Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
The Ultimate Trace Elliot Info Thread (9/18)
- Thread starter Omega Monkey
- Start date
Yo yo yo fellow Tracers and @Omega Monkey ! I've been in clean-up mode and came across some really cool Trace stuff in an old backpack. Sadly, there was water damage but hey, it's better than nothing. Feast your eyes on this catalog AND price list I scanned for us:
I had a TE 300W + 2 4X10" speaker, but with my very classy 1993 Warwick/5 i never got a desired tone ...
Somewhat of a cold and sterile tone was all I've got, so I traded it for an Ampeg 100W + a 4X10' cab and got a marvelous tone then.
'
Somewhat of a cold and sterile tone was all I've got, so I traded it for an Ampeg 100W + a 4X10' cab and got a marvelous tone then.
'
@BergerHead , sounds like what you needed was a Quatra Valve!
Truthfully, though I had a Trace 4x10 and 1x15 stack, they were always powered by an Ashdown Klystron, the first amp they released here in the U.S.A.. It was only much later that I bought one of the smaller Trace heads to "match" my cabs. I used that amp only on smaller gigs.
I rock a BLX80. The 80 not only stands for the wattage, it also stands for the weight in pounds!! Decent volume and gets a nice honk with the trace scoop. My last piece of Trace gear. My favorite amp was the V-type 600h. That with 2-1158C cabs. Great rig. Whisper quiet and a strong tubey preamp tone. Unfortunately bad solder caused it to go up in sparks.
Hey Raul, I forgot I had one of those too! No kidding. It was heavy as sin.
The best bass tone I ever had was from an old start/mid 90's 130W SM7GP 1x 15" Trace Elliot combo, which I very much regret being stupid enough to sell at some point.
And I've even owned an Ampeg B15S, legendary 60W tube amp (which I regret being stupid enough to let go of as well, but that's a different story), and although that was an amazing amp too I personally prefer the tone that that Trace Elliot amp gave me.
As you said it is basically just plug and play and then instant amazement, and damn loud too compared to their rated watts, punch way above their rated power.
The downside though to those old Trace amps is that they weight about a ton.
But still I seriously ponder on maybe trying to find and buy a used one again at some point.
They aren't exactly rare and usually quite reasonably priced too (though I have noted a general tendency for prices seemingly going up lately, at least on the used market here in Denmark).
And I've even owned an Ampeg B15S, legendary 60W tube amp (which I regret being stupid enough to let go of as well, but that's a different story), and although that was an amazing amp too I personally prefer the tone that that Trace Elliot amp gave me.
As you said it is basically just plug and play and then instant amazement, and damn loud too compared to their rated watts, punch way above their rated power.
The downside though to those old Trace amps is that they weight about a ton.
But still I seriously ponder on maybe trying to find and buy a used one again at some point.
They aren't exactly rare and usually quite reasonably priced too (though I have noted a general tendency for prices seemingly going up lately, at least on the used market here in Denmark).
Nice! And of course they have the one I just posted here, sans the water damage.
This is a 100w Twin Valve Combo With a1x15 underneath.
I love the look of that BLX80
I love the look of that BLX80
I have one (amp only, no combo) which I use as a practice and back-up rig. I had new output components (?) installed so it will probably outlive me. If an "airhead" 15" box came along, I'd snag it. It does kick like a 300 watt amp without breaking a sweat.
Those aren't original: just rolled up rubber insulation from the building site.
But the remove a lot of boominess/woolyness from my sound.
