Shylock

So there I was happily playing away last Saturday night at a local pub when my elderly Trace Elliot GP11 Mk V AH250 died halfway through set one. As I also had a AH150 on hand i just swapped it over without checking out too much on the AH250 and carried on. The next day it the AH250 worked. However it was a hot night, I was playing on volume 3 and it just cut out - panel still lit and power there but I saw a little red light under the words Trace Elliot on the panel, or al least I thought I did. The picture is of the amp working, with no red light. The cut out could be dry solder joints but I do wonder if just got too hot as I had the fan on normal and not fast (which is an option) . Does anyone know if there is red warning light that comes on after cutting the amp if it overheats? Cheers

I agree totally with Nancy Johnson it is sooooo much better than the Epiphone and rereading my post I guess what I wanted to say was that to a non bassist there is a not a lot of difference but to a bassist you can instantly feel the quality and hear a great tone improvement. I guess the improvement could be same as between a Squier Jazz and Fender US Jazz; but there again I would not know.

It certainly is and I liked it so much I bought a Gibson version, which is now my main bass. I keep meaning to do a review of the Gibson,as a comparison to the Epi, but have never got round to it. Briefly the Gibson tone is clearer, not so muddy, but still a dark growl. It is lighter and the neck a lot thinner. I did have a problem with the bridge pins lifting but a local luthier glued them for me for 20 notes. Still an issue with the 3 point bridge and adjusting the string height and I do find the D string quieter because of this lack of adjustment. Not sure abut a hipshot bridge mainly because you have to import it for a good price. Now bearing in mind that a new Gibson is about five times as expensive as Epiphone is it five times as good? Quite frankly no. I much prefer the Gibson and I can certainly tell the difference in tone, quality and the ease of playing it, but when I took the Epi instead of the Gibson to band practice (when the bridge pins were being fixed) no one noticed!! Doh!!

[attachment=130008:Trace Elliott Commando #1.jpg] [attachment=130009:Trace Elliott Commando #3.jpg] I had a Commando 15 which had April 2000 noted inside, covered in black tolex and was 100 watt so I guess this was a mark two. Sold it two weeks ago for £80 after trying to sell on here and elsewhere at £100 since last summer, but is was collect only. But would suggest you should pay £100 tops. It was my main amp but found it too quiet with my load drummer and too boomy in the low end,so two years ago I bought a Marshall MB4210 which was better and offered greater tone variation. (That was until I bought a 1980's TE AH 250 GP11 mk V last week and coupled it with a TE cab this beats them both hands downs - my drummer called it the dogs b******ks when I first used it - great tight bass tone cutting through the mix. The singer said she can hear me better but I was not any louder). All in all the my Commando 15 was good value but limited tonnally. I suggest you probably played an earlier version. Did it have carpet on it - or is that later version from the Gibson owned days?

Thanks Grangor. This is the link I found endorsing the use of Lemon Pledge for Nitro Celluose finishes [url="http://www.cbguitars.com/finish_care.htm"]http://www.cbguitars/finish_care.htm[/url] I do not spray direct onto the wood but you seem to say do use at all. Does seem to work for me and has reduced the cloudiness but I will explore beeswax and see how that measures up.

I know an old thread but I would just like to endorse Pledge Wood Polish Lavender. I bought a Gibson T'Bird in July and was getting fed up with being unable to get rid of the cloudiness, in certain light, caused by my right hand on the body using known brand guitar polish. 'Googling' this issue, and refusing to pay £20 for 50ml of supposedly specialist guitar polish, I came across a tip to use Pledge Wood Furniture Polish (not All Purpose) I bought a 300ml can for about £3 for Asda and now after about 3 months I can report it works! Lovely polish and smells nice to boot! Important to spray on cloth and not the guitar though. Also buy large all cotton muslin squares for cleaning. I bought a 55cm x 55cm in pink (to match inside of my guitar case) for £3.75 inc postage off e-bay. Excellent for wiping down strings or general polishing.

Swapped basses with Karl and very happy. Trustworthy top bloke with brilliant communications. Thanks Karl and enjoy the Peavey. Andy