The Trace Elliot V-type Club!!

[Darren Christie]

Congrats. Model 5001 is a hybrid. It has the V-Type preamp mated to a solid-state output section.

I didn't know that. Thanks. What's the purpose or benefit of the hybrid design?

 

[Darren Christie]

Not the V4. AH300, Hybrid with tube Preamp and mosfet power. Great amp in its own right. Have had a few. Played one through a Ashsdown ABM 4x10 for about 10 years.

Have one of the AH600 right now.

I just got home from the first full band gig for my wife and I post covid. I really do love the sound of the AH300. Always enjoyable to play. Thanks for the info.

 

[Wasnex]

I didn't know that. Thanks. What's the purpose or benefit of the hybrid design?

IMHO it's primarily a design choice and many factors come into play.

Here's an example with current production amps.
The Fender Super Bassman is a 300W tube amp that lists for $2,200. The Bassman 800 in an 800W hybrid that lists for $1250. The 800 uses the same preamp as the Super Bassman. There will be differences in weight and the way these amps perform, sound, and respond to touch based on their different output sections. The decision to buy one over the other may come down to economics, or it may come down to choosing the amp that sounds best to you or best meets your needs. The same is true in regards to the hybrid VS all-tube TE V-Types.

 

[Wasnex]

Pretty sure AH300 and AH600 are models for the solid-state Trace Elliots.

AFAIK, the V-Type hybrids used 5001, 300H, or 600H. Earlier this year I found service manuals for the hybrids, and they were dated Jul 21, 1997 and Dec 29, 1999.

 

[Dave Leighton]

Pretty sure AH300 and AH600 are models for the solid-state Trace Elliots.

AFAIK, the V-Type hybrids used 5001, 300H, or 600H. Earlier this year I found service manuals for the hybrids, and they were dated Jul 21, 1997 and Dec 29, 1999.

You are correct sir. I misspoke. Mine were/are V-type 300h and 600h.

 

[Darren Christie]

IMHO it's primarily a design choice and many factors come into play.

Here's an example with current production amps.
The Fender Super Bassman is a 300W tube amp that lists for $2,200. The Bassman 800 in an 800W hybrid that lists for $1250. The 800 uses the same preamp as the Super Bassman. There will be differences in weight and the way these amps perform, sound, and respond to touch based on their different output sections. The decision to buy one over the other may come down to economics, or it may come down to choosing the amp that sounds best to you or best meets your needs. The same is true in regards to the hybrid VS all-tube TE V-Types.
View attachment 4872357

IMHO it's primarily a design choice and many factors come into play.

Here's an example with current production amps.
The Fender Super Bassman is a 300W tube amp that lists for $2,200. The Bassman 800 in an 800W hybrid that lists for $1250. The 800 uses the same preamp as the Super Bassman. There will be differences in weight and the way these amps perform, sound, and respond to touch based on their different output sections. The decision to buy one over the other may come down to economics, or it may come down to choosing the amp that sounds best to you or best meets your needs. The same is true in regards to the hybrid VS all-tube TE V-Types.
View attachment 4872357

Thanks again. I picked mine up for $500 (Australian $) about 5 years ago. Still using it for full band gigs, but head and bins are quite heavy. Will most likely get something lighter, like a 300w markbass combo? In the future. Will retire the v-type to a studio/stage on my farm I'm aiming to build in a few years time.

 

[Amokoma]

Thought I'd put this here: Pride & Joy, respectively.

 

[Jugghaid]

Thought I'd put this here: Pride & Joy, respectively.

Ooooh. A 2nd gen V4 combo. That's a rare bird.

 

[Monkey1960s]

So I've been keeping count and I MAY be wrong, but without repeating V-types that have been owned by several people on here, we have:

2 V4s
6 V6s
2 V8s
4 V-type preamps (including mine which I haven't posted a picture yet)
2 V-type 300Hs
and 2 600 Hs

COME ON PEOPLE!! Let's see some more! I know some people personally on TB who have V-types and haven't joined in the fun!

 

[Monkey1960s]

V4!

 

[Dave Leighton]

My living room noodling amp.

 

[donnydagger]

This V4 w/ 1248H has just popped up for sale here in Utah for $900! I just don’t know if I’m interested anymore.

 

[Wasnex]

This V4 w/ 1248H has just popped up for sale here in Utah for $900! I just don’t know if I’m interested anymore. View attachment 4983965

That's an earlier V-Type before they called it the V4.

Looks to be in really good condition...I suspect it won't last for long. If I was nearby, it would be mine already...and I already this version of the amp.

In todays market that's a pretty good price for just the amp.

It's a rather large and heavy cab. Haven't played one, but I believe they are very mid forward and also very efficient.

 

[Dave Leighton]

@Wasnex I have only had and or played through the V-Type Hybrids but absolutely love how smooth they sound. How do the early all tube heads like the V-Type pictured respond toneally?

 

[Wasnex]

@Wasnex I have only had and or played through the V-Type Hybrids but absolutely love how smooth they sound. How do the early all tube heads like the V-Type pictured respond toneally?

I have not played one of the hybrids, but I own one of the original green tolex V-Types (pre V4) and also a V6. They all use the same preamp circuit, so any difference is going to be between the solid-state and tube output sections.

Furthermore, the V4 and V6 use the exact same circuit cards. The only difference is the V6 output card is stuffed with a few extra components to serve the two extra tubes.

I posted gut shots of a V4 and V6 here: The Trace Elliot V-type Club!!

I would describe the voicing as somewhere in the Fender tone universe. It's a bit mid scooped and very sweet sounding to me. It's not super transparent though. Fairly big lows, but relatively clear, tight, and focused. The highs are have plenty of air and glass, but not a lot gank in the low mids. You get stronger low mids by pulling the mid switch. This actually has no effect on the mid-control. Rather it shifts the upper cutoff of the bass control into the mids.

With one mid shift setting you get black and with the other mid shift setting you get violet.

 

[Dave Leighton]

Thanks @Wasnex.

 

[Maskil]

Here is another proud owner of the V-Type 4. Killer amp!! Amazing tone and power.

 

[Derplap]

Ok folks.... My friend thinks I'm being daft, but I don't know. I'm getting really tube-y these days, and one of the mid-90s green tolex V4s just came up in my hood. The guy was asking $2800 (canadian), I talked him down to $2100 (basically $1550 USD). The thing is... I don't gig, probably won't in the near future, so it'll be me and this beast in my basement for the forseeable future. I don't have money to waste, per se, but I have a good job and the purchase won't really hurt me, but am I being stupid? Like... will I even be able to turn it up past 1 without rattling my ceiling tiles? Am I doing the amp a disservice? At that price, if I re-evaluate in a year or so, do we think I'll be able to recoup my costs? It almost feels like behemoths like this are going increasingly out of favour with folks, as more and more people seem to be using kempers or some kind of IR profiler for live performance. Still though... I love a well built machine. Thoughts?

 

[Wasnex]

Ok folks.... My friend thinks I'm being daft, but I don't know. I'm getting really tube-y these days, and one of the mid-90s green tolex V4s just came up in my hood. The guy was asking $2800 (canadian), I talked him down to $2100 (basically $1550 USD). The thing is... I don't gig, probably won't in the near future, so it'll be me and this beast in my basement for the forseeable future. I don't have money to waste, per se, but I have a good job and the purchase won't really hurt me, but am I being stupid? Like... will I even be able to turn it up past 1 without rattling my ceiling tiles? Am I doing the amp a disservice? At that price, if I re-evaluate in a year or so, do we think I'll be able to recoup my costs? It almost feels like behemoths like this are going increasingly out of favour with folks, as more and more people seem to be using kempers or some kind of IR profiler for live performance. Still though... I love a well built machine. Thoughts?

If you can afford it and want it, get it. Consider it your own guilty little pleasure that no one else has to understand. However, try it to make sure it really appeals to you. These are fabulous sounding amps, but they are not super versatile. IMHO this applies to most tube amps. Also different tube amps tend to have unique personalities, so forget the idea that tubey is a clearly defined universal quality that we all agree on.

The tolex covered V-Type is generally the preferred version so they tend to sell for a bit more than V4s. I think the asking price is slightly high but it will probably eventually sell. Nothing wrong with offering a lower price. There is V-Type currently listed on Reverb for $2170.46. The market is running hot right now, but I still think that's a bit unrealistic.

IMHO amps are not a good investment, and I would not count on ever fully recovering the sunk cost of the amp and maintenance it will need over the years of ownership. It is possible you will eventually turn a profit, but it is by no means guaranteed.

For the record, I have a V-Type, V6, and V8 (and a bunch of other amps).What can I say, I love amps. I pretty much retired from playing around 2008, so my amps probably won't leave my basement until some vulture sells them at my eventual estate sale for pennies on the dollar. It's nobody's business but mine.

I live in house, so I can turn my amps up if I like. I typically push about 40-80W and most of them, including the V-Types, sound great.

Good Luck!

 

[Derplap]

Haha... Yeah, that's the one i made an offer on, coincidentally, but not through reverb. Talked him down from $2100usd to $1550usd. He started way higher. Thanks for the perspective. Appreciate it.