Count Bassie

[quote name='TheRinser' post='835687' date='May 12 2010, 04:14 PM']Yep. 2x300 @ 4 ohms each. So you may only be getting half(ish) the power out of each of those power amps anyway. Assuming the bagends are 8 ohm?[/quote] They are 8 each, yes. The 600SMX isn't going to happen though, and I'm opting now for a nice deal on a Peavey Tour 450. This'll also leave me a little scratch for that Boss LS-2 loop/fx blend pedal. Fine... Thanks everybody for the info on the 600SMX though, good for future reference- although maybe that's just not the head I actually need after all. Godd to find these things out!

Hey folks, I know, "Get a trace cab". But they seem to be rare in these parts, and I thought I'd look around for options. I remember having a 200GP7 head years ago and ran into an old Guild/Hartke 410. Currently I'm using a 250SMX into a pair of Bag End 15s and it sounds just fine. I'm looking for a second rig, and wonder about something maybe a little less expensive. I love 15s, but if I had just one cab, and depending on what it was, maybe I'd go back into a 410. Any thoughts or recommendations?

[quote name='Earbrass' post='833137' date='May 10 2010, 10:25 AM']I'm all for using the cheapest gear I can. However, extreme feebleness has forced me to compromise on this principle when it comes to amps - you just can't get cheap, loud [b]and[/b] light. I use a MarkBass CMD 121P because I can carry it without strain yet it has enough power for any situation I might reasonably expect to encounter. The moment Behringer bring out a <30lb giggable combo, though, I'll gladly trade down to that.[/quote] Really? I can dig the ethic of low-end (look at my basses!), but why trade down from something pretty dang nice? But you bet Behringer will come out with a micro. They're always somewhere in line, back a few spaces, watching... Tell you what, I want a Fender Precision, and I'm going to have one. Cheap is not its own purpose for me.

Aha, I've found my thread! Windy post, but hey. It's a forum and no one's over my shoulder! Exhibit A: I have a parts-assembled FrankenSquier P-Bass that took its own time and process to come together. A little bottom-feeding on craigslist and some parlance with cronies on forums came up with an old Duncan P-p'up, a super-fast (and mildly dinged) Squier P-neck and a bargain deal on a set of new Thomastiks. Time and baby-steps have made this bass a real dynamo of sound and playability. A Precision pickguard that got a custom paintjob years ago by a local street artist finishes it up for presentability. I had kept it just for sentimental reasons... It's a cool bass, and although I've toyed with selling it I think that would be a mistake. Exhibit B: I got a Dillion 5-string that had been on a wall in a local hole-in-the-wall shop for about 6 years. It's a MM Stingray copy, Dillion model VMB-500 (now discontinued) that I got for about half-price, and it plays beautifully. The (?) pickup has its own kind of dark growl to it, a real signature that stands out well in a mix when you get the mojo working on it. The strings don't line up real well with the pickup at the outside of the spread, but it seems to make no difference- and conveniently, no one notices! I'm picky about stuff like this, but simply because it works I'm leaving it (lessons learned). The high-G doesn't appear to be diminished, as is a complaint about the real Stingrays (it's designed for slap I think, in the first place) and the low-B is present and resonant. Exhibit C: 2x Bag End cabs, S15-D. CL bottom-feeding run- $100. It's got some overspray from a painting project on it. Fixable, sounds fine. Got the other through a trade for a bigger Avatar 2x12 cab (very nice by the way). These two cabs are small, not heavy, and stacked theyre lound and punchy, very clear-sounding. And are a perfect match for Exhibit D)... Exhibit D: Trace-Elliot AH250SMX. You guys know this one, and you either like it or you don't. I got it for $200 US, and it had a tube rolling around inside. It had been beaten on, but it passed good signal and the front panel wasn't damaged. I had to take it from its sleeve and end up rack-mounting it... Admittedly I've had a minor issue, expressed in another thread, which I'm fixing, but you don't always score a clean A+ if you're going second-hand. I might have offered a bit less for it in light of the standing issue, I'm still alright with it though. Point is if you use ears first, and if you're inclined to be handy, you can come up with a grand-slam. It helps to not be able to afford high end gear in the first place, of course! But my rig is first-rate. I really want to find a "Grail" bass, which neither of mine are- but I've been playing since '79 and feel I deserve it! Been a long road to admitting that kind of thing in fact, but I'm on the page now. I'm going to end up with a nice Precision at some point... until then I'm able to function and dig in without compromising my ears- and that's really where you want to be.

My amp is working again. Don't get it, but I'm sitting quietly until the events of the past few hours sort themselves out here for me. I do know that a metal clip-thing that was part of the jack was badly bent out of shape inside the amp. And that I wasn't getting useable signal passing through a circuit- now I am. I've left a jumper strapping the Send and return jacks at the fx loop, even though it works without it... maybe that bent jack was the bugger, and I'm just applying a little barnyard-style insurance. Thanks everyone for chiming in, I appreciate your time and consideration. I'm calling B.A.S. tomorrow, see if they can answer some questions for me, and maybe I'll send 'er in for a spell on their bench. There are a couple low-level, stray issues anyway I might as well fix up. Again, many thanks all, and Happy Mother's Day!

[quote name='deksawyer' post='832500' date='May 9 2010, 02:56 PM']Try reversing what you've just done - use the 420 as the pre and the 250 as the power, and see if that works. Either way though, you need to take your amp to a repairer......... D.[/quote] And if it works then it's just the link at the fx loop thing. I expect the power sectio will work, as it did produce a 'sound'. Righty-o, thanks.

I've had a minute to set up the amp and run the following, according to Mog's suggestion (thanks Mog): My gig-dawg Franken-Squier P-bass [b]>[/b] Input of my Trace AH250SMX. [b]Send[/b] (out...) from SMX fx loop on back panel [b]>[/b] [b]Return[/b] (...in) on fx loop of an AMP BH-420 head. BH-420 [b]Speaker Out[/b] [b]>[/b] single 15 cab. Voila, she's-a-worky nice. Things that do not function on the 250SMX in this arrangement are, from end of signal-chain backwards to the point of injury: Output Volume; Standby switch; Effects Level; EQ Balance; Compressor. This is obvious I suppose, if you know the workings of this amp, I just include the list for completeness' sake, and in case it's meaningful. I'm the guy who asks the otherwise-obvious questions at work.

[quote name='witterth' post='831913' date='May 9 2010, 02:12 AM']Trace Elliot problem?.....paging Dr "obbm"?.........Dr "obbm" to casualty, please! he fixed my less "serious" injury/question ..he'll know.. [/quote] [i]Groannn... *cough*[/i] Thanks, witterth... [i]...moannn...[/i]

[quote name='Mog' post='831887' date='May 8 2010, 08:33 PM']shorted? try by-passing the power stage if you can[/quote] Interesting. I'll run the Send to another amp's return I guess.

Nope. There was a distorted metal thing on the jack inside (I opened 'er up), and I bent it back into a reasonable shape. Closed it, tried the short loop patch (jumped it). No change.

Just happened, and I'm a little wigged. My daughter has a violin recital coming up and I'm accompanying her on upright for a tune. I got a Barcus Berry screw-on pickup for my old Czech doghouse and jigged a cable for it. I'd planned to run it into my 250SMX and a single Bag End cab. I plugged the cable into the input and got a very low-level signal. Then I plugged into the Return on back of the amp. Seems to me I've done this before woth other amps... anyway the jack was a little stubborn, so I thought a minute... then went and jammed the plug in there, thinking it was just a jack clips inside being stubborn. Dunno- did the amp not like what I was trying to do? Then I got a low-but-dangerous-sounding 'hum' from the head- which isn't going away. No signal from the upright's bridge-mounted pickup. No signal from my electric bass going to the input now either. %*@&... what did I do? By the way- the Level control for the FX Loop was at +4. Am I screwed until it can come back from a tech shop now? Very bad timing, I have a major gig in a week. Going to have to use the AMP BH-420, which is definitely not the 250SMX. Edit: I got the Barcus-Berry pickup- a 3150M- without the preamp. I have a mixer, and this Trace head... it was the cheap way to go and I thought I could make it work.

[quote name='BassBod' post='830783' date='May 7 2010, 11:14 AM']Stick with the Bag Ends! Trace cabs were always very heavy and big - you won't get an improvement, just a back problem...[/quote] NO denying the Baggies, they're gig-proven, fellow-musician-testified, and easy to cart, alright. But one of them isn't going to carry it for a lot of gigs. Sometimes I find myself with just one cab, so a smart idea is to have a one-cab rig. Bag Ends ain't cheap; a used Trace is less cake than a used Bag, most of the time. Weight doesn't bother me much. At 3 am it doesn't matter too much what the stuff I have to bring into the house weighs!

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='830738' date='May 7 2010, 10:14 AM']If you want MY opinion, for a one-cab gig with any trace head i think a 1048h is the best one. No 15"er can get the ammount of sound displacement as this four little suckers and it's tone is awesome! I was looking for one for me but decided to go for the new fashion of portable rigs. cheers[/quote] Really... and me a die-hard 15s guy... my 2 Baggies stacked are pretty amazing, actually. My band-mates think it's pretty unreal that those tiny boxes move so much air. But I think the displacement idea of more drivers makes sense, I have toyed- for a second- with the idea of a 410, but the mention of Trace gear being designed for its parts makes a good deal of sense, just about drives it home. I might just go with your advice here ([i]applause from studio audience[/i]). Thanks Ghost.

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='830711' date='May 7 2010, 09:54 AM']I think they don't put out more. They're more precise and are designed and optimised to take the full advantage of it's potencial. Thats why you just can't get the same punch and quality using a Trace head connected to another brand of speakers. They're made to work together and get the best sound possible that way. They have a massive punch! I think other brands may be more generic and offer an overall good sound as the Traces are more focused in playing a particular tone but like no other can ... Love my Traces but unfortunatly my back don't...!!![/quote] Interesting. So I have now another question: I have here a GP11 head, an old MK IV (talked about this). There's a 1518T for sale around here... do you think I'd be better served picking that up for use with the MK IV? Thing is I'm looking for modularity when necessary... to be able to 'swap out parts' according to what I may have left at the rehearsal space if a gig comes up on short notice. That's why the SMX, to match the one I have. I'm using the 250SMX into the 2x Bag End 15s, those are my only cabs. Money is short, I have to choose, for now.

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='830263' date='May 7 2010, 01:50 AM']If the tone of your present amp and the 600 are the same but the 600 is just 350w more power, then I'd go for it. You don't 'have' to use the extra power but you have it on tap and as headroom. Have no fear you are no more likely to blow your BE drivers with the 600 than you are the 250; unless you are a complete loon and continually drive your amp into clipping... which you won't as you'll hear it loud and clear! [/quote] In concept I get this, I'm just aware that these heads put out more, apparently, than they are spec'd... or maybe they're spec'd right, and everyone else is just cheating! Alright then, thanks Warwickhunt.

I wonder, I have an AH250SMX into two Bag End S15-Ds. It's a killer, sounds great and handles plenty of space with no PA support. I'm looking around for a bakup and there's an AH600SMX handy. How much danger am I in of blowing up my speakers with this- if the 250SMX is underrated and throwing it out there like a bad monkey with a pile of horse droppings? Is scoring the 600SMX just asking for trouble? Would I be better off with an older AH250 Series 6 that's also nearby and available? It's maybe not going to 'duplicate' the sound of my regular SMX head, but I've been jonesing for one anyway! Thanks for your time...

Okay, I maybe stnad corrected. I took out the UV light housing in my GP11, and there are components strapped right to the enclosure, not in a metal chassis, it appears. But I still say a solution is totally reasonable. But I'm a New England Yankee, and that's how we do it over here! Duct tape and WD-40. You can fix anything...

[quote name='basshead56' post='828838' date='May 5 2010, 02:24 PM']Have dealt with British Audio Service before- they are great!!! Fastest shipping and service from the U.S. I´ve ever experienced. That was when I was fixing up an old Trace combo I had. worked out cheaper too! [/quote] Thanks for the rec, basshead. I'll return here when I get something done for it, hopefully with accolades for BAS.

[quote name='dood' post='828770' date='May 5 2010, 01:28 PM']Hmmm - being a tube, I suspect it has some sort of starter right? Like a normal 'tube' light. I'm not sure if it has a specific type - but I reckon a new bulb and starter - and also to give the contacts a good clean too![/quote] Like a ballast, I guess. I've writtenBritish Audio here in the states, so I guess I'll be dealing with it shortly. Thanks dood.

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='828594' date='May 5 2010, 11:16 AM']Don't have experience with the UV bulb models but it seems that you need to change the bulb. Do you connected the amp to a plug with ground wiring? Sometimes the noise problems have a cause as simple as that! Also i would advise you to get your amp serviced on a trusty place. 10 years is a long time of dust and moist building up [/quote] Yer right, and I know a guy. Does look to need a check-up. Thanks, Ghost!

Hey all, I have this old GP-11 MK IV head here, and it's been sitting dormant in the guy's house I bought it from for about 10 years or so. I plugged it in and turned on the UV switch, and voila- noise! I took off the UV housing and unplugged it from it's harness, took some Windex to it and generally cleaned it up... the little "Trace Elliot / AH250" display window needed a cleaning and to be glued back into it's spot on the housing, the bulb was filthy, etc. After all that I re-installed the unit and turned it back on. Noise... then it stopped. I sat there a while, in the dark, listening... quiet for a few minutes, then it started in again, slowly: Low-to-mid-level boiling, rustling sounds, with an occasional light-duty 'pop'. I turned the amp off, and am now thinking... the amp itself seems to function fine, albeit I think there's a bit of dirt in the input jack, easy enough to address with a slip of paper beetween the contacts. But the UV- I wonder if a little cleaning of the contacts at the plug-ends and a new bulb would fix that? The bulb doesn't quite light up at the very ends, so the ends of the amplifier's face aren't very illuminated. Me am no electrician. It's probably simpler than all my typing requires. But am I on the right track? Thanks for looking in.

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='827695' date='May 4 2010, 12:45 PM']I have a GP7 SM from the early 90's in a 2x10 combo. I've posted this in another topic: If it is the same head (appart from the obvious diference combo mount/rack mount) ask away and i will try to ansewer as far as my knowlege goes. Cheers[/quote] Greetings Ghost_Bass! Thanks for the reply... The GP7 does appear to be the same head, only in this unit there's a "BPA", which means I have no idea what. I'm not sure what to ask really, except about the BPA suffix. "Bass Pre-Amp", maybe? I bet that's it. Duh... So you seem happy with yours! Good to see; I have a 250SMX that I took from it's sleeve upon buying it used. The tube inside was rolling around loose and a captive nut that had held a retaining bolt for the exterior housing had become unseated. So I cut the sleeve away from the chassis with a skilsaw and a flush-cut saw (I'm a carpenter for a living), and ended up re-seating the tube and putting a Peavey strap-handle where the retaining bolts use to go. The amp now sits in a home-made rack-box. Thing's my favorite amp! My point in relating this is that the Trace heads seem indestructable! Anyway, you know what- in starting to respond here I got that "BPA" business figured out, I think, and from what I know about the Trace stuff (I've had a GP7SM, a 200), I do think that's all I'm going to need to know! Can't think of any other questions, as I am sure I'm going to get along with it just fine. I've found my amp, once again or finally, and am going to be able to leave off the whole "search for tone" business for a while. Good! If I think of anything else though I'll be back. Thanks much man! Oh- do you have a close-up of the back panel? If it's handy, it's not actually an issue to me... thanks again!

[quote name='JTUK' post='827489' date='May 4 2010, 09:34 AM']If you talk to the Americans, then they are less keen on some of the more modern SWR amps. Basically, all they needed to do..IMV..was rectify or reduce the sub element the SM400 put out. This was a huge power soak and that sub freq wasn't usable anyway. I know the SM900 did that (great amp ) so assume the SM500 did as well. I think the Redhead amp is good as a standalone, but where they went after that, I am not sure.[/quote] This is pretty true over here. Yep, the 400s and then the 500 were major improvements that made the amp killer-diller.

I have an oportunity to pick this one up, and the price is pretty good ($250 US). I have a GP11 MK IV I'm passing along to a friend who did me a favor, so I now need another backup.Anyone familiar with this vintage? Thanks.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='827370' date='May 4 2010, 08:04 AM']About 10 years back, I REALLY wanted a full SWR rig. I still havent played through one but the tone I heard from various live bassists was excellent.[/quote] Me too! I saw a band in Miami, the guy had a Bassic 350 and a G-II cab, pushing an old Fender through it. His technique made it look as if he'd been playing for about 6 weeks... but he nailed it- and the sound about separated my head from my shoulders. Loud and beautiful! I was pretty stunned. So why don't I have an SWR rig? After getting put off by my difficulty with the SM400 I ran into the TE head I have- cheap and by chance- and it sounds tight, warm and punchy though my cabs (Bag End S15-Ds). I find the Trace graphic eq intuitive to push around, which does my head good. What I have now has fallen easily into place. I still would like to have an SWR head and that G-II cab. But there's always going to be something else to lust after...