Trace Elliot V-Type 4808

My 4808 was made in 1996. The sound is good for me as it's warm and fat and I don't tend to use effects. The controls are really simple, just a 3 knob eq with mid shift (I always use this). It's 270 watts without a cab and that's great fo most gigs. I've used it with an Eden 15" which was a fantastic setup but had to sell that due to space issues!

I use a G&L L2000, and an Epiphone Jack Casady for raunchy rocknroll and it works really well. The DI is apparently too noisy for some sound guys so they use a box (it is a little hissy)..

Well... I've had the Bi-Polar Bear output stage replaced for a better one (not sure what it is) but I still get niggling problems. Just replaced the preamp valves with Groove Tubes and will try it live tonight (keep'em crossed) but Tracey seems happy with them so far (at home.) I recommend servicing occasionally as it is not bulletproof.

No experience of dealing with Trace directly (they ceased to exist for a while!)

I've been playing since '91 and this has been a great amp. My first was a Laney Linebacker (great to practise), a Warwick 300 solid state (really good but much cleaner sound) and an Eden 15" cab. Two things about the 4808 - It weighs something like 45kg so don't be fooled by the little handle on the top, you can't use it! Veeery heavy.. The other thing is that only 48 of these were ever made, so good luck finding one!

The dates inside mine state that this made at the end of 1996. Despite a simple and basic appearance the Vtype preamp is great, totally passive EQ with a deep, bright and mid shift. Its an unusual little thing, a valve front end, 300w SS output stage and best of all its go four 8 inch speakers and they are great, loud and warm but extremely accurate. The amp has plenty of power but it has had its troubles, tell you later.

I use a Warwick 5 string bass with twin J-style pickups, and no the small celestions dont flap at extreme levels, even on the low B. The amp clips before my speakers give in. It is operationally very quiet partially due to the previous owners installation of brand new Mesa boogie valves. You cant reall OD the preamp for good overdrive, its designed for clean valve sounds, if you want OD buy the V8 head.
I also have a big 600w 12 band system and the two have similar soundprints but for the disco and modern funk stuff we play, the 12 is better but I have recently joined a sort of soul/disco band and the Vtype is better for that.

The previous owner wanted to put a top hat in the base of it so he could put it on a speaker stand. When he put the speakers back in, he wired them incorrectly and blew the old power stage (The Bi-Polar Bear) Trace Elliot sent him an updated version that overheated all the time (Clive Button version)The transistor the controlls the fan is connected to a thermistor and it is that transistor the used overheat depite the large heat sink on it. The Thermistor tripped the stage and shut the board down. I have wired my own fan into it and completely bypassed the old circuitry and it now works as new, (Previous owner will be gutted when I tell him he needed to spend #15 for a new fan!)

Over this matter Trace Elliot have been fantastic, they have offered me advice, sent schematics and everything. The guy at Trace suggested I did what I did to it because he didnt think that the existing design was very good. Brutal honesty, good people, they deserve a 10

Now its had a new clean bill of health, the amp is fantastic and I have every faith in it to see through to its next service whenever that maybe. Like I said I have the 12 band 600, a 4x10 and single 15, this is a damn loud accurate system and I love celestion speakers. Im firmly sticking with my two trace systems, wudnt swap 'em for anything