Trace Elliot Velocette 1x12 Combo

This amp is very basic which is the whole idea. Three little knobs is about all you get. I love the fact that it can be run in 1/2 power mode. For this reason, plus the fact that it is super cool, I rate it well.

Man, this amp sounds better than almost all my super high-dollar boutique amps. I have a Bad Cat Hot Cat 30, a 65 London, I used to have a Matchless DC-30, Dr.Z Route 66 and MAZ Jr. I think this Trace Elliot sounds better than the Dr. Z MAZ Jr. It has way better reverb and is a bit thicker sounding to me. It is not as high gain as a Bad Cat, but it isn't supposed to be. It also isn't as "big" sounding as my 65 London or Matchless DC-30, but it's half the amp those are. I can never turn those big amps up enough to get much out of them, so for 75% of my gigs, I use the little Veloce which sounds awesome. This amp completely smokes all small Fender and Crate stuff. I kow because I have a new Crate V16 and the Veloce kills it. I play Tom Anderson's mostly but also a 68 Telecaster, a 335 and Gretch White Falcon. The Trace sounds great using any of these guitars. I have learned that more expensive doesn't equal better sound. Check these amps out!

Built like a friggin tank. I have dropped it, used it live for 3 years 3 days a week, recorded with it.... It simply won't quit. It is 110% reliable and despite the tolex coming off, it is 100% stock still. I never worry about it quitting on me and I play 3 nioghts a week.

I think Gibson bought them so I can;t comment. But I hae never needed a thing because this amp is so wonderful.

For the current market cost of these amps, there is no way you can equal or beat them. They are simple, fantastic sounding little amps which are light, portable, loud enough over a 5 piece band and indestructable. The reverb is great! Do yourself a big favor, check these out before they get all "vintage" and go up in value.

As everyone else said - limited.

Sounds pretty good with almost anything. Excellent at higher volumes

A heap of doogie doo when I got it. Got it sorted - the problem with the transformers was that the wires are incorrectly marked and the transformer is only wired to accept a 16 ohm load. (go to www.chambonino.co.uk for a full explanation). It packed up again a few weeks ago but it has been repaired again (bad valve nothing to do with the amp itself)

no idea

On and off for 35 years - really just got back into it after quite a long layoff. I have gigged this (I usually use a Mesa Boogie 45Watt Nomad) and it cuts through remarkably well. I also have a Marshall 50watt combo from 1971, but it's too heavy to cart around.

It's like this: if you want an amp that has lots of blinking lights and footswitchable options then go look elsewhere. (BTW, amps with lots of blinking lights are usually trying to distract your attention away from the lousy tone...). However, if you want pure, wonderful, heart-stopping, magical tone then you've come to the right place. This amp will do everything from country through to rock - though it's probably not suitable for de-tuned grungy metal.

Better than sex. Any sex. No matter what partner (or combination of partners) or place or position or body paint. Keep the wick turned down for lush clean tones with real muscle and presence. Turn it up for some serious rrrraaawwwwkkkk. And all this from around 13 watts of pure class A output. I'm using it with a Fender Strat Deluxe and a Gibson Les Paul Studio and it's superb with both. This is a serious valve amp, so you can turn it all the way up and control the output level and the tone with your guitar's volume pot.

I have had this amp for about 3 years It has not been gigged heavily in that time, but when I have used it live it has been more than equal to the task and I am happy to use it without a back-up. Remember, this is a class A valve amp, so its 13 watts will be more than a match for most 50-watt solid state amps.

I never had to use them, and as the company is now defunct, I guess I'll never find out how good or bad their customer support was!

If it was stolen I would have a real problem because they really don't make them like this anymore. Gibson has resurrected the old Trace Elliot facility, but the amps they produce are far more expensive (because the say "Gibson" on them presumably), so I would not be able to replace it, much as I would want to. It would require a good deal more money to buy something half as good. I bought this amp after I noticed it sitting in a local music shop for quite a while at #499. Eventually they reduced the price to #299 to get rid of it and I jumped in with my magic plastic. I think it didn't sell for two reasons: firstly, people have a problem with shelling out #499 (about $900) for a 13-watt guitar amp. Secondly, the controls (such as they are - see other reviews) are at the bottom of the back of the amp, so they are about as inaccessible as they could possibly be. However, the 13 watts of A-class valve power that this thing kicks out are easily a match for a 50-watt solid state amp; and once you set the volume, tone and reverb level, you don't really need to touch them again. This amp is simply wonderful. I am getting used to other guitarists laughing at it - especially when I tell them that it is a 13-watter - until I plug in and play. Then their jaws drop and their conversation turns to which amp they will buy next. I'm not planning to buy anything else. It has an output for an extension cab, and I'm looking for something suitable to plug in there, then I'm done. Quality or quantity? Your money, your choice. If you can find one of these then buy it.

Hardly any features. Just the way any pure class A should be. There's a volume knob, Tone, Reverb,bright switch, high low instrument inputs and speaker out designed for a 16ohm speaker. I think that's it. Comes loaded with a 16ohm celestion classic 30. Covered in black tolex. BTW: All controls are located at the back of the amp. Old school baby!

Best sounding Class A for under a grand. Infact it sounds as nice as amps 3 times the price, seriously. The tone is sweet and punchy. I can't beleive the beuty of it's sound. It's a 15w class A with a pentode/diode switch allows you to cut the power into half (about 6w). The amp breaks up nicely at around 11:00 and overdrives with a sweet bit at 2:00. I've added an SIB Varidrive infront of the amp to give me some heavier overdrive tones. I use a Fender STD STRAT and Gibson Les pual and they both sound great through this amp. I would describe the tone of this amp being closest to an AC30 or Matchless tone. Sounds amazing! I can't beleive that I could actually find one. These amps are discontinued so unless you want to drop 1000+ on the Gibson version you will have to search far and wide for someone selling a used Vello. Let me tell you they are a rare find. The tone on this amp explains why.

Built well. The previous owner of this amp used it on lots of gigs. It's beaten up a bit but that's normal. I've been playing it for about 6 months now and it hasn't given me any problems.

n/a

I paid a lot for this amp. However, considering that they are so hard to find and they actually did retail for about $899 us when they first came out into the market. I'd say that I got a great dreal! The tone is just SUPER on this amp!

Not much to speak of. It's simply a Class A with the basics. Volume,tone,reverb,pentode and triode switchs, two guitar inputs (low and high), foot swich input, Bright switch and a 16ohm speaker out. All controls and inputs etc.. are located at the lower rear panel of the amp. I've added a foot switch for the reverb to my setup and may eventually add an extention cab. For now it's only being used as a recording amp...may need to ad the cab for LIVE apps. This is a 15watt amp that is capable of cutting it's power to less than half the wattage (6watts) via the Pentode/Triode switch. The controls actually make a big difference in shaping the tone on this amp. If you twist the tone knob enough your bound to get the sound that is needed/prefered. It's a basic amp. Very simple.

I've got two guitars that are used with this amp...A PRS Custom 22 and a Fender AM Strat. Both guitars just sing though this amp, partly due to the sweet sounding 12" Celestion that's loaded in the Velo. Both guitars bring their own unique character to the sound. The Velo allow for this to happen as it is smooth and very transparant. The tone that kicks out of this little guy is unbeleivable. Sounds extra Fat with HB's and full of natural tone in general, which is caused by the tubes (2 EL84's and 2 12AX7's)and ,of course, the amps Class A nature! The amp is very quiet even when cranked. It records with excellant results, really cuts through the mix. I would qualify the tone as bieng simmilar to a VOX or Matchless perhaps...that's the basic sound. Effects can always be added, I don't use them however. Sonically this amp is marvolous! it's dynamically loud without any shrill but rather tones of warmth...Gives me goose bumps just thinking about it:)

Seems to be built well. Made in England. Very clean layout. Transformers seem heavy duty. I've had this thing cranked for months at a time and it's still ticking like a Rolex

I hear that Gibson owns them now...Never had to deal with either company for warranty work or repairs in general. Have heard lots of good things about Gibson service though! The exact same amp is still being made with Gibson badging as the Velo12r has been discontinued. Tell you the truth, I still like the looks of the Velo much better. The Gibson version has a rootsier looking colour scheme but somehow reminds me of a Pig Nose...but that's just my opinion.

If you crave the Class A sound than look no further. If a heavy raunchy sound is your groove than look elswhere. It is what it is! I just love this amp, it fits with my playing styles perfectly (Blues, classic rock and jazz). You may hardly see these amps for sale on the used market as I've heard owners are keeping then. However, if you really want one you could by Gibsons version (Costs more,cause it's Gibson, but it's the same exact thing).

It's a basic amp. That's the idea! round the back (which is where all controls reside) you'll find a volume,tone and reverb knob. a bright switch to lighten things up. 16ohm cab out and high/low input jacks. I think that's it. It's a single channel Class A. Comes equipt with two EL84's and two 12ax7's, standard Class a setup. 15 watts really isn't allot of power when you thing about it. This amp however, is pretty loud. I could easily do small bar gigs with it. It's not very versitile, it wasn't designed that way.

Calss A all the way...this is one classy amp. When cranked the amp sings beutifully. Even at bedroom volumes it sounds rich and pure. The tone is very warm and dynamic. This amp is loaded with a Celestion Classic 30 which totally seems to be the right choice for this amp. It works marvolously! If you need more distortion than this amp can provide than just through a tube screamer or Full Drive2 infront of it and that's it. Great amp!

Built well. You can tell that this amp was built with some pride.

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These amps are becoming really hard to find. I was forced to pay 425 for a used one because they are in dimand and very rare as they have been discontinued. I could have paid the extra for Gibsons rebadged version of this amp but I came accross a used Velo and figured why pay more for something that is identical (except colour) besides the Velo looks much cooler! It's a vintage looking amp with vintage tone and modern day reliability. Grab it if you can

Not allot of features. Read the other reviews.

Plug in and Play! Excellant clarity. Beuitiful tone and warmth. I use a 92 Fender standard strat. Sometimes effects are added such as Fulltone Fulldrive 2, Maxon analog delay, MXR phase 100. I don't use the effect often though, the amp sounds fanominal on it's own. I use the Velocette in the studio mainly. It is being miked with a Shure SM57 with excellant results. Sounds very nice.

I bought this amp used. The previous owner had it for two years without any problems. I'm not worried.

N/A

The Velo is not the most versitile amp you can buy. Infact, it's very basic but effects can be added in front of the amp if necessary. How many reviews have you read about effect laiden amps were complaints are made against them? Too Many. Peramiters are too difficult to get right..., just can't get the sound I want... and so on! The greatest class A amps of all time (Vox AC30, Matchless DC-30, Orange Amps etc...) offer basic features. What does that tell you? The Velo 12R is right there, naked and true! some features are missing that may have come in handy like an effects loop, but who cares, really? This amp allows the beuty of your instrument shine through and it adds warmth to it. The Velo was created based on an Old World design, that's what makes this an awsome amp. You get the vintage looks and tone coupled with modern day reliability ,plain and simple...The Velocette 12R is a Tone Monster and ,ultimately, IMO a modern day classic.

Not a lot of features, yet I wouldn't call it a One trick pony either. The Celestion Vintage 30 speaker that comes with the Velo really does some justice to this amp. Other reviewers have swapped tubes and have experienced favorable results. I haven't yet, I'll probably pop some Tesla's in. Mine came with Sovtek's. One thing that won't be replaced is the Vintage 30 speaker. It sounds beutiful!

I decided to take a look at this amp on a friend's recomendation and All the hype that's made about this amp. A local music shop had one left. It was a floor model but in mint condition. I plugged into the Velo 12R with an Ash Body Deluxe Strat. I can't quite remember, but after the 5th or 6th chord that was played I unplugged the strat from the Velo and told the sales guy to wrap it up! I want to adopt this amp! What beutiful complexity this amp posesses, it sounds warm and very rich. The tone from the Velo is classic. Now, Tone is subjective but I can't immagine anyone plugging into a Velo and complaining that it sounds thin or dull. It's tone is milkshake thick. All that hype was right on the money, the Velo is clearly a winner. No wonder Gibson rebadged it and keeps producing this wonderful gem under the Gibson name (at a Gibson price). Great Amp.

I've had this amp for 2 months nd no problems. I'm the least bit concerned about it's reliability as the amp seems to be built well. Made in England with pure quality craftsmanship. The transistor problems only exsisted with the Velo 1x10 and even then it was only in the early batches. There haven't been any negative reports on the Velo 12r that I've heard of. Besides it comes with a two year warranty. I've heard that Gibson will honor the warranty on stuff like transisters etc.. even after the warranty is up. Either way, it's a class A tube amp. If tubes are chaned when needed and the amp is properly maintained from time to time than there shouldn't be any problems.

No Experience. I've heard Great things about Gibson USA (Current owner of Trace)

I've been playing for roughly 23 years. I own 16 amps and 12 guitars. Some boutique (Bogner, Matchless, Bruno, VHT, Top Hat, Vintage Fender) and some mass produced. This is a modest collection compaired to some. Although I have a pretty good selection of gear and a wide variety at that, the Velo is played quite often and suprisingly stands up the boutique stuff. This little amp has lots of character, it poduces a Vox / Matchless tone. It's a keeper! These amps are difficult to find so if the oportunity presents itself Grab It or I will!

There aren't many features to speak of here. It's a simple design and that's what it was ment to be. Just enough to keep things interesting. The Velo is a single channell All Tube class A with 12ax7 pre's and el84's in the power section. Mine came with Tesla tubes all around. A stereo effects loop would have been nice, granted this amp is all about simplicity and pure tone and not all those fancy bells and whistle. If effects are needed, just add them in front of the amp and your there. I mainly use this amp in the studio and sometimes practice in a live jams.

This is were things get hot. This amp shines with warm tone and fantasic detail. The amp really does what a class A is suposed to do, provide warm tone and purcussive detial. It's easy to push this amp past the 12 o'clock point without hearing loss. That's when things get really hot and the velo explodes with 3D tone, you hear every note and detail. If you suck than the amp won't cover your mistakes. It just tells it like it is. That's not to say that the Velo lacks charachter or is just raw sounding on the contrary, this amp has lots of soul. I use a Fender STD US Strat, it makes this puppy sing, with some help from me:) If you have great guitars than The Velo will sound awsome! If you play average instruments than you'll only sound great through this amp. I've been looking for an amp like this for a long time. It's a wonderful peice.

Seems very well built.

No experience but I have read great things about Trace and it's successor (Gibson)

I've been playing for 18 years now. I have owned several amps in a variety of flavours, The Velo is Fantasic. It's a keeper. If it were lost or stolen I would buy the gibson version to this amp immidiately. The Class A warmth is just wonderful. If you can find one, grab it!

I just picked it up last week. There was only one left at my local music store and it was sold to me as an NOS at a discounted price as this model is now discontinued. It has been re-encarnated as a Gibson GA15 RV (Same exact amp with a pumped up list price of $1199) since Gibson now owns Trace Elliot. I beleive mine is a 1999/2000 model year. The features are very basic. This doesn't necessarily make the amp any less versitile however. All that's needed are some pedals to add what may be missing (Heavy distortion/Overdrive etc...). It's a single channel amp that provides natural tube distortion when cranked. The rear panel where all of the amps controls reside sports the following features: High level input jack, low level input jack>>Bright switch>> Volume Knob>> Tone Knob>> Reverb Knob>>Reverb Switch input jack>> Pentode/triode (15w /6w) selectable switch>> 16 ohm speaker out and AC Power terminal. That's it. The versitility in power switching that this thing has is just perfect. You can go from 15w (Pentode mode) to 6 w (Triode mode) just beutiful. This means that at bedroom volume levels (when in 6w triode mode)you can acheive natural tube warmth without blowing the bedroom windows out of their frame. The triode mode is a tinge darker sounding as one reviewer reported, however, this can be adjusted by using the tone knob on the amp and/or the tone knob on your guitar. This little gem is a Class A amp with 2 el84's in the power section ans 2 12ax7's for preamp. I haven't messed around with swapping tubes yet. Mine came with groove tubes in the power section and I don't know what kind of preamps it has. Either way they sound fantastic. I will try other tubes eventually but like the saying goes: If it ain't broken why fix it. The 12r comes loaded with a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker. Trace also offered an alnico upgrade speaker at the time when these amps where still being made under the Trace Elliot name. The Velo 12R Alnico model was listed at $1099. The List on the Velo 12r with Vitage 30 is $899. An effect loop may have come in handy but it doesn't really matter to me because I've always used analog pedals in front of the amp anyway. This amp has been revamped and badged as a Gibson GA15 RV after Gibson bought out Trace. The Gibson GA15 RV is identical to the Velo, infact they are still made out of the Trace factory in England.

Very Warm and fat sounding. Oh lord What an amp! The picking dynamics are very responsive. If played hard the amp respands accordingly, Much like most tube amps do. This one does the dynamics thing beutifully. There's nothing like Class A warmth. The highs are shimmering and not ear shaving. The mids are punchy and lows are fat and tight. Perfect sound for Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock etc...except metal(Shredders need not apply). I've alreay had a chance to record with this amp and let me say this: It's Tone heaven each time I lay down a track using this Amp. The tonal complexity is second to none. I still can't beleive the Tone that pumps out of this thing, it's magical. I use an SM57 mic along with an Audio Technica 37R condensor to mic the amp. This amp really cuts through and records amazingly. I can get Voxy tones as well as the Matchless warm tube sounds and it's all good:) No studio should be without one. I have several other amps which have cost me well over 5-10 times the price of the Velo (Matchless Cheiftan 2x12, Fender Twin and Mesa Boogie Blue Angel)that sound as good as this one. I haven't giged with it, my initial intention was to used it in the studio only but you could certainly play a pub or smaller venue with this amp. The tone is so good that I'm sure I will take it to a gig sooner or later. This is a Boutique amp that just costs less. I would give it an 11 if I could, it's that good!

Too soon to say but it seems to be built well. The parts are very good to (Input jacks, switches etc...) I'm confident that with the proper maintenence this baby should last a lifetime or two!

NO experience, I've only heard good things about Gibson's costomer service so know that they own Trace I'm sure the same service quality will apply. The amp comes with a 2 year warrenty.

I've been playing guitar for almost 18 years now and have never come accross such a gem like this. The Velo has excellant tone and responsivness, at any price. It's a keeper for sure. Beleive me I've played, owned or have owned many boutique amps and this one is as great as any. If you could even find one them buy it, blind folded even! or the other option is to bite the bullet and pick up a Gibson GA15 RV. Either way the Velo 12r is a winner!

one volume, one tone, one reverb control. pentode/triode switch, bright switch, and hi/lo inputs. 15 watts of class A power that will throw plenty of sound, although it just gets more compressed-sounding from 12 o'clock to full bore. celestion vintage 30 12" speaker. great for rattling the living room and frightening small pets. simple enough that even an engineer can operate it.

has a really nice shimmer/sparkle at lower volumes with my Hamer Daytona str*t, and also sounds great with my Hamer Eclipse (stock Duncan firebird pickups). Slightly muddy at full-bore with humbuckers, but it does respond well to picking dynamics and rolling off the volume pot. reverb sounds very nice; I prefer it over my 71 Super Reverb for clean sounds. Full-bore works much better with single coils or the firebird pickups (I've heard P90s sound really nice with a Velo as well).

bought it as a NOS leftover, and it died inside of a month (merry bleep-bleep Xmas to me lol). turns out there were some cold solder joints (not the transformer issue) and the 2 years it sat in the warehouse didn't really do it any good. after the checkup (under warranty), it's bulletproof. keeping extra tubes/fuses is always a good idea on a gig, and I always have another amp for backup in the truck just-in-case.

Gibson has purchased Trace, and service and support is out of Elgin, Illinois now. I was skeptical about the warranty being honored on a NOS leftover from the pre-Gibson days, but the crew at Trace USA really came through on this one. Shipped it directly to Trace USA and it was repaired and returned in just over two weeks including transit times - that is fast turnaround. In addition to cleaning up the solder joints they put new tubes into the amp and went through it top to bottom. The techs there were very professional and I really wish other shops had this level of service - if I could give these guys a 12 for service they would deserve it IMHO. The warranty is good for 2 years from date of purchase, and I have no doubt that IF any future work is needed these folks will do an equally great job of it.

been playing over 20 years now, and it really has a great sound that is much different than any other amp I've owned. The clean sound has a shimmer that is just unreal with a str*t, and if it ever wandered off I would have to buy another immediately. It's a great amp for sitting on the back deck and noodling while watching the sunset, and I just wanted something light and portable that had boutique tone at a more reasonable price. I am amazed how loud 15 watts class A can get, and it will keep up on open mike night pretty well unless the drummer has arms like Popeye (if he does, mike it up and run it though the PA). Gibson version is pretty much just a cosmetic redressing along with a price increase, but I've heard the tone is the same so it would be worth checking out IMHO. If you can find a NOS Velo with the warranty, score it and pocket the savings. The only way it could be cooler is if it were plaid lol.

This is one great amp. Sure you can get a Marshall JMP-1 and a Marshall stack but you'll probably a) spend all your time tweaking to get sounds you'll never use b) have a "set and forget" setup where you'll tweak nothing or c) get the neighbors all pissed off and never write any songs, which is what amps are supposed to be about. The Velocette is just tweakable enough with it's volume, tone, and bright switch for one to get a wide variety of tones and still have time to write songs. If a part doesn't sound bright enough, just roll of the tone and you're ready to go. If you had a Boogie on the other hand, you'd also need to readjust the highs and lows, tweak the presence, fiddle with the gain... The Velocette is a good amp for those who just want to get a good sound instantly.

I've just got a Mexican Strat with Lace Sensors. I've got sounds from jangly R.E.M. to distorted Radiohead to fuzzed out Smashing Pumpkins. So maybe the sounds aren't dead on but I'm not playing in a covers band. The above sounds are just points of reference.

I've heard of people having problems with the transformer but I've been lucky so far. And yes, the thing will rattle a bit if you've got it completely cranked, but that's not really what it was made for. For me, it's primarily a studio tool. Jimmy Page used 15 watt amps all the time in the studio.

Never dealt with

If it were stolen I would get another one without hesitation. Unfortunately they're no longer made so it'll take some digging to find a replacement. The best thing about this amp is that it's the classiest looking thing ever.

NOTE: this is the bigger Velocette w/ reverb, not the 10" model.

Same as the little Velocette-10, but with pentode/triode (15W/6W) selection, 12" Celestion Vintage 30, and 3-spring Accutronics reverb (foot-switchable). Dimensions are significantly larger, nearly twice the size. Knobs for vol, tone, and reverb. Pentode/triode switch, and bright-switch. 16-ohm spealer-out (disengages internal speaker), and 1-High/1-low inputs. Low input is for when running as a slave from another amp, High is for direct instrument connection. Black leatherette covering w/ annodized metal corners and plastic handle. Velocette logo is painted on chromed metal, Trace logo is the newer one with a plastic plate.

Tubes (stock)= 2x sovtek 12AX7WB, 2x Tesla EL84 (sound generic, but OK)
***** (mine)= Ruby "silver special" (best preamp tube ever) and Telefunkin 12AX7's; Sovtek EL84's (sounds amazing and drives at lower vol)

Best sounding newer amp I've ever heard. I own other small class-A combos, but this one is the first that lives up to all the fuss. The tones are magical, and the its very responsive to pick dynamics. Very easy to modulate gain by pick force, and the its growl is beautiful and dark.. Triode sounds a bit "darker" than pentode-mode, but both are very useable and full of rich tones. This thing is VERY loud in both modes, but the tubes saturate at lower volume in triode. Comparing this to my 10" Velocette, the same wattage goes much further in volume due to the 12" 16ohm celestion vintage-30, which is very efficient and produces better precussive sounds. 15-class A watts are really too much for the 10" celestion, and the 12" is a better choice. You truly have play through this amp for an afternoon to have a concept of how versitile, tone-rich, well-designed, and beautifully loud it is. I would, in retrospect, pay retail for the $1000 Gibson version of this if Trace had never made it before the Gibson buy-out. I would compare it in overall sound to a Matchless 30, Vox-AC30, or vintage Gibson (which is what the design was based on) and thats an educated comparison for I've played/or owned both. The reverb is very nice and is moderate in terms of its maximum accent with the knob max'd. The three knobs are capable of all the adjustment one needs. They should be tweaked for each fuitar you use, but it's very easy to find the sound you want with this amp. As with the Velocette 10, the bright switch sees no use from me. It's a more drastic bright-mode than that of the Twin-Reverb, and results in a super-glassy sound that I just dont like, but some folks may love it, especially if theyre into trebble.

Sole Gripe: I don't understand why so many amp makers put shitty tubes in otherwise perfectly concieved instruments. The replacement of the tubes is critical for this amp to sound its best. Mine came with the old-stock silver-special and Telefunkin, and I was skeptical of this being an improvement, but indeed it was when I put the stock tubes in for comparison. Much better gain, and midrang throughout the power sweep. Pretty minor beef, since there are lots of tubes floating around out there that would bring this amp up to its optimal state.

One run of the first year Velocette-10's, from which my other amp was produced, had bad output transformers, but none of the Velocettes with the back-gril (the latter years, and the Gibson Goldtones currently made by Trace) have any reported defects. It's built very solidly, and the workmanship is highly detailed. The older ones did have nicer chrome on the corners, but thats nit-picky. Overall, the quality is as high as it gets in all respects. NO RATTLES when cranked, which is rare these days, and all of the knobs turn without a sound, as does the bright switch.
As w/ all class-A amps, the output tubes will have much shorter lives than in A/B amps, but my other velocette has seen nearly a year of regular use since its last new set, so this amp is more reliable in that respect than most class-A's.

Can't say with this specific amp, but heres my history with Trace's support: When my Velocette-10's transformer blew, 2yrs after its purchace and without a sales slip, Trace fixed it, fully retubed it, and cleaned it to like-new specs.... for free, including shipping. This was done quickly and without a hastle (and by their US shop, so it didn't have go back to the UK). Since then, I've become a loyal Trace customer and have purchaced this Velocette 12R, and a big all-valve Speed-Twin H100 head. Obviously, I trust this company very much and their tube amps. Tehy always reply to questions via e-mail within a day, and with helpful answerw. I assume that this won;t change under Gibson's ownership, for the company has been prettymuch unchanged by the merger up to now (except for the Velocettes being made with the Gibson Goldtone insignia now).

Best little class-A tube amp on the market for under a grand, and now that Matchless is no more, the best class-A amp being produced for any price (some would protest, but I believe it). Functionally, this is ten times more versitile than the Velocette-10, and the Vintage 30 speaker sounds much better than the 10" model. This is the one amp that I'll never part with for any price.

If you cant hunt one down used, the Gibson "goldtone 15R" is the exact same amp, made in the same factory w/ the same componets, as the Velocette 12R. It just got a facelift (brown tolex, gold gril/knobs, and a Gibson logo). Gibson Goldtone 15R's are available from most Gibson dealers from $930 w/ shipping (musician's fiend) to $1149-retail.

This is an update to a previous review.

Good as new!

My Velocette was one of the ones that went out with a bad transformer, so after six months, it failed. As for the rest of the amp, the tube sockets are mounted directly to the pc board. The tubes seem to be lasting quite nicely, especially for a class A amp. I immediately bought a replacement set of tubes when I acquired the amp, but I've yet to need them. The work inside the chassis is very clean and the parts all seem high quality, though for the list price of $699, I would like the tube sockets to be wired point-to-point like in my Sovtek Mig 50.

The good news is that Trace Elliot (Gibson factory in Elgin, IL) has repaired the amp and its good as new -- better, in fact! I emailed them about the problem and was responded to within 24 hrs. with a location that I could bring or ship the amp to. Since the location is about a twenty minute drive from my home, I opted to bring the amp in. It was repaired the same day and I was treated well. My Velocette was still under warrantee, though I hear that Trace/Gibson are replacing the bad transformers for free regardless of warrantee limitations.

If you can still find one of these, you might pick it up, especially since you can get them new (old stock) for less than $300. I use this amp mostly for rehearsals and gigs where a smaller rig is appropriate. Also, I use it for sessions through a Celestion G12-70M 16ohm cabinet.

Made in 1997, I purchased my Velocette new for $249.00 from Music-go-Round in West Dundee IL in January of 1999. This amp lists for $699, but Music-go-Round was blowing out old Trace Elliot stock. If you can grab one of these, do so. Their used market value is over $300, and they won't be around for $249 very long, I'm sure (I bought the last one atthe West Dundee store). This amp, though it has but a single volume, a single tone, a bright switch and a 16 ohm ext. speaker jack, is quite versatile. It is a hand-wired, 15 watt class A amp {louder than the average 100 watt solid-state amp}. What it does not have is why I rate it a ten (see sounds).

This amp is verystraight forward and kicks out some of the most desireable tube tone that I have heard. It sounds very much like a Fender Bassman (the 4 10 variety) with better compression. What this amp does not have is crappy distortion, boinging reverb, and a multitude of knobs that merely act to inhibit one from dialing in a righteous tone. What it does have is ... Balls! The amp works for all styles of music, but if you want high gain, you'd better get a preamp -- preferrable a Hughes & Kettner Tube King, Tube Man , or Cream Machine. I use this amp in three different projects. One is a Queensryche Tribute (I use a Roland GP8 for preamping and signal processing and run the ext out into a 16ohm closed back cabinet with celestian vintage 30). The other two are more in the Dave Matthews/Peter Gabriel style. In these projects I primarily play keyboards, but I run a Boss SD-1 into the Velocette. For these "lighter" sounds, I find the self contained 10" Vintage 60 to be more than adequate.

This is a Class A tube amp. Anyone who uses a class A tube amp better have something at the gig to back them up -- at least an extra set of tubes, since they run much hotter than class AB. These tubes will one day fail -- probably in less than a year. I'll have my GK MLE there to back me up. The two amps combined can practicaly fit into a small suitcase, so the room for an extra amp is not an issue. As far as the Velocettes reliability, I use it at rehearsals for up to six straight hours. It gets hot -- I would not touch those tubes, but it hasn't failed, and, other than the tubes crapping out, I believe that it will not fail.

The warrantee is for one year, and it has been my experience that if an amp is going to fail, it will do so within the first three to six months. I have never had to deal with Trace Elliot, and I'm hoping that the amp is as reliable as I think it is, in which case I will not be in need of customer support.

If it were lost or stolen, I'd be kicking myself for not buying two of them when they were being blown out for $249. Then I'd search for another blow out or a used one.

Just volume, tone, and a bright switch. I'd prefer a presence control, because the switch is not subtle and adds volume when on. I'd also like an ohm selector switch. 16 ohms is a strange choice, since you'll blow the amp up with a mismatch. I appreciate that I can take this amp on a plane as carry-on.

Used with a strat with the bright switch on, the amp goes from crisp and clean to detailed overdrive. In overdrive and/or with a pedal, the amp becomes very midrangey, but in a strong way. There is quite a bit of volume on tap, but balancing pedal levels can be a task (due probably to the small transformer). The tone control is effective but a little narrow in the affected frequencies. Bass level remains pretty constant, as does treble. I'd like to be able to cut treble without touching the bright switch. For its size, the velocette sounds big. The celestion speaker sounds nicely vintage and adds to the distinct sonic character. Overall I like the sound very much.

This is a point of concern. I worry about the little transformer, and class A eats tubes like popcorn. I've been having problems with rattling output tubes (Sovteks). hopefully this will improve with a new pair. Also, I was playing with the volume dimed one day when the volume suddenly dropped a level. Again, probably bad tubes, but this amp had only been out of the store a couple days (it was a demo). The handle feels a little jittery and makes a click. Not amusing.

I sent the amp in because of the rattling tubes and funky handle. A week later I got it back with nothing changed, as apparently everything was A-OK. Bulls--t. The guy running the show at the store reminded me that the amp runs in class A and that the speaker is cool. He also told me that tubes are not covered under the warranty. I guess it's normal for output tubes to last about A DAY. I called Trace Elliot America to ask about good replacement tubes. Shane at customer support reminded me that tubes are not covered under warranty. He also informed me that IT IS NORMAL FOR THE TUBES TO RATTLE IN A VELOCETTE. So I guess it's intentional. Why didn't anyone think of that before?..

I chose the velocette because it was small enough to tote as carry-on, loud enough for jamming with a drummer, and cheap enough to be bought by me. It sounds about as good to me as anything I've tried, but the unreliability and flaky support would keep me from buying it again. I'd probably just get an old champ or princeton or maybe a new pro jr.

Class A Tube Amp. Hand-wired. Made in Britain. Celestion Vintage 12" Bright switch. Volume, Tone, Reverb. Switch for Triode/Pentode function Basic practice amp with amazing sound. Wish it had Tremolo circuit. Loud enough for practice and small stuff. Super clean below 6 or 7. 8,9 and 10....really gritty. emulates old tweed sound Reverb OK but not as good as Fender

Play Blues, rock and Old surf stuff. Works great for me and my daughter usually play on 4 with tone at 12 and reverb at 12 (12=halfway) Only wish some of the gritty distorted sound would come in at lower volumes I use a Fender Strat and my daughter uses an Ibanez RX 40 strat copy. 15 watts blows me out of the house. amazing.....

Brand NEW. Can't tell. Bassist in shop said Trace Eliott is pretty much indestructable. Made me feel like I was buying something worthwhile.

Too New to tell

Love the way it looks. Speaker grill is circular and rest of front is covered with amp box. Has a cool little Velocette emblem that reminds me of old Indian Cycles. Definately a collectors piece. Love it !!