So...why haven't you got a Trace Elliot then..

[rushbo]

[quote name='Osiris' timestamp='1501621246' post='3346053']
This probably won't go down too well with the recent resurgence in TE popularity, but having owned an SMX rig for several years I found it to be gutless and under powered and almost impossible to get a good sound out of. I bought a new 250 watt SMX combo and extension cab in the early 90's and used it for several years and in that time I pretty much grew to hate everything about it.

There's been a lot of talk on here recently about how Trace watts are so much louder than everyone else's. But with 250 watts and two 15" speakers, I always felt like the rig was struggling to keep up with other people I was playing with. The SMX amps had loads of different controls but I just couldn't get a sound that I really liked from it. The pre-amp tube didn't seem to introduce any tonal colour and no matter what I did with the graphic, it still sounded toppy and was unable to deliver the mids and low end with any conviction.

On the plus side, it looked great and the dual band compression circuit was really good.

I'm not out to rattle any cages here as I know there's plenty of Trace fans still about, but my own experience is very much at odds with the highly regarded reputation that Trace gear has. Maybe mine was just a duff one? Who knows.
[/quote]

That was pretty much my experience too.

[BigRedX]

I owned two bits of TE gear in the late 80s/early 90s. First was a GP12 Pre-amp which was great and I only got rid of it because I needed something with programmable memories. I also had a Bright Box for about half a day. It did nothing so it was back in the shop before closing time.

[xgsjx]

I had a TE 4x10 combo. The only heft was the weight of the damn thing. Markbass 2x10 combo was louder, sounded way better & was a damn sight lighter too.
I've now got a big all valve Radiovox head & a EBS 4x10, but would happily go back to the Markbass rig.

[paul_5]

I had a GP7 head (100watts or so) and a pair of cabs (2103h and 1153) which I gigged with for years. I found myself always fiddling with the sound and never being overly happy with the sound.
Then I got an Ampeg head. 😉

[Skybone]

Trace were everywhere in the 80's and 90's, well, until Gibson bought them and moved production from the UK and basically killed the brand. Ashdown came out of the ashes and have filled the space that Trace used to have (which is mildly ironic, seeing as they were the same people).

I remember playing guitar in a band where the bassist fried at least 2 Trace rigs. One of them was his own, and it took quite a few years to get the parts to fix it.

[mep]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1501627836' post='3346131']

Speak for yourself I'm still Class-D'ing it, and still perfectly happy. And most importantly, my back loves me.
[/quote]

Me too. Had a series 6 AH200 for years and loved it. Now got a TC Classic 450 and love it. No heft problems and it easily keeps up volume wise in my band. Happy days.

[Oopsdabassist]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1501627332' post='3346127']
A David Eden rig was something I always wanted. The players that I admired were always photographed with one in Bassplayer magazine adverts.

There was an old and much battered one at a studio I was in a few years ago, it sounded magnificent!
[/quote]

I still have my Eden 4x10XST and a...err..WT400 head? Sounds wonderful, weighs at least 3 times that of my current rig...sounds awesome though. I like the idea of TE but the weight, ooh man I can't hack that.

[lojo]

Love the trace sounds, but I'm happy to trade my markbass trace emulation for weight

[casapete]

Used plenty of Trace stuff, and always thought it was okay but not particularly inspiring.
Best one was an AH250 head which I bought, the large one with the UV tube etc. It was
built like a brick sh*thouse, loud and reliable but somehow a bit lacking in warmth/soul?
Sold it to a pal of mine who is still happily using it today though.

[Musicman20]

I've said this before, but the 400SMX bass head (with the huge wooden case and UV light) was a fantastic piece of gear.

Once I replaced some fuses as per instructions from Trace (we are talking when I was maybe 18 years old....I got a 'last stock' deal from Electro) it never ONCE gave up. Ever.

But, after Uni and then going back into bands and mini tours, I ended up almost dropping it and really injuring my hand on one late night. This was about 9 years back....I knew then I had to think about changing.

Part of me wishes I had kept it. I could have just used it for big gigs when I had mates to help get the gear around. But, things move on.

I don't know why they just don't release the same kind of solid state amp head, drop half the weight, drop the massive wooden box and release a modern 600W version. I guess Ashdown are the closest to that form factor.

The closest I've got to the Trace tone is my Genz Shuttlemax 9.2, which is very crisp, clear and sounds very 'fast' in the mids....I love it.

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1501627836' post='3346131']

Speak for yourself I'm still Class-D'ing it, and still perfectly happy. And most importantly, my back loves me.
[/quote]

+1

[la bam]

Every start up band should have one!

£200-£300 for what was a pro rig 20 years ago is amazing value!

My first bass rig (not a trace) 20 years ago cost me £200 and was terrible!! New bands should be snapping these up.

Perhaps in another 10 years they'll hit 'classic status and prices will rocket again.

I've always found trace like ashdown. On their own not an inspiring sound. But with a band a great sound that just fits nice.

Me personally, my heavy lifting days are gone, but my markbass evo has a good trace emulator, so it's always there if I need it.

[KevB]

We all love a bit of exaggeration re the weight. Sure they are not lightweight compared to the class D stuff but even i can lift my 715 combo out of the car and on to the trolley without too much suffering and my back hasn't been great since i damaged it at work over 20 yrs ago. The ballache is stairs. If the venue has no lift and there isnt anyone to take the other handle it is an awkward lift&carry job. However, the 4x10 ext cab was worse. In fact it weighed little more than the combo its just an awkward square box of a thing to lug about by hand if you are on your own. PaulWarning will back me up on this as I passed it on to him last year
Tonewise I'd read so much about how 'nasal 80's mid rangey whine' they were I was more than surprised just what a range you can get from these amps with a bit of judicious tweaking. I will admit though that my rig did sound better after I coupled it up with a tone shaping pre amp/DI pedal (I have a bassattack but no doubt other brands will do just as well) but I don't have the EQ 'flat' so there is still a contribution from the amp end too, along with the inbuilt compression. I can get the low end thumpy muddy sound for blues if i need it though its not a tone i naturally go for. What has always impressed me about those 15inch speakers in the 715 combos is how wide a range of frequencies thay can dish out, they are not boomy at all but can give a good low end kick when required.

[SH73]

Because I don't gig.

[KevB]

You must feel the need to annoy your neighbours at least once in a while though?

[funkgod]

iv just sold my 350 smx that iv had for years, power out of it was amazing for rated 350,
i kept it for years " just in case" but compared to the swr super red heads tone, and my swr sm500,
it sounds slow floppy and thuddy,,, loads of thud and heavy weight to the sound, it was perfect for soul type stuff.
I think back in the day the chioce of bass amps was same old same old, good but not moving on quick enough and the new TE stuff was that breakthrough into a new breed
the smx 350 for me was that, loved the way i could dial in as much valve pre i wanted, just a knob on the front that was valve one way or tranny the other or a mix, it also had hi and low comp again usefull, looked great, nice lit up,
but then stayed like that for years too long, i think the style just dated ?
But ... the swr sound had that more modern sound to it not as much weight to the sound but brighter and sharper, i dont need the huge sound anymore as i Di into the desk, so the swr was perfect for me.
Still have a place in my heart for the 350 tho.

Edited August 2, 2017 by funkgod

[ambient]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1501664048' post='3346279']
We all love a bit of exaggeration re the weight. Sure they are not lightweight compared to the class D stuff
[/quote]

The Trace Elliot 1048 4x10 cab weighs 40kg, which is the equivalent of 4 Markbass combos, and is 15kg heavier than a Markbass 4x10.

[scrumpymike]

Here's my TE story (having a useless memory, I've had to pull my complete set of Bassist mag's to help me place the action). So, it's April 1999 and there I am reading my Bassist mag on a return flight from Germany. The young guy next to me suddenly pipes up (in an American accent): "Hey, are you a bass player?" Turns out that he is too and we get chatting. The mag is now face down on my lap revealing a glossy, full-page ad on the back cover for an AH600SMX and 1048H cab . 'Rumble in the Jungle' is allegedly what it does and it's made by a company called Trace Elliot Ltd. down in Maldon, Essex. My buddy points to it and says: "Awesome!" Turns out he's no longer gigging due to other commitments, he's got a TE AH500X that he's not using - and he lives 10 miles away from me in North London! Ten minutes later, I've bought the amp for £300 A few days later, I've actually got it - and I love the thing. It's basically 2 x 250w amps in the same box and you can switch between mono, bi-amp and stereo modes - and how cool is that UV light strip on the front! Soon, I'm gigging it through a 4 x 12 and 1 x 15 stack, my band-mates can't get enough of it, and there's a small line of punters wanting to talk to me about it after every gig (I exaggerate, but only slightly). So, we're all living happily ever after, until suddenly 'the giant' falls ill, and has to go away for surgery. F*ck, what now!? A quick phone call to the Bass Centre in London reveals that they have a used AH300 SMC GP7 and that will tide me over, so I'm straight on to the tube heading for Wapping. I get the thing home and hook it up with some trepidation. My initial reaction with everything set flat is mild disappointment - and then I hit the pre-set switch, and... Bammm!!! I've still got the amp (maybe not for much longer) - and that switch still does it for me.

Hope you haven't all fallen asleep (sorry, I'll get me coat)

[PaulWarning]

I've recently stumbled across my latest 'perfect' sound (for how long? who knows) bought 2 Fender V2 cabs (because they were cheap), 2 x 8 and 1 x 12, super light weight and paired them with my 250 watt SMX GP12 head, I understand the weight issue having had a T E Combo, but match a TE head with light weight cabs, seems like the best of both worlds to me

[chris_b]

I missed out on TE gear. I was using Musicman, Dynacord and Mesa Boogie at the time.

[Wolverinebass]

I never liked the older 4x10s. Especially the combos as there was no tweeter. However, the valve stuff kills. I even like the peavey era amps actually.

All Trace have to do is put the classic pre-amp (or better yet the mp11 with valve Drive and compression) in a box with a 1000w class D engine. There, I've fixed your brand problems in one go. Plus if they went mp11, all the knobs and e settings would be midi controllable so you'd have ludicrous flexibility.

Are you listening Trace Elliot?!! Stop with this Elf nonsense and give us some proper gear to drool over!! You know it's underpowered, so do we. Nobody is fooled.

[scrumpymike]

Post script: I sold the AH500X for a nice profit and have been gigging my beloved 300 replacement ever since. (It's only worth a single hernia compared to the full double its predecessor was capable of.)

[mikel]

Never liked TE, too clanky and industrial for me. Never thought the sound was bass like enough for me, and I hated the 80s stuff.

[KevB]

[quote name='Wolverinebass' timestamp='1501666936' post='3346332']
All Trace have to do is put the classic pre-amp (or better yet the mp11 with valve Drive and compression) in a box with a 1000w class D engine. There, I've fixed your brand problems in one go. Plus if they went mp11, all the knobs and e settings would be midi controllable so you'd have ludicrous flexibility.
[/quote]

I think I said something along the same lines in another TE related thread a year or so back, maybe when the (then) latest TE stuff was being touted. Still not sure why they didn't investigate this route, you wouldnt think it would take a huge investment in 'developmement' its not like they'd be reinventing the wheel. Missed opportunity. Or maybe its analogous to Rickenbacker, they bring out a supposedly better model but it doesn't sell as well as its prehistoric bridge design predecessor.

[KevB]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1501666455' post='3346321']
I've recently stumbled across my latest 'perfect' sound (for how long? who knows) bought 2 Fender V2 cabs (because they were cheap), 2 x 8 and 1 x 12, super light weight and paired them with my 250 watt SMX GP12 head, I understand the weight issue having had a T E Combo, but match a TE head with light weight cabs, seems like the best of both worlds to me
[/quote]

I think I'd possibly go down this route too if my combo went tits up, can't see me losing out too much on switching from 1x15 + 2x10 to 1x12 + 2x8 as long as the combination gave good responses over the frequencies needed.