andrewrx7 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) Just curiosity really, I have a Trace head, and always use the pre-shape. I read it boosts bass/treble and cuts the mids. Does anyone actually know the exact specifications of which frequencies it boosts/cuts and by how much, or is it a Trace guarded secret? Cheers! Edited March 9, 2012 by andrewrx7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Why you are asking this ? Is it for academic purposes, or something else ? it may help to structure an answer to your question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 It's a straightforward question that deserves a straightforward answer, which is: +6dB @ 50Hz; –12dB @ 400Hz; +6dB @ 5kHz. From the Trace Elliot catalogue here: [url="http://www.traceelliot.com/catalog/catalog.pdf."]http://www.traceelli...og/catalog.pdf.[/url] Obviously not a trade secret then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Should be able to make that pre-shape on the graphic and then compare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Woah. Just looking at the artists roster compared to their glory days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewrx7 Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 [quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1331294304' post='1570865'] Why you are asking this ? Is it for academic purposes, or something else ? it may help to structure an answer to your question. [/quote] Why? As I said, for curiosity, as I use a Trace head and pre-shape, so would like to kow how the pre-shape shapes the sound. I can never quite replicate the pre-shape when it is off and using only the EQ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewrx7 Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 [quote name='stevie' timestamp='1331299976' post='1571002'] It's a straightforward question that deserves a straightforward answer, which is: +6dB @ 50Hz; –12dB @ 400Hz; +6dB @ 5kHz. From the Trace Elliot catalogue here: [url="http://www.traceelliot.com/catalog/catalog.pdf."]http://www.traceelli...og/catalog.pdf.[/url] Obviously not a trade secret then. [/quote] Thanks for the link! To be honest, never looked at the catalogue before, as I didn't think it would have specs like this in it. I stand corrected! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewrx7 Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1331300581' post='1571014'] Should be able to make that pre-shape on the graphic and then compare [/quote] That's my aim! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I have experimented with the pre-shape. But to be honest, although it sounds great at home on your own it, in a live situation I am not impressed with it. My graphic is set almost opposite with the low mids boosted, the lows and highs are fairly flat with the graphic slowly being reduced after the low mids. For me this has revolutionised my sound and it really cut's through the mix. Of course you my slap a bit more than I do and want the pre-shape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Why would you aim to set the graphic to the same as the pre shape switch? I would have though it would be better to set the EQ to a good finger tone,and then use the pre shape for a more scooped,slap sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewrx7 Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 (edited) Hehehe...slight confusion here! I'm not aiming to set the EQ the same as the pre-shape and then use it like this, I simply wanted to understand what frequencies were being altered when using the pre-shape, and to achieve that, I was flipping between pre-shape+no EQ and EQ+no-preshape and trying to replicate it. Not being able to, I thought I would simply post on here and see if anyone knows how the pre-shape was...well, shaping! So thanks to Stevie for a nod in the right direction! Just for info, I neither slap or finger, I use a pick. It is all personal taste, but I like the pre-shape sound, through a 4x10 and 1x15 (or sometimes a 2x10) rig. For any EQ, I tend to either balance between the pick ups, and/or use the actives on the bass (which is rare). For what we do, the pre-shape sound in conjunction with my bass works very well, and I and the other members of the band, like the overall sound. Edited March 12, 2012 by andrewrx7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 [quote name='mep' timestamp='1331558436' post='1574694'] I have experimented with the pre-shape. But to be honest, although it sounds great at home on your own it, in a live situation I am not impressed with it. [/quote] It sounded good to me at low home use volumes because it gave me an 'impressive' hi-fi tone, but when cranked at a gig it was unusable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 [quote name='andrewrx7' timestamp='1331561391' post='1574783'] Hehehe...slight confusion here! I'm not aiming to set the EQ the same as the pre-shape and then use it like this, I simply wanted to understand what frequencies were being altered when using the pre-shape, and to achieve that, I was flipping between pre-shape+no EQ and EQ+no-preshape and trying to replicate it. Not being able to, I thought I would simply post on here and see if anyone knows how the pre-shape was...well, shaping! So thanks to Stevie for a nod in the right direction! Just for info, I neither slap or finger, I use a pick. It is all personal taste, but I like the pre-shape sound, through a 4x10 and 1x15 (or sometimes a 2x10) rig. For any EQ, I tend to either balance between the pick ups, and/or use the actives on the bass (which is rare). For what we do, the pre-shape sound in conjunction with my bass works very well, and I and the other members of the band, like the overall sound. [/quote] I did this exact same thing with 2 Trace heads I owned and was *completely* unable to mimick the sound of the pre-shape. I also liked the pre-shape sound, not for slap but also for pick playing. I try to get a similar mid-scoop sound now from my set up as it is my preferred tone, only using a boosted mids for certain things that need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I think if you're loud enough the scoop can work for you, especially for a clanky pick tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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