and the distortion is what I've been wanting to get for years.
also has a rotary dial in effects thingy that makes some.. well pretty cool effects...
anyhow ok read about the features in other reviews

the distortion is not brutal... I don't think it should be though, it gives enough that depending on what type of pickups you prefer its gonna make em sound like they were just a little hotter than on a jcm800 - at any rate, its not noisy unless you have some crappy pickups (and a few of my guitars do) I'd say it goes from happy clean fenderish to a tad bit slight of a mesa rec... I'd also like to say it doesn't have the mesa hiss... which some people want (I don't)

I think I can i've been playing it now for about 2 hours a day for 2 years and I'd say.. well it hasn't seen anything other than some green smoke no beer spills ect, the fan keeps the **** inside cool I guess.. it runs if u turn it on... ect so i'd say ya its been good to me

lol ashdown... warranty lol... ya I think hayden ownes it now or something though...

i've had it a while, I have a jcm 900 2x12 combo, a fender cybertwin (ick) a line 6 spider (great for bedroom jamming) and my only other real tube amp is an orange ad 15 (limitless gain)

I'd say seeing how I got this used, had it a long time and definately got my moneys worth outta it, and it still makes me happy when I look at it -- it rocks, and I love the sounds i don't think i'd trade it and if it were stolen I'd buy another (I'm gonna buy another anyway) maybe the 180 head... heh.

Fallen angel 60 watt head, You can see what the features are on the other reviews, but what i will say is that a effects loop for both channels would be nice and 60 watts somtimes is not loud enough but the next one up is 180 watts whitch is a bit too much for me

I play this amp with a gibson sg,and it sounds great its the distortion sound i have been looking to get for years, its got all the bass you could ever need and the clean sounds very nice

This amp has been reliable for the past two years, and has been well giged, but yesterday i blew one of the internall fuses, and too replace these you have to take the dam thing apart,if it happend at a gig you have had it,to sort this out i have drilled three holes in the amp casing on the bottom so i can change the fuse in seconds..

The company are very friendle and helpful, if you phone you can talk to an enginer no problem

sound great far heavier than a marshall,no need for peadals

Not a whole lot of features on this baby. It's got 2 channels, some decent effects, and reverb. The distortion channel has a gain boost button that you will need to have on for any time of modern music. There is a VU Meter that glows red although doesn't provide you much more than aesthetics.

The clean channel is excellent and the biggest reason I didn't keep using my modeling amp. It offers a really thick, thumping sound and has a really powerful gain that can give you all the punch you'll ever need for clean guitar work.

This distortion channel is pretty good, but it leaves more to be desired. I run mine at max gain with the gain boost initiated and still feel my modeling amp had more power. The notes are more defined, however; so I took the gain hit. I didn't get the 4-way footswitch with mine cause I got the open box unit from AMS, but my latching boss footswitch does the trick for channel switching.

The effects are pretty limited, but I'm fine with that since I like the simple clean/distortion switching. The reverb sucks and is only useful at the lowest settings.

What all these guys are saying about the bass is very true, holy crap this thing has a ridiculous amount of low end. I keep mine at 2-3.

This is a tough one. This is my first tube amp and I managed to blow a fuse at practice after our first show using it. You don't want to blow fuses with this thing because you gotta take out about 16 screws and remove the whole damn board to get to them. I had a friend of mine drill holes in the back and mount fuse holders after reading all the reviews on here and since then we've yet to blow another one.

They may have fixed this fuse issue in newer models, but you might want to make sure unless you're extraordinaryly skilled at quickly removing a plethera of screws on stage.

They are in the U.K. so it's either email or paying out the @$$ for a long distance phone call at midnight so I can't give a full 10 here. However, the genlemen Martin there was very prompt to answer all my emails and even sent me replacement fuses at no expensive.

They're good guys in my book.

Overall, you're getting a tube amp that blows away most Marshalls at the running rate of a moderately priced solid-state. I'm happy!

I am actually impressed with the versatility of this amp. It has two channels each with independent volume and gain, gain boost on channel two, and then there's two master volume knobs on top of that, so with a push of the footswitch you can have two preset volumes.

The effects aren't anything to jump for joy about, they sound good, but you don't have very good control over them. There's 8 preset delays, 4 flange and 4 chorus. You can adjust the amount of delay, flange and chorus you want, but you can't adjust the speed at all, which can be a pain. I don't use many effects so its not a big deal for me.

My main guitar is an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus with stock pickups and i also have a Strat with an Invader and a 59 model in it. I play a lot of stuff from worship to full on bowel moving metal, and I am extremely pleased with this amp. The clean channel is clean if you roll the gain knob way back. The clean channel gets significantly louder the more gain you add (not noise more volume) and you can get a gorgeous vintage crunch out of it.

The distortion channel is where this amp really shines. This thing has HUGE bass response. I usually keep the bass knob at around 4 and it sounds huge. With low gain settings it picks up right where channel one left off. Gain halfway you get a nice classic crunch, turn up the gain more you get a very nice heavy distortion perfect for very fast chording that stays clear and distinct with lots of power behind it. Throw on the gain boost and notes ring with endless sustain and clarity while crushing you with the huge bass and ripping distortion. I don't think this has as much gain a mesa rectifier you can't really get that fizzly uber gain sound of the Angel, but if you want insanely heavy bottom and that stays tight and defined this is your monster.

no problems so far, had it for almost 5 months now and not had a single prolem

Awesome amp!!! I played lots of amps Mesa's, Marshalls the whole bit and i couldn't pinpoint the sound i wanted until i played this, and the pricetag made it a done deal. You will never find an amp that sounds like this for the price. Tubes just sound gorgeous, i will never go back to solid state.

This amp is very versatile in the sound department due to internal effects & good switching options, i LIKE THE FACT IT HAS 2 INDEPENDANT VOLUMES SO EVEN AT FULL GAI YOU CAN HAVE A BOOST.It also has an fx loop.

One of the best amps Iv'e played for sound, from clean to scream can't fault !

This is the crunch,I'm on the second one of these,and this has just blown it's power too, the last one went back to the factory & was 2 weeks,came back battered so was a bit pissed about that,I think this is a real shame cos for the money you won't find anything that sounds like this, but it is so unreliable that Ican't recommend to anyone, perhaps I was unlucky, but won't chance it again (Sorry ashdown)

They reply to all emails quickly, but when I asked about the damage to the 1st amp they just said sorry and that was that.

Playing for 16 years,Rock/metal/punk etc, use trusty line6 flextone 2 head, behringer 4x12 cab,Gison les Paul, If this amp were stolen I would jump for joy/claim the insurance & buy a Marshall !

Amp is a 2005, made in China. A very verstile, the literature says three channels but really two with the second with a boost stage. A very powerful 60 all tube watts.

I play a Les Paul, I play classic rock and metal with some blues, this amp seems to cover these styles very well. The amp is very clean and quiet, this amp can go from a nice clean sound to full out metal mayham, and everything in between. The clean is clean at loud volumes if you roll up the gain you get the nice voxish crunch.

I have not giged with it yet but so far no problems, I have had it for over a month and have put some miles on it already.

I have not had to deal with them yet, hopefully I will not have to deal with them every.

The amp (well this version anyway) was released this year. The amp is capable of making a wide variation of tones from bright sparkling clean, to deep metal crunch, i love it.
It has a clean channel, an overdriven channel, and then a boost channel with a footswitch. At the back is a serial effect loop and effect return level control. It has all the basic features and nothing silly or over complicated, i use every feature whenever need be. It is a 60w Valve head unit, i use it with the fallen angel 412 cab at home, but gigging is where it really starts to show off.

PS the price shown does not include the cab, the cab is an extra few hundred pounds.

Its an absolute MONSTER, and i love it.

I use the Stock EMG-HZ H3s on my Jackson SLSMG usually, but before this guitar i had a KE3 which had a very dull, almost boring tone, yet still this amp made it sound great, it so sensitive and versatile. I play a lot of heavy rock/metal/death metal/hardcore and it suites all the above. Its very loud indeed, but has a feedback reducer, somehow, so it doesn't scream and shout at you if you ignore it. The clean channel can be distorted with the gain on full and high volume, or with active pickups, but the sound is not compromised by turning down the gain which stops it from distorting.

The distortion is absolutely immense. The reason i bough this amp is because of the bass and distortion capabilities. With the bass on full and distortion of this amp will blow your head off, its incredible, you can actually feel the music pulsating through your lungs. This is excellent for palm muted chords. It manages to have so much bass without dumbing down the sound, which remains sharp. I LOVE it.

So far the amp has been totally reliable, the power cable seems to fall from the back at the drop of a hat, but who cares, you dont move the head unit with it plugged in anyway. Its not that bad and wont let you down when thrashing on stage. Its not had a single problem, and i would always gig it without a backup, its very durable.

I've dealt with ashdown quite a lot, and this is no reflection on the amp. But whn i ordered my amp, it had just been recalled to china because of a techinical fault, so it took three months in the end to get the actual thing. But i frequently e-mailed martin burrows from customer services and he was extremely helpful throughout the entire experience. Superb.

I play with a Jackson Kelly KE3 and a Jackson Soloist SLSMG, and for effects, a Zoom GFX3 Effects processor, the best thing for this amp, for distortion's sake (if you have the chance, try out the metal distortion setting on the GFX3, who needs mesa boogie?)

Overall, i needn't say more, just the following;

BUY ONE; GREATEST AMP EVER

2005 2 X 12 Combo, extremly versatile for Blues, Rock, Metal.
Technical features as listed by other reviewers!
This amp has plenty of volume and connect to a 2 x 12 cab and it
goes ballistic. Use it at home, rehearsal, recording and live.

Withs a Gibson Les Paul with Seymour Duncan JB in bridge, and what a fantastic tone this amp provides. Its tone I have searched for for 15 years. I love this amp. From Gary Moore style heavy blues to Black Crowes Open G rhythm to Pantera style metal this amp is the one for me. Its not noisy live and feedback is easily controlled. Totally wonderful rich, creamy valve tone with warm singing overtones and wonderful sustain. With a Crybaby its just amazing.

You can't depend on it, in 3 months it broke down 4 times and spent nearly a week each time at the dealer for repair. The never told me what was wrong but in the end they have replaced it and the new one has had no faults! Live its impossible to read the controls like bass, mid, reveb because red on black is not visible in a dark venue.
both amp and footswith are very robust.Boost feature just squeals feedback and just cannot be used live. But the double output volumes are subperb for switching to solos. Rating for this based on the first amp and not the 3 week old replacement.

Not great I emailed them a query and got a wishy washy reply telling me to consult my dealer. I sent a second query by email and got no reply at all.

Overall this amp has to get a high rating because of wonderful tone and huge output (When there is output!) It will break down again, I'm sure of that, but I just love it! These amps are no longer produced in UK and the new Chinese models are pure crap! In years to come these FA60's will be much sought after so get one and hang on to it.
Final word is tough on the outside, but kinda delicate on the inside,
but precious tone makes it all worthwhile. p.s. Wish it had a reverb control on footswitch.

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.

I have a 2003 model FA-60w 2x12 Combo. The amp is advertised as a 3 channel amp, but it's only got two, the third is just extra boost on the dirty channel. It's all footswitchable though, very easy to get good tone. It's amazingly good value, awesome sound. It's quite odd to use, as all the controls are backwards, due to Ashdown using the circuitry from the 60w head upside down in this model, but you get used to it. The tubes are Electro Harmonix, which I wasn't expecting for this price, and they are sonicly superb.

It's got an effects loop, which to be honest I haven't used. One thing I wish it had is a Line Out for recording, I'm actually at a loss to come up with anything else to fault it for though.

It's loud enough as well, 60 watts sounds more like 100w! The amp is very bassy though, so if you're at all put off by a bit of chug, steer clear. I love it though.

The tone from this amp is very versatile, the clean channel is much like a fender, and the filthy channel is very mesa. I use a Les Paul with EMG ZW's in so my sound is very well defined. I play rock, so this amp coupled with my guitar suits my style perfectly.

The only thing I have to fault is the clean channel can get a bit gainy at high volumes.

But I bought this amp for its dirty channel, and good great lord it's good. I used a big muff before, but not so much now I have this. It's just ridiculously filthy.

I bought this amp on the strength of hearing my bandmates' Ashdown bass head, sounds odd I know but bear with me. His bass head is amazing, such well defined tones. So I trawled through various ads for the best deal and managed to get a shop soiled ex-demo combo for #375 - #225 less than list! It was used once for practice when I noticed a bit of a hum on the clean channel, and a loud hum on the boost channel. Sure enough, three days after the main transformer blew, leaving me without an amp for two weeks. This was sorted though, the guys at ashdown kept me up to speed on what was happening, and replaced all the tubes as well. When it was returned, I got the chance to really hear what it could do. It F**king ROCKS. I have had no problems since then, and would not be worried at all about taking a spare amp on tour.

When I dealt with Ashdown, they were very helpful and returned my amp when they said they would. Can't complain.

I've been playing for 13 years, but only started gigging recently. I've no real frame of reference, but I'd say this amp is a quality piece of kit, the best for the cash. I wouldn't buy the same one again, but only because I'd save for 180w head instead!

If you want a great sounding amp that won't break the bank, then you won't regret your purchase. BUT remember it's a very bassy sound, so don't be expecting to use it for anything other than what it was designed for - ROCK!

This is a follow up to my earlier review. I said below that the gain channel was wimpy and I'd rather have a 5150. Well, I took it to be serviced not long after and it turns out there was slight crack in one of the tubes. I called Ashdown and they said all their Fallen Angels are hand checked before being shipped, and it must have occured during delivery. So, I went home and started playing....hmm, it seems I was a little hasty in my review. The gain channel now sounds chunky at low volumes and it's awesome when you begin to crank it. Very clean, clear, yet crushing distortion when played at a decent volume. The clean channel is beautiful now. Sorry Ashdown!

2002 FA-60 head. 2 Channel (3 if you include the gain boost) 60 watt head being played through a Behringer 4x12 cab. The head doesn't come with the footswitch needed to access the extra gain so make sure you mention it when buying. The output dial is something special and it's a real bonus to have it on a head as cheap as this one.

I'm using a custom built explorer with EMG's in both positions. Generally I play metal, from Blue Oyster Cult to Metallica, to In Flames and Arch Enemy, so a reasonable range of diverse sounds. The clean channel is very nice indeed, from jangly cleans to slightly overdriven tones that perform well. I've upgraded to this amp from a combo so obviously the clean sounds are a breath of fresh air to my ears. It's no JC-120, but hey, it's not built for that. Click over to the gain channel(s) and, if I'm honest, I was disappointed. The basic drive channel cranked up resembled something between the Darkness and AC/DC. If that's your thing then hey, more power to you, but it's not mine. I was looking for a saturated sound so I clicked the gain boost on and things started to improve. One of the marketing angles of Ashdown is to claim this amp sounds great at low volumes. It really doesn't. Crank it up, however, and the gain boost comes into play and the tones and thick and meaty. At low volumes they are grainy and fuzzy. If you intend to play this in your bedroom make sure everyone is out before cranking it up, because this thing is loud. That said, my cab is no Mesa 4x12 and I suspect my views are being shaped by it. It will sound better through a better cab, simple as that. Attach a decent EQ and I'm sure things will start getting more like it. Another reviewer compared this to a 5150, stating the tone was better. I'm inclined to disagree. After hearing the 5150 I know its capabilities and whilst it has it faults, the tone is excellent.

When I turned it on for the first time nothing happened. I just sat there, cursing the world for screwing me. Eventually the tubes warmed up and the clean channel kicked in and from that point on I've not had a problem with it.

I've called them a few times and they seem helpful. It's a small company so the techs are generally on the other end of the phone. I called to order a footswitch and it was here within a week.

I've been playing for about 8 years and I've changed my gear quite frequently. My guitars have always had EMG's in them so I know what tone I'm capable of generally. If it were lost or stolen I'd claim on insurance and buy a 5150. Sorry, but you get what you pay for. I'm sure the FA-180 is a great amp but I couldn't afford the #1100 asking price so I had to go for its little brother. Don't get me wrong, I do like this amp. The cleans are lovely but there isn't enough gain for me. If you look at alot of very heavy bands from either Sweden or the US, and the vast majority with be using 5150's. I'd rather have the gain and choose not to use it than crank the thing full up and it still not being heavy enough.

Mine is a brand new FA-60 watt head. The Fallen Angel is a two channel head with footswitchable boost, channel and master volumes(which is cool). It has a VU meter on the front that tells your amps output, and it actually works. These heads come stock with electro harmonix valves, which is cool. The Fallen Angel comes stock with EL34 power amp tubes. It has a serial effects loop, and looks amazing. This 60 watt amp has plenty of power, and is extremely versatile, plus the eq actually changes your sound, unlike a 5150 or a Laney GH50L. Has every feature that I want in an amp.

I love this amps tone! In the past two years I have been through several different amps (Laney GH50l, 5150, Carvin MTS) and I was not pleased with any of them. I am very satisfied with the Ashdown.

Clean: Awesome! I can't describe it any better. I use a Korg AX1000g in the loop for modulation effects only because the korg has some of the best mod effects. I run a little chorus, and delay through the amp and I set my Ibanez RG421 to the single coil portion of the bridge humbucker, bingo!

Dirty: I will preface this section by addressing the constant comparisons to a 5150 that everyone does. First and foremost this amp does not have as much gain as a 5150. THANK GOD! The 5150 has alot of gain, unfortunately most of it is unusable. If your looking for the high fuzz, feedback, hurt ears squeel 5150 distortion, more power to ya. As far as gain, the ashdown is not in the same category as the 5150 but as far as tone goes, the 5150 does not hold a candle. I dont want to mislead anyone into thinking that the Ashdown doesnt have any gain because it does. What is important to me is the tone of the amp, and the Ashdown has it. I can turn the gain on the dirty channel all the way up and crank the amp and hear every individual note in a chord with tension. It also is extremely quite, I dont even have my boss NS-2 running into it. This amp is extremely bassy! Right now I have my bass on the dirt channel on about 3, and I play heavy. When you crank this baby, as with all tube amps, it really starts to stand out. When I put the master volume on about 4, it sounds really in your face. Now mind you, I keep the boost on the dirty channel constantly for the sustain, and the dirt channel doesnt sound quite as good without it. It is excellent for both rhythem and lead.

This amp gives me the tones that I have been searching for in my head for a long time. Just a side note: I can not stand when a person says that an amp can not be a perfect 10, not even a bogner, VHt, etc,etc. Tone is subjective and if it sounds like a 10 to you, guess what? Its a ten. To many people come on hear and think that unless it is a $2000 plus amp, its junk. Whatever. Just wanted to express that, sorry.

Hard to say at this point. The amp is built very well, and looks solid. Seeing how I am a poor musician, I would have no other alternative but to gig with it without a backup. Besides I would not be worried about it breaking down.

Haven't had to deal with them, don't think I will ever have to.

I have been playing for 12 years, and have owned alot of different amps, and alot of different guitars, but who cares. I really like the tone I get from this amp into my Peavey XXX cab. If it were lost I would be very ticked off, but I would but another one without regret. For the money, I have yet to get a better tone. If you have any questions about this product, because there is not alot of info out there on them, drop me a line, and I will give you the scoop.

well it is a 100 watt all tube guitar head (would have been nice as a 100 watter...) with 2 channels and blah blah blah go to the site for more info but i will say its easy to mess with to get the tone you want and very very very versatile

Marshall,Mesa,Orange has nothing on this amp! i play metal and this amp is built for it. have you ever listened to a cd and went..how did the guitar player get that distortion ? well mess with the knobs on this thing and you will get it no matter who the artist is its just amazing

its built like a tank no problems

havnt dealt with them yet

if this was stolen i would weep and weep and weep then save up and buy it again..this time with an alarm this amp is the amp of my dreams my quest for tone has ended!

To the person who wrote the review below and said "looking at the valves the designer has used an el84 as part of the pre amp stage to warm it up", well thats crap, theres no el84 in the FA60!! And it doesn't sound like a 5150 atall, the 5150 has about 4 times as much gain, you're misleading people giving the items 10's when quite frankly they can't be 10's, not even a bogner or soldano or diezel can get a 10 and the fa60's can't even be mentioned in the same breath as them.

a very versatile amp with two channels plus boost and two master levels. a bit sneaky that they dont include the footswitch for the twin masters but do for the channel switching.also it would be nice to have a foot switchable effects loop as on the bigger head.choice of speaker outs is very comprehensive

my main amp is a peavey 5150 mark 2. this amp is very close to the peavey in terms of the 'brown' sound.at loe bedroom volumes it is exceptional and reminds me of my first decent amp which was a Rivera designed fender concert amp with a graphic eq inserted in the fx loop to get the heavy sounds. i disagree with previous reviewer who thinks the sound is thin but then tone is subjective. i think most people cut too much middle which is the number 1 mistake at high volume.looking at the valves the designer has used an el84 as part of the pre amp stage to warm it up as highlighted in the blurb and it really is the best practice sound i have heard. at this price i can justify it as a practice amp however it does sing at high volume.clean tone is adequate and works well with an mxr dynacomp.

has been ok so far. mine has latest mods as the ashdown guys realised that fuses were being blown and have fixed the problem.still too early to say though

excellent. free mod carried out and very friendly when i asked for fan to be fitted

an excellent amp.if you like the 5150 and appreciate the brown sound as invented by EVH then this amp is excellent. at this price it is a bargain considering build quality and practice/live sounds.much better than marshall avt series and 100% valve. i think the 60 watt combo is the best of all options plus fitted with celestion vintage 30's

Well this amp is 2 channels with a lead boost, 2 switchable master volumes (with an extra footswitch.) Reverb, but thats for it all you can't just have reverb for one channel or switch it off atall, its all or nothing!

It has a kinda marshally clean, kinda jangly, not too good, but usable! Could be driven a bit too if you are into that sort of thing.

The overdriven channel sounds a bit wimpy to tell the truth I wouldn't use it atall without the solo boost on, they say they made some new technology so that it sounds the same at all volumes but they must be lying, as it sounds much better driven loud and poor when at a low volume. A marshally type overdrive I guess, fuzzy, I changed the powertubes to Svetlana's and that helped to smooth it a bit!

Its verrrrrrrrry bassy, I had to have the bass turned to around 5 and I play metal! Thats how bassy it is, too much, I know they normally make bass amps but this isn't meant to be one! But saying all of this I prefered it to my other guitarists 5150, but I think thats just because of the settings his use's on it!

Yeah, seems pretty reliable had no problem with mine! HOWEVER my friend got one and the fuse kept blowing, so he sent it back and got another and the sames happening to that!

At first before I bought the head they were very helpful then when I had got it they just ignored me, I ordered a footswitch on their site (so I could switch between master volumes) and nothing ever happened, never got it, I e-mailed asking what was happening with it and they ignored that too.

Well its now my backup head, hope my Marshall 6100lm doesn't ever breakdown though! I used this in the studio along with the Marshall (and a Peavey 5150) and they all mixed together well, the Peavey and Marshall stood out by themselves aswell but the Fallen Angel couldn't, without the others it would have sounded bad.

Its very very cheap for an all valve head and probably the only highish gain amp on the market at that price, and it comes with decent enough russian valves.

If it was stolen I'd probably not care and take the money to buy a new cab instead. But if someone stole my 6100lm I'd hunt them down and stick the my guitar (well someone else's guitar so mine doesnt smell) up their bumhole as punishment!