Trace Elliot AH250

1980's model AH250

Sometimes great sometimes very bad. Weak on the power side. EQ is too complicated.

Was working fine but then started to make a very dominant popping sound when turned on.
The pop got louder and louder and then started to occur randomly when the amp was already on.

No longer exists. peavey owns them now and they won't even talk to you about the old amps.
You have to go to the British snobs who charge $300 just to take it in and solve the smallest of problems.

At this point in time it's better to stay away from these amps unless you have a personal tech or an endless stream of money for repairs

bought amp in 1987. i am original owner, would never part with it. p;ayed everything from 80,s covers to blues, now mainly rock covers.
single channel, 11 band eq which i hardly change due to good guitars.
never let me down power wise, all solid state.

mainly used 68 precision for many years into a twin 15 trace cab which was awesome for blues, lovely deep woody sound, now also use marcus miller fender 5 string very versatile sound through variety of cabs mainly trace quad and trace single 15. very clean sound, i use a tube pedal sometimes to dirty it up.

used almost every weekend since owned broke down once at gig, had amp serviced mosfets replaced sounds like new now. super reliable and very tuff, chucked around in trucks for years but always roadcased.

never needed

amp was stolen late 80,s i lost it for a year but tracked it down in capital city and was reunited hence why i will never part with it.
i am also fan of ampeg rigs and would like both but would never part with my tracey.

I bought this head new in 1985 (very 1st one sold in the midwest)Single chnl, 11 band EQ, full effects loop, Pre or post send DI option, fully solid state. Trace Elliots power ratings back then were very conservative, plenty of head room!!

I have owned over the years Fenders, Both P and Jazz and presently playing Music Man Stingray 5 string. I played in a semi professional christian group. Now I do studio and contract work. Whenever I use the thing for live work sound man smile! Enough Said!

Never Had a problem. I clean the amp inside and out.

Have never had to have work done on it. But did contact customer support back then to request a set of wiring prints for the amp. I do my own repairs if needed) and they had no problem sending me the prints. I cannot speak when they were bought out later. Now they are not making bass rigs

Remember this is an original pre gibson era amp. When I bought this amp I was using a biamped system. I was instantly sold on the amp quality, build and sound. I play this through a original TE 4 ten cabinet. This amp will remain with me!!!

Mine is one of the latest series, around 1989. I'm playing metal and for my style of music it gives me all the power and the attack i need. But sometimes I think that it was made for other kind of music ... But i'm satisfied. It is a 2 channels with an effects loops (sounds quite well for fx). The 250 watts solid state kills any other amp of the same category i have ever haerd !

I'm using a Brian Bromberg Peavey 4-quad bass and i'm raelly satisfied. I previously used a Fender Precision lyte and that was not so heavy. I think, especialy for metal, that this amp needs a good active bass. I appreciate the fact that there is no problem of sounds when i'm doing a silence ... For me sound is the best quality of this amp !

10 years playing with it and it never break down ! And my sound ingenior is doing a brief check up every year and he says that for him it was made to be used a century.

It's more and more difficult to find dealers here in europe ... Until 96 it was still possible but now it's very hard ... But it never had a problem and so it's not too problematic.

For me it's probably one of the best amp in the world. I'have a friend which is so impressed by my sound that he is trying to find a used one ... A bad point is the fact that with the green and black look evryone now that you are using a trace ! But mine is an old one so it's difficult to find the same now.

Bought this used in Tucson in 1986, blacklight, GP11 preamp etc. Has effects loop that I used with an Alesis Quadraverb. Low impedance out which the sound guys liked. I ran it through an Ampeg 8x10.

It was never terribly versatile. I couldn't get the highs or the pop that I wanted for other types of music. Did the job for 80s hair music though.

Never failed, and believe me it got carried to every place imaginable. Lots of desert parties, seedy practice sheds and many a temp swing.

Never dealt with them

I would look at something else if I were going with another bass head. Personally I am not into lugging these things around anymore, and prefer a simple combo.

I am told this bass head was made in the early 80s some time, which would explain the black light (UV)! I think it was one of the first to include the black light and really it does work quite well, as well as giving audiences something to ponder.

Back to the real specs:
- 11 band eq (GP11 non SMX)
- Eq shelving (which I turn on to scoop the mids a little)
- Canon input
- Neat preamp and volume knobs with a slight clicking to allow you to dial in the same volume every time
- FX loop using s stereo 6mm plug
- Studio line level out on front
- Tuneable crossover on back (2 8ohm cabs or 1 4ohm cab)
- 2 speed fan
- And the all important: 250W @ 4ohm

Solid state internals with the biggest power supply I have seen (I took it apart and blew the dust out).

I really couldn't think of any other options to ask for, all I need is beautiful sound, however I am not sure if my crossover works correctly :(=

I play with a custom 4 string fretless, crappy pickups (soon to be Bartolinis). The amp runs through a home made 200W 2x12 cab which to put it plainly, SUCKS. I played with an SWR Henry 8x8 recently and am seriously thinking about an upgrade. Any opinions? I want more than a 4x10, but I don't want a 15.

The amp is a little susceptible to poor quality power, apart from that it sounds HUGE, with an absolutely bottomless bottom end. I used a friend's EV 15 recently and was absolutely blown away by the 15. Clean sounds are really nice, and I would imagine a different set of pickups and a new cab would make a difference...

I use a few FX, namely a Boss OC-2, MXR Blue Box, Big Muff Pi, Morley Wah, Cheap Chorus, and they all sound really nice. The Big Muff sounds really huge and gives that classic fuzz sound and the amp really doesn't mind when things get wild either, haven't caused any amp clipping yet, only speakers dying and I can tell the difference between those sounds.

With a good cab I feel I could shake my house about a foot sideways (that's with a concrete floor)

She has never broken down, only killed my cabinet, but that serves me right for wanting to do something on the cheap. My black light is a little suspect, flicking on and off recently but i think that is just the faulty fluorescent tube.

I would buy a similar amp again definitely. She is heavy in sound and weight (suitcase style size) and has thus far never failed to satisfy (or put a loud guitarist in his place).

No dealings other than trying to source a manual. If anyone can help me don't hesitate to drop a line :)=

Very nice amp.
Needs good speakers.
Sounds very good.
Makes guitarists jealous with the black light :)=