NCD - Trace Elliot 1x10 Elf bass cab

[Marc S]

I wasn't actually looking for a new cab. I've already got 3 cabs, all of which are lightweight. I tend to use them in different combinations, depending on which band (or genre) I'm playing with and what the venue is like.

 

However, I saw one of these in my local PMT shop in Cardiff, and was blown away by how compact & lightweight it was (They're around 7.5 kg!). Anyhow, I walked away and did a little research online, and decided to go back to the shop and have a listen. I was immediately sold when I heard it, and even more when I picked it up - with a built-in solid handle, it's so easy to carry.

I took it along to a rehearsal, not having tried it with upright / EUB (they didn't have anything upright-wise in PMT) - I was wondering what it would sound like, and again, I was blown away as soon as I plugged my EUB into it. Also rehearsed with my mates Fender Jazz, and both basses sounded great through this cab. Took it back home and tried it with other cab combinations (Epifani UL 110, Greenboy Crazy 8, Markbass Traveller 2x10) and I must say, I'm really glad I bought this cab  It's even lighter than the crazy 8 and even easier to carry than the Epifani.

I've got a couple of acoustic duo & trio gigs coming up, including a festival, where I anticipate having to park some way from the venue - this cab will mean I'll be able to carry everything in one trip.

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/trace-elliot-elf-1x10-speaker-cab?gclid=CjwKCAjwmeiIBhA6EiwA-uaeFeGY7NsXgC7s7hgyRooyuua1ktnu2re3ZiySevxco97K-Apn7iyC8RoCDJ8QAvD_BwE

[machinehead]

These seem to be excellent little cabs.  I heard a funk band street busking and the bass player was using the 2x8 version with an Elf head.  I was amazed at the volume and sheer welly from that little rig.

 

Thanks for your review.

 

Frank.

Edited August 16, 2021 by machinehead
clarity

[TheGreek]

I have one of the original 1x10 which were normally sold with the BLX combos. No idea what it weighs but it sure kicks asss for a 10" cab...

[Marc S]

13 hours ago, machinehead said:

These seem to be excellent little cabs.  I heard a funk band street busking and the bass player was using the 2x8 version with an Elf head.  I was amazed at the volume and sheer welly from that little rig.

 

Thanks for your review.

 

Frank.

When I first walked in to my local PMT, they had the 2x8 cab as well as the 1x10.
Now I wish I had tried the 2x8 when I saw it - the guys in the shop were raving about the sounds from it. The cab wasn't there long, a customer bought it as soon as he heard it.
They sold one of the Elf heads and a 1x10 combo, plus another 1x10 cab the same day.

Mind you, if I had heard the 2x8, I might now have two cabs more than I need

[Chienmortbb]

13 hours ago, TheGreek said:

I have one of the original 1x10 which were normally sold with the BLX combos. No idea what it weighs but it sure kicks asss for a 10" cab...

I would probably have kept my BLX if I could have found one of those.

[geoham]

I've recently purchased an Elf head and am blown away with how great it is. While I don't need new cabs - I have a pair of already light and punchy TC Electronic RS112s - the Elf cabs are taking up too much time in the GAS section of my brain. They do look pretty though. And a smaller footprint the the TC Electronic ones - it's at premium in the pubs we play....

 

 

[Marc S]

On 19/08/2021 at 11:01, geoham said:

I've recently purchased an Elf head and am blown away with how great it is. While I don't need new cabs - I have a pair of already light and punchy TC Electronic RS112s - the Elf cabs are taking up too much time in the GAS section of my brain. They do look pretty though. And a smaller footprint the the TC Electronic ones - it's at premium in the pubs we play....

 

I've got a couple of acoustic gigs coming up, where space will be a real premium, and after last weekends gigs, I've every faith in the Elf 1x10 cab.
Saturday, I did an outdoor gig in a large beer garden, with a 4 piece band, with Cajon / percussion, 3x vocals, guitar and keyboards (Cajon / percussion mic'ed into PA). I used the Elf, together with my Epifani 1x10, and it was more than enough. Really, really pleased with the sound too  

Sunday I did an acoustic duo, and the Elf cab alone was plenty. It sounded great at both gigs. As for weight / portability - it's my lightest weight cab ever. The built in handle and small dimensions means you're not arching your back over to one side, or bumping into people & chairs while you're carrying it too.

I may even be tempted to get the head, as a backup, and as an alternative for my acoustic duos - it's so tiny it could fit into my pocket

Edited September 2, 2021 by Marc S

[Stub Mandrel]

9 hours ago, Marc S said:

I may even be tempted to get the head, as a backup, and as an alternative for my acoustic duos - it's so tiny it could fit into my pocket

 

I got one as a backup, tested it at my last two rehearsals. It sounds good and is loud enough to be used as my main amp, but my Bass Terror has the edge sound-wise.

 

Should confess I found the Elf 1x10 a bit bass-light when I tried one out with the Elf. But I did a/b it with a 15" Ampeg cab...

Edited September 2, 2021 by Stub Mandrel

[Marc S]

I realise it has been a while since I last posted on this thread - but I just thought I'd add this comment.

I popped into my local PMT the other day, and one of the staff I often speak to was playing through a Trace Elliot Elf 1x10 combo amp (which is basically the cab I have, with an inbuilt amp head. I was blown away by just how loud it was, and by the clarity of sound from it. I had a little noodle, and play with the controls, and I really liked it.

I was half tempted to get it I must say. It would further reduce the weight and size of my gigging rig - however, I then remembered just how much I like my MB Evo1 head, and the fact that I sometimes need 2 separately controlled inputs..... still tempting though!

[Franticsmurf]

A muscle injury recently made me rethink my bass amp and cabs. Initially I went for a TCE Bam200 and a Warwick 1x10 cab (together they came in at under £250) and enabled me to rehearse and play a couple of gigs. But all the while I was trying to find out more about the TE 1x10 cab, which I'd read about on this forum. After the positive reviews here and elsewhere I finally received mine about three weeks ago and gigged it for the first time last Saturday. On its own a great punchy sound and combined with the Warwick and a Peavy Minimax head I was really pleased with the way it handled the range of sounds I used on the night. In my opinion, the sound was much clearer and cut through the band mix (loud drums, electric and acoustic guitar and three vocals) far better than the Laney RB7 with its 1x15 extension cab I was using before. I think the RB7 combo will go but I'll keep the 1x15 as it does give me more low end if I need it.

[Marc S]

Thanks for your thoughts @FranticsmurfIt was the clarity of sound from the Elf combo that drew my attention. There were several customers in the shop at the time, including someone else, shredding away on electric six string, plus some music being piped through a PA system. The member of staff was actually just using the amp to quickly test a couple of items. As I say, its' volume and clarity drew my attention (that, and the fact I'd got the cab, but not had a chance to play around with the combo).

Usually, when you plug into an amp in a music shop, you get all sorts of noise and low-end frequencies bouncing around - but the combo was really clear and punchy. The first bass I heard through it was a 5 string, and that low B sounded superb. I the guy then handed me a Jazz bass to plug into the amp, and it also sounded incredible. Other BC members and a few on YouTube have said how great the combo is when combined with a 1x10 extension cab.

I must say, I was also tempted to ask to try the 2x8 Elf cab too - but that may have left me wanting yet another cab  

EDIT: Has anyone else on here got the 1x10 combo plus a 1x10 cab... or even a 2x8 Elf cab? I'd really like to hear your thoughts about how well the amp copes at a gig or one of those very loud rehearsals

Edited August 30, 2022 by Marc S

[Stub Mandrel]

I tried the 2x8 and found it very light on the bottom end.

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by Stub Mandrel
I can't spell.

[msb]

I wish somebody in Nova Scotia stocked these. I would love to try one , and would probably replace my Ampeg 210AV practice cab with one. I’m running a SWR Headlite with it for now. It’s a great practice rig , but I like the smaller , lighter thing a lot , and these new Trace cabs push those buttons. I have another practice rig I keep at the in-laws , a Phil Jones C2 with a GK MB200. And that’s a sweet little rig.

[Marc S]

19 hours ago, msb said:

I wish somebody in Nova Scotia stocked these. I would love to try one , and would probably replace my Ampeg 210AV practice cab with one. I’m running a SWR Headlite with it for now. It’s a great practice rig , but I like the smaller , lighter thing a lot , and these new Trace cabs push those buttons. I have another practice rig I keep at the in-laws , a Phil Jones C2 with a GK MB200. And that’s a sweet little rig.

These Trace 1x10 cabs are incredibly light. I have an Epifani UL110 cab, which is awesome. The Elf 1x10 cab is even smaller though, and even lighter still. Its so easy to carry one in one hand.

[funkydoug]

They don’t appear to have a tweeter so I was thinking they may be a bit dark, or at least lacking the crispness and clarity of a cab with a tweeter. 
What is the top end like??

thanks.
 

[Franticsmurf]

18 minutes ago, funkydoug said:

What is the top end like??

You're right that the 1x12 cab doesn't have a tweeter. My non-scientific experience is that while working on sounds from my pedal board, I had to adjust the EQ to remove excessive pick clicking and occasional fret buzz. I understand that's in the 2khz range.  Gigging, I use it with a Warwick 1x12 with a tweeter so it's hard to separate the two at volume. But at home practice volumes, the Warwick is brighter (as you would expect). I wouldn't describe the TE as dark, though.

 

It's all subjective so the best thing you could do is try one out. 

[Marc S]

12 hours ago, funkydoug said:

They don’t appear to have a tweeter so I was thinking they may be a bit dark, or at least lacking the crispness and clarity of a cab with a tweeter. 
What is the top end like??

thanks.
 

 

You're quite right, they don't have a tweeter. I always had a preference for a cab with a tweeter. My Epifani UL110 has one, and I always liked the tweeter in that cab. I especially like the level of control of the tweeter in the UL110, it can be really finely "tweaked" to just the level you want.

For larger gigs, I tend to use my Markbass 210 traveller plus the UL110 and was always happy with that combination. I bought the Elf 1x10 cab though, as it's so light & compact, and I sometimes want to use the UL110 and the Elf cab - and that can also be a nice combination, as it gives me the full 500W from my EVO1 head (unlike using the MB 210 alone).

 

Even though the Elf has no tweeter, I'm really happy with the range of tones from the rig. Yes, I'd have a bit more control over certain frequencies - but I get decent enough tonal options from the EVO1 head anyway. I've used the Elf and the MB210 for several gigs now, and I'm really happy with it. I perhaps need to dial in a bit more top end than when using the Epifani cab with the tweeter - but I'm just as happy with the results, especially as the Elf 1x10 is more compact than the Epifani. I would be tempted to sell the Epifani cab at this point, bar the fact that for some smaller gigs I tend to either just use the Epifani, or sometimes add the Elf 1x10 - and this rig is surprisingly loud, given that it's 500W through just two 10" speakers. Also, it works really well with upright.

EDIT: I meant to add; I wouldn't describe the Elf 1x10 as "dark" either - it seems to produce a lovely tonal range, and sits well when I use it alone, or with either of my other two cabs.
EDIT2: I used the MB210 and the Elf 1x10 for a full band outdoor gig last Sunday, and it more than coped - plenty of headroom. Another bass player who was present said he thought the bass sounded great

Edited September 1, 2022 by Marc S

[Chienmortbb]

On 16/08/2021 at 20:08, TheGreek said:

I have one of the original 1x10 which were normally sold with the BLX combos. No idea what it weighs but it sure kicks asss for a 10" cab...

Please stop reminding me of the BLX Combo. I do not know why I sold it and I searched high and low for the ext cab you have.

[BassmanPaul]

On 30/08/2022 at 18:54, msb said:

I wish somebody in Nova Scotia stocked these. I would love to try one , and would probably replace my Ampeg 210AV practice cab with one. I’m running a SWR Headlite with it for now. It’s a great practice rig , but I like the smaller , lighter thing a lot , and these new Trace cabs push those buttons. I have another practice rig I keep at the in-laws , a Phil Jones C2 with a GK MB200. And that’s a sweet little rig.

Don't you have a Long & McQuade store over there by you?

[msb]

They don’t carry Trace Elliot.

 

[BassmanPaul]

That's their loss I guess!!