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New Combo Day - Trace Elliot Content


discreet

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7 minutes ago, discreet said:

Thanks... so as a Series 6 it's pre- SMC, SMX, etc? Not sure what the production run was like, but when I search for 'trace elliot combo' I dont see the exact model I have... could be my lack of search skilz, however.

Yep, Series 6 then the 7 band went to SM and 12 band to SMX. When Gibson took over the SM became SMC :)

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[I know Ashdowns can stand a lot of signal on the input stage, but is there  any advantage in a high input level on a Trace? Is it better to whack up the master and control the volume level with the input, or vice-versa,? Or neither?]

 

I think it depends on what sort of sound you are after, I like a clean sound through the amp and the low input works well for that. But to be honest I don’t think I have ever managed to ‘push’ the amp yet. I could dial the input up to get the led on but there’s no point. One thing I notice on mine is that if I wat to use it for practice I have to drop the input more than the output as the output has less effect on the overall volume.

Edited by T-Bay
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52 minutes ago, discreet said:

There is another Trace combo which is very similar to mine, only it is narrower and doesn't have the air vents either side of the amp head... do any Trace bods know what the difference is?

And does anyone have any idea when it was made? From what I can gather it's probably early to mid 90s, but apparently it's difficult if not impossible to find out from the serial number.

The narrower one is a 100W combo without additional speaker output. There’s also a 200W 12 band version of this size :)

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4 minutes ago, discreet said:

Thanks for that. :) I'm also confused about who designed what... Mr C Button claims most Trace and most Ashdown, according to his website. Even though they're different animals.

http://www.clivebutton.com/products.htm

Mr Button did Series 6 to SMX / 12 band I believe, and Ashdown for the first 10 years or so I think :)

Edited by Merton
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I'm a little sketchy on the really early stuff but MK5 was mid eighties (maybe '86) to about '89, Series 6 was the next generation from '89 till '93 then these were superseded by SM and SMX from '94 with an upgrade of the SM to SMC (with the dual band compressor albeit single knobbed) in '97 and a change from grey panel / grey tolex to black panel / green carpet - SMX models received the cosmetic change but were otherwise unchanged except 250w models were now claimed 300w and the 350w model was now 400w. Last generation Gibson models were the last of the 'old guard' produced from '99 until about '02 - 150 and 300w models had a new design power stage, electro-illuminescent panel plus the old 400w was upped to 500w plus the crazy stereo / triamp 1000w replaced the 600w SMX. Both 7 band and 12 band pre-amps recieved tweaks most notably the 12 band with an added valve drive and enhancer facilities.

Production ceased in around '03 when Gibson closed the brand and factory. Peavey production started in 2005.

Yours looks to be a lesser spotted model as most series 6 were the smaller box design and all SM were larger off-set suggesting a very late Series 6 from about '92 just before they were replaced. 

Sorry for the essay! Ha!

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46 minutes ago, VTypeV4 said:

MK5 was mid eighties (maybe '86) to about '89, Series 6 was the next generation from '89 till '93 then these were superseded by SM and SMX from '94 with an upgrade of the SM to SMC (with the dual band compressor albeit single knobbed) in '97 and a change from grey panel / grey tolex to black panel / green carpet - SMX models received the cosmetic change but were otherwise unchanged except 250w models were now claimed 300w and the 350w model was now 400w. Last generation Gibson models were the last of the 'old guard' produced from '99 until about '02 - 150 and 300w models had a new design power stage, electro-illuminescent panel plus the old 400w was upped to 500w plus the crazy stereo / triamp 1000w replaced the 600w SMX. Both 7 band and 12 band pre-amps recieved tweaks most notably the 12 band with an added valve drive and enhancer facilities.

Production ceased in around '03 when Gibson closed the brand and factory. Peavey production started in 2005.

Yours looks to be a lesser spotted model as most series 6 were the smaller box design and all SM were larger off-set suggesting a very late Series 6 from about '92 just before they were replaced. 

Sorry for the essay! Ha!

No it's all good, thanks. :) By 'lesser spotted' I presume you mean 'spotted less', i.e. rarer - and not 'smaller or fewer spots' as in 'lesser spotted woodpecker'? :D

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3 minutes ago, RandomBass said:

My backline for a number of years has been a Series 6 AH200 or an SM250 through a cab with the venerable Eminence 3015. Works for everything I do and jolly easy to lug about. 

That's interesting as there is an Eminence 3012HO in my BFM Jack 12. I'll try it tomorrow when everyone's out of the house - too much TV watching going on to make a racket this evening. If the combo proves too heavy, a 200W Trace head with my BFM may be the answer.

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45 minutes ago, discreet said:

That's interesting as there is an Eminence 3012HO in my BFM Jack 12. I'll try it tomorrow when everyone's out of the house - too much TV watching going on to make a racket this evening. If the combo proves too heavy, a 200W Trace head with my BFM may be the answer.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on that pairing. I discovered this particular route a few years back and have never wanted for anything else. Although mine is the 15 driver, but I reckon they won't be miles apart.

Awaiting your feedback, if you will excuse the saying.

Geoff

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As BC's biggest Trace Elliot fan, I'm glad you're happy with your Trace combo, Mark. Welcome to the fold.

I'm a big believer that nobody sold their Trace Elliot because it doesn't do the job, merely because they're heavy. As reliable as a wood burning stove and "kick in the kidneys powerful" - I've been trying to find a modern day replacement - Mesa/Glock and Darkglass failed to meet my expectations.

If your gripe is that TE are too heavy, my advice is buy a head (15lbs?) and lightweight cabs of your choice. Problem solved.

IMO you can't beat a good Trace Elliot.

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46 minutes ago, RandomBass said:

I'd love to hear your thoughts on that pairing. I discovered this particular route a few years back and have never wanted for anything else. Although mine is the 15 driver, but I reckon they won't be miles apart.

Tomorrow I'll try the BFM cab with the amp head and also as an extension cab. :)

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1 hour ago, TheGreek said:

As BC's biggest Trace Elliot fan, I'm glad you're happy with your Trace combo, Mark. Welcome to the fold.

I'm a big believer that nobody sold their Trace Elliot because it doesn't do the job, merely because they're heavy. As reliable as a wood burning stove and "kick in the kidneys powerful" - I've been trying to find a modern day replacement - Mesa/Glock and Darkglass failed to meet my expectations.

If your gripe is that TE are too heavy, my advice is buy a head (15lbs?) and lightweight cabs of your choice. Problem solved.

IMO you can't beat a good Trace Elliot.

Thanks Mick. I'll have to give you a 'like' tomorrow, apparently I've run out...

Not too worried about the weight... yet. Depends on what sort of gigs I'll be doing and what access is like. And whether I get to do any gigs at all, in fact. Nothing is definite. :)

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1 hour ago, TheGreek said:

As BC's biggest Trace Elliot fan, I'm glad you're happy with your Trace combo, Mark. Welcome to the fold.

I'm a big believer that nobody sold their Trace Elliot because it doesn't do the job, merely because they're heavy. As reliable as a wood burning stove and "kick in the kidneys powerful" - I've been trying to find a modern day replacement - Mesa/Glock and Darkglass failed to meet my expectations.

If your gripe is that TE are too heavy, my advice is buy a head (15lbs?) and lightweight cabs of your choice. Problem solved.

IMO you can't beat a good Trace Elliot.

That`s good advice Mick, especially for those like msyelf who aren`t keen on TE cabs anyway. Plenty enough lightweight cabs around nowadays to still have the TE sound if required.

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13 minutes ago, T-Bay said:

I have had a couple of first floor gigs with the TE, we are a helpful bunch so it was just a case of one on each side and up the stairs. 

In the mid-90s (pre-hernia!) I did a gig upstairs at The Garage with an Ampeg SVT-CL and 8x10 - both in flight cases. I did have some help, but definitely wouldn't attempt it today that's for sure. :)

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Just now, Lozz196 said:

That`s good advice Mick, especially for those like msyelf who aren`t keen on TE cabs anyway. Plenty enough lightweight cabs around nowadays to still have the TE sound if required.

+1. What a good job BC-ers have spent years learning everything there is to know about lightweight cabs! :biggrin:

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4 minutes ago, discreet said:

In the mid-90s (pre-hernia!) I did a gig upstairs at The Garage with an Ampeg SVT-CL and 8x10 - both in flight cases. I did have some help, but definitely wouldn't attempt it today that's for sure. :)

Not good, not an easy place to get upstairs to anyway, even without an 810. Reminds me of helping The Last Resort carry their flightcased Ampeg SVT & 810 out of the back of The 100 Club - only 3 flights of stairs.

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7 minutes ago, discreet said:

In the mid-90s (pre-hernia!) I did a gig upstairs at The Garage with an Ampeg SVT-CL and 8x10 - both in flight cases. I did have some help, but definitely wouldn't attempt it today that's for sure. :)

I have seen a couple of TE 8x10s for sale and nearly gone for them but know I would probably never use it.

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14 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Not good, not an easy place to get upstairs to anyway, even without an 810. Reminds me of helping The Last Resort carry their flightcased Ampeg SVT & 810 out of the back of The 100 Club - only 3 flights of stairs.

This is good, keep 'em coming - hauling a Trace combo is going to seem a piece of cake by comparison. :D

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36 minutes ago, T-Bay said:

I have seen a couple of TE 8x10s for sale and nearly gone for them but know I would probably never use it.

Given their mass, you'd probably be sucked into a black hole before you could plug in. O.o

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