Amp Help - Trace Elliot vs. Line 6

BIGEJ2 · #1 05-05-2010, 10:19 PM

Hey guys, I'm looking for some help in buying a new bass amp. I've narrowed it down to a Line 6 LD300 and Trace Elliot 715. I tried the LD300 and liked it a lot. There are no Trace dealers anywhere close to my area. Can anyone comment on either of these amps? I have a number of basses and play a lot of different music. I'm looking for a versitile amp with a lot of low end.

Sartori · #2 05-05-2010, 10:21 PM

You're choosing between Trace and Line 6? Really?

BIGEJ2 · #3 05-05-2010, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sartori

You're choosing between Trace and Line 6? Really?

Yeah. Do you have a better idea? I don't have much to spend and am not interested in stacks.

Sartori · #4 05-05-2010, 10:25 PM

I didn't know Trace made affordable stuff, actually. I'd go with them.

BIGEJ2 · #5 05-05-2010, 10:31 PM

The only thing that scares me with the Trace is that you can't adjust or turn off the horn. That and not actually being able to hear one makes me nervous.

5string5fingers · #6 05-05-2010, 10:38 PM

I look at it this way. I personally hate pre set effect amps. Usually they arent very good,lame,or just overall not useful in a band setting. Therefore I don't want my hard earned money going to those effects in an amp,which is what you're doing when you buy line 6 amps. You're paying for those effects on the amp. Now if you like all of them,and know you'd have a use for them then thats great,get that amp. But if you're like me and alot of other people and would rather get your tone from quality effect pedals or just from the EQ then you shouldn't waste your money on an amp with effects.

I can think of better amps in that price range than the line 6. But like I said if you like the effects and would find them useful,go for it.

Tim C. · #7 05-05-2010, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGEJ2

The only thing that scares me with the Trace is that you can't adjust or turn off the horn. That and not actually being able to hear one makes me nervous.

Had this problem with my Ashdown. No tweet control, eventually disconnected it. Very poor design.

BZadlo · #8 05-05-2010, 11:15 PM

I was very skeptical of Line 6 until this year.
I always thought they were kind of a gimmicky until I got a Pod XT live. They definitely haven't "nailed" every sound but a lot of the models are pretty good. Especially for what you pay.
Personally, I'm not willing to drop $250 on a delay (for example) that I'm going to use for about 10 seconds in one song. I like that I have a lot of options with their stuff.

Not really to familiar with Trace stuff. I love their V-Type amps though. What's the over all Trace sound? I remember them being popular in the 80's and early 90's.

HEADLE · #9 05-05-2010, 11:21 PM

Overall Trace sound is SCOOPED! 80's for sure. I love mine in my countery band with a passive p-style pup. Yummy! Yes I said Yummy!

H

pnut166 · #10 05-05-2010, 11:51 PM

I have a Trace pre amp - the GP11 Mk V, from the `80s. While these seem to be pretty well-regarded, I personally don`t like it. I also have a Line 6 LD combo. Everybody here in TB seems to dump all over Line6 amps, but I love mine. Does it sound like a "`70s SVT" ? I really don`t care if the models are true to their billing or not. It sounds good to me. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, dude. Compare `em, buy the one you like. You don`t need us to tell you what sounds good to your ears.

Calaverasgrande · #11 05-06-2010, 12:10 AM

NEITHER
Line 6 is okay for effects but I would go thru 10 other brands before I even tried a Line 6 amp. They seem to have showroom/bedroom tone for days. But seriously lack in the band format. I must admit most of my experience with Line 6 has been their guitar combos. But I doubt their bass amps are any better.
Which leaves the Trace. I dont know much about what is going on with trace at the moment. Werent they bought out by Gibson? All I konwis that it certainly isnt the same trace that made the gear of yore.
In your shoes I would get a GK. There are plenty of affordable GK amps. And they come up used quite often.

Sartori · #12 05-06-2010, 12:41 AM

You mentioned you don't have much in the way of funding. What IS your budget, anyway?

Also, are you buying new or used? I'd recommend used, as you get more for your money that way.

pnut166 · #13 05-06-2010, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

NEITHER
Line 6 is okay for effects but I would go thru 10 other brands before I even tried a Line 6 amp. They seem to have showroom/bedroom tone for days. But seriously lack in the band format. I must admit most of my experience with Line 6 has been their guitar combos. But I doubt their bass amps are any better.
Which leaves the Trace. I dont know much about what is going on with trace at the moment. Werent they bought out by Gibson? All I konwis that it certainly isnt the same trace that made the gear of yore.
In your shoes I would get a GK. There are plenty of affordable GK amps. And they come up used quite often.

See - this is what I don`t get about alot of TBers. I don`t understand how you can knock amps that you freely admit that you don`t know anything about. Although I will concur on one point: how does the Line 6 hold up in a band setting? I don`t know myself - I`ve never used mine anywhere but my den, so I`m not saying they are the be-all and end-all. But in that setting, it sounds great. Much better, imo, than the vaunted vintage Trace that I also own. And I also agree on the GK suggestion: I have played some of the Gks, and really like then for the price. Just my two cents; no offense Calaver.

Sartori · #14 05-06-2010, 02:08 AM

I don't know much about Trace amps, so I can't really say much about them.

I can't stand Line 6 amps, though. Really really hate them.

BIGEJ2 · #15 05-06-2010, 08:31 PM

MY budget is around $500. I have tried Ampeg, Peavey, Marshall, Hartke, Fender, GK and Line 6 amps. So far, I like the Line 6 due to its versatility. I'm a hobbyist - not interested and never going to play on stage.

I know that everyone has their own likes, dislikes and taste, but was more so curious about what everyone had to say about both amps.

As far as guitars go - a Lakland Duck Dunn, Lakland Darryl Jones, Fender MIA Jazz, Fender Jaguar, Epiphpne Accubass and Musicman Stingray HH will be played through it.

I had thought about buckling down and buying a Markbass, Fender TV or Old School Amps Model One, but can't see what benefit these amps offer than being able to play on stage.

5string5fingers · #16 05-06-2010, 08:51 PM

As far as being a hobbiest and never wanting to play on stage,why buy such a huge amp then?

BIGEJ2 · #17 05-06-2010, 09:37 PM

I really don't need anything more than a 100w amp, but have a fetish for a 15" speaker and I haven't found anything in this size range that sounds good. I owned an Ampeg BA115t and it was extremely dissapointing. My old Peavey TNT100 could rock it's world. There also isn't much out there in the way of 8 ohm 100w combos. I figure I need a larger amp to push the speaker enough to really give me a deep sound. Am I mistaken on this and should possibly try something else?

Also, for the TB'ers that say, "I hate this and I hate that", can you give me a reason why?

uhdinator · #18 05-06-2010, 10:45 PM

Acoustic B100 or B200?

Calaverasgrande · #19 05-07-2010, 03:32 AM

actually if I was just noodling at home with no plans to jam or play out I would probably get a Line 6, if its a model that offers effects and such.
OTOH I used to own and lot of folks I know own the infamous green delay pedal. Those sound great but break for no reason.
As far as "not knowing what I am talking about", I have done sound for or jammed iwth dozens of guys with Line 6 amps. They always sound really good by themselves and sound thin when the whole band kicks in. They dont have much punch or depth.
To be more philosophical about it, modeling designs are only ever going to achieve
what the designers model of an amp was capable of. They will roll off lows a certain way and get X amount of distortion at Y frequency when the amplitude is Z. They cant reproduce the glitches and hidden features of a real amp. A little while ago I figured out I can play my active bass through my effect loop in, bypassing the whoel tube preamp, but not the graphic EQ. Totally different amp tone in an amp I have had for 15 years.
modeling amps dont let you plug things in wrong, they dont let you drive the input so hard it makes new kinds of distortion. (well, they do if you like digital overs). So for me at least modeling amps are not real amps that I would ever bother to play with. But for bedroom rocking they can be fun.

BIGEJ2 · #20 05-07-2010, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uhdinator

Acoustic B100 or B200?

I looked at Acoustic, Behringer and Kustom stuff - no interest at all on my part. I couldn't get past the (for lack of a better word) cheap feel of the equipment.

Calaverasgrande: +1 on the more dynamic sound you are able to achieve using a tube amp. In my opinion, nothing beats the sound of real tubes. Only problems are price and there aren't many local stores that carry the more expensive bass amps. Example being there are five local Fender dealers - only one has ever had the TV 15 in stock, the others were afraid to order it in fear of not being able to move the product.