cocco Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 So I'm looking to purchase a lovely old green and black combo, preferably a 1x15 of atleast 150 watts. A few more wouldn't go amiss but tthat's probably minimum. My question is which one is the best and which if any should be avoided. I've seen a 715 SMC and a GP11 MK5 that are in my price range of around the £150 mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jensenmann Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) The ones I liked most of all Trace Elliots was the SMX series. But I´m not sure if these will fit in your budget. Edited October 21, 2014 by jensenmann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I sometimes have my doubts as to whether there are as many 'good eras' and 'bad eras' of Trace Elliot as folk say. A lot of folk have a lot of love for the Series 6 or SMX ranges, the Kamen era GP7 series gets a bit less love and the Gibson era stuff less love than that. Some folk have a 'if it is covered in carpet, it is rubbish' attitude. My own opinion is that given that most of the models have been around for quite a while, what constitutes a 'good' Trace Elliot will often depend on the condition of the actual amp in question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 What I'm looking for really is ultimate bang for buck its gonna have a sansamp hitting it in the face anyway so I'm not too bothered about the best preamp in the world. I just want a good combo that I can take to gigs in small venues. Preferably that I'm not gonna be too precious of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Then I would suggest just getting the first one you see available for the right price, check that it works and then buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingerz Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Dare I say, or ask the question: Why? They are notoriously dodgy at certain points in their manufacturing history reliability wise, and there is stuff that sounds great at a similar price point. They were really 'in' for a while, but had a sound that is, in my opinion, quite dated apart from the V series stuff. I'm not saying that my opinion is final, or even matters, but I would definitely try a bunch of other things out and see how the sounds are working for you. Maybe your Glaub would sound better through a different rig? ; ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 [quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1413935210' post='2583920'] Then I would suggest just getting the first one you see available for the right price, check that it works and then buy it. [/quote] Agreed. One can over-analyse these things Try a PM to Thornybank on here - he is a bit of an [s]anorak[/s] expert on all things TE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 [quote name='fingerz' timestamp='1413940063' post='2583933']They were really 'in' for a while, but had a sound that is, in my opinion, quite dated [/quote] Not sure about this... It's certainly true that in the mid-late eighties they were very popular and maybe ubiquitous - but they were also pretty good for the time! I had a Trace stack that served me well for nearly 20 years. It was heavy, yes - but it was very versatile due to the graphic and certainly wasn't a one-trick pony. I used it in funk, metal, blues and pop bands and it covered every tone that I asked of it. The amp only complained once in that time, and that was when the UV light went! Not sure where the reputation for unreliability comes from. Mine was (I think) from the mk4 range. I still miss it occasionally... but not at the end of a gig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingerz Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Yep, it's really common to hear your story, absolutely bullet proof reliability - hence I use the term 'at certain points in their manufacturing history'. 20 years, wow, it must've felt like part of the family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingerz Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 I used to Warwick sweet 15, and though I don't normally fall in love with their stuff - that thing was fantastic sounding. Warm and transparent for quite a 'middle of the road' combo. Don't know anymore about them than that. Anyway, good luck in your quest for a kick ass combo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassStars5 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) The old Trace stuff is excellent. I use a the carpet covered GP7 series amps. Bought a 7210 300w combo brand new in 2000 from Flying Pig. Still using it to this day. The combo alone has more than enough poke to cover most medium to large gigs. Never had a reliability issue. Apart from Trace, the only other amps I've touched are Ampeg (V4B original USA made one, SVT3 Pro, SVT410HLF, SVT410HE and SVT15E), and I've ended up selling all of them and gone back to the Trace. The Ampeg stuff made you sound like everyone else with an Ampeg, whereas I feel the Trace stuff is transparent, let's you sound like you. Not only that, all the old stuff is fitted with original UK made Celestions, which sound great in my opinion. Better than US sounding Eminence speakers. Yes, the carpet stuffs enclosures are made out of MDF, making it very heavy, but after using birch ply cabs, I actually think MDF sounds better. You get the pure sound of the speakers, whereas I found Birch Ply can sound 'boxy'. All the old Traces power ratings were labelled up much more honestly as well. Like my 7210 combo its labelled as 300w and it is in its stand alone condition running at 8ohms, it then puts out 580w when another 8ohm cab is added, making it run at 4ohms. Not like 'all' other companies that state its a 500w amp, but only when you run it at 4ohms... The 150w ones run at 280w when run at 4ohms. My advice would be to go for a 300w Trace, having used a 150w one myself at a couple of gigs, I found it had to cranked quite high to keep up with the band, making for not a lot of headroom. I was also running it at 4ohms at the time. You won't go wrong with the old Trace Elliot gear. I've heard people having more problems with the new Peavey stuff than the old. Edited July 17, 2015 by BassStars5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inthedoghouse Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 [quote name='thodrik' timestamp='1413935210' post='2583920'] Then I would suggest just getting the first one you see available for the right price, check that it works and then buy it. [/quote]+1 I've been using the old carpet covered amps and cabs for years and never had a moment's problem with it apart from a green panel light failed once. It does exactly what I need it to do and does it very well imho. Yes, it's heavy but I don't mind that so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 The older the better imo My first Trace was a 7410 combo rated at 150W purchased new in 83. Superb bit of kit and this could cut any gig. I later used an AH-500 head with a 4x10 cab. The only reason I stopped using Trace stuff is purely because of the weight. I don't buy the argument that Trace Elliot have a particular 'sound', unless you comsider the V series. They simply makes things louder, without changing the sound as you turn them up. I prefer the 4x10 arrangement over a single 15 if you can get one within your price range. The 15's tend to get replaced more often for some reason, and I prefer the tighter sound of 10's. I'm seriously considering getting another Trace head to drive my PJB cabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 [quote name='fingerz' timestamp='1413969142' post='2584091'] 20 years, wow, it must've felt like part of the family! [/quote] Yes - it certainly needed its own room... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 Does anyone know if the 715 GP7 can run an exnsion cab as well as its internal speaker? http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-bass-amplifiers/trace-elliot-715-150-watt-bass-combo-amp/1084774066 This is the one I'm gonna buy I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Series 6 12 band 200w 1x15 combo. Reliable as anything and small footprint. May weigh a bit but louder than most modern 500w combos and great tone shaping. Plus will take an extension cab if really necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 [quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1414011228' post='2584907'] Series 6 12 band 200w 1x15 combo. Reliable as anything and small footprint. May weigh a bit but louder than most modern 500w combos and great tone shaping. Plus will take an extension cab if really necessary. [/quote] Do you know for one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassStars5 Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 That 715 can run an extension cab. As I said before it will put out 280w when run at 4ohms. The front panel layout tells me that that model was the last type they did before Trace Elliot went in the early 2000's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 [quote name='cocco' timestamp='1414012778' post='2584933'] Do you know for one? [/quote] Afraid not. I had one from 1993 - 2011 and it was very good indeed. Keep searching as they go for silly money when they come up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redstriper Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I had a GP11 150W combo with 15" speaker that was bought new around 1984ish. It was a fantastic sounding rig, but it weighed a ton and I got tired of carrying it. So I took the head out and had a case made for it, it's a great amp, but still too heavy to cart in my old age. So I bought a markbass LM11 and kept the Trace as a back up. I also use the Trace head as a PA amp at band practises. It's a great amp - 30 years old, used regularly, never serviced and never let me down. But the weight [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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