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Trace Elliot V8 Opinions?


tonyf
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oh yes terrible.. look.. the best you can do is just take it to the tip.. tell ya what, I'll pop down and do that for you.. just pop it into the back of my car will ya.. before Steve gets here! ;o)

I don't think I have ever heard a bad word about the V8 to be honest. They are rather sought after. There's a chap over on TalkBass who pops his on top of an Accugroove el Whappo and then has the audacity to show off some amazing photos of his monster rig!! *'nan' from Catherine Tatee* ooooh the &*£&*$( liberty!!

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[quote name='dood' post='12369' date='Jun 5 2007, 10:47 AM']oh yes terrible.. look.. the best you can do is just take it to the tip.. tell ya what, I'll pop down and do that for you.. just pop it into the back of my car will ya.. before Steve gets here! ;o)

I don't think I have ever heard a bad word about the V8 to be honest. They are rather sought after. There's a chap over on TalkBass who pops his on top of an Accugroove el Whappo and then has the audacity to show off some amazing photos of his monster rig!! *'nan' from Catherine Tatee* ooooh the &*£&*$( liberty!![/quote]

You'd be pushed to get it in the back of your car without collasping the suspension, they're as heavy as a very heavy thing with something heavy on top! Been a couple of post-gig pack-downs where I've seriously worried about how I was gonna get it off the top of the cab, playing "balancy-balancy" with something as heavy as that is a tad nerve wracking. lol

I've heard that they're pretty rare but I'd assumed that it was to do with the limited production before Gibson took over Trace rather than the quality.

Tonally, I love it. I've been lucky enough to have owned an Ampeg SVT PROII and to be honest, I think I've always preferred the tone of the V8 to my old Ampeg (IMHO of course). It's a little more refined and whilst it doesn't quite "do" the Ampeg sound, it's such a massive sound with an incredibly articulate top end and such "grunt". I've found the EQ very easy to deal with (simple chap me) and the compressor is so natural sounding.

To be honest though, the weight and portability thing has always been the problem with it. Bit like an 8x10, no-pain-no-gain and whilst it's worth the hassle in getting it on stage for the absolutely breathtaking sound, the harsh realitiy of carting it to and from gigs becomes apparant as I get older and the much lighter EBS in my little rack has become my main amp nowadays.

Still, I've discovered that the heat off the valves thru the grid on the top makes my slippers really cozy and warm just before bed.... ;-)

T

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You know its a funny thing, I'd been wondering why my Mesa Boogie Strategy 400 got warm even with very modest use as a hifi amp - it was doubling as a room heater on chilly evenings. Then I discovered the fan vent had been obstructed! It all seems to be OK now though, the front of the amp is luke warm to the touch instead of being toasty.

Tombowlus on TB has a V8 and seems to be amassing a collection of nice valve trace heads - looks like he's about to take delivery of a hexavalve soon.

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I have the V8's baby brother, the V4, and mine is built into a combo. I love the sound of it - Like you, gigging-wise I prefer to take my pod XT and stick it in the PA and go in-ear, and have my V4 for at home recording and playing.

I used to have a Boogie 400+ which was lovely, but I think the V4 sounds better to my ears, a little more creamy and refined. Get some pics of yer' V8 up mate! I beleive we have a couple of owners on the forum...

ped

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[quote name='ped' post='12438' date='Jun 5 2007, 01:02 PM']I used to have a Boogie 400+ which was lovely, but I think the V4 sounds better to my ears, a little more creamy and refined. Get some pics of yer' V8 up mate! I beleive we have a couple of owners on the forum...[/quote]

"Creamy and refined", that's such a great description, I'd say the Trace V series sound exactly that from my experience.

Will try and get some pics sorted but the introvert in me's a bit worried about showing everyone my "tackle". ;-)

T

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[quote name='tonyf' post='12406' date='Jun 5 2007, 11:57 AM']Tonally, I love it. I've been lucky enough to have owned an Ampeg SVT PROII and to be honest, I think I've always preferred the tone of the V8 to my old Ampeg (IMHO of course). It's a little more refined and whilst it doesn't quite "do" the Ampeg sound, it's such a massive sound with an incredibly articulate top end and such "grunt". I've found the EQ very easy to deal with (simple chap me) and the compressor is so natural sounding.
T[/quote]
As I understand it, the thing with the SVT is that it sounds just like an SVT regardless of what you plug into it, whereas the V8 (if it's anything like my VA350 - and in circuitry terms it is) is capable of a more varied tonal palette.

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[attachment=529:0033_0049.jpg][quote name='Merton' post='12572' date='Jun 5 2007, 04:11 PM']Pics pics pics - don't worry about getting your bits out to show everyone, we're all friends here. ANd let's face it, having a V8 is like having Dirk Diggler's schlong. :)[/quote]

Here ya go.....me Trace V8 in all it's glory.

Found a site that's dedicated to the V8. Really interesting. Apparently there were only 75 made.

I went to see the Who a few weeks ago, the support band called Shack had a V8 on top of a Marshall 4x12 cab. Think the guitarist was using it......odd.

T

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V nice!! What was the name of the site you found? I think I know the one you refer to.

I would like to know more about the amps myself, has anyone got a catalogue from the period? Here is a cheeky pic of your V8's baby bro. Apparently 25 of these were made - coincidentally my friends bands bassist has one and lives very close!!



I would quite like to pick up a matching cloth fronted 15" extension cab if anyone knows where I could find one?! This thing is extremely loud already and I normally use it on half power - but still, might as well, eh.

I am just waiting for our other V8 owning member to chime in...

Cheers for the pics mate
ped

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[quote name='ped' post='13833' date='Jun 7 2007, 09:01 PM']V nice!! What was the name of the site you found? I think I know the one you refer to.[/quote]

Hi mate,

Very nice one you've got there too.

The site is [url="http://www.everlasting.be/V8/"]http://www.everlasting.be/V8/[/url]. It's run by a fella called Bart who's a sterling bloke. I'd personally register yourself on it, I know it's officially V8's but you more than count! ;-)

Regarding cabs, I had the forerunner, the V6 which I had the chance to try with the Trace 4x12 (whilst it was working...not exactly a reliable amp the V6!!). Really huge "traditional" sounding cab, something about 4x12's really works for those valve'y mids. My mate's got a Marshall 4x12 bass cab which sound great, a real in your face great stand alone cab for not a great amount of money. Doesn't "do" hi-fi crisp but just the ticket for rock.

Dunno, been thinking about getting rid of the V8 recently though. The gig I'm doing recently has resulted in me using the EBS HD350 almost exclusively. Smaller and easier to cart about. Whilst I love the V8, it's sitting gathering dust. One of those "the moment I sell it. I'll regret it" things though I bet.

T

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Ha, seems everyone already knows about my little V8 fan site... :)

I love this amp. I died on me once. Blown tube and cap that needed replacement.
But besides that it's a beast. Excellent sound. Always liked it.
I own a carpet Trace 8x10 too. Great combo with the V8.
Crystal clear yet very punchy and deep. Loud but never overpowering.
Extremely room-filling. You WILL be heard... don't play mistakes... people will hear it! :huh:

What else do you want to know?

greetings,

Bart

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  • 1 month later...

blimey ped, have you seen this?

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trace-Elliot-V-Type-V4-Bass-Amp-NEW-BC-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ250144091692QQihZ015QQcategoryZ58719QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trace-Elliot-V-Type-...VQQcmdZViewItem[/url]

Well, it is the Bass Cellar :)

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Yes mate I did, thanks. Mine is no longer for sale, it was a stupid idea! If I do ever sell it (i.e seconds before I die) then I know how much to charge! I have saved that page for safe keeping!!

Kiwi has a v8 now.....

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[quote name='ped' post='38316' date='Jul 29 2007, 12:21 AM']Kiwi has a v8 now.....[/quote]
Aye its true enough, Tonyf and I reached a deal over his. Its a gorgeous sounding amp - less grindy than an Ampeg, clearer than the Bass400+ (although that is a nice amp), warmer than an Aguilar. In short full, clear, well balanced and sweet.

I just need to get some cabs for it and hopefully that'll happen in a few weeks.



[quote name='TheRinser' post='38340' date='Jul 29 2007, 03:48 AM']Kiwi! I want a V8 :)[/quote]
Phyrexian has his for sale up on Talkbass IIRC. I don't know if he's sold it yet.

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[quote name='TimmyC' post='38315' date='Jul 29 2007, 12:17 AM']blimey ped, have you seen this?

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trace-Elliot-V-Type-V4-Bass-Amp-NEW-BC-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ250144091692QQihZ015QQcategoryZ58719QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Trace-Elliot-V-Type-...VQQcmdZViewItem[/url]

Well, it is the Bass Cellar :)[/quote]

Heh, as good as they are (and I know because i was the previous owner of Ped's one), there's no way it's worth that much! Take £1000 off that price and you get the list price when they first came out :huh:

I really struggled to sell mine, both on bassworld and on talkbass and people wern't willing to give me even a fifth of the bass cellars asking price. I think the problem is that there's so few of them and they so rarely come up for sale that no-one knows how much they're worth.

Suffice to say, I'd be pretty gutted if someone did buy that one from the bass cellar at the price they're asking! Great amp but you'd have to be seriously mental to buy one for £2.5k.

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