Trace Elliot - what happened to you?

[Roland Rock]

Would it be unfair to suggest that multiple/slidey EQ sections are seen as a bit dated?

[Si600]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1401200916' post='2461078']
Would it be unfair to suggest that multiple/slidey EQ sections are seen as a bit dated?
[/quote]

YES! Go and stand in the corner you heretic!

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1401209844' post='2461233']


YES! Go and stand in the corner you heretic!
[/quote]

OK, I'll go to the naughty corner :-p
:-D


PS -While you were out, Bruce Springsteen called - he wants his cutoff denim jacket back

Edited May 27, 2014 by Roland Rock

[VTypeV4]

A graphic EQ is still an effective form of sonic correction / tone shaping whether fashionable or not IMO..

I was thinking about it last night and I reckon if they did an MP11 / Superfly type font end coupled to a high power lightweight power stage then they'd be onto a winner. In green of course!

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1401212279' post='2461280']
A graphic EQ is still an effective form of sonic correction / tone shaping whether fashionable or not IMO..
[/quote]

I agree - it's a very visual/intuitive way to shape tone

Edited May 27, 2014 by Roland Rock

[deepbass5]

The Mark King Asdown head is still the only one I ever fancied -wonder why

[Si600]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1401210155' post='2461239']

PS -While you were out, Bruce Springsteen called - he wants his cutoff denim jacket back
[/quote]

I lost my cutoff denim jacket that went over my leather jacket with all the patches and studs on it probably for the best I've still got the leather one though, from some of the yoof I've seen out recently they may be making a comeback

[discreet]

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1401225459' post='2461524']
I've still got the leather one though, from some of the yoof I've seen out recently they may be making a comeback
[/quote]

I've still got mine! Going to have to cut down on the doughnuts if I'm ever to wear it again, though...

[Delberthot]

Between a few of us on here we have had nearly every Trace cab ever made. Probably Thornybank has had a few more than I have but I've had a load of variants of 2x10"s, 4x10"s, 15"s, 2x15"s, 4x12"s etc.

The old cabs were the baws with the exception of the 1524 which was quite farty at high volumes. The 1248 & 1528 V-type cabs were monsterous but 44kgs a piece. I did move onto Ashdown but the eventual weight put me off in the end. My 4x10" & 1x15" only come in at 49kgs for the pair of them but I've lost 28kgs in weight this year so the 4x10" effectively weighs nothing

[VTypeV4]

I've owned many a Trace..

Combos:

Boxer 30
712 SMC
4808 V-Type
715 GP-7
TwinValve Combo
Commando 15 Mk2 (long term lend, wasn't actually mine)

Heads:

AH 300 SM
AH 300 SMX
AH 400 SMX
RAH 600 SMX
V4 Mk2

Cabs:

2103H
1153
1048H
1084

Largely all good but somewhat heavy, especially the 4808, V4 and 1084. Currently toying up with getting a 300 or 400 SMX as a 'take anywhere and do anything' rather than mauling the heavy combo or big Ashton head. The 300 is lighter and smaller but the 400 has a UV strip..

[badboy1984]

The Trace 1153 cab I got is pretty light for a trace. I can easily manage to lift but the 4x10 Trace is impossible for me to lift .....

[BanditSid]

I used a late 90's 1215 300w combo for a couple of years and it was a pretty good sounding amp (very loud), although it was a bit flaky in the power amp stage when I first got it. I changed it for one of the newer 1215 500w amps thinking the extra headroom would be useful, but apart from the extra weight it wasn't as good. I used it most of the time with a 1518c cab which was light as a feather and sounded good and it did the job but is wasn't anything special. The GK kit I use now is much lighter and sounds better and potentially goes a lot louder if required.

It's a shame, when I played in pubs and clubs 20 - 25 years ago I used a 150w Carlsbro head and 2x15 cab that felt like a wardrobe when I moved it round (in my Mini), at that time Trace was the new kid on the block and for me was lighter and better sounding - but so expensive then. Now, it still sounds much the same and weighs the same - I guess as others have said we have all moved on apart from them. The current cabs are good and I would still use them, but the electronics aren't as special as they used to be.

[tonyquipment]

Heavy loud and reliable

I had to sell my TE rig but I do miss it

It could bring walls down

Maybe in the future I might look at it again but I've taken a step back from bass lately to focus on dj stuff

I hope they bring out light versions of the old stuff. It's immense!

[JimH]

Sold my old trace rig purely because of the weight - even the head was a two-handed lift - I still have an old Series 6 1 x 15 combo for old time's sake, though....

Don't like the look of the "new" Trace stuff - proper Trace has to have a UV tube!......

Here's my old rig (and my old headed Status, come to that...)....

Edited May 28, 2014 by JimH

[waynepunkdude]

They were woolly then became more woolly then I gave up caring.

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1401299159' post='2462236']
They were woolly then became more woolly then I gave up caring.
[/quote]

This.

[BanditSid]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1401347385' post='2462580']


This.
[/quote]

They were woolly, more so the newer one I had.

[tauzero]

I used one of the 4x10 combos a couple of nights ago at rehearsal (trying out a new rehearsal studio). Same model as I had a few years ago, my back went into spasm just looking at it. It did remind me why I sold my combo (and, come to that, my head that I bought some other time - I must be a slow learner) - enormously heavy yet pathetically weedy, not even able to get on level terms with a medium-loudness drummer despite being turned up to full whack.

[gafbass02]

Aw man, I used to love my trace stack
[URL=http://s34.photobucket.com/user/gafbass02/media/band%20pics/100_0057.jpg.html][IMG]http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d115/gafbass02/band%20pics/100_0057.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I sold it for a markbass after my keys player (who used to drive it around) had a heart attack next to me onstage at 27!
I've never looked back in many ways, but I do miss the preamp and the cool green/uv stage presence. If they made a modern take of it in a small package I'd be all over it!

[Marvin]

I've never owned a Trace rig, but I'd like to see them back in the game as it were. I do feel they're not stay up with their competitors.

I'm not sure where this wooly sound tag comes from, Doug Wimbish never sounds wooly and he's played through TE rigs for years.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1401299159' post='2462236']
They were woolly then became more woolly then I gave up caring.
[/quote]

[spacey]

They went through a period of bad reliability, had a few and they never could keep working, shame sounded good, just did not lpike the built in smoke machine.

[kevvo66]

I remember as a wee skinny teenager looking at trace Elliot stuff in my localish music shop in awe ,I never got one but once played one in the mid 80,s ,but unfortuantley blew my saving on wine,women,song ,would I enjoyed the trace more than the w,w,s.naaarrrr!!!!!!!

[VTypeV4]

I suspect wooly thing comes from excessive bottom end boosting on the graphic allied to using the pre-shape. The pre-shape gives boost at 50Hz and 2k6 but also cuts around 400Hz (All low Q seemingly) so any boost on the graphic is adding to the already boosted low . The effect is further enhanced by that reduction in the low-mids adding to the amount of apparent bottom end.

The classic deep 'smiley face' generally yeilds a poor result with a Trace as it's all boom and clank with nothing left in the middle. It might work for a certain effect but doesn't tend to work in a group mix. On 12 band models the first two / three bands are generally better as a cut - do we really need 30 and 40Hz as frequency components in our sound? On 7 band models it's a 50Hz slider with a lower Q which covers a similar range. For me it's a no so I save the speakers and headroom by reducing them in my sound.

I treat them in the same way I approach PA, (afterall it's where they were developed from anyways) I'd never boost the lowest frequencies as it would murder my drivers and sap amplifier power without achieving much in terms of sound. 20, 25, and 31Hz are moot on my FOH graphic anyway as my HPF is in at just below 40Hz but a trace doesn't have an HPF. I believe this is where things go wrong as folk assume the left side of the graphic 'must mean bass' rather than looking at the numbers, understanding where and how those frequency components fit into their sound.

I'm not trying to defend Trace here, put simply their products don't work for everyone in every situation but I do believe a little investgaton and an open mind goes a long way..

[badboy1984]

The first time I play a Trace Elliot is in my church where they have a pre-Gibson Trace 1x15 (150watt). Got to admit I hated that amp in passion because I never able to get the sound I like and their are too much knobs and sliders to mess around. Sounded fantastic when play along (with the smiley EQ or pre-shape) but when mix with the band it sounded horrible for my taste.

Many years after I learned more on graphic EQ, compression and the sound I wanted, I gone back to use the same Trace amp again and surprisingly I can get the tone I wanted with plenty of volume as well. Now I own a Trace Elliot GP11 (11 band EQ) and a Trace 15" cab. The tone is amazing if you know what to do with the EQ. No smiley face EQ for me as it won't work in live situation for me. I only boost and cut when needed.