Dumb bass preamp question.

jcburn · #1 10-13-2010, 04:03 AM

Can I run a bass preamp such as an Alembic F1-x or Yamaha PB-1 (first 2 examples I could think of!) in front of my Hartke LH500 bass head. I would just like some more tone shaping than the head offers and would rather rack pre than an EQ pedal or similar stomp box.
Dumb question I know, please be gentle...

poisonoakie · #2 10-13-2010, 04:06 AM

You may. So sayeth The Oakie.

jcburn · #3 10-13-2010, 04:11 AM

Ha ha cheers man. Now last dumb question. Would I run it straight into the instrument input (has both active and passive inputs) or in the effects loop.

Son of Bovril · #4 10-13-2010, 04:21 AM

if you run it straight in then you can use both the controls on the pre and your amp, but you may have have to watch the gain levels when chaining preamps like this (I would suggest using the active input)

if you run it straight into the FX return then you will only be able to use the tone controls on the pre, this is the more suggested route but whichever works best for you...

you could also run it looped in the FX loop which is similar to the first method essentially

jcburn · #5 10-13-2010, 04:23 AM

Thanks guys.

lindseyp · #6 10-13-2010, 04:27 AM

You could run two ways that I have tried:

A) Plug into Hartke, Hartke loop out to other preamp's instrument in, that preamp's loop out to Hartke loop in, which lets you use the Hartke's preamp controls as primary and the other preamp as auxiliary to be punched in or out as required;

B) Plug into other preamp, use its loop out into Hartke's instrument in (or vice/versa), this should work as one preamp with double the controls. You decide which one comes first based on the sound.