vicar Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Please excuse my ignorance and feel free to educate me, but, I see a lot of money changing hands for second hand TE cabs but was always led to believe they were only celestion speakers in them! Is this the usual case of paying for the badge on the front? Quote
Dandelion Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 They are celestion. But designed to TE spec with greater excursion I think. Quote
longtimefred Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 and the fact they are quality boxes. Great cabs. Quote
vicar Posted January 20, 2013 Author Posted January 20, 2013 Well that is what I am questioning!! Please expand on the difference between a TE cab with celestions in and a celestion filled cab with a TE badge!! Quote
RandomBass Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Isn't a TE cab with celestions the same as a celestion filled cab that has a TE badge on it? Unless one is a fake, of course. Or am I missing your point? As an aside, I used a TE 15" combo for the first time ever in our rehearsal space. They've had an Ashdown ABM 410 in there for ages, but the pots have got really nasty and scratchy - to the point where it's pretty much impossible to get a consistent input gain setting. So now they have this TE combo. It's only 130 watts but my god its damn loud. And a great tight sound too. Really very good actually - and would be more than loud enough on it's own for most gigs I do. Anyway, my 2 penneth.. Quote
louisthebass Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 I can only comment on the original TE gear (pre sale to Gibson and then Peavey), but AFAIK the original cabs had Trace's own designed speakers in them. Great quality builds that could take a hammering. Quote
vicar Posted January 20, 2013 Author Posted January 20, 2013 No. And that is exactly my point! Anyone can make a cabinet and put celestions in it. I bought a 4x12 cab many years ago with 4 x 12" celestions in it from a music shop that had their own cabinets made to the same spec as a well known company. The cabs were less than half the price. Same spec cab. Same spec speakers. People were still willing to pay over double for the cabs with brand name on them. A TE cab with celestions is not the same as a cab with celestions in it just because it has a TE badge!! If the speakers are a custom spec, fine. Enlighten me. If the speakers are the same, tell me how the quality of the cab differs from any other top name 4x12 cab construction. Many thanks. Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Trace cabs are a known quantity. Random cab might be tuned wrong. With guitar cabs its an even smaller deal though, big enough box, same speakers, basically stiff solid construction, good to go. Quote
Musky Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 [quote name='vicar' timestamp='1358705291' post='1943707'] Please excuse my ignorance and feel free to educate me, but, I see a lot of money changing hands for second hand TE cabs but was always led to believe they were only celestion speakers in them! Is this the usual case of paying for the badge on the front? [/quote] I'm not sure where you're looking but I thought one of the attractions of used TE kit was the bargain prices they could be picked up for. The other thought that occurred was that Celestion is one of the leading designers and manufacturers of drive units and make some very capable speakers (although of course they don't usually make their way into commercial bass cabs, along with high end speakers from other manufacturers). I not sure that it's a secret that brand names can command a premium, but the upside for the consumer is that used prices will also hold up. Unless of course the brand falls out of fashion, in which case it's bargain time for buyers of used gear. Quote
JTUK Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 You'll find them cheap...and they will do a job if they haven't had too tough a life. People throw them away as they are too heavy. Their heyday was pre-90's... Quote
thodrik Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 Didn't Trace Elliot go through a period of using Fane speakers as well? On the topic, different cabs will have different dimensions, tunings, types of wood, quality of construction and finishing materials like screws, vinyl etc. The speaker is only one component in the sound of the cab, albeit an important part. I'm not an expert in cab construction but that would be my general viewpoint anyway. Trace Elliot amps and cabs are also easy to find and trade on the second hand market for several reasons: 1. There are loads of them about from the 80s and 90s when Trace Elliot had a strong market presence. 2. They tend to be heavy and not desirable for those looking for a lighter rig. 3. They are not actually very cool at the moment. 4. They tend to be cheap because of reasons 1, 2 and 3 5. They are generally good quality products and thus a good option for someone who wants to put together a half-decent rig for a few hundred quid. Quote
Lozz196 Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 [quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1358708480' post='1943794'] As an aside, I used a TE 15" combo for the first time ever in our rehearsal space. They've had an Ashdown ABM 410 in there for ages, but the pots have got really nasty and scratchy - to the point where it's pretty much impossible to get a consistent input gain setting. So now they have this TE combo. It's only 130 watts but my god its damn loud. And a great tight sound too. Really very good actually - and would be more than loud enough on it's own for most gigs I do. [/quote] Our other bassist has one of these. Incredibly loud, and a great sound. As per thodriks post though, for a small amp it is very heavy. Quote
xgsjx Posted January 20, 2013 Posted January 20, 2013 I had a TE 4x10 combo that was good for the money, but it was heavy & not a patch on many of todays 2x10s. Quote
Merton Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 [quote name='vicar' timestamp='1358705291' post='1943707'] Please excuse my ignorance and feel free to educate me, but, I see a lot of money changing hands for second hand TE cabs but was always led to believe they were only celestion speakers in them! Is this the usual case of paying for the badge on the front? [/quote] How many bass cab manufacturers actually make their own drivers? Quote
mingsta Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 [quote name='vicar' timestamp='1358705291' post='1943707'] I see a lot of money changing hands for second hand TE cabs but was always led to believe they were only celestion speakers in them! [/quote] I'd observed the opposite! From what I can see, Trace amps and cabs tend to go for pretty cheap nowadays - your typical TE 2x10 or 1x15 cab going for the £70-100 and the 12-band 250 watt combo's going for around £250-300. I just old my aboslutely mint 1215 SMX combo, plus a 2x10 cab for £250, though to be fair, I let it go for cheap to a friend. I think all the heavy amps from 10-20 years ago are now going for cheap, which means that theres some bargains to be had if you can put up with the weight. Quote
risingson Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 [quote name='Merton' timestamp='1358772585' post='1944652'] How many bass cab manufacturers actually make their own drivers? [/quote] Eden did I think. Quote
bigash Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1358785164' post='1944933'] Eden did I think. [/quote]Used to, not any more. Quote
longtimefred Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 it made me cry when i only got £275 for my V Type 4x8 combo. and £80 for my little 1x15 to go with it. Absolutely amazing quality gear that sounds incredible. I dont care how much things weigh, good tone is worth carrying. Quote
Merton Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1358785164' post='1944933'] Eden did I think. [/quote] Thanks, point proven... Quote
risingson Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 [quote name='Merton' timestamp='1358801132' post='1945384'] Thanks, point proven... [/quote] In fairness, they are one of the few I can think of, Bergantino maybe? I personally have no issue using a cab from a company who source their drivers elsewhere, I'm too technologically ignorant to know any different! Quote
Merton Posted January 21, 2013 Posted January 21, 2013 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1358802112' post='1945416'] In fairness, they are one of the few I can think of, Bergantino maybe? I personally have no issue using a cab from a company who source their drivers elsewhere, I'm too technologically ignorant to know any different! [/quote] Exactly Most cab manufacturers use OEM drivers from Celestion/Eminence/B&C/Fane/Sica/Jensen etc etc etc. It really doesn't matter as long as it sounds good Quote
vicar Posted January 23, 2013 Author Posted January 23, 2013 So in short, they[b] [i]are[/i][/b] Celestion speakers, but built/designed to a higher spec for TE, and the cabs are better designed/constructed than generic cabs. Thanks to those that answered the question. (Dandelion/longtimefred) Quote
Conan Posted January 23, 2013 Posted January 23, 2013 Still not sure where you get the idea that they are expensive? You can hardly give them away at the moment, so they can be picked up SH for coppers. I never had any problems with my old eighties Trace gear. Bomb-proof but too damned heavy. They still sound good if you have a strong back... Not sure what the issue is with celestions speakers either? Quote
VTypeV4 Posted January 24, 2013 Posted January 24, 2013 The early stuff and into the mid-eighties, I believe came loaded with Fane drivers. The 15" is the easily identifiable in old 1518 cabs as the frame isn't entirely circular much like a Peavey Scorpion. Quote
iconic Posted January 24, 2013 Posted January 24, 2013 "The usual thing of paying for a name" You gots to earn that name in the 1st place though! Try some trace gear, I'm still amazed at my combo's build quality and sound Quote
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