Direct Only Rig - Anyone run multiple preamps?

thevintagesound · #1 02-11-2013, 05:14 PM

I am working on design/building/researching a bass rig for playing at church. We run the bass direct to the board with AXIOM IEM. I am shooting for something along the lines Geddy's current tone from Clockwork Angels. I know that he's running about 4 signals to the FOH. DI/Sansamp RPM/Orange AD200B/Palmers. However I will only be able to run one. So here are my thoughts: Split the signal to run a direct, maybe a bass preamp, then something along the lines of a guitar preamp (so that I can hit it with overdrives/fuzz and such) then run this all into a small mixer to mix a signal to run to the FOH.

I knows its a lot and will more than likely end up building the preamps and speaker sims myself.

Open to ideas....

John E · #2 02-11-2013, 10:50 PM

I've had good luck with the Sansamp Para Driver when I couldn't bring my own head to the gig.
A friend of mine uses the Sansamp Bass Driver as a pre into the FX loop return of whoever's head he borrows for the gig.

btw: The newer Big Muff Bass Pi has a nice blend feature mode where the volume only controls the amount of dirt put back into the clean signal. That might work out nice.

thevintagesound · #3 02-18-2013, 05:33 PM

Any thoughts as far as multiple preamps?

edwinhurwitz · #4 02-18-2013, 07:24 PM

Sure, why not? I think it's more of a question of which preamps rather than the concept itself. I used to run 3 Alembic pres in my rig and then also used Alembic pres before various amp heads, which is like cascading preamps. I've also run pres in parallel into a mixer like you are talking about, but I didn't explore it all that much because it wasn't the sound I was going for. I think it's a good concept but only you can determine whether it's the right one for you.

grouse789 · #5 02-18-2013, 07:31 PM

Are there not enough channels on the FOH board for you?
We are getting a new 32 channel setup at our church so when that happens I can get two channels. I plan on running the tech21 VT pedal on one channel for the dirty mid highs, and the Para driver DI box for the clean lows.
That said, right now I split my signal to both those units, then regroup them, and this is the sound the FOH gets at church.

https://soundcloud.com/teepeerock/geddy-lee-bass-tones-part-four

cheapbasslovin · #6 02-18-2013, 10:19 PM

How about using a Boss LS-2 or Wounded Paw V4 blender or the like and run multiple preamps in parallel, then have them all go to one clean DI box like a Radial JDI or equivalent. The blender pedal will let you choose your pre, and the DI will always be at the end of your chain feeding the FOH.

thevintagesound · #7 02-19-2013, 11:11 AM

I only have one channel for bass. Those clips sound very close to what I am shooting for. The only I have to work out right is a speaker sim circuit for a bass speaker. The highs drop off a little sooner than a standard guitar speaker so that shouldnt be too hard to work out in a circuit.

Lonnybass · #8 02-19-2013, 11:50 AM

I run several preamp pedals into the front end of my Alembic F-1x. I had been using a Eden WTDI for a modern sound, a Sansamp BDDI for a dirt/distortion sound, and now my 3Leaf Enabler is for a primary "clean" sound. All into a high quality tube preamp. Works great, versatile, flexible and doesn't require a road crew to set up.

Lonnybass