Trace Elliott owners?

Hi Panterafan! WEll as you may have guessed I'm into Trace Elliot stuff in a big way - see profile!

OH yeah, and the Spector REX2000/5 sounds brilliant through my TE rig! I love Trace stuff, I think it sounds good, it looks good IMO, it's not as heavy as some stuff I've tried - although I have noted from other threads that some people are of the opinion that the cabinets power handling is down on some other brands!

The 500 watt head with the 4 x 10 with HF Horn and 1 x 15 sounds great. I'm actually also considerning getting one of the Commando 15s as a practice/very portable amp for use as a backline where I have a PA to plug into - that way I could use the combo as a monitor. If you get one I'd be interested to hear about it!

I think that to be honest there aren't a lot of TE users compared to other ypes discussed on TB - look at the 'Best Amp' poll, TE only got about 3.4% I guess it's maybe more common in the UK/Europe - although I have seen posts from US TE users.

Anyway, I think the stuff is great, I also never had any problems with the rig I traded in! Happy hunting!

 

My TE is valve so not relevant, however a freind of mine just replaced a 715 with a 12 band 4x10 because it was past it. He bought the 715 in 1989!!!

Another mate has the 300w 1x15 combo and is very happy.

I have heard bad things about the cheaper stuff so go for a real one. They are reguarly available sh in dealers and privately.

http://www.soundsgreatmusic.com have a good website and deal in sh stuff

http://www.loot.com have a good search system if you want to try the private sale Lottery I got my V4 for £300 from a very nice man in Watford.

 

I used to have a AH300SM head (it's counterpart nowadays is called AH300-7), and while I loved the head (I recorded with it in a studio and the tone was mighty nice), I was not too fond of the Peavey cab it was paired with. I bought my EBS combo and the half stack more or less began collecting dust, so I sold it.

I have played a couple of their combos too, namely the 7215 and 715 (only difference being wattage?). Didn't like either of them, sounded kind of... "boxy" would be a good word I guess. But I'm spoiled.

 

OOOOOOOOOOoh yeah, i got a brand new commando 15 only this Saturday. I love it, it sounds amazing, 150 watts of beautiful power. I'd definitely recommend it. Buy one, you won't regret it. I'm still fiddling around with mine, trying different settings for different sounds, I'm havin great fun just playin around with it.

 

I like the tone - but I mostly play rock/metal type stuff!! Although, I have played a few Chilli Peppers covers - and to me they sounded OK, so I guess that it's versatile enough.

I mean off the top of my head, famous users include Duff McKagan, Steve Harris, Tony Levin, MArk King (when he was in Level 42). SO if it's good enough for these guys - it'll do me!



Edit - Hmmm, first time I've tried that Quote thing - didn't work as well as I'd hoped. I guess I'll need to try more than playing games on my PC to get the hang of this stuff!

 

i've been using a trace GP7 150W head for about 3 years now. sounds great & very reliable as well.

obviously i'd try a few different models, but i don't think you'll go far wrong with TE stuff.

i also use the TE dual compressor pedal, which is (i believe) the same circuit that's in the newer heads - excellent compressor it is too.

 

I would recommend the Commando 15!!! Only because I own one! they're great amps! If anyone else owns one go to Trace Elliot
They have some cool presets that u can print of, but its always great to mess about with the tone yourself. Its got great low- end because of the 15" speaker...i prefer 15s to 10s. Tens are nice n punchy but i like a nice deep bassy (hence the instrument!) sound.
Get one!!! as said before you wont regret it! mine is currently in my room lookin nice!
it has a nice selection of lil white buttons that widen the tonal variation. (the bright is good for boosting the top - end...its pretty good)
look it probably sounds like I think im the expert here! well im not! im just saying trace elliot KICKS ASS! ive done some some gigs with it and it hasn't let me down! get it!!!!

 

I played a Commando 15 today, I had to as we were playing for the first time in a new rehearsal room, and I've never played anything worse than that. It sounds harsh and mid-ish, there's no oomph whatsoever, and the highs are muffled. I blame it on the non-ported too-small box, the non-existent tweeter and the clumsy tone knobs.

Perhaps I should blame me

 

Looks like you're spoiled too, Joris! Ah, the joy of hi-end gear... and the curse of a high-end ear!

 

To be able to judge TE amps/combos, you got to try the real TE stuff. Budget versions like the Commando or Boxer series will sound disappointing compared to the higher end GP12 or GP7 based series of amps.

Don't mean to be elitist, but that's the way it usually is with gear.

 

I've had an AH600SMX head and 1048H cab for quite a few years. It totally rocks! I play everything from Goth Metal to Prog Metal to Jazz to Pop and it works great in every situation....for me. Trace definately has a characteristic sound you have to love or hate, but it can be versatile as well. It depends on how you EQ it and use the Compression section. Plus it looks bad*ss on a dark stage.

 

You bet I'm spoiled, and I love every minute of it !

Ahhh, the joy of hi-end gear at a low-cost price!

 

I had one of these and I think you're spot on - the sound is "boxy".

The trouble is that in the UK - TE stuff is cheaper so there is a lot of it about. I also had Joris's problem of a rehearsal room having one of these. Our guitarist was trying to get us another place and we tried it once - he spotted the big TE bass amp and said - that looks good! But he conceded that once I had plugged in it was the worst sound he had ever heard! We never went back to that studio!

Now I use Eden and Euphonic Audio gear, TE sounds even worse to my ears, but I think it's squarely aimed at "Rock" players who seem to like this sound - I can't stand it! I think I'm spoiled like Joris and OM and will avoid this stuff as far as I can.

 

I owned a big TE rig, an AH500 paired with the 410 and an oversized 115 for several years. I've yet to come across a smaller sounding big rig since. It may be that it was a Rock setup and I was looking for something else, the one memory that still looms large is the need to tweak it for at least one set almost every time I used it live. That was a royal pain. The flat sound was completely blah.

The big 15 cab was pretty amazing, didn't put out as much as my little Yorkville 115BX or most of the small 15's available... maybe it's purpose was as stage eye candy (something I could care less about).

I haven't seen any TE gear since that would make me consider it over other more affordable stuff. I still look though.

 

Brad I think that you said it yourself re 'the next big thing' at one stage (when Hartke only made cabs and SWR only made heads) Trace Elliot ruled (certainly in UK). Other companies got in the act and there is a lot of choice.

If 'you' like the graphic and fiddling with em then they are fine. I personally buy amps that sound great (to me) flat.

Two mates have quality TE combos and like em. Also it can be advantageous to buy something made in the country you live in (warranty etc).

 

I have a Trace Elliott Commando 15 combo. Im not too thrilled with the sound, its too hi-fi jazzy sounding for me. I dont like the 15 either. I cant get enough midrange out of it, and mids are what Im all about. I use a frown EQ, and I like to get as much punch as possible out of my bass amp.

This amp works OK for me when I cut the bass, and max the mids, treble, and gain. It gives me a pretty nice sound, but still not quite as punchy as I would like... oh well. Im gonna be getting a Mesa/Boogie Road Ready 4x10 for $500 from a guy as soon as I have the money. Then Ill just have to find a good head... maybe a G-K or Ampeg...

Yeah, Trace Elliotts are ok for jazz and slapping stuff. I dont recommend them for pick players and people looking for mids and punch. Thats all.

 

I don't think I could disagree with you more, lo-end. "Hi-fi" and "jazzy" are two words I would NEVER use to describe TE amps. And I'd say that a boatload of (plastic, nasal) mids is exactly what they have, and that's pretty much it!