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Bass Amp - which one to choose??
- Thread starter Philip Capewell
- Start date
OK, then...Trace Elliot SMX is not going to happen, you will not find anything that sounds like it and you will either buy a new whatever OR make a used purchase and take the same risks anyone takes purchasing a used anything.
Good luck...
Again the transit B Preamp Pedal will give you most of the Trace tone through a power amp or through another head. Also that Peavey MiniMax 600 is quite the nice little head and can get very punchy with plenty of power for a low price.
Here is a consideration that is a monster deal, not expensive as good Bass amps go and can keep you out of the repair shop in a crisis situation.
Used Ashdown ABM900 EVO II Bass Amp Head
Save $340.00
Was: $849.99
Now: $509.99
G.C.
This is a clean unit in a padded rack.
It has TWO SEPERATE power sections rated @ 525 watts. Dual mono.
If one side crashes it can be disconnected and the other side can run another 525 watts.
This is NOT a British manufactured EVO II, but generally have been reliable in my extensive experience with Ashdown.
There is not a huge pile of SMX stuff laying around. Pieces do pop up. I am looking at this Series 6 amp right now. Why? Because of what it sounds like, not because it's the lightest, cheapest and newest thingy-dingy!
Used Ashdown ABM900 EVO II Bass Amp Head
Save $340.00
Was: $849.99
Now: $509.99
G.C.
This is a clean unit in a padded rack.
It has TWO SEPERATE power sections rated @ 525 watts. Dual mono.
If one side crashes it can be disconnected and the other side can run another 525 watts.
This is NOT a British manufactured EVO II, but generally have been reliable in my extensive experience with Ashdown.
There is not a huge pile of SMX stuff laying around. Pieces do pop up. I am looking at this Series 6 amp right now. Why? Because of what it sounds like, not because it's the lightest, cheapest and newest thingy-dingy!
OK, then...Trace Elliot SMX is not going to happen, you will not find anything that sounds like it and you will either buy a new whatever OR make a used purchase and take the same risks anyone takes purchasing a used anything.
Good luck...
TBH the Genzler Magellan 800 that people have mentioned to me seems a more capable than the Trace Elliot
Yes theres buying used and buying used from 20+ years ago with a company thats not the same anymore. Trace Elliot were an excellent brand back then i dont disagree with you so dont know why your getting frustrated because i'm not taking your advice and buying another one.
TBH the Genzler Magellan 800 that people have mentioned to me seems a more capable than the Trace Elliot
Yes theres buying used and buying used from 20+ years ago with a company thats not the same anymore. Trace Elliot were an excellent brand back then i dont disagree with you so dont know why your getting frustrated because i'm not taking your advice and buying another one.
...lol...
No one's frustrated, dude.
Just pointing out that you have options but if you go another route no worries. For me, that stuff doesn't work and never will. It is what it is, as they say...go play!
As mentioned, Ashdown features a lot of original Trace Elliott DNA.
From time to time, they've released what's basically a Series 6 era Trace (though without the pre-shape).
You might have some luck finding a used AL-D600, a Mark King singature amp, or a JJ Burnel signature amp.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
JJB-500
Ashdown's ABM series also feature more Trace Elliott DNA than might be immediately obvious.
The Pre-shape is the same.
The EQ points are almost identical, effectively giving you a 9 band graphic, with the bass, middle, and treble knobs replacing the corresponding sliders.
The SMX era SS / Tube blend has been carried over, and greatly improved, as has the compressor - now controlled by a single knob.
ABM-600-EVO IV Head
If you dial back the compression, SS / Tube blend, and don't drive the gain too hard, and defeat the sub-octave effect, the amp can get into Trace Elliott territory.
The cabs, on the other hand, don't sound anything like Trace Elliott cabs.
I can't remember exactly when Peavey bought the brand from Gibson, but their AH-1200, and AH-600 that they were producing right up to the point that they stopped producing big rigs (a few years ago) were excellent, and very much legit Trace.
You ought to be able to find a second hand one, at a reasonable price (they were clearing out pallets of the stuff, at five away prices, so there's quite a bit of it ok in the wild).
The ELF is an impressive little amp, the EQ controls basically giving you a continually variable version of the classic Pre-shape curve.
The Transit-B actually has the original Pre-shape, as well as a much more capable EQ, and many of the features found on SMX era preamps, as well a variety of effects, and a tuner.
Plug that into a simple power amp (or maybe an ELF, or Quilter Bass Block), and you're I business.
From time to time, they've released what's basically a Series 6 era Trace (though without the pre-shape).
You might have some luck finding a used AL-D600, a Mark King singature amp, or a JJ Burnel signature amp.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
JJB-500
Ashdown's ABM series also feature more Trace Elliott DNA than might be immediately obvious.
The Pre-shape is the same.
The EQ points are almost identical, effectively giving you a 9 band graphic, with the bass, middle, and treble knobs replacing the corresponding sliders.
The SMX era SS / Tube blend has been carried over, and greatly improved, as has the compressor - now controlled by a single knob.
ABM-600-EVO IV Head
If you dial back the compression, SS / Tube blend, and don't drive the gain too hard, and defeat the sub-octave effect, the amp can get into Trace Elliott territory.
The cabs, on the other hand, don't sound anything like Trace Elliott cabs.
I can't remember exactly when Peavey bought the brand from Gibson, but their AH-1200, and AH-600 that they were producing right up to the point that they stopped producing big rigs (a few years ago) were excellent, and very much legit Trace.
You ought to be able to find a second hand one, at a reasonable price (they were clearing out pallets of the stuff, at five away prices, so there's quite a bit of it ok in the wild).
The ELF is an impressive little amp, the EQ controls basically giving you a continually variable version of the classic Pre-shape curve.
The Transit-B actually has the original Pre-shape, as well as a much more capable EQ, and many of the features found on SMX era preamps, as well a variety of effects, and a tuner.
Plug that into a simple power amp (or maybe an ELF, or Quilter Bass Block), and you're I business.
I have a Genzler Magellan 350, and it is a very well-voiced modern amp. It’s incredibly easy to dial in a sound, and it takes As a former SWR player, I couldn’t be happier with mine. Now, the 800 gets you an effects loop to where you can tailor your mods the want you want it.
Truth told, A Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.0 has more of the flexibility that you would be accustomed too, given that the out-of-production status doesn’t bother you.
Truth told, A Genz Benz Shuttlemax 9.0 has more of the flexibility that you would be accustomed too, given that the out-of-production status doesn’t bother you.
