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Team Trace Elliot! Part II

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All the old cabs are 8 ohm apart from the 2x15's. There are usually matching 4x10 cabs for sale, but you'll be paying a little more realistically for one.

Wattage isn't too important. You've got the right eq to get the most out of that combo! Follow the Trace Elliot instructions, which are often quoted. To get louder you need more speakers. Never booost the lows, in fact you will get a lot more low end volume by cutting the low lows.

This is true. I use a 150Watt Trace head with only one 8 Ω Mesa 4X10 cab, and it's usually louder than I need. They are very efficient heads.
 
The only Trace cab I have is a 1518. 1x15. I expect you will get a lot more snap with the horn on the 4x10 but otherwise much the same full tone.

For all the worth of a computer recording, very little really, I would just buy it and see how it goes in person. Actually I wouldn't, as I don't go for 4x10 cabs.
 
I read somewhere that my gp11 4-10 combo sounds better with a 15 or 18 extension cab. I have a line on a Trace 15 and a 18. Which should I get ? Or another 4-10 ?

I'd do a 15. It might make a better standalone cab than an 18... however I knew a band in Miami called "Bootleg" whose bass player used a single-18 cab. Very interesting sound. Deep, not very loud, but strangely present... very cool- it worked.
 
So I just got a used Commando 15, the 150w model. Played a gig tonight with it- the drummer loves it. Me, the jury is out... I like the sound, but it's a bit mid-rangey, and the eq is going to take a little getting-to-know-you time. I may well come to like it...

This is a sealed box, isn't it? Anyone have insight or opinions, and why that opinion, on this little tank?

Thanks!
 
Wyh don't you go for 410 cabs?

They only sound right when you're dead in front of them. The rest of the room gets lousy highs and mushy mids.

Every gig I found myself front and centre to the 8x10 or 4x10 by osmosis before I learned about it. I just thought I liked lots of bass, in spite of my earplugs. Try it next bar gig you're at. Position yourself dead in front of bass, at whatever range puts you also dead in front of one of the stick speakers. Vocals and bass! Earplugs necessary!
 
So I just got a used Commando 15, the 150w model. Played a gig tonight with it- the drummer loves it. Me, the jury is out... I like the sound, but it's a bit mid-rangey, and the eq is going to take a little getting-to-know-you time. I may well come to like it...

This is a sealed box, isn't it? Anyone have insight or opinions, and why that opinion, on this little tank?

Thanks!

I've been using an original early 90's Commando 15 since buying it new. mine is only 100w but it's been and still is a great workhorse.

It took me a long time to get to grips with the eq until I fully understood the passive tone stack but now I just set everything flat 0-10-0 and it sounds great. I've used it on small gigs stand alone as as a monitor on larger stages with no issue.
 
I've been using an original early 90's Commando 15 since buying it new. mine is only 100w but it's been and still is a great workhorse.

It took me a long time to get to grips with the eq until I fully understood the passive tone stack but now I just set everything flat 0-10-0 and it sounds great. I've used it on small gigs stand alone as as a monitor on larger stages with no issue.

Thanks for the .02 Low One... by 0-10-0 do you mean as in dial position from left to right? Just need to make sure I'm clear here- thanks!

After the drummer's comments last night I'm even considering bringing it to bigger gigs as a drummer's monitor- running it via the send on the 250SMX that I use on a TL-606 cab (or 2). OR run the Commando's signal to the return on the SMX... or maybe I'm just running off the cliff with it here.

I'm going to go calm down... :p

But I could see getting used to it. It's certainly handier than bringing a small stack to a small room.
 
Why put the 15 on top? I have a 2x10 and a 1x15, (Which I really need to get a good pic on here) and always put the 15 on bottom. Would I fair better putting the 10's on bottom and if so, why.

The 15 is actually less cone area, and moves less air the the 410. The 410 tends to have more sound coming out of it, which is really good for a better impression of "lows". It makes a good deal of sense to put the single 15 closer to your ear, where it'll do more good.

My very un-technical and vague-ish reasoning for such an arrangement, that, yes, seems unlikely at first.
 
The 15 is actually less cone area, and moves less air the the 410. The 410 tends to have more sound coming out of it, which is really good for a better impression of "lows". It makes a good deal of sense to put the single 15 closer to your ear, where it'll do more good.

My very un-technical and vague-ish reasoning for such an arrangement, that, yes, seems unlikely at first.

What I should clarify is that the 15 on the bottom won't really get out there like the air from the 410 will. You're sort of missing out on the 15 when it's down under (sorry Downunder...) that 410, getting buried.

The 15, if it's a good one, will give you better clarity than the 410. Generally speaking, that is.
 
Thanks for the .02 Low One... by 0-10-0 do you mean as in dial position from left to right? Just need to make sure I'm clear here- thanks!

After the drummer's comments last night I'm even considering bringing it to bigger gigs as a drummer's monitor- running it via the send on the 250SMX that I use on a TL-606 cab (or 2). OR run the Commando's signal to the return on the SMX... or maybe I'm just running off the cliff with it here.

I'm going to go calm down... :p

But I could see getting used to it. It's certainly handier than bringing a small stack to a small room.

Yes, the Commando has a passive tone stack so to get a flat eq put the bass at 7:00 (min), mid at 5:00 (max) and treble at 7:00 (min). You can boost the bass and treble only, and cut the mids only. Ed Friedland explains it well on the Fender TV combo here which has the same tone controls:
Fender TV Fifteen & TV Ten Bass Combos - YouTube
 
I took her to practice and enjoyed hearing the tone from this amp. When Trace Elliot was the rage in the late eighties, early nineties, I could never afford one and hearing that trace tone got me excited. My bandmates mentioned that this rig is less punchy and a little muddy compared to my Boogie/Bergantino setup which is being sold due to finances. They said the slap tone is awesome which is what I used the preshape for. I set it flat for fingerstuff and while I like how it sounds(that "purr" I 've been looking for) it is a little transparent and airy. So I agree that I need more punch and definition. When I rolled off my treble to play reggae it sounded very , very good. So I've got two good tones out of three for my first run.

I do have a question. Would reconing them make them more punchy and articulate since they're 25 years old and have been played heavily over the years ? Anyone ?

Just found out reconing isn't really an option per Shane at british audio because of no reconing kits unless someone can make them. I still have more testing to do. Next step, fresh strings ! That could very well solve the mushy, lack of punch.
 
Yes, the Commando has a passive tone stack so to get a flat eq put the bass at 7:00 (min), mid at 5:00 (max) and treble at 7:00 (min). You can boost the bass and treble only, and cut the mids only. Ed Friedland explains it well on the Fender TV combo here which has the same tone controls:
Fender TV Fifteen & TV Ten Bass Combos - YouTube

Tremendous-- thanks very much for the linkage, I'll look into that tonight. I always was curious how that worked!

I took her to practice and enjoyed hearing the tone from this amp. When Trace Elliot was the rage in the late eighties, early nineties, I could never afford one and hearing that trace tone got me excited. My bandmates mentioned that this rig is less punchy and a little muddy compared to my Boogie/Bergantino setup which is being sold due to finances. They said the slap tone is awesome which is what I used the preshape for. I set it flat for fingerstuff and while I like how it sounds(that "purr" I 've been looking for) it is a little transparent and airy. So I agree that I need more punch and definition. When I rolled off my treble to play reggae it sounded very , very good. So I've got two good tones out of three for my first run.

I do have a question. Would reconing them make them more punchy and articulate since they're 25 years old and have been played heavily over the years ? Anyone ?

You can get a tighter, more opaque sound with Preshape 2 and some graphic adjustments, kicking in some 180 or so and maybe backing down off the mids, to balance it a bit. You can also do it with Preshape 1 and a different graphic trip... point is that with a little tweak time you can get into the neighborhood of just about anything with those heads.

I don't think it's speakers, as even new ones will loosen up after some use. I and might get a follow up here though, putting that thought aside... but my old 1048 had original Celestions and it was just kickin'.
 
Tremendous-- thanks very much for the linkage, I'll look into that tonight. I always was curious how that worked!



You can get a tighter, more opaque sound with Preshape 2 and some graphic adjustments, kicking in some 180 or so and maybe backing down off the mids, to balance it a bit. You can also do it with Preshape 1 and a different graphic trip... point is that with a little tweak time you can get into the neighborhood of just about anything with those heads.

I don't think it's speakers, as even new ones will loosen up after some use. I and might get a follow up here though, putting that thought aside... but my old 1048 had original Celestions and it was just kickin'.

My mk5 only has one pre-shape. What does the 2nd preshape curve on yours look like in tems of cuts,boosts and at which frequencies ?
 
I have a TE 1x15 cab and want to give it a check up and good cleaning inside. The only way inside is thru the front and removal of the four grille screws. My question is the Trace Elliot logo is covering the one screw and I don't want to break the logo, so how do I get the logo off to get to the last screw. Thanks!
 
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