Trace Elliot, tell me about it

[Quilly]

40 minutes ago, inthedoghouse said:

I had a AH500 for a few years until two years ago when it failed and wasn't able to be repaied by Gee Electronics because the particular spares it needed are no longer available.  It was a great amp and I loved the sound through my old TE 4x10 & 2x10 cabs.  When I needed some dirt I used the Sansamp BDDI in front of it with great success (I play rock).   I've got an ancient AH150 which seems to go on forever that I use as a spare.

I still miss it and sometimes (like now) I think about getting another but have been put off in a big way by my supposedly mega-reliable amp failing and I'm now wary of the same thing happening if I were to shell out for another.

As a replacement I bought a used Ashdown ABM EVO 500, which I'm very happy with.  When the guys at Gee told me the Trace wasn't repairable I asked a few questions about servicability and customer service of other makes and Ashdown seemed to come out on top.  It sounds absolutely fine through the old TE cabs and sometimes the BDDI.  I use a variety of basses, mainly a P, but also Warwicks and .... an ancient 4001.

I don’t think any amp is going to be 100% bulletproof but I can vouch for Ashdown. You could text Mark Godday in the middle of the night with a problem and he’d sort you no questions asked . I’m 1/2 thinking about keeping my trace if I get no respectable offers TBH . It’s a great sounding amp 

[stewblack]

1 hour ago, inthedoghouse said:

I still miss it and sometimes (like now) I think about getting another

Funny you should say that, just as I'm planning to sell one. 

[inthedoghouse]

3 hours ago, Quilly said:

I don’t think any amp is going to be 100% bulletproof but I can vouch for Ashdown. You could text Mark Godday in the middle of the night with a problem and he’d sort you no questions asked . I’m 1/2 thinking about keeping my trace if I get no respectable offers TBH . It’s a great sounding amp 

Thanks.  There's no doubt at all it's a great sounding amp, I fell in love with it instantly. 

I agree no amp is truly bulletproof and I would have gladly paid a decent amount to have it repaired, but now I know there are possible big issues around repair I think I'll stick with Ashdown for a good while because of their seemingly excellent customer service, unless one comes up very, very cheap or I happen across an Acoustic 370 at a silly low price 🙂 I see someone else has just mentioned they are selling a AH500  🙂

[inthedoghouse]

2 hours ago, stewblack said:

Funny you should say that, just as I'm planning to sell one. 

Arrrrghhhh, get thee behind me, temptation 🙂 🙂

[Quilly]

16 minutes ago, inthedoghouse said:

Thanks.  There's no doubt at all it's a great sounding amp, I fell in love with it instantly. 

I agree no amp is truly bulletproof and I would have gladly paid a decent amount to have it repaired, but now I know there are possible big issues around repair I think I'll stick with Ashdown for a good while because of their seemingly excellent customer service, unless one comes up very, very cheap or I happen across an Acoustic 370 at a silly low price 🙂 I see someone else has just mentioned they are selling a AH500  🙂

The funny thing is it’s my bandmates favorite amp 🤷‍♂️. Its just the right kinda loud. 

[TheGreek]

On 20/04/2020 at 18:52, Quilly said:

You could text Mark Gooday in the middle of the night with a problem and he’d sort you no questions asked .

That is probably true...

Edited April 24, 2020 by TheGreek

[leonvdb]

Hi guys,

 

I hope someone can clear something up for me which has bewildered me for ages and I’ve searched high and low on the internet without success?

 

I own many TE heads and cabs, but one is a little confusing. I have a 1st Quarter 1996 AH400SM head with the UV light etc, but on the back it says the model no. is an AH350SM. On the front it says AH400SM where it gets illuminated by the UV light. The manual doesn’t state AH350SM on the first page only AH600SM, AH400SM, AH300SM etc etc. AH350SM’s can be found all over the net but I’ve only seen 1 AH400SM and loads of AH400SMX’s. 

 

Is mine rare, or a mistake or what? What is confusing is the manual not mentioning AH350SM anywhere but stated in the back of the amp but not the front. Were the 400’s all 400W or 350W?

 

I’ve attached pics to try and avoid the confusion

 

Thanks in advance, and sorry if this has been brought up before.

 

🤘

[leonvdb]

🤘

 

Edited June 29, 2020 by leonvdb
Double posted

[stewblack]

That's odd. I'm a TE fan but not a fountain of knowledge I'm afraid. Hopefully someone can clear it up 

[Merton]

The 400SM superseded the 350SM. Most likely the factory was putting bits together and had parts from both production runs so made what you have, or someone bought a new front panel with the AH400SM info. I suspect there’s actually very little difference in the power amps and certainly you’d be very hard pushed to tell the difference between them in terms of output.

[Deedee]

As @Merton has said I would say it’s TE raiding the parts bin. The vast majority of SM models with this continuous green line fascia were tolex covered. The green ‘rat fur’ came later so I think your example is a bit of a transition piece from around the phasing out of the 350 in favour of the new 400.

[HaveBlue]

Hi, I'm not an active user of basschat but being a kid of the 80's and 90's I do have a softspot for TE bass amps from that era in the sense that my bassment has become a retirement home for TE's (in a good way - regular use, all the maintenance they could wish for). I currently own a couple of 250w GP7SM and GP12SMX heads, a mint series 6 BLX80 ❤️, a mint '94 715HSM GP7SM combo and my latest addition: a '90 Twin Valve 1x15" combo I bought from the first owner who has never used it outside his house. It is like a time machine bringing you back to the TE dealer 30 years ago. Due to its age and lack of use it needs some of its solder joints refluxed and probably a recap but then it will be as good as new. However, it is missing a single black EQ slider cap which it really needs to grow old in a decent fashion 🙂

I checked with British Audio Service and former TE's Mark Gooday at Ashdown with no success. Would anyone here be able to help a fellow bassplayer in sourcing a single black EQ-slider cap? I will of course happily pay a healthy amount including shipping for it. Thanks for your help.

These, but black 😉

[stewblack]

5 hours ago, HaveBlue said:

Hi, I'm not an active user of basschat but being a kid of the 80's and 90's I do have a softspot for TE bass amps from that era in the sense that my bassment has become a retirement home for TE's (in a good way - regular use, all the maintenance they could wish for). I currently own a couple of 250w GP7SM and GP12SMX heads, a mint series 6 BLX80 ❤️, a mint '94 715HSM GP7SM combo and my latest addition: a '90 Twin Valve 1x15" combo I bought from the first owner who has never used it outside his house. It is like a time machine bringing you back to the TE dealer 30 years ago. Due to its age and lack of use it needs some of its solder joints refluxed and probably a recap but then it will be as good as new. However, it is missing a single black EQ slider cap which it really needs to grow old in a decent fashion 🙂

I checked with British Audio Service and former TE's Mark Gooday at Ashdown with no success. Would anyone here be able to help a fellow bassplayer in sourcing a single black EQ-slider cap? I will of course happily pay a healthy amount including shipping for it. Thanks for your help.

These, but black 😉

Ah yes, the missing Trace cap conundrum. Where do they go? 

[JottoSW1]

Just found some TE Knobs in a friend's spares collection, but only white ones. 

Also had a play with my expanding collection of Cabs. AH500x power stage split both full range into 1) Laney N410 + N115 2) Epifani UL212 (4 ohm cab). A recent purchase from @Berserker. 

Hee hee hee. My meglomaniacal plans for world domination are complete 😀🤣🤣. Trace drove this lot without a hint of a problem. Thanks @stewblack.

Epifani sounds bloody awesome on its own @ 500watts too.

Edited July 3, 2020 by JottoSW1

[Berserker]

Glad you're enjoying the Epifani cab!

[markorbit]

On 02/07/2020 at 09:54, HaveBlue said:

Hi, I'm not an active user of basschat but being a kid of the 80's and 90's I do have a softspot for TE bass amps from that era in the sense that my bassment has become a retirement home for TE's (in a good way - regular use, all the maintenance they could wish for). I currently own a couple of 250w GP7SM and GP12SMX heads, a mint series 6 BLX80 ❤️, a mint '94 715HSM GP7SM combo and my latest addition: a '90 Twin Valve 1x15" combo I bought from the first owner who has never used it outside his house. It is like a time machine bringing you back to the TE dealer 30 years ago. Due to its age and lack of use it needs some of its solder joints refluxed and probably a recap but then it will be as good as new. However, it is missing a single black EQ slider cap which it really needs to grow old in a decent fashion 🙂

I checked with British Audio Service and former TE's Mark Gooday at Ashdown with no success. Would anyone here be able to help a fellow bassplayer in sourcing a single black EQ-slider cap? I will of course happily pay a healthy amount including shipping for it. Thanks for your help.

These, but black 😉

I always thought Ashdown use the BLACK ones these days and it is the white ones that are hard to come by. Are the Ashdown ones not the same? I'm looking for a single white one... I think my missing one must have gone up the vacuum cleaner. I've looked high and low...lol

Edited July 3, 2020 by markorbit

[Stuart Watson]

I can probably answer most of your questions relating to Trace Elliot products made between 1978 and the end of 1986.Fred Friedlein (MD),Alan Morgan(sales) and I (designer) were the founder members of Trace Elliot.designed all models up to then including GP 11 preamp, GP7 preamp and the AH 150 combo amps.

The amp heads AH150,AH 350x,the biamp model and the most popular AH250 and AH500 heads.

Stuart Watson.

[BassmanPaul]

Thank you for dropping by Stuart. I'm certain that members will appreciate any information you can offer.

 

[JoeEvans]

On 12/01/2024 at 19:33, Stuart Watson said:

I can probably answer most of your questions relating to Trace Elliot products made between 1978 and the end of 1986.Fred Friedlein (MD),Alan Morgan(sales) and I (designer) were the founder members of Trace Elliot.designed all models up to then including GP 11 preamp, GP7 preamp and the AH 150 combo amps.

The amp heads AH150,AH 350x,the biamp model and the most popular AH250 and AH500 heads.

Stuart Watson.

We are not worthy! We are not worthy!

[BassmanPaul]

Speak for yourself Joe!! LOL

 

[TRBboy]

On 12/01/2024 at 19:33, Stuart Watson said:

I can probably answer most of your questions relating to Trace Elliot products made between 1978 and the end of 1986.Fred Friedlein (MD),Alan Morgan(sales) and I (designer) were the founder members of Trace Elliot.designed all models up to then including GP 11 preamp, GP7 preamp and the AH 150 combo amps.

The amp heads AH150,AH 350x,the biamp model and the most popular AH250 and AH500 heads.

Stuart Watson.

Great to see you here Stuart! Sorry to ask an idiot question right of the bat (someone's got to do it, right?), but do you have any ideas where I might find a pair of port rings for an old TE cab I'm refurbing? Thanks 🙏

[Stuart Watson]

Sorry I can't help with the port rings.They were an embellishment that came later on.

[SimonK]

Does anyone know where to get the green and red caps for the gain and master volume knobs? I'm almost at the point of buying another TE just to strip for parts! Likewise I've lost a port-cap as well?

 

 

[Downunderwonder]

There was someone asking about 3D printing port rings. Seemed like someone was going to make some. It was probably in the repairs/ tech forum.

[TheGreek]

I think that I have a port ring or two somewhere. I'll have a look tomorrow.