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What about Trace Elliot?

jeobsplyr

jeobsplyr

Aug 17, 2007
42
13
#1
Hey Gents,

"Lookin' for a "good" combo" guy, again. Has any of you had the occasion to hear or play one of Trace's combos? I had a co-worker who thought anything Trace put out was better than sex!! Looked at the specs on the 715X & the 1210 combo, but, I can't seem to catch one at my local GC to see what they can do. Any thoughts?

Jeobsplyr in DC:rollno:
 

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#2
I had some Trace medium-sized combos back in the 90s. If you like sound that's bright, tight and loud they might be for you, but I'd warn you away from anything more recent than the Series 6 amps. The Trace gear I had with the Series 7 preamp was absolute garbage. I have yet to try the recent, Peavey-owned Trace amps.
 
#5
Peavey owns Trace-Elliot now, but the product is still engineereed and built in England. It's only Peavey's financial backing and Distribution that is involved in the product.

As far as the combos- I own and gig with (among others) a "new Trace-Elliot" AH500-7 head (used in the combos along with the AH1000-12 version) and I have nothing but good things to say about it, and have posted before about just how awesome I think the new Trace is.

The combos would need an extension cab in order to put out the full power ratings at 4-ohms; and believe me, the Trace stuff is LOUD!

As for the tones, it's like anything else posted about on TB- some dig it, others like something else, and often don't post too intelligently about that...i.e. "My amp slays it, buries it," and other Beavis/Butthead comments.
Even the well-written opinions are just that-Opinions, including my own.

When I first saw the new Trace, I was intrigued by the design and the look, and when I played it-Done. Sold. and most importantly- Gigged, as often as I can!

The amps put out a very punchy tone, great attack and definition. The combos, with Celestion drivers get all of that and more; I really dug the tone through Trace cabs-
(I use mine with 2 Ampeg cabs, and love how it sounds).

IMO, if you're looking for a combo for your music and/or project, the Trace combos are really worth having a listen.

The Trace sound isn't everybody's thing, maybe, but it sure is for me.
 
#6
FWIW the Trace combos I've tried/used in the past have been my favourite combos for my tone. I've tried all sorts of others, Eden Metro/SWR Redhead etc etc, and they haven't come close. What's more, I've seen many local bands using them, often whilst backlining, and pretty much without exception the bassists have had great clear, punchy tone; in fact 2 of the best bass sounds I've ever heard live were through Trace, (one a 1x15 combo with a Warwick Streamer ProM 5 and one a Rick with a 300SMX head and single 15). Of course YMMV, it depends what you're after and how you play. I know some don't get on with them at all. I haven't played any of the new ones though.
 
#7
Being a big-time Ampeg user and fan, and having worked lots with SWR, G-K, Mesa, Fender, and others, the first thing I thought of, for some reason, when playing through the "new" Trace-Elliot was:

"WOW- these Englishmen have nailed the bass sound and attack!"

...And my thing, mainly, is American roots R&B- Aretha,Etta, BB, and so on!
But the timbre and amazing punch of the Trace gear worked so well, that if that's the "British" sound, I'm a fan!
(Along the same lines, when I toured Europe, no offense Paris and Rome, but...LONDON!...ruled!--except for the prices!:crying:)

Trace made an all-tube combo; I saw a NOS on E-Bay some time back-What an awesome sounding rig that must be! Had me drooling-
And while I would not say that the Trace SS circuits have a "tubular" sound to them, I would say that they cut in the mix amazingly, and the inherent tone/attack/PUNCH! makes me and my fellow rhythm section players very happy-
 
#11
I'm a Markbass user now but played a late 80's Trace 6x10 rig for 15 years. IMO the tone cannot be touched, but the Trace gear is unbelievably heavy, and I'm not in my 20's anymore. I still have that rig too, but don't even think about it, NOT for sale. By the way, it sounds as good as it did the day I bought it, sorry for rubbing it in.
 
#12
I have an old-ish 7210SMC, and truly it doth rock. Tight lows, plenty of highs if you want them, and mid-growl for days. It's a very 'active' modern sound IMHO, a real contrast with stuff like Ashdown for instance. Copes beautifully with drop-A tuning even though it's a 2x10. Built in compressor works well, and plenty loud enough to hold its own with a guitarist playing through a cranked 5150 stack. Live & studio engineers seem pretty pleased when they seem me lugging it in, too.

Am idly GAS-ing for a 1x15 cabinet for it though, for further bottom end.

+1 to the 'it's heavy' comments though...:ninja:
 
#13
ive been rockin trace for awhile and they are awesome especially if you can find a pre buy out trace amp. There new stuff is still great but just doesnt seem to be as solid and punchy as their pre gibson buy out equipment. If you can find a trace combo amp from the mid 90s ide grab it in a sec. Plus you can usually get em for a decent price:smug:
 
#15
MrMusicMAn said:
ive been rockin trace for awhile and they are awesome especially if you can find a pre buy out trace amp. There new stuff is still great but just doesnt seem to be as solid and punchy as their pre gibson buy out equipment. If you can find a trace combo amp from the mid 90s ide grab it in a sec. Plus you can usually get em for a decent price:smug:
Click to expand...

I would agree after having owned older TE equipment as well.
 

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