Trace Elliot GP11 Head

I'm not too sure what year the head was made in but I think it was early 80's. I just obtained this baby from a fella down south for ??270 (Bout $400) with a peavey 410XT cab. It has one input, so doesn't matter if your bass is active or passive it'll still eat it, it has an effects loop at the front which is always a good thing, and has stereo jack line outs and D.I. ports for in and out, so suited to all situations really. Amps like this aren't made anymore, it's just balls to the wall bass amplification, none of that whole "Get the PRO TONE with the 5 BILLION built in effects and OVER 9000 user defined prests" that so many amps are based upon today. I've used a lot of bass amps over 5 years, and what sold the trace to me was a Trace Elliot combo I borrowed at a gig because my Line 6 Lowdown(Don't judge me, I was naive ok?) and it's the only amp I've plugged straight in and the quality has been awesome from the get-go.

It starts with a flat input or sound shaper (good if your bass isn't active), then goes to the gain knob. Then it has an 11 band EQ, a switch to apply it before or after, then a switch which turns the EQ on or off. Then you have your stage (master) volume, then your D.I. and effects loop.

As mentioned earlier the Trace Elliot sound is just, in a word, wow. I plug this thing in at medium sized venues at just pump a note and you can see every girl smile, it makes places shake that much haha. One of the problems I have is that the Peavey Cab I bought it with cannot handle the tremendous bass outputs of the trace, so at some point I'm going to have to obtain a more beefy cab, but thats only if I need to pulverize someones skull with sheer bass. It has two knobs on it, ONe is stage volume, which is just master volume, and a gain volume.

And wow. Gain. This thing growls like a fiend from hell. Like I said earlier, the amp is just balls to the wall, so from clean to distorted and with an 11-band EQ, you can get your sound with ease. Theres no foot switch to change the head settings but you shouldn't need to, Theres a fine line between bass FX and noise pollution.

Well, few gigs now and it's not failed me yet, it's scratched and banged to hell and has got rust damage but it's older than me, so knowing that.. Yeah this thing is reliable!

Never had to deal with Trace Elliot, but I hear they're alright. So no opinion!

I've been playing for 5 years. I've had a few basses but none have felt as good as my curent yamaha RBX 375 (I did play a customised Fender P-bass once, that thing was hot, I wish it was mine but it cost about ??2000 haha). Before this I was running a Line 6 Lowdown which I advise everyone to avoid, it is awful when you turn it up past halfway. If this was lost or stolen I'd probably cry myself to sleep for a good few months and be mentally scarred, I searched for months for one of these babies and drove halfway across england when I finally found one.

I just love it's sheer boom factor, they're cheap to get now but these amps are superstar band quality. If I remember correctly John Entwistle of The Who played Trace Elliots, and that guy almost defined rock bass on his own, and if that wasn't enough, Stuart Zender of Jamiroquai used them. Both fantastic bassists in their own right, but completeyl different styles of music and bass tone.

I'v e been using one of the FIRST TRACE ELLIOT amps ever made...a GP-11 from 1981. It has 24k Gold circuits and sounds aboslutely perfect. This is THE AMP THAT ALL OTHER'S HAVE TRIED TO improve on...but haven't. Like trying to redesign a "better" vagina...ya can't folks! The ENTIRE time I've owned this green monster the only problem I've ever had was blowing fuses when cranked up. I've NEVER had to turn it up past maybe 5 or 6. The tone and power is rich, fat, smooth and powerful. THE BEST AMP in the World period!! 11 band EQ 250 watts. tube/solid state hybrid.

I use a Modulus Graphite SP-5 and a Gibson "Santa Cruz" Custom 4-string as well as a custom Carvin LB-75. I play progressive heavy metal, jazz fussion, smooth jazz and radio and Televison comercials. I've gigged over 2000 shows on 5 world tours over 20 years with THIS amp...nuff said!

dammit! hell yeah--it works all the time.

I've been playing bass since I was 8 years old. I'm now 40. I own a Music production studio and Multi-media company in North Hollywood, Calfornia...too much gear to list. If this amp was stolen I would hire a bounty hunter to track down the theif and have them "taken care of". I also like the Ampeg SVT-III or the old Tube Works Mos-Valve gear. I own a customised ART SGX Nightbass Studio Edition with a hot-roded chip. I choose the Trace Elliot way back then because it was the VERY best in design and I knew excellent quality when I see it. I feel the Orignal Trace Elliot (made in England) NOT FROM GIBSON!!--was and still is THE BEST amps ever made...as ususal the "new model and styles" just arn't the same as the original "real" Trace Elliot amps. After Gibson bought Trace Elliot all the guys from there formed Ashdown amps...get it? So the real talent just made something else like Leo Fender starting G&L after selling Fender. G & L basses are 'better' than the new Fender crap they try to sell ya! Same with Ashdown and the 'new Gibson Trace Elliot.