Preamp question

Truktek2 · #1 03-13-2011, 04:18 PM

A bit of a stupid question.......do people use preamps (either on-board or external) if your amp already has a preamp in it? I can understand if it's going directly into a power amp, other wise wouldn't it be two preamps in series? I suppose you can plug it into your effects loop bypassing the heads preamp, but what would be the advantage to that? A bit confused...

bassbrad · #2 03-13-2011, 04:27 PM

On board preamps and those in boxes are meant to work in conjunction with the preamp section of your normal bass amp. They can help to achieve some tones not natural to your bass either gain boost or EQ as well as adding some desired color that you may use for a particular sound or song. My main basses already have the sounds I want but others need a bit of help to not get lost in the mix so I use a Submarine to give boost and additional tone to my fretless basses and the Gibson G-3. Some preamp like the SABDDI and others have a desirable sound to add a particular amp color to an amp much as an amp modeler in other multi effects boxes.

bongomania · #3 03-13-2011, 05:13 PM

All amp heads contain preamps, and many basses contain preamps, and pretty much any tone-shaping pedal is a sort of preamp. So on the one hand you can have a passive bass straight into an amp head, and therefore have only one preamp in the chain; or OTOH you can have an active bass, and/or any number of pedals (switched on), and will have multiple preamps in series. Both ways have their pros and cons.

The pro of "only one" preamp is the greater "purity" or "naturalness" of the signal, as well as less opportunity for adding noise and hum to the signal. The con is you have a more limited range of tone options.

The pro of multiple preamps is the exponentially increasing range of tonal options, the more different types of preamp you have. The con is the increased opportunity and likelihood of added noise, hum, unwanted distortion, and unnatural or lifeless tone.

In both cases, it depends on how crafty or lucky you are in balancing all those factors.

Truktek2 · #4 03-14-2011, 04:49 AM

Thanks for the clarification guys...and so begins my descent into the black hole which are effects.....

Bassmike62 · #5 03-14-2011, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truktek2

Thanks for the clarification guys...and so begins my descent into the black hole which are effects.....

And a deep black hole it is... no light (other than the pedals' leds, of course) and cold, 'cause nobody (apart from us and a few select others) really understand what you're going through. They're all going "Oh yeah ? cool. " when you say you found a new pedal or effect, but they don't really care...