You can pick up a really as-new example of a pre-G*b**n 7215SM 1x15" Combo for around $400 so why go for a new one ... ?
The 7215SM is not a glow in the dark model (altho you can rig it with a uv tube if you want to). Out of the wapper it delivered 130-150 Watts through a gorgeous, Trace Elliot branded 15inch Celestion speaker. The cab was also ported. It has a 7 band switchable eq, switchable straight sound, Trace Sound and Enhanced Trace sound FX send/return and hi/low (active/passive) inputs.
If you want the full monte, (260-300 watt into 4 ohm) Trace Elliot "British Sound", you just get a matching T-E 4x10 cab from e-bay for around $150, and stand the combo on top.
Here's a 715 from someone elses web site
After the classic 7 band 715, came an equally good next generation with a 12 band eq, and the addition of a dual channel compressor. Personally I don't use compression, and I haven't touched my eq since I originally set it. I just switch it in and out, and flip between "original Trace" and "Enhanced Trace" sound, so the G12SM -based amps would be a waste of the extra $$ for me.
The 1x15 is enough for rehearsal and small venues (and for flattening most drummers), add the 4x10 to really belt it out and handle most local gigs. If you're doing big venues, then you can DI from the preamp-out XLR and still use the stack as backline. If you need even bigger, you can set up a biamp rig from their active xover feeding one 15 inch combo on top of a 1x18 and a 4x10 combo on top of another 4x10. Theres also a ((very hard to find) combo-top 4x6inch speaker rated at 300W if you must do Sttanley Clarke solos !! (last time I saw one on e-bay it went for around $80)
They also make big exotic stuff too like
They also used to do much bigger heads, valve preamp gear, all valve gear, active crossovers, G7SM/G12SM preamps and full biamp systems, but for me the classic Trace-Elliot is theG715 and a 4x10 (there again, I'm biassed ... I got one).
I won't get rid of my steup until I give up playing bass. It's loud, punchy, bright and deep at the same time, and with the SR4 fretless it "sings" well. It also has a small footprint and fits in the back seat of a BMW 5 series. Downside?? .. Heavy little buggers for their size, but manageable. Specialist repairers are hard to find.
All that, and wrapped in almost indestructible green carpet. Last point .. make sure to ask if it's green carpet! .... Not only is it the real thing ... but also it can be real embarassing to take an e-bay delivery only to find your genuine, look wot I got, green carpet combo sitting on top of a (yeuck) black plastic 4x10 !!!
Go looking .. they're out there, real top class, affordable used gear. Take your MM with you when you test drive it and you'll leave with a T-E/MM setup I betcha.
