Trace Elliot gear.

[Big Mick]

Went in to PMT Manchester today to check out what bass amps were on display. To my surprise there was no Trace Elliot gear in the shop, despite there being plenty a few weeks ago.
Turns out they have had quite a lot of newish stuff coming back with faults, so the whole lot has been returned to source (Peavey I think)
So it was pretty much Ashdown or nothing, although they should be getting new Ampeg stuff by weekend!

Cheers, Mick.

[PeteBassMan]

Hi Mick,

If you are still thinking of getting new Trace Elliot stuff, I would suggest that you spend some serious time trying it out in the shop before making up your mind.

Recently I had my very old TE 2x10 GP12 SMX combo that I have used for years seriously damaged, and as I liked the sound and gear so much, I simply ordered a new (and eye-wateringly expense) replacement. I also use this with a TE 15" compact bottom cab. Buying the new stuff turned out to be a very bad move.

In comparison to the old stuff, the sound for the new stuff is horribly weak, and no amount of buggering about with it seems to produce the drive and and tight sound that I used to get with the original gear. It also buzzed and farted a lot when I first got it. Had I not had a gig that I needed it for the following night, the whole pile of steaming nonsense would have been sent back. Instead I simply tw**ed the top of the amp hard, and the buzzing and farting has not returned since. Doesn't say a lot for the build quality though does it?

Something else that I find annoying is that when powered up the amp does not remember the fact that I had stuff like eq, compressor etc switched in or out, but instead decides that what I really want is the 'classic' TE settings instead. Err, no, if that is what I had wanted then that is what I would have set it to. Oh, and as a matter of interest the 'classic' TE setting sounds nothing like the original TE that I replaced!

It leaves me wondering if they are using cheap and nasty components (maybe the speakers?) and simply trading on the name they used to have.

I would suggest (IMHO) that the new TE stuff is best avoided.

Cheers,

Pete.

[Big Mick]

[quote name='PeteBassMan' post='1011787' date='Nov 4 2010, 10:38 AM']Hi Mick,

If you are still thinking of getting new Trace Elliot stuff, I would suggest that you spend some serious time trying it out in the shop before making up your mind.

Recently I had my very old TE 2x10 GP12 SMX combo that I have used for years seriously damaged, and as I liked the sound and gear so much, I simply ordered a new (and eye-wateringly expense) replacement. I also use this with a TE 15" compact bottom cab. Buying the new stuff turned out to be a very bad move.

In comparison to the old stuff, the sound for the new stuff is horribly weak, and no amount of buggering about with it seems to produce the drive and and tight sound that I used to get with the original gear. It also buzzed and farted a lot when I first got it. Had I not had a gig that I needed it for the following night, the whole pile of steaming nonsense would have been sent back. Instead I simply tw**ed the top of the amp hard, and the buzzing and farting has not returned since. Doesn't say a lot for the build quality though does it?

Something else that I find annoying is that when powered up the amp does not remember the fact that I had stuff like eq, compressor etc switched in or out, but instead decides that what I really want is the 'classic' TE settings instead. Err, no, if that is what I had wanted then that is what I would have set it to. Oh, and as a matter of interest the 'classic' TE setting sounds nothing like the original TE that I replaced!

It leaves me wondering if they are using cheap and nasty components (maybe the speakers?) and simply trading on the name they used to have.

I would suggest (IMHO) that the new TE stuff is best avoided.

Cheers,

Pete.[/quote]

Having read a few comments about new TE stuff I wasn't about to shell out for any of it, I was just rather surprised to see it absent from the shop. I'm still waiting for the verdict on my peavey TNT150 combo before I decide what to do.
I have borrowed a TE GP12 SMX 4x10 combo from a mate of mine, it sounded fantastic, but I'm a big bloke and I couldn't live with the weight of it! Separates seem the way to go for me, self build cab and a decent head I think. Another mate recently bought a Peavey Tour 700 head to go with his Hartke 4x10 cab, that setup has it going on in spades in a pub gig setting.

Cheers, Mick.