It was 1993. I had just moved to Reno, NV. from Brooklyn, N.Y. I brought my pre-Trace Marshall 3540 bi-amp head, one bass, and some tools. Everything else was in storage at my friend's- or sold. I owned four cabs in the early 90's. A Hartke 4-10, a Peavey 1516, a killer Sunn 118VH, and a home built 1-15 folded horn, that really sounded great.
I had the Sunn 1-18 shipped out here. Sold or traded the other cabs. I got a gig in a local store fixing guitars and basses, and string basses.
As mentioned, they were a TE dealer. I was actually really happy to get the Trace gear at slightly over cost. The head STILL cost me $1300. A lot of money back in 1993. The 2-10, about 450, and the 115- about 350. I liked the rig at first...but quickly found the shortcomings of low wattage. It never really sounded like what I thought its potential was. I liked my old, now broken and irreparable Marshall better. Traces were indeed flexible, but I knew that what I needed for my sound, at the time, was more clean power. I sold the head and the 2-10. Took a pretty fair loss on that stuff.
The store was also a Mackie Dealer. I got a first run M-1400 power amp, and an SWR Grand Prix preamp from a friend, used. Man, what an amazing difference.
Subsequently, after tiring of lugging that anvil in its road case around, I bought a rare Pearce B2P. I still have the Pearce. One of the best bass amps ever made. But it is not a good adjust on the fly amp on gigs. Too many overlapping parametric points and adjustment knobs. It does, however, have the absolute BEST limiter I have ever heard in any bass amp. I currently own a Carvin BX 1500 among other amps. That amp, is what the Trace should have been. A flexible, much more powerful amp with all the same features. The BX is remarkably similar to the RAH 350 SMX I had. But its actually a bi-amp/ two power section amp. I'm not really a Carvin guy, either.. but I now own two cabs and two heads. Of course, now they stop making them!
