Trace Elliot AH200 Series 6 Head

-> The Series6 Line was made around 1990, my AH200 is from 90.

-> Trace Elliot is mostly used in Pop or Rockmusic. In my opinion it fits many other genres too! It's not that characteristic like most tube Amps or the older Trace Series, but anything other than a "soulless" HiFi Amp! For me it fits perfect in this way, because the sound has its own character, but is usable in many styles!

-> Preamp features are a Pre-shape, that boosts bass+treble and cuts mid range. Very nice to create that fat slaps-sound. Hate it or love it! I can't slap good enough to make use of this very often.

Second Feature is the 12-Band graphic EQ. I love this thing! It makes the amp flexible without destroing its character. Great frequence and boost/cut range and senseful chosen frequences makes it possible to fit the sound to nearly any situation,sound,room.

200 Watts sometimes sound like 400 Watts, so in this amp.
I would prefer the AH200 tower amp most of modern 400-500Watt power amps in lower or medium price class. Enough for jamsessions or small gigs.

I give it a 9 'cause it fits into many styles of music and has good features. Not every Sound is possible with this amp, but most.

I use a Fender Japan 57' Precision Bass Reissue with original Fender Vintage Split Coil (for my taste a little low output...but sounds great!)

Suits great on my music style because i was searching for an amp that is flexible, but has an own character thats near to the one in my head.

Most of the noise is blocked by the preamp's noisegate, but when you pull the EQ's ultra-high range to high, it brings a "hiss" in the sound.

Can only repeat that its usable in many styles, but best suits Rock/Pop.

The solid state Preamp don't gives any good distortion or overdrive in my opinion. You can control that gain with the "traffic light" very easy.

Sound is not too aggressive, but no HiFi. Not too "fuzzy" high range, but not so silk-smooth like tube amps. Well-defined bassrange, but for Metal or really hard rock i would prefer Traces with more Power.

Not rally built like a tank, but like a military Jeep. Metal chassis is road ready! Never got problems with it!

There are a few shops ore pages about older Trace Elliot amps, ask in a forum an they will know one. Trace Elliot itself serves some manuals etc. on the new homepage.

Never had contact with them cause the amp don't breaks!

If it where stolen, i would buy this one a second time!

I believe this amp is from 1986. 200w @ 4ohms, solid state, 12 band graphic EQ and Pre-Shape (boost of lows and highs, cuts the mids), both of which are footswitchable, passive and active inputs, noise reduction, front panel XLR out, Gain and Volume, input limiter lights, headphone jack, effects loop. It's a fairly standard amp for the time. It could really use a built-in compressor, but that's not much of a big deal

I use this amp with a 2 Fender MIM Jazz basses (one with Fender vintage pickups, the other with DiMarzio Humbuckers) , and a Sunn 1x12/1x18 cabinet. I mainly run this amp with the gain all the way up, and volume about half-way to 3/4 full, with both the EQ and pre-shape off. The tone is good this way, but with the 18" speaker the sound gets really muddy. Not really the fault of the amp. The amp doesn't color the tone of my bass at all, and having the option of the EQ and pre-shape footswitchable is perfect if I need a boost. I don't use them much, however. My only real quibble here is the wattage. I really think I need something with a bit more power, perhaps 300w.

I bought this amp used in 2000, and I haven't had any problems with it. Very rugged amp. I've had no choice but to gig with this amp without a backup, but it's done right by me so far.

Never had to deal with Trace Elliot customer service.

I have been playing for 18 years, and have used Peavey, Hartke, and Ampeg amps before I bought this one. The Peavey was way more powerful, but shitty tone. The Hartke was a little more powerful, but the tone was too trebble-y. The Ampeg was fantastic all around, but had to sell it due to some financial problems. The Trace has been a transition amp for me, and I'm thinking about getting something with a bit more power.

Bought new in 88/89 I think....ah the mists of time...Trace Ah 200w @ 4ohms.Active/passive inputs. 12 band graphic GP12 pre amp. Effects in/out. Pre amp in/out. Phones socket. Balanced DI. Foot switchable graphic/ pre shape.
Only regrets..wish it was at least 400 watts RMS..having siad that..I ran it with only a trace 1510x cab for years and at 8 ohms it is simply too quiet. Then 5/6 years ago I bought a 4x10 Ashdown cab with a horn and when paired up and running at 4ohms a new world opened up for me. Volume is good...I have to keep up with 2 150w tube amped guitarists..and with my EMG pickups there is no problem achieving any sound or tone. If you kick in the Pre amp and boost the bass it will move your spleen in any direction you want!

I run a 5 string Vintage,(much better than I thought it was going to be but very quiet) Rickenbacker 4003, steinberger fretless and a precision jazz bass EMG hybrid, which I made, and makes them all look silly!
It works the botom B on the 5 string well, and it has to work hard as it is a really quiet guitar. Nothing some EMG's won't sort out though.
I play Rock, blues, funk, slap, soul I ma basically a musical whore!
I wish it had on board compression, but apart from that it is great.
Running with one cab I used to have to drive it hard, sometimes 7-8 and it didn't like it, but with 2 cabs it runs at 4 max and is as clear as a bell.

Until recently absolutely bulletproof. I have never had a back up, twice I have had to borrow a AH400 but only in the last 6 months.
I can't tell you the abuse this has had
Gigged to death, back of the van overnight in all weather, fags, wine spills, beer spills, drunken audience members falling into it, kicked, dropped, it would have led an easier life in a mosh pit at a Motorhead concert. Only thing cosmetically...it fell over in the van and 6 of the graphic sliders sheared off. They have been replaced though
Recently started suffering a cut out problem, it is intermittent and we are struggling to sort it, so it will have to be .........replaced. A truly Sad day

Never needed in 23+ years. Nuff said.

Testament to this amp is that in 23 years I have played loads of other kit and never thought of replacing it. It has alway been a match.
I have been playing so long I am now deaf and grey and not yet 40! So that will be 28 years then.
If it were lost or stolen it would finally give me the kick up the arse to buy a new amp!
I love the greenness and the iconicness of the trace. I like the fact that they were the brand to have and I have one. I love the sound that is acheivable. I love the fact that through 25 years of owning it it has served me without fault and brings back so many memories that I desperately don't want to retire it, even though I know it is time. Whatever comes next has a hell of a lot to live up to, and I will be interested to se if in another 25 years I will still be using it's replacement.

Early UK made (pre Gibson) head year unknown.

200W but seems more like 500W
can be racked
two speaker outs with speaker protection fuse
Switchable 12 band graphic that is extremely flexible and go's down to 30Hz making it suitable for use with low B strung 5 string basses.
Mid preshape switchable EQ preset which really makes the sound really rock - suits my Rickenbacker so well I don't need to use the EQ.
2 channel (active & passive) but not switchable and only a single gain for both channels.
Has 1 effects loop and line level input/outputs for slaving (pre amp out & power amp in)
Built in DI which can be switched between pre and post EQ - this is not some half arsed DI connection like a lot of amps have - this beats my tube (valve) DB DI box hands down.

Mid pre-shape and graphic are foot switchable.

Would be nice to have switchable channels and seperate pre gains for passive and active channels.

Graphic EQ is fiddly compared to knobs and 12 band is a bit excessive except for pulling feedback out of semi and full accoustic basses but then you realy appreciate it.

Being played with a Rickenbacker, Musicman Stingray 5 string, Washburn Status. Have run a Fender P and a fretless J, Epiphone EB3 and Allan Woody models through it. Eq'd right they all sounded great. Also tried out a no name upright rockabilly bass and all things give (low quality el cheepo bass) it sounded good.

Currently running through a Ampeg BSE410HLF 4x10+horn box.

Bright and explosively punchy sound that can be pulled back for a more mellow sound, suits straight up rock and driving punk but slaps so nicely it would be perfect for funk and R&B. You can make it growl Jaco style, plug in a chorus pedal and it makes the most authentic 80's John Taylor/Pino Palladino bass sound ever.

With single coil passive (rick & fenders) it can be noisy but not overly so and is only noticable between songs.

Can be driven hard and will go to 8/10ths without distorting but doesn't much like idling - below 3/10ths it sounds dull and muddy but if this is what your after ... well at this point most basses are making louder noises than the amp and a small practice amp is what you're really after.

This amp kicks serious rock arse.

It does lack the devastating warm tone of 70's and early 80's Marshall bass amps but stands up well to Fenders, Mesa's and most other solid state basses.

I've owned this for less than a year though this amp would be 20 years old. looking inside I can see no evidence of repairs or resolders. everything looks solid and pretty much bullet proof.

The front plate is a screen printed vinyl stick on job and is both fading and pealing off (though keap on by all the knobs) and some of the eq sliders have lost their white caps but given the age this is not a huge problem.

buh! haven't needed it so can't rate it

Previously owned Ross, Peavey, Marshall, and Roland bass amps but this one even pips out the Marshall for pure punch.
Replacing this would be difficult but If I could I would.
I found this in a s/h shop that had it in their "Hi-Fi" section and to this day can't work out why it had the ridiculous price of $170 AUD (approx. $120 US ) well their loss my gain :)

Love its clarity and total "balls out" punch but it could be warmer.