bigevilman Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 Out for the first time in so long (regular gigger and 2 young kids) - its also my missus 30th birthday... Currently listening to a three piece, who had a bassist with a 4x10 TE combo. When they first started playing, i thought it suited them real well - sat on the bottom under the strat sound real well.. Second set in, and the samsamp style sound is annoying me... Is it because i'm a markbass clean bitch???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted December 5, 2015 Share Posted December 5, 2015 No, it's because you're listening to the bass. No-one else in the room is doing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 (edited) I am an all Markbass bitch too! But damn I miss my Trace . My GP12SMX was crushingly good. So much more authority to the tone than any amp I've ever used. Edited December 6, 2015 by 40hz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I`ve never really got on with the Trace sound, it`s just a bit too present in areas that are not for me, though have to say when used in a band where it suits the music it is very effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 My first decent rig was a big AH400SMX 410 115 stack. I got bored of the TE sound after about 5 years gigging it, sold the head to the guitarist's younger brother (who still has it) and traded the cabs for a pair of Hartke XLs. Since then I've been through countless different amps looking for a certain sound including Ashdown, Line 6 and most recently Ampeg. When my Ampeg started playing up earlier this year I borrowed my old Trace had back to cover for a gig and low and behold, it turns out the sound I'd been looking for for the last 15 years was the one I'd had to begin with! Unfortunately, about the same time as I had this epiphany (the revelation kind - not the lovely speaker cabs) my back decided that it couldn't cope with carrying my Ampeg gear around anymore let alone the old Trace stuff so I'm now in the process of sorting out a more compact and lighter weight rig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonesthebass Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Festival gig last night. House rig was a TE gp7 Plenty of oomph! Nice growl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deedee Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I'm a self confessed Trace bitch! I've tried lots of amps but still go back to my Gp12SMX's. I do think it's worth pointing out that Trace amps, certainly the older SMX models, can produce a huge range of sounds. I've been to gigs where the bass sounds sh*te but I wouldn't blame the TE amp, I'd blame the player for setting it up that way. Even just the 2 pre shapes available are like chalk and cheese but once you switch those off and go for the graphic, the sound options are almost endless from the fantastic to the horrifically bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Deedee' timestamp='1449404238' post='2923167'] I'm a self confessed Trace bitch! I've tried lots of amps but still go back to my Gp12SMX's. I do think it's worth pointing out that Trace amps, certainly the older SMX models, can produce a huge range of sounds. I've been to gigs where the bass sounds sh*te but I wouldn't blame the TE amp, I'd blame the player for setting it up that way. Even just the 2 pre shapes available are like chalk and cheese but once you switch those off and go for the graphic, the sound options are almost endless from the fantastic to the horrifically bad. [/quote] Well said deedee. I think the presets sound dreadful and too many Trace users, use them solely. If you switch them off and go through the graphic only, there is almost limitless tone shaping. All backed up by that clear Trace growl. Peavey are crazy for letting a name that still holds so much weight (pun intended!) in the bass world just stagnate and fall by the wayside. We need modern Trace products. Micro heads and lightweight cabs! Edited December 6, 2015 by 40hz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Hmm, lightweight Trace gear, like the sound of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 RE: Lightweight Trace Elliott. I was corresponding with Paul Stevens when he was Chief Exec with TE UK and was working on designs for lightweight gear. Unfortunately there was little commitment towards this from Peavey USA who own TE and so Paul has moved on elsewhere - have an email from him somewhere saying where. I believe his new employers are more committed to get something out there in the market place. The knub of it this - no lightweight amps from TE in the foreseeable....shame really as I'm a big fan of the sound but not the weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I have just gone full circle back to Trace amps (I actually like the scooped pre-shape 1 ) after a few years flirting with class Ds immediately post back hurting. A few months back I bought an AH300-12 SMX on here that had been rack mounted into an 2U ABS case and weighs around 12kgs. Not a lot, and not being bulky I find it an easy lift and balances with a lightweight cab on the other hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Always found them too distinctive in sound and by that definition a bit limiting. No doubt they have their place but if you are having to cover a lot of different genres in your playing they are not the ideal amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2elliot Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 TE... left to rot by Peavey. Some really needs to get hold of this brand and bring it back to it's former glory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I loved my old GP12SMX, what a great sound. If Trace could get 'their' sound into a lightweight rig, I reckon they'd make a mint. I'd definitely check one out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 I used to have a really old Trace rig (then they just had the black painted finishes). Have to say I never really warmed to it, the sound was pretty uninspiring & it proved to be very unreliable when I was gigging with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivansc Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 First tried a T-E in a store in Tennessee in the eighties and frankly wondered what all the fuss was about. So much boom off the cabinets it was hard to actually hear what the amp and speakers used were doing. Never used one since that made me feel any different about them. Mind you the OTHER new kid on the block at the time was the SWR REDHEAD. Now THAT I liked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 [quote name='2elliot' timestamp='1449410888' post='2923255'] TE... left to rot by Peavey. Some really needs to get hold of this brand and bring it back to it's former glory. [/quote] Isn't that Ashdown? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Do Peavey do any lightweight heads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 [quote name='Graham' timestamp='1449416782' post='2923334'] Isn't that Ashdown? [/quote] I thought that as well but, for me, Ashdown is nothing like the classic Trace gear we know and loved, I agree with other posts in that the TE name should be brought back with real quality products....nowadays I too am a Mark Bass bitch but the idea of a similar quality rig from TE...hell yeah put me down as very excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 [quote name='2elliot' timestamp='1449410888' post='2923255'] TE... left to rot by Peavey. Some really needs to get hold of this brand and bring it back to it's former glory. [/quote] Yeah, agree 100%. They've not been served will by their various purchasers... 79 - making PA gear and move towards bass gear 80s - the glory years 92 - bought by Kaman and start to decline 97 - management buy out 98 - sold to Gibson but most of their best lines scrapped 02 - canned by Gibson 05 - bought by Peavey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2elliot Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 [quote name='Graham' timestamp='1449416782' post='2923334'] Isn't that Ashdown? [/quote] Not really,Ashdown have their own sound. I own an ABM Evo iii and a TE 1225v. The Abm seems to have a softer sound than the TE which sounds more punchy and focused at the bottom end... both are great and the more I use the Ashdown the more dialed I get the sound. But it ain't quite TE. Maybe one day TE will re appear with all the weight of sound and punch I remember. Until then it's ABM for me... Unless Mr Ashdown has some thing hidden away that may fill the void,then I maybe persuaded to buy that. I'd have to paint green though😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 How do you eq your Ashdown? I bought one here recently but am struggling to set it up to how I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 The mark bass multi amp can nail the trace sound, best of both worlds at a touch of a button Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluRay Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 [quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1449477444' post='2923732'] How do you eq your Ashdown? I bought one here recently but am struggling to set it up to how I like. [/quote] Depends on the model and obviously what sound you're after. For an ABM – I always start with the following, and make small adjustments to compensate for the room Disable the “shape” button (button pressed in) and the compressor (if there is one). Bass @ 10oclock Mid: @ 12oclock Treble @ 2 oclock Bump the all the sliders very very slightly A tiny bit of sub octave (just because its there) Healthy amount of gain and drive. Crank it up and rock out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 [quote name='BluRay' timestamp='1449479642' post='2923756'] Depends on the model and obviously what sound you're after. For an ABM – I always start with the following, and make small adjustments to compensate for the room Disable the “shape†button (button pressed in) and the compressor (if there is one). Bass @ 10oclock Mid: @ 12oclock Treble @ 2 oclock Bump the all the sliders very very slightly A tiny bit of sub octave (just because its there) Healthy amount of gain and drive. Crank it up and rock out. [/quote] Most of the above, but I also found that boosting the 180hz slider gave me some nice low mid punch without low end being overbearing. I do something similar with my Trace heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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