So, what's up with Trace Elliot?

[Mr Light]

...This is all pretty interesting...

So, Gibson used to own Trace Elliot?

 

[maddog]

Yes, TL used to play TE. I loved his sound back then and I still love his sound now. He endorses Ampeg now and I assume plays Ampeg but haven't seen his stage rig to know for sure.

My understanding on the TE/Peavey situation is that Peavey is acting as distributor and repair facility. Gibson bought out TE but due to the gurues leaving to form Ashdown and reliability issues, TE subsequently was put out of its misery. A similar discussion came up on Harmony-Central a few months ago so a search over there might be useful. My memory ain't what it used to be so I could be wrong on all counts above.

Also, I think the courts ruled that Mr. Squire was Yes all along and it was Misters Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe who rejoined.

 

[strummer]

There is a 715 at rehersals, and i sometimes have to use it. Sounds ok, but not too happy about the B string sound. For a 4-banger, though, it's all good

 

[Mr Light]

There is a 715 at rehersals, and i sometimes have to use it. Sounds ok, but not too happy about the B string sound. For a 4-banger, though, it's all good

Ah, very interesting...

I primarily am a four-banger, but with my five on the way, the low-B sound has to not be an issue.

 

[Evil_Ernie_Ball]

Old Trace rules ! but I'l stick with my SWR ;-)

 

[strummer]

Ah, very interesting...

I primarily am a four-banger, but with my five on the way, the low-B sound has to not be an issue.

Mr Light, if you are really intersted I might be able to record some bass through the 715 and my Aggie rig for comparison.

 

[Colin]

...I think you're correct.

Does anyone know who's selling them here in North America?

Well I believe Peavey is handling the import of Trace Elliot into the US.

 

[dlloyd]

If they are anything like the old (pre-gi***n) Trace, they will have a very distinctive "sound". Lot's and lots of eq, a pre-shape that gives tou a smilie face for slap and a quite good compressor. Oh, and a very handy 3-led gain indicator.

In what way were the Gibson models different?

 

[Colin]

In what way were the Gibson models different?

Same, just different ownership.

 

[Rayan]

A Toast 2 (princess) Trace(E)

Same, just different ownership.

~
In fairness to Her Majesty
and all her loyal subjects
of witch I'm 'almost' 1

Maybe the 'brits' (TE)
didn't 'get themselves so'
much into trouble in
the 'old international marketPlace'

as they found it dang near impossible
from across the pond, even
With Top Gear product,
to navigate all the potholes and speedbumps of
the 'interstate' economy in all 'it's own glory'
~

The 'new international marketSpace'
is big enough for at least
1 more 'Quality Choice':

- @$$uming the right motivation;
Mr.Pv is in the right position to
'breath new fire' into an old furnace

and then there'll be a
"Hot Time In The Old Townhall Tonight"
~
/R

 

[MingusBASS]

ONE MORE TIME-

Peavey is NOT MAKING the new Trace amps, but DISTRIBUTING them. I happen to think that Peavey makes some real decent gear now, even if they haven't had the best track record. I don't know how they could screw up Trace if they aren't making them.

Andrew

 

[Rayan]

Clarification From The Legal Dept Requested

Trace Elliot amps distributed by Peavey for North America

The Trace Elliot brand
as been bought
by Peavey Europe
(based in Corby, United Kingdom,
a subsidiary of Peavey Electronics of Meridian, MS, USA).

A new product range is currently in development
and prototypes were shown at the Frankfurt Musikmesse and London Guitar Show 2005 as a taste of
what is to come.

Several key people from
the previous Trace Elliot company
are involved, therefore the brand retains
considerable continuity from the past.
...

~
What I'm wondering is
"who pullz what stringz" ?

Hence, I politely offer
-"Mr.Pv is in the right position to
'breath new fire' into an old furnace"
~
/R

 

[Mr Light]

Mr Light, if you are really intersted I might be able to record some bass through the 715 and my Aggie rig for comparison.

Hey Strummer,

That's very nice of you. If you have some time on your hands, I would love to hear something for comparison. But you don't have to go out of your way.

 

[dlloyd]

...I think you're correct. I remember reading in a recent Funk issue of Bass Guitar Magazine (the UK magazine) that "since the demise of Trace Elliot," according to Mark King, he wanted something similar to a Trace Elliot amp head for sound and simplicity. Hence, the Mark King signature Amp Head with the princess logo and his signature on it. Some former staff worked on the development of the amp.

The owner of Ashdown is Mark Gooday, former MD of Trace (left a couple of years before the Gibson takeover). The amps' workings are apparently designed by Clive Button who designed all the Trace lines.

http://www.clivebutton.com/

 

[radiotrib]

Ah, very interesting...

I primarily am a four-banger, but with my five on the way, the low-B sound has to not be an issue.

I have np problem with the NRJ 5 string .. and the MM R4 Fretless sings. If you REALLY want to get into trace kit, get two 715s or a 715 and the equivalent combo with 4x10, and biamp them .. that way you can tweak each end of the range, and blow your own sox off.

I'd send you some recordings of my amp, but it would probably put you off music for life .. I'm prettycrap at playing even after all this time

 

[radiotrib]

In what way were the Gibson models different?

There were runours about inferior components, poor quality control, and then of course, there was the loss of almost all the really good R&D staff when the best of the T-E people became Ashdown ...

 

[strummer]

Hey Strummer,

That's very nice of you. If you have some time on your hands, I would love to hear something for comparison. But you don't have to go out of your way.

If I get to rehersals early on wednesday, I'll do it. I apologize in advance for my lack of ability

 

[Dr Stankface]

Maybe I overlooked someone saying it but any idea when these new Trace rigs will be out?

Andrew

 

[dlloyd]

There were runours about inferior components, poor quality control, and then of course, there was the loss of almost all the really good R&D staff when the best of the T-E people became Ashdown ...

There is a hint of truth in the rumours about the QC problems, except that it occurred towards the end of Kaman's ownership, a couple of years before Gibson took over. But the rumour mill being what it is, these got attributed to Gibson.

Ashdown was started up in late 1997 by Mark Gooday the ex-MD of Trace, who left shortly before the end of the Kaman 'era'. He got a freelancer, Clive Button, to design the amps. Clive had designed virtually all of Trace's lines up to that point. Trouble is, he also designed virtually all of Trace's lines after that point.

I don't know how reliable this is, but one of Trace's directors is on record as saying in March 1999 that Mark was, at that point, the only ex employee of Trace to work at Ashdown.

The pre-gibson Trace Elliot golden age is (in my opinion) as big a myth as the pre-EB MM golden age.

 

[Colin]

Gibson re-badged at least one of Trace Elliot's designs which was called the velocette. The TE guitar range of amps are very good with features found usually on other amps that would cost twice the price. This was the case a few years ago anyway.

Colin