Trace Elliot V-Type Preamp

Trace Elliot V-type rackmount preamp made in June of 1995. Features both passive and active inputs followed by a gain knob controlling 2 ECC83(European equivalent to 12AX7) preamp tubes. A 3 band passive EQ with both deep and bright switches, followed by a very useful DI with pre/post eq and ground/lift switches, followed by the master volume knob and then the power button. The unit is one rackspce and weighs about 10 lbs. I believe it can be used with both US and Euro outlets....but I could be worng.

As a gearhead, I've played through just about every bass amp head, cab, and preamp made in the last 10 years, and many made far earlier than that. The V-type is without a doubt, the closest thing to a compromise I've ever come to between all tube, warm vintage tone, and modern portability. Both live and in the studio, the V-type is the most articulate, natural sounding preamp I have ever used. It's somewhere in between the Aguilar DB680 and the Millenia TD-1 sound wise, but very similar to the Alembic F-1X in design. I also think your choice of preamp tubes has a huge influence on your sound. I use Ei gold pin ECC83/12AX7s. As a lightweight alternative to the legendary Trace V4, V6, or V8, it's pure, simple, British amp design brilliance.

I dropped my rack bag which weighs 47 lbs. and since then the DI gives a terrible distortion and there's often a fuzz in the tone when cranked past a certain point. Fortunately, the design is so simple, anyone can fix this thing. I should get that looked at.

I emailed the new Trace Elliot company and asked if they were planning on bringing back the V-type series. I never got a response.....

This preamp rules. I am an old Trace Elliot nut, and have owned several different pieces of Trace gear over the years. I have used this preamp with al different combinations of cabs, basses and power amps, and I am still waiting to be impressed by a better all tube bass preamp. I've actually been thinking of buying a few of these things in case mine gets stolen or breaks.

This preamp was made in 1996, I believe. This preamp was supposedly based on the Alembic F-1X, which itself was based on a Fender Dual Showman preamp. It has passive and active inputs as well as a XLR for a board/direct recording. It has one line out in the back with send and receives for effects. There are also a deep switch, bright switch and pre/post eq for the direct out. This is simple but most effective.

I am currently using two Tokai basses-one a P bass and the other a Jazz bass. They have the original pick-ups which are passive. This covers what I want to do, which is get "classic" bass tones. Getting Jamerson to Jaco to John Paul Jones tones are fairly easy once one understands that the eq system is of a parametric design. In other words, when you roll the mids up the amp shifts the Q to a different place. You have the ability to add overdrive/distortion (though not enough for nu-metal or death metal) and the overall volume.

Rackmountable with very little to break on it. You can open this unit up by removing 8 screws and replace the 2 preamp tubes that reside within. The preamp tubes you use can influence the type of overdrive you achieve with this preamp. I have JJ 12AX7's for a cleaner tone. This preamp has not broken down for me and I am at least the third owner.

Haven't had to contact them-this unit was made before Gibson purchased them, I do believe.

I use this rig along with a Crybaby, a Boss PQ-3(to add a totally different tone to the one I am using.), a DOD bass chorus for light chorus effects, and a older Big Muff. I would look for another unit if this one were lost or stolen. The tones that can be achieved are endless for my applications. It is cheaper than an Alembic or Dual Showman and has the tone.