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Trace is Toast

#2
I was about to post asking about the Trace Gibson takeover-

am i right in thinking that Ashdown's UK products are made in the factory that produced Trace Elliot?

was the Trace sellout to Gibson just a sale of the name?
ie. a chance to make money as Gibson were offering to buy it.

I wonder if in the future the Trace name gets bought back by Ashdown associates- much in the same way that Stuart Spector regained the Spector name.
 
#4
I hope Ashdown brings trace back. They are tonally similar to me in a lot of ways. Anyone else think so? I can understand why Gibson finally killed the line, jerks.
You saw this posted over at the Ernie Ball forums?
 
#6
john turner said:
from what i understand, ashdown's ties to trace elliot are not that strong - a former sales manager or something. then again, i'm not certain, so i'm sure someone more in the know will correct me :)
Click to expand...


Now that I check the EB forums, that seems somewhat right. That the engineering team isn't involved in Ashdown.
Seemingly their manufacturing director.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

(Huge link, oops)
 
#7
My understanding (and i could be mistaken on some detail) was that one of the original Trace designers (can't remember his name off top of head) left the company to start Ashdown.

Thats all - there is a clear commonality between the two brands because a lot of the technical knowledge used on Trace went into the first Ashdowns. They are not associated in any other way.

If I remember correctly, the Sales Manager you talk about JT left to start a new PA brand. I doubt that Ashdown will use the Trace brand - they are tonally quite close anyway. What I think would be quite cool is if the Ashdown came out with the UV light on their heads to give a nod to the original inspiration.

I play one of the early Ashdown combos (ABM 400 210T) and the workmanship and quality is quite exceptional. Except for their issues with the vinyl finishing on the box, I can't fault the amp in any way.
 
#8
southpaw1 said:
Trace Elliot is finished.
Click to expand...
I thought that was already common knowledge. I talked with one of the guys at Gibson probably a year ago and was told that Gibson had no future plans for the Trace line and it was for all intent and purposes dead.

The guy that formed Ashdown is Mark Gooday. He was at the time of the buyout the managing director and co-owner of Trace. Here is a link to the Ashdown story were Mark talks a little about what happened: Link Removed

Gibson sucks! :spit: :mad:
 
#9
Mark Gooday was one of the original Trace design engineers (and I believe one of the company directors). When Trace sold out to Gibson, Mark, along with some of the other Trace guys started Ashdown. They are a great bunch of people and sorted a problem with my ABM 500 Evo 11 within 24 hours. Mark has even offered to repair my Trace combo which I inadvertantly blew up in spectacular style. Oh , and IMO the Ashdown amps and cabs ROCK...try one now!

MODERATOR: I don't work for Ashdown or any subsiduaries or distributors. I am a poor semi pro musician, who has to buy his own gear and I am expressing my opinion on Ashdown's products. What I'm saying is that I hope this doesn't contravene any commercial posting rule, if it does feel free to edit. Thanks
 
#10
Cochise said:
MODERATOR: I don't work for Ashdown or any subsiduaries or distributors. I am a poor semi pro musician, who has to buy his own gear and I am expressing my opinion on Ashdown's products. What I'm saying is that I hope this doesn't contravene any commercial posting rule, if it does feel free to edit. Thanks
Click to expand...

lol. it certainly shouldn't. :)
 
#13
And after much consultation with Kelly, I now have an RAH250SMX. And when it gets here I will have a showdown of epic proportions between the Trace, my Behringer BX3000T and my friends MAG300H-All supposedly very very similar!
I am excited!
 
#18
i love my trace gear.
infact, i just love trace. my wee' 2x10 and Trace GP12SMX AH250 totally owned at our last show on wednesday. The stage was shaking (as it was last sunday, and will be tomorrow!). Muwhahaha!!!

its a real shame Trace went of business :( major bummer for me! always get complimented after every gig - wednesday, the sound guy "your bass amp, it sounds amazing!" (heavy french accent) - sunday "you know haigie, its a lot mor epowerful than i expected it to be! sounded good" (our sound tech) - numerous fans "oooh, neons!!!".

mmm. :smug:
 
#19
Thanks to Kelly for the info, yes it was Mark Gooday who's name I couldn't remember.

Sorry if its old news, but the official close of the Trace name happened only a cuppla days ago.

Disappointing somewhat, because they were THE name of bass amplification in the 80's, were they not? Every name player (ok, big leap there) played Trace at one time.

I love the Ashdown high end stuff, not a fan of the licensed product (small practise amps etc). I bought one of the first Ashdown amps because I knew how much quality a new manufacturer would put into their product after coming from Trace, and I wasn't wrong - brilliant amps.
 
#20
Yeah that's a bummer about Trace.

I bought their Commando 15 combo around 1995 or just before and I still have it. Other than the cats using it as a scratching post and it looking a little rugged, it has held up fine.

I have replaced the speaker with an Eminence and that sounds as good as new. The switches make a huge difference in sound and I love the slap tone I get out of it. Great little combo.

Just wished it had a little more power, but it's fine for a practice combo.

Too bad.
JB
 

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