Ashdown Peacemaker 60 212 Combo

Peacemaker 60 combo - 2x12, 60w all Class A tube. I`m sure you know the spec by now.
Basic two-channels, plus extra boost switching available on ch 2
Celestion Vintage 30 speakers - great choice.

I use a Gordon Smith Graduate and a very old Aria Les Paul (heavy, beautiful and stacked with tone and sustain), playing loud overdriven blues-tinged rock from 60s/70s/80s with The Shambollix (look up the website!).
The Peacemaker disappointed me at first, as it seemed that the overdrive facilities in ch 2 were weak. Not so (see below).
Ch 1 - excellent harmonically-rich clean sound - deep and pure. It also crunches up very nicely for rhythm playing with gain past 12 o`clock. Very good string separation.
Ch 2 - At first, seems not a huge amount of gain (I was comparing to my Crate GX 212, so no surprise there). However, after a few days work, I`ve discovered a whole range of sounds, from just-breaking-up 'Hendrix', bone-rattling Humble Pie, searing Led Zeppelin, and classic Free (if only I could emulate the playing of these guys too)all in all, some superb rich, creamy and very 'British' hard-rock overdrive sounds. It`s all there, and the Class A valve set up gives loads of sustain - and feedback whenever you want it (and NOT when you don`t).
Hit the boost on Ch 2 and some great solo sounds are there too. This is NOT a `metal` amp (get a Crate!) but the impact of the thing is in my opinion much sweeter and very impressive.
Oh, and it`'s LOUD. 2x12 config is excellent, though I can`t wait to run it through a 4x12 too.

I`ve only obtained the amp very recently, so can`t usefully comment. It seems very well put together (though the VU meter housing is a bit loose, I`ll keep my eye on that) and is reassuringly heavy!
Nice to see a cooling fan (Marshall - take note).

No idea (and hopefully won`t need to).
Ashdown have a decent website - take a look. I registered my amp (5 year warranty) on line.

Difficult, as I've only had it for a short time. I am however really getting to like this amp - great to walk into the room and see it there! Nice `retro` look to it. Too soon to give a marking here.
I would still probably wish for a bit more `grunt` in the overdrive department 'just in case' (as it were - you know what us guitarists are like) but I am very impressed with the warmth in the sound. I think it will probably convert me to a less distorted sound, with more depth and authority.

2002 model, refurbished from Musicians Friend. I only use this at home for recording and this is my first all tube amp. I had a Marshall Valvestate VS265 for several years and a Fender practice amp before that, so take my review for what its worth.

Features: 2 EL34s in the power stage, clean and dirty channels, effects loop, reverb, casters for mobility, backlit VU meter and 2 master volumes. Mine came with an unlabelled footswitch with no LEDs. It seems like a weird place to cut costs, but I guess better that than tone. Otherwise, the overall features are all I need.

I have two guitars: 1989 Eric Clapton Strat with Lace Sensors, 1997 Telecaster Japanese 50s Reissue with Fralin Blues Specials neck pickup and Steel Poled bridge pickup.

My music style? My style is beyond classification...just kidding. I record ambient, rock and ambient-rock.

Clean channel is very quiet with the gain less than 12 o'clock, and has some noise at higher settings, but nothing bad. It starts breaking up around 10 o'clock and gets very dirty at higher settings. The clean sounds great at any volume depending on the gain. I don't think it's as crystal clear as some have claimed. I would characterize it as a warm-clean sound, even with the gain turned down - but this is probably due to me being conditioned to hearing the Valvestate. The tubes give the sound a slight natural compression and warmth that make it a joy to play at high volumes. I'm having a lot of fun playing around with it and I'm still getting used to playing through a real tube amp. While I don't have many hours logged playing tube amps, all I can say is this sounds great and I have a hard time putting my guitar down when playing through the clean channel. Now, the dirty channel is another story...

The dirty channel is very noisy, even with the gain at around 9 o'clock. For me, the sound is too British, too 60s, and too classic rock. It has a very narrow, mid-range sound. I think I was expecting something a little more versatile, but there are people who love this sound...the rocks-in-a-bag sound. I won't be using it very much as I'll stick to pedals for better distortion sounds. Definitely intended for the current(ly waning) garage band fad.

The reverb is not very useful. It definitely adds some color, but even with it at maximum, it's barely there.

Final word: get this amp for the clean channel.

Originally, I bought a refurbished Peacemaker 40 for $599, but the power supply blew up the moment I turned it on. The 60 Hz hum was louder that it should've been and started to get a little louder. Then it sounded like garden gnomes were frying eggs in the power supply. Then the blackest, thickest smoke started emanating from the power supply, then poof! No sound...So I sent it back to Musician's Friend, at which time the price on the refurbished Peacemaker 60 went from $749 to $599. I got the PM60 a couple of weeks later with the VU meter cover busted out from the horrible packing job. For $599, I'm not gonna complain about any of this. Besides, it looks rock n roll, all broken and thang. But from given the reliability issues reported here and my experience with the PM40, I am a little concerned about what surprises lie ahead.

Don't know about Ashdown, but Musician's Friend were decent considering they are putting every small mom-and-pop music store out of business. They covered shipping for the PM40 and its return, and the PM60. And they took it back no questions asked. All for $599. I can't complain. But since this really is a question about Ashdown, I have no opinion.

So far, I love this amp. For the price and its class, it can't be beat. I've only had it about 9 days, but I've been playing it quite a bit, and my opinion may change with experience and time.

If it were stolen or lost, I would probably get another one or something with a similar clean channel and better distortion channel.

circa 2002, now discontinued ashdown peacemaker 60 2x12 from musician's friend. many options, but i question the construction of this amp. comes with a pair of celestion vintage 30s, good choice. 2xEL34 tubes, 12ax7s in the preamp (electro-harmonix), has a cooling fan in the back. comes in a shoddy thin cabinet to lessen the sound impact, which sucks! has reverb, three channels of increasing gain with eq, dual volumes independent of the gain, which is a cool idea. also a dual footswitch for the channels, volumes, and the like.

the clean is slightly better than the thin marshall sound and the distortion takes the cake, like a marshall full stack in a box. i paired it with a greenback and a g12h from celestion, but vintage 30s sound good too. harmonics are very nice when heavily distorted with metal type sounds. a loud amp, class A with EL34s, mine mimics a matchless configuration. i use pedals to get the overdrive, i really hate stock in general............gimme a good clean and the pedals can build on it.

i question the construction, for what i paid it feels cheap. to top it off i voided the warranty becuz i'm paranoid the cooling fan is sucking tone...........so i cut it out of the loop......probly going to remove the grille so it gets more air, i'm in a cool climate so i'm not sure the thing will overheat, maybe in the summer. i prolly shouldn't trust this with a ten foot pole, have not gigged it for an hour or two yet to see if it blows. sounds great in the basement studio tho.

don't know.

the tone is phenomenal for something so cheaply built. however they designed it so you have to take the whole thing absolutely apart to do mods. speaker outs are a plus so you can bypass the shitty cab for a 2x12 or larger. it sounds bigger with a mesa 2x12 recto cab with vintage 30s. greenback/g12h sounds good on board. this is a good punk and metal amp, my favorite.....distotion tone can't be beat, it beat marshall and prompted me to sell my mesa boogie. unless this melts down like i fear, it should be great.

Amp is made in the U.K. 60 watts all tube, all you need. 3 channels: clean dirty, and a boost on the dirty channel. Effects loop, no headphone jack. Optional footswitch can be purchased to switch between two master volumes (great for solo boosts. Would be nice if there was a cooling fan because there is not much ventilation because the reverb is mounted on the back of the head, almost completly sealing it from outside air.

I use a Les Paul custom with a tube screamer. I only need the clean channel because you can get some sweet thick bluesey tone from it (it has seperate e.q., volume, and gain for both channels). Add the tube screamer an you have prefect ac/dc type tone!! The amp is pretty quiet but in a club setting with lots of lights and that type of stuff it tends to hum (as does everything) You can get VERY fat tones from the dist channel. I found it's very bottom heavy, almost too much. But the clean channel is the sweetest I've EVER heard, a million times better than any Fender amp I'm owned. The dist channel is balls out too, just like an older marshall.

I use it without a backup, it's very well built and sturdy. Never had a problem (knock on wood)

I sent a few emails to the company and they reply with a day or so. I sent a second email but didn't get a reply yet. 5 year warranty, no service centre near me so it's not very useful.

I got the amp with the maching cab and it's the best 4x12 cab I've ever used. If it were stolen I would get another in a heartbeat. I love the sound and look of the amp, my only concern is how very hot it gets. Sounds like a fender amp with marshall balls to it, like no other. You should buy one!!

all have been described.

I use a fender stratocaster and play most every type of music, mostly old rock or blues as well as clean stuff.
The amp makes the sound of the guitar be transparent, fluid, raw, whatver you want it to be.
It's just no suitable for heavy metal. Maybe the further it can go is to old van halen stuff. But... give it a try in whatever you want!!
It can really scream! I heard a bogner once and it sounded similar in the distortion channel. Whatever comes to your mind, think about a cranked vox+orange and you have this dist channel.
The clean is very fenderish, but can sound similar to a vox too.
After all, it's Class-A.
But try to see this more as a boutique amp, because it's not a copy. I't has it's very own sound.
The distortion channel is bright. And channel 3, seems to have a terble booster on. But, cut it like 9 o'clock , boost the middle and add 60% bass and it sounds very nice!
I think i will give my 1st 10. But, it just means the amp is excellent and tastes are subjective. There's always something else out there, and other fantastic amps deserve a 10 too.

People complain.
So far, i haven't played live with it.
I've used for 3 months, sometimes loud and it never went down.

However the reverb came with problems (i solved it myself. There was a misconnected plug of the input jack in there).
There was also a strange buzz coming from the transformer, which was a badly tight bolt. At least, the noise's gone.

They have answered all my e-mails.
I live in Portugal, England is far away, so waranty is worthless.
Every problem i have... i must contact a tech or solve it myself.

I play for 11 years. I also have a les paul (not working - bad switch).
I think i would buy another if this one was stolen. It matches everything i have ever searched in an amp before: footswitchable master for solos + footswitchable boost for solos + class A sound without cranking it too loud + extra out for cabinet.
Too bad it doesnt have a "line out" for recording, like line6.
But hey... this is an amp to record with Mic.
By the way... for this price, don't think twice.

This is just a hopefully helpful response to the previous poster's reported problem.

I have an Ashdown Peacemaker 40 which was having some cut-out and noise problems. What it ended up being was tubes working themselves a little loose. They must be tight in their sockets. I bought (from Crate, since they fit, and Ashdown didn't offer them) some tube shields for all the 12AX7's, which locks them down. Also, any time I transport the amp, I check all the power tubes to make sure their snug. After doing those two things, I haven't had any problems since.

I don't know if that's what's causing other peoples' cut-outs or noise issues, but it's worth a look.

i recently bought an ashdown peacemaker 60 combo and had to have it sent back. Here's the deal. I bought it and that same night, i got what seemed like love buzz. i thought it was the guitar...it wasn't. it was the amp. then it mysteriously went away. the next day i played it and suddenly it cut out heavily. imagine the sound you'd here using a terrible shorted out chord plugged into a a guitar with bad circuitry and that's what was coming out of my amp. the only thing is that the chord and guiatr are new. the amp continued to do this for two days until i finally gave up on it. it would be playing great, then the volume would drop completely and the amp would crackle and sputter. not good! im posting this not to rail ashdown because i believe they have created a stellar amp. in every group there is always a bad seed and i figure this to be the case.. however, there do seem to be circuitry issues, like that with vu meters, so be on the lookout.

As mentioned already 3 channels, clean, overdrive and boost. Comes with a 2 button footswitch which allows access to all channels. Without the switch, however, i couldn't activate the boost channel (maybe i'm being a bit thick, i mean i've only had it a couple of months). It doesn't have any of the additional DSP effects that the marshall mg series has, but then this is a valve amp and at this price digital effects will only make the amp sound duller, so no loss there. For a true vale amp at this price the addition of a reverb (which sounds nice, but i don't use) is fine. Just don't expect choras, flangers, phaser, etc 'cause it aint here.

Now this is my first valve amp and to me it sounds lovely. There's that richness that makes it instantly distinguishable from a solid state amp. The clean channel is warm and full, the overdrive and boost are very blusey (again i don't at present make much use of these) and sound very much like Jimmy Page on his more blusey riff monster Led Zep days. I am only using analogue effects at the moment and it handles them fine, i'm not quite the analogue tone purist bed wetter just yet, so i'm not quite up there on spotting just how true the bypass is on the pedals i'm using, but so far i getting a cracking noise out of the chain i'm using with this pedal (more on that later). The only downside is the valve hum which makes recording with this a bit of a pain. I bought first and foremost to gig with at it is definately loud enough and clear enough for that.

Two months old at this time, so not old enough to make a comment,

No need to get in touch but the web site looks good.

Right i'm using this with the following kit :
Twin humbucker Vintage --> Jacques Bat Fuzz --> Jacques FB2 --> Jacques Meistersinger -->Akai Intelliphase --> EH Mini Q Tron --> Big Briar Moogfooger Ring Modulator --> Carl Martin Delayla --> PM60.
It sounds cracking. I've been plaing for 16 years and this so far on what i can afford is as good it gets unless i'm prepared to go 4 figures for an amp (which i'm not). Digital modllers are fine and analogue/digital combos may well be the way forward, but i like this, i like the way you can here the springs clang when you plonk it on the floor and i love the way it sounds, though it does weigh a tonne. For the price i don't think there's anything better currently knocking around.

2002 Model Ashdown 2x12 combo 3 channel footswitchable, reverb and 2 master volumes. Hands down this is a great, versatile amp. The vol boost is exceptional - Reverb is perfect - Kind of like a very "White Strips" sound. - This thing is well built - kind of like an old Fender - it is not "Overbuilt" But built tough, light - great features. It is a real workman's amp. Loud as hell! I disagree with needind the reverb switch. The reverb is very much a set it and forget it part of the tone. The only thing this thing lacks is a dedicated line out. - It does have a send on it so?? maybe that will do. But It has more features than my vintage amp that I deemed un replaceable at one time - until this. I wanted a vox and got this due to the price. I no longer want a Vox. This is a vox on the clean and almost a marshall flair on the distortion. I have been playing much more since I got this and it is very inspiring. Add another cab and the sound just keeps getting better. This thing is borderline a one trick pony. The only other thing I found very weird was the treble on the dist. channel - way to strong - I have mine at zero! But that is were I found my tone. Vintage 30's are perfect. Puts this over the top. If I could give it a 10 I would but I feel there is room for a tiny bit of improvement.

Sounds hotroded! It is great for Clean - beatles type acoustic sound - clean chording with an edge, and pop type distortion think Vox ac30 tone or maybe slightly towards a mesa/marshall sound and the lead is moreso towards a marshall/mesa tone. Not quite a neck breaking distortion, moreover modern rock, but can push some metal tones. I ran this stock at first to come to these conclusions. Placed my pedal board in front of it with my musictoyz pedal collection in front of it and it responded perfectly. very responsive to changes in pickups and picking - and type of guitar. The amp is not vintage sounding - It sounds much more boutique than Any amp I ever owned. - (Hiwatt, Marshall,Orange, Mesa, Fender). It is a very quiet amp in regards to static. Again I feel this thing is of boutique quality. Sound is exceptional! Clean to distortion to lead tones - The Classy ClassA sound.

Built tough - Casters nice touch, very sturdy - Almost simple in nature. No problems

Ashdown responded about 1 day after I sent an email. Seems great.

I love this amp. It is really musical - Has great all tube sound - classic and modern at the same time. It doesn't "need" alot to get you playing with the built in features. Maybe a wah - Delay, mod pedal and you have a whole spectrum. It is really versital! I cannot say enough. I would love to compare it side by side to a vox. But due to the modern features of this amp and the boutique sound I feel it is slightly better than anything else out there especially for the price, configuration and looks. El34's sound amazing and ashdown engineers fine british amps. Make no doubt.

This is one great amp! It's got all the features you need for getting any sound exept metal. Two things about the foot switch should be improved: master switch volume 1&2 isn't there, as three should be a switch for the reverb as well. I take these faults easely for granted: 4 out of 5 stars.

I play with reissues of the Tele '52 and Strat '57 and managed to get all the sounds I need for blues, pop, jazz & rock. At high volumes the clean channel gives a very nice crunch although I prever it to stay cleaner just a little longer: 4 out of 5 stars.

I have got the amp only for two months, so no heavy use yet. Still, this amp is build very well and show no indications of faults: 5 out of 5 stars.

Have been in contact with them twice by email. Friendly and fast reactions, so no complains on this aspect: 5 out of 5 stars.

I am playing at semi pro level for 15 years and used to own a perfect couple of Fender amps: a '59 Bassman with 4x10 inch Jensen speakers (1990) and a Concert with 1x12 inch Electro Voice speaker (1980). I have compared it with a Koch Multitone, a Fender Prosonic, an Engl and a Mesa F50. The last amp was my favourite, but was twice the price as well. With this Ashdown Peacemaker 60 I have got myself a very good allround Class A amp for a reasonable price, just the foot switch could be improved: 5 out of 5 stars.