Ashdown Doubles Down on UK Manufacturing with Four New British-Built Bass Amp Series
In October of 2025, Ashdown announced a renewed commitment to manufacturing its products in the UK. At NAMM 2026, they rolled out phase two of the plan with a load of amps, including four brand-new UK-built bass ranges.
“Every new model is designed, engineered, and handcrafted in Britain,” Ashdown wrote. “These launches expand Ashdown’s renewed UK manufacturing focus into a complete, multi-tier amplifier ecosystem, delivering British-built solutions for musicians at every level.”
The lineup begins with the UK-RBM series, which includes the UK-RBM-800 and UK-RBM-500 heads and 112T, 115T, and 210T cabinets. The amps feature Ashdown’s Sub-Harmonic Generator, onboard compression, tube-emulated overdrive, and an Analog Cab Sim for shaping your output. For the matching cabs, Ashdown equipped them with Italian Sica NEO speakers and adjustable high-frequency tweeters for “fast response, clarity, and controlled projection.”
Next up is the UK-OBM, or Original Bass Magnifier, series. It features the UK-OBM-500 and UK-OBM-300 bass amp heads as well as the UK-OBM-C112T-500 and UK-OBM-C112T-300 combo units.
“The UK-OBM Series is designed for bassists who value clarity, simplicity, and reliability,” the company explains. “Built in the UK, the range delivers clean, articulate tone with minimal fuss and maximum usability, making it ideal for players who want dependable performance without unnecessary complexity.”
The UK-SBM line is focused on studio work, focusing on clarity and responsiveness. The combo amp series ranges in power from 100 watts to 500 watts with four driver configurations: 1×10, 1×12, 1×15, and 2×10. Each enclosure has been redesigned to be ported and structurally strengthened to handle higher power levels. Common features include DI outputs, FX loops, and onboard overdrives.
Finally, the UK-PBM is described as Ashdown’s answer to the need for extreme portability.
“Launching with the UK-PBM-200 ‘Pocket Bass Magnifier’ AKA The ANT, the series delivers a surprising amount of real-world power from a palm-sized chassis,” the company writes. “Despite its minimal footprint, it produces clean, articulate output with impressive low-end authority and ample headroom for rehearsals, smaller stages, and professional monitoring setups.”
The 200-watt micro-amp features a three-band EQ, DI output, headphone output, line input, and more.
All of Ashdown’s new UK-built models are finished in Ice Blue, with charcoal tweed and a silver-weave grille on the cabs. Each is made to order, with a lead time of approximately 20 days. Visit the Ashdown website for full details.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
