Need help with Pre-amp

[bassthunder100]

I'm looking for a preamp pedal i'd have on all the time to genreally beef up my sound and i know there are some great ones out there i just don't know what to go for.

I play fingerstyle exclusievley because it's the way i like to play

at the moment my current set up is

Rickenbacker 4000 and a Gibson G3 into my Ashdown mag300 Evo II

i would be greatful for some help

[TheMarkV]

i have a boss geb7 bass eq. and it acts like a preamp really well. it sounds fantastic, and for a lot cheaper then most other preamps. ive had it for a couple weeks now and have used it on a few basses and a few amps, but i still dont have any complaints about it. great buy for sure

[bassthunder100]

thanks =) although im willing to pay a bit for because i genreally want a good pre amp (not saying the geb7 isnt good) but yer i have been considering like.. vt bass
BDDI submarine tonehammer

i just have no idea what to go for

[Swift713]

What sort of tone are you shooting for in general? Do you want something super flexible, modern sounding, vintage, dirty, etc? The VT Bass will get you lots of Ampeg type tones, the BDDI will do similar things but, rumor has it, isn't as good for heavier od. The Tonehammer is a bit more modern sounding with a more flexible mid range I think. There are also Sadowski, EBS, MXR, Radial, etc. Then there are non-pedal types like the Bassbuddy, Fender, Avalon, any number of mic pre's etc. It's nuckin' futs.

[bassthunder100]

Originally Posted by Swift713

What sort of tone are you shooting for in general? Do you want something super flexible, modern sounding, vintage, dirty, etc? The VT Bass will get you lots of Ampeg type tones, the BDDI will do similar things but, rumor has it, isn't as good for heavier od. The Tonehammer is a bit more modern sounding with a more flexible mid range I think. There are also Sadowski, EBS, MXR, Radial, etc. Then there are non-pedal types like the Bassbuddy, Fender, Avalon, any number of mic pre's etc. It's nuckin' futs.

which one would you say is best for "dirt"
which one for modern and which one for vintage?

also do you know anything about the Electronix Submarine
it's pretty small and could be the bump im looking for
i was considering getting one then later getting a vtbass or BDDI to compliment it, after it in the signal chain.

[bongomania]

There's a lot of love for the Submarine on this forum. Definitely not a bad choice, with the only caveat being that something like the VT will be better at copping the "overdriven Ampeg" tone specifically.

[bassthunder100]

Originally Posted by bongomania

the VT will be better at copping the "overdriven Ampeg" tone specifically.

I have heard a lot of good things about the VT thats why i was thiking of getting one regardless if i got the submarine or not.. i think i will probably get both.. i was just wondering if anyone knew what they are like together.. i hear the VT bass makes distortion pedals sound better too wich is cool because i use a russian big muff

[meRTKendrew]

the submarine is just a tone knob, which by all accounts is exceptional at what it does, so if you just want fatten things up, that could be a good bet. The Vt is very versatile, and will definitely do dirty well if you want that. The tone Hammer is very modern and is normally used for that midscooped sound i think.
FWIW, id take the submarine in your situation.


-RTK

[ShowKing]

I have the sadowsky and VT bass.
Sadowsky is good for making your instrument sit well in a mix without adding color to your sound.
VT bass adds Ampeg colors, it is versatile from clean to overdrive.
It does midscooped sounds very well, but it does have a mid knob which will allow flexibility.
I dunno if i'd say the VT "beefs" up my sound for me, it just gives me a different tone to use. Maybe that's because i'm already using ampeg gear.