Trace Elliot GP12 SMX

[jimbartlett]

I’ve not played with this amp for a while but now I’m wondering why I haven’t! Plugged in, Input Blend all the way to the right to use the valve (instead of solid state), Pre-Shape 1 engaged, Low Compression on 12 o’clock, EQ Balance at 10 o’clock.

Wow!!! Fat, warm and an abundance of heft. It makes a big difference whacking the Input Gain up as much as possible too, the Trace seems to respond well to that.

Looks like this is being gigged again tomorrow night now!

Anyone else have this head? What do you think of it?

Edited May 16, 2019 by jimbartlett

[jimbartlett]

P.S. if anyone knows where I can get a spare white button for the missing Graphic In on this amp, please let me know? Thank you.

[Shaggy]

I have the AH600SMX with the same preamp - fabulous amplifiers....

Only place I know of that does spares is https://britishaudio.com/collections/trace-elliot-parts

- unfortunately in the US, so postage is rather a pain

[jimbartlett]

Blimey, I bet that melts your face! Mine is the 250 and it’s really got some kick.

Thanks for that, I’ll take a look.

[pburrows]

I love my 350 SMX. It’s well solid 🤘

Edited May 17, 2019 by pburrows

[40hz]

My old AH300 GP12 SMX is my all time favourite bass head. So much punch and guts!

[Shaggy]

10 hours ago, jimbartlett said:

Blimey, I bet that melts your face! Mine is the 250 and it’s really got some kick.

Well she's a heavy old girl, but there's that lovely creamy Trace tone you mentioned, all the headroom I need, the ability to compress the lows without stifling the highs, and (on the 600) the facility to bi-amp and send the low frequency output to the 1x15 cab and the mids / highs to the 2x10.

Being shallow of course, the feature I love best is the UV uplighter - flicking it on at the start of a gig is the amp equivalent of wearing spandex......

Edited May 17, 2019 by Shaggy

[jimbartlett]

Fantastic, what a great photo!

[TheGreek]

The part you need but you'll become a TE parts trader in the process:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trace-Elliot-Bass-Amp/133050030069?hash=item1efa6657f5:g:Xs8AAOSwkJ5c2Exz

MY own Trace Elliot AH500 nuclear weapon.

 

[Deedee]

On 16/05/2019 at 18:04, jimbartlett said:

I’ve not played with this amp for a while but now I’m wondering why I haven’t! Plugged in, Input Blend all the way to the right to use the valve (instead of solid state), Pre-Shape 1 engaged, Low Compression on 12 o’clock, EQ Balance at 10 o’clock.

Wow!!! Fat, warm and an abundance of heft. It makes a big difference whacking the Input Gain up as much as possible too, the Trace seems to respond well to that.

Looks like this is being gigged again tomorrow night now!

Anyone else have this head? What do you think of it?

 

Fantastic amps, I love them to bits. Just beware of being lost in the mix with Pre-shape 1 engaged. It sounds great on it's own but you can disappear in a gig setting. Pre-shape 2 adjusted to suit the room with the EQ balance will cut through most situations or you can mix Pre-shape 1 or 2 with the graphic and adjust to taste. 

[jimbartlett]

22 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

The part you need but you'll become a TE parts trader in the process:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trace-Elliot-Bass-Amp/133050030069?hash=item1efa6657f5:g:Xs8AAOSwkJ5c2Exz

MY own Trace Elliot AH500 nuclear weapon.

 

I might just have to do that! Thank you!

[jimbartlett]

3 minutes ago, Deedee said:

Fantastic amps, I love them to bits. Just beware of being lost in the mix with Pre-shape 1 engaged. It sounds great on it's own but you can disappear in a gig setting. Pre-shape 2 adjusted to suit the room with the EQ balance will cut through most situations or you can mix Pre-shape 1 or 2 with the graphic and adjust to taste. 

Thanks for the heads up. I’ll have a play during sound check 👍🏼

[herman]

Purchased this beauty from Fettsman  a little while ago, absolutely besotted with the beast !! unbelievabley loud amp, I've got it paired up with a trace 1015H cab which is another fairly recent purchase. I don't gig anymore & I'm more than happy to have it sat in the lounge at home for a noodle, even better when my good lady gets behind her Roland drum kit for a jamming session !!!

Edited May 21, 2019 by herman

[thodrik]

Had a GP12 SMX from 2009-2016. Bought it as an inexpensive back back up to either an EBS Fafner or Mesa Walkabout. As a result I only used it for maybe 3 gigs. It always sounded good though, I just never had it as my main amp, as my previous 'main amp' from 1998- 2009 was a very similar GP7 SM 300 amp. At some point I needed to escape the 'Trace Elliot pre shape sound'. 

Circa 2019, I play a Trace Elliot V6. No pre shape, but a load of heft...

[Deedee]

I think unfortunately that’s why people overlook Trace because they are so associated with the ‘scooped’ pre-shape sound. The pre-shapes are only an option, a feature to use, but with the EQ you can get pretty much whatever sound you want. My MkIV and SMX both sound wonderful just flat as basic amps with both the graphic and the pre-shape disengaged.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Deedee

[jimbartlett]

11 hours ago, herman said:

Purchased this beauty from Jimbartlett a little while ago, absolutely besotted with the beast !! unbelievabley loud amp, I've got it paired up with a trace 1015H cab which is another fairly recent purchase. I don't gig anymore & I'm more than happy to have it sat in the lounge at home for a noodle, even better when my good lady gets behind her Roland drum kit for a jamming session !!!

What a beauty! You didn’t purchase that from me though? 😄

[thodrik]

8 hours ago, Deedee said:

I think unfortunately that’s why people overlook Trace because they are so associated with the ‘scooped’ pre-shape sound. The pre-shapes are only an option, a feature to use, but with the EQ you can get pretty much whatever sound you want. My MkIV and SMX both sound wonderful just flat as basic amps with both the graphic and the pre-shape disengaged.

I found personally that I needed to use the pre shape and then the EQ to balance out the pre shape.  I could never really get the sound I wanted without the pre shape on a 7 band eq, however the 12 band models were really flexible. I just moved them on because I wasn’t using them anymore. When I have more space I will probably regret it as they were still classic amps.

[Japhet]

Miss my old 300SMX. Lovely amp with buckets of power.

[jimbartlett]

Mine sounded great a last nights gig. I found dropping the 30hz - 100hz on the EQ a tad helped clear some mud from the room. I also took a tad off from 5KHz - 15KHz. Lovely stuff.

[jimbartlett]

Here are the adjustments I made on the graphic. Shape 1 still engaged but tweaked it like this. Sounded great!

[jimbartlett]

On 17/05/2019 at 18:52, TheGreek said:

The part you need but you'll become a TE parts trader in the process:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trace-Elliot-Bass-Amp/133050030069?hash=item1efa6657f5:g:Xs8AAOSwkJ5c2Exz

MY own Trace Elliot AH500 nuclear weapon.

 

You AH500 looks immense! What have you got it mounted in?

[stewblack]

Just slung my TE in the car for tonight's gig. It will be atop 2 BF 15" cabs and I can't wait. 

[TheGreek]

5 hours ago, jimbartlett said:

You AH500 looks immense! What have you got it mounted in?

It's in a ply/alu rack case in an attempt to prevent the Groovilium from escaping.

 

In reality it doesn't get used. I'm not gigging...but by keeping it under lock and key I am preventing nearby planets from being expelled from the Solar System.

[stewblack]

Half time in a surprisingly busy Sunday night hotel gig. The Groovilium is flowing 

[jimbartlett]

That looks awesome!