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the TRACE ELLIOT thread

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43% burnt

43% burnt

an actor who wants to run the whole show
May 4, 2004
2,149
5
48
Bridgeport, CT
#1
EDIT: This thread has now been split due to it's size. Part 2 can be found here: the TRACE ELLIOT thread: Part II
Thanks, Kelly Lee
____________________________________________________

Share you thoughts, pics, love, hate, etc...for Tace Elliot's fine british bass amplification:

I currently have a GP7sm AH250 preamp, which is amazing.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16202

I was skeptical of trace for awhile for some strange reason until about 2 years ago, when i got this head. It rocks. I've had the pleasure of using a few other Trace amps and was very impressed.

Lets see what the other Trace Elliot enthusiasts on TB have in your arsenals.
 
#5
As everyone knows, I'm a Trace Elliot freak! :cool: The first time I really noticed Trace Elliot was back in 1990 when shopping for my first rig. When I tried a AH600SMX with a 1048 and a 1518. WOW! The tone and power just blew me away! The green logo's and cool UV setup added a little flash that I liked as well. I think that was my first case os GAS.

Unfortunately at the time there was no way I could afford a Trace rig. :crying: I ended up buying a Hartke 2000 which I very quickly traded in for the 3500.

Well, I took several years off from playing and sold my equipment off. When I picked up the bass again I didn't know what amp I was going to buy. During my search for a new amp I came across a RAH350SMX $450. Needless to say I bought it on the spot! I still have this head and love it. Its been rock solid reliable and has enough power for almost any situation.

Since then I have had sort of an obsession with Trace Elliot stuff. I have added a QuatraValve, 1524 2x15 cab , and a 1518 1x15 cab. I try to collect about anything thats TE! I collect .pdf manuals and schematics, pics, factory paper manuals, and even apparel! BTW, if anybody wants to get rid of or finds some paper manuals please let me know. I haven't been able to find much on the GP7 and GP11 series preamps/heads.

Other brands still interest me but I don't see myself changing to anything else in the foreseable future.

See, I told you I was a freak! :help: :p
 
#7
I've always loved Trace gear. Back when I lived in Omaha there was a pawn shop which had a music store attached to it. This music store was basically a new/used amp store with a handful of drum gear and a wall of beat up used guitars to make it not look like an amp store. Most of their stuff was TE and a little bit of Eden, back when Eden was first coming out. I didn't play bass back then but I'd go with my bass player friends and there was usually one or two of the seriously good local players in, trying to justify a gear purchase. Good times.

I used to have the GP12SMX preamp but sold it because the output wasn't great enough for my power amp. I wish I had kept it, it was a great studio pre. Now I've got my eyes out for a AH350SMX or AH600SMX, ideally the rack versions. I'd like to try the V4/6/8 but I've never seen one for a sane price.

I am pretty keen to try out the Ashdown Mark King head. Rumor has it that it's similar, but the company who makes it hasn't been assimilated by the Gibson Borg Collective.
 
#11
I knew I could count on you my man! LOL!

cheers,
~S~

PS: From what I gather, there were less than about 75 EVER made! Now figure the distribution to artist over the world fathom how many could possibly still be!

Clip from Mel Gibson's "Mad Maxx" movie: "Hey Max, listen to her, listen to her man! It's the LAST OF THE V-8's!!!"...
 
#12
My initial experiences with TE gear back in the late 80's, and early 90's were very positive, but I was on more of a "Peavey budget" back then, so I never did get the chance to play a "green rig." About the time that I put together enough scratch to get something nice, TE started to drop off the face of the planet, and I couldn't find their gear in stores. Plus, other brands called, and I went in another direction. Okay, many other directions! ;) But, I have always respected TE gear, and I try to keep an eye out.

Enter Steve Azola...

Steve hits me square between the eyes with his Bassgear.com ad, and shortly thereafter, I have one of these in the "collection":



Those of you in the know might notice that Steve replaced the stock grill, and relocated some of the ports. Mr. Azola knows a thing or two about speaker cab building (as well as EUB's!), and the results of his work sounds great to my ears (though I had not heard an unmodified Twin Valve Combo to compare).

This Twin Valve Combo has really made me a Trace believer! The combination of tube tone, with articulation, clarity, and tonal balance, is most impressive!

The mysterious V-8 and the perhaps even more beguiling Quatra Valve are both on my "must acquire" list! :D
 
#15
Oddio has a V-8!

oddio said:
V8SmallRig.jpg
Click to expand...
 
#18
my experience was strictly with the solid state units like the smx 300 and 400. LOUD LOUD LOUD. the 300 made an swr sm-900 cry for it's momma in terms of plain old make ya sweat and peel the paint volume.
 
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