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The "Trace Elliot" sound
- Thread starter iampoor1
- Start date
Pretty vague question indeed. WHICH model of Trace ? There are dozens and all sound different.
I currently use a Trace V4 all tube head and I have yet to find a head that sounds better for rock...period. Sounds huge, punchy, clear and ever so slightly gritty. I also have a the hybrid version ( 300H Vtype) which just kicks as well. MUCH louder than the 300 watts would suggest.
All I know is that everyone that uses it (when I share the my backline at gigs) raves about the tone. It's "it" for me. I am no longer searching for amps, which is the first time in 10 years.
I currently use a Trace V4 all tube head and I have yet to find a head that sounds better for rock...period. Sounds huge, punchy, clear and ever so slightly gritty. I also have a the hybrid version ( 300H Vtype) which just kicks as well. MUCH louder than the 300 watts would suggest.
All I know is that everyone that uses it (when I share the my backline at gigs) raves about the tone. It's "it" for me. I am no longer searching for amps, which is the first time in 10 years.
For 80 bucks it's a very handy thing to have in your rack. But overdriven compressed metal will be coming from someplace else, it's just not that kind of preamp.I prefer Smiley EQ's
I also wanted to add, Im looking for a preamp to do well compressed "metal" bass Isuppose you could sday. these responses have definitly been giving me the impression that TE is a good place to start.
A guy is offering me a preamp for 80$ so im just going to go try it out and see what happens, I dont trust my bass with super old strings altho...so thats why Ive been looking for more of the pros opinion
It sounds like you are on a bit of a slim budget for recording, you could try a Bad Finger. It's got dual valve overdrive and compression in one unit, proper high powered like a real rack unit but in a pedal. Just watch out for noisy ones.
There is a pedal version of a Trace preamp for sale in the classifieds at the moment. To be honest I am interested in it my self. It's is technically a stompbox with 2 Trace Elliot preshapes selectable via switches plus a 7 band EQ, but I am pretty sure it could be used not only as a stomp box but also a stand alone SS pre.
It's the SM-7.
It's the SM-7.
I have used my SM7 pedal wound up quite a bit for a clean boost as well as EQ, without overdriving everything else in the chain, so I doubt that it could drive an amp.
It can do it with a little wee practice amp, I'd say you're good. It will make it sound like a trace head, save what the head's own native tone is doing, but you can eq that back to about flat with the trace pedal.
Such as? Some good suggestions?
Im not really looking for an overdriven sound, Im looking for more of a clean and concise preamp (To be blended with another track, preferbablly something gnarly
hahaIm pretty new to all these things altho, so Im taking basically any suggestions
I don't see why I'm being quoted. Clean and concise is very well covered with the sm7 pre, I thought you were wanting some major league distortion.
Electro Harmonix, EHX whatever, "Bad Finger" "optical valve (tube) compressor". Google that. It's a pedal, not a preamp.
Electro Harmonix, EHX whatever, "Bad Finger" "optical valve (tube) compressor". Google that. It's a pedal, not a preamp.
iampoor1 said:I prefer Smiley EQ's
I also wanted to add, Im looking for a preamp to do well compressed "metal" bass Isuppose you could sday. these responses have definitly been giving me the impression that TE is a good place to start.
A guy is offering me a preamp for 80$ so im just going to go try it out and see what happens, I dont trust my bass with super old strings altho...so thats why Ive been looking for more of the pros opinion
Smiley EQ is a good recipe to disappear in the mix, especially in a metal band...
I remember growing up in the 70's and 80's and there were two frequency bands on the radio,, FM and AM. Plug your bass in to a Trace elliot and engage the pre-shape while setting the eq flat and you shall have the "FM" sound! Quite a few players will complain of the lack of midrange high attack. Their complaints can be addressed by simply increasing the pre=amp volume(the red knob) and decreasing the bass on the eq while increasing the mid highs and mid lows. The cabinent makes a big difference too! I have three trace amps of different models. My favorite is my british made 715x combo delivering 600watts at 4ohms on top of an american made Trace 1048h(4x10). This amp seems to be more flexible than the earliar made amps and both combo and extention cab have a built in horn that brings out the highs that some earlier trace cabs don't have. Moral of the story? I put all my heads with cabinents with horns and if possible 15"s, 10's and horns for every rig. My smaller 200wt GP7 is usually paired with my 2013h(2x10 w/horn) and it basically has the same sound without the volume. Getting "grit" from trace is even easier but I usually reverse the laws of grit,, I will turn the pre up to 1o'clock and the master way up to almost 4'oclock or 9. Then use my bass pickups to deliver the "grit" and that is using an american made p-bass. If you speakers are fragile turn the pre down to 11o'clock. The new trace speakers are built better than the older ones and sound cleaner,, the older british built cabs with the celestians have more "grit" but they will also blow if you run too much low end thru them as I have. Another unwritten law of trace,,USE PLEANTY OF CAB!! Trace will blow speakers and I have had the best luck going big at gigs then turning down because when you bring a full rig into a club they will make you tun it down to keep from knocking the building off the foundation. Ampeg and Trace are foundation rockers and few other amps will deliver this type of earthquake effect. Even the smaller Trace amps I have,,the GP7smx and the GP12 smx still deliver a solid bottom end guitar players love because it doesn't "crowd" their sound. Just like FM it surrounds the guitar, keyboards and drums to give your band that true FM stereo sound,, because that is what trace is!
If you smiley eq a trace gp12 or gp11 you will give cabs a very hard time. The low sliders are there for cutting, not boosting.
My gp12smx valve pre goes warm but no overdrive. Bridge pickup on my jazz is aggressive but not distorted.
My gp12smx valve pre goes warm but no overdrive. Bridge pickup on my jazz is aggressive but not distorted.
hmmmm, where to begin?
In my experience, a Trace Series 5 or Series 6 pre or full amp is more than capable of delivering any tone you like if you take the time to learn what it is truly able to do. I've done everything from flat-out aggression with a Stingray to killer dub with several different basses using Trace and... Motown. If you want it - huge bottom is there.
Same flexibility with a different hue with the Valve Series pres and amps.
If you don't want a scooped sound, just don't engage the pre-shape switch. It's that simple. If you do, Trace will deliver that in a powerful way and there are situations where a scooped sound works.
Trace used a sensitive and powerful graphic EQ. Like with any great amp, take the time to experiment. That graphic can give you so much.
Right now you can pick up a solid-state Trace in good condition for a fraction of their original selling price. Solid power, great tone control and yes, flexibility. Best bargain in terms of used amps today, IMHO.
In my experience, a Trace Series 5 or Series 6 pre or full amp is more than capable of delivering any tone you like if you take the time to learn what it is truly able to do. I've done everything from flat-out aggression with a Stingray to killer dub with several different basses using Trace and... Motown. If you want it - huge bottom is there.
Same flexibility with a different hue with the Valve Series pres and amps.
If you don't want a scooped sound, just don't engage the pre-shape switch. It's that simple. If you do, Trace will deliver that in a powerful way and there are situations where a scooped sound works.
Trace used a sensitive and powerful graphic EQ. Like with any great amp, take the time to experiment. That graphic can give you so much.
Right now you can pick up a solid-state Trace in good condition for a fraction of their original selling price. Solid power, great tone control and yes, flexibility. Best bargain in terms of used amps today, IMHO.
Hey people!!!
This is nice TE thread i just picked up a mint condition GP7 sm 130 combo for 150 for replacing my RBI with power amp, now thats wayyyyy cheap. And why i did it? Because a few years back i sold my TE twin valve and since then im kinda missing that TE sound once u hear it, you cant get over it. And this lil sucker punches out that 130W BIG time!!!
This is nice TE thread
i just picked up a mint condition GP7 sm 130 combo for 150 for replacing my RBI with power amp, now thats wayyyyy cheap. And why i did it? Because a few years back i sold my TE twin valve and since then im kinda missing that TE sound once u hear it, you cant get over it. And this lil sucker punches out that 130W BIG time!!!
I may be running back to Trace once again. My GK rig is great but just lacks something I can't place my finger on. At low volume it sounds awesome but a higher volume it's somewhat harsh. Are used 15" cabinets readily available? I may have a head lined up soon.
