Preamp/ Toneshapers - ALWAYS ON?

JonnyAngle · #1 08-22-2011, 03:45 PM

For all of you VTBass, BDDI, Rustybox, Submarine, Microbass, Tone Hammer, Etc users...

If you use your toneshaper / preamp all the time, what do you do with the EQ on your amp. Obviously you want the pedal to shape your tone, so do you just look for flat eq settings on the amp?

behndy · #2 08-22-2011, 03:48 PM

i run mine (Rusty Box) into a power amp, so it's the only eq.

pretty cool if i get stuck with a backlined amp that i don't particularly dig on. just eq it as flat as i can and get the tone i like out of my preamp. that's why i keep it at the end of my chain. also for FOH DI duties.

heh. DOODY.

Deepwoods · #3 08-22-2011, 03:51 PM

I will go into the effects return or power amp in if the amplifier has the option, otherwise I will try to get a flat sound out the the amps eq and make adjustments on the outboard preamp.

JonnyAngle · #4 08-22-2011, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deepwoods

I will go into the effects return or power amp in if the amplifier has the option, otherwise I will try to get a flat sound out the the amps eq and make adjustments on the outboard preamp.

My thought process is, "Why not do the EQing on the amp then??

Bassmike62 · #5 08-22-2011, 04:00 PM

I use a PBDDI as an always on tone-shaper. My amp's EQ is quasi-flat.

EDIT: I usually go by the book... BASS > tuner > filters & wah > comp > PBDDI > chorus and other modulations > AMP

BassMonstrum · #6 08-22-2011, 04:13 PM

Always on, but nowhere near the end of the chain. My BDDI is followed by an EBS Multicomp, ISP Noise Decimator, Boss DD-3 and a Dunlop Basswah.

Lowbrow · #7 08-22-2011, 04:23 PM

Depends on the sound signature of the amp:

Mesa Walkabout = VT Bass always on, amp flat except to parametric-cut frequencies that my speakers disagree with.

Carvin B800 = VT Bass always on, slight cut on treble knob, tiny boost to bass and high mid knobs.

newbold · #8 08-23-2011, 06:04 PM

eden wtdi - not always on but mostly on. My amp sounds great vintage or modern but the eden doesn't cop that old school vibe as well (not that i'm complaining) so I switch it off when I need to hold back. It can be a bit much at times and with it's subtle (but awersome) compressor I have a bit of added control with that footswitch.

All in all, i could stand to leave it on all the time but sometimes i like to come up for air. What an awesome tone (but not the be all end all tone solution for everything...if i get rid of my pedalboard for a tube rig i think that's the only answer)

Jumbotron · #9 08-23-2011, 08:02 PM

My always on pedals are a multicomp into a PBDDI. The PBDDI is mixed in with its blender pretty low--less than half of the signal is wet--and it runs into my amp (Shuttle 6.0) which has the eq flat and a low boost button engaged. I've gigged without the PBDDI no problem, but I like it because it allows me to control gain and do some subtle eq tweaks responsive to different basses.

wolffman · #10 08-23-2011, 10:48 PM

amp set flat- dha vt1 eq- always on- live the DI is taken from the head pre eq- and the eq on the amp is used as my stage monitor- set so i can hear myself best

Timi · #11 08-25-2011, 05:17 PM

Using either a VT or a Leeds, I've got settings which sound best direct by testing them with a recording setup. By "best" I mean the closest to my AD200B being mic'd up.

When I play live I know I am sending a good sound to FOH and I can tweak my amp (GK MB500) settings to suit the cab/acoustic environment on stage. Usually the amp is pretty flat, sometimes pulling back the low end to stop it getting too boomy.

iD Entity · #12 08-25-2011, 07:20 PM

I'm using B7K preamp, and it's always on. I run it at the end of my chain usually, but experimenting with it at the front recently. The EQ knobs cover different ranges than my amp, so I can tweak both, but prefer to set my amp flat and use the B7K for the tone shaping. Just gives added flexibility to get my sound should I be using a backline amp.

henryjurstin13 · #13 08-25-2011, 07:52 PM

I always set my amp controls how I like them with my bass & other "normal" pedals. Then, once I add in the shaper (VT Bass) I adjust it's controls to further tweak my tones, i.e. -- I use both sets of controls, amp 1st & shaper 2nd. Often the amp controls get tweaked from stage to stage & room to room, to help adjust for minimal variances.

Simply put -- aren't 2 (of most things) better than just 1?