What is the best preamp?

Hypnotize · #1 09-30-2007, 05:04 AM

Hi I have MusicMan Sterling 94', Eden Traveller 550, and Eden 410XLT.

I am not satisfied with the sound. I am looking for a good slap sound, fat funk sound and an overall a better tone.

I was thinking about buying some preamp/DI box so I checked the SABDDI. I didn't like it at all, but I heard the Sansamp RBI is better.

So now I am considering: RBI, EBS microbass II, MXR M80, Rocktron Blue Thunder.

If you have more suggestions, please feel free to advise.

Thanks!

Trevorus · #2 09-30-2007, 05:12 AM

If you really want a radical change in tone, try another bass. Get a Jazz or something, and see what that does for you.

PUCKBOY99 · #3 09-30-2007, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hypnotize

Hi I have MusicMan Sterling 94', Eden Traveller 550, and Eden 410XLT.

I am not satisfied with the sound. I am looking for a good slap sound, fat funk sound and an overall a better tone.

I was thinking about buying some preamp/DI box so I checked the SABDDI. I didn't like it at all, but I heard the Sansamp RBI is better.

So now I am considering: RBI, EBS microbass II, MXR M80, Rocktron Blue Thunder.

If you have more suggestions, please feel free to advise.

Thanks!

BEST ???? Can't help ya' there....

BUT I've got a SansAmp RPM & a PSA-1.

The RPM is basically the same as the RBI, only it has a mid-sweep option as opposed to the presence knob of the RBI.

The PSA is mainly a guitar pre, but it has 10 KILLER bass amp mods/patches.

I've got the manuals on .pdf if you wanna peruse them before buying & FWIW, I've seen the RBIs & RPMs going for around $200-250 used, which ain't bad

PUCKBOY99 · #4 09-30-2007, 05:18 AM

Actually, here they are for anyone that might be interested:

SansAmp RBI: http://www.tech21nyc.com/pdf/RBI-OMv906.pdf

SansAmp RPM: http://www.tech21nyc.com/pdf/RPM-OM.pdf

SansAmp PSA-1: http://www.tech21nyc.com/pdf/PSA-OM.pdf

cybersnyder · #5 09-30-2007, 09:26 AM

Give modeling a shot. Keep an eye out for a good deal on the Bass POD XT at Guitar Center. With the new X3 coming out, I think they will be blowing out the XT stuff soon.

tremblap · #6 09-30-2007, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hypnotize

Hi I have MusicMan Sterling 94', Eden Traveller 550, and Eden 410XLT.

I am not satisfied with the sound. I am looking for a good slap sound, fat funk sound and an overall a better tone.

I've got a suggestion that might sound naive, but that culd save you thousands of bucks: try different strings. It is a painful process, but since I can get froma quite similar setup some killer slap and funk tones I would try canging the source...

Also, I was very disappointed by the EBS Microbass 2. It has he same tone concerns than the SABDDI for twice the price. The semi-parametric mids is great, but you can have that on a Para-Driver...

There was a good article on strings in Bass Player in December 2004 called Wind Tasting, where many, many strings were compared. Again, if you spend 100$ to try 3 radicaly different sets, you could assess he rest of your rig for quite cheap.

Good luck

pa

bongomania · #7 09-30-2007, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hypnotize

Hi I have MusicMan Sterling 94', Eden Traveller 550, and Eden 410XLT.

I am not satisfied with the sound. I am looking for a good slap sound, fat funk sound and an overall a better tone.

The thing is, any preamp pedal you buy is still going to have the EBMM preamp going into it, and the Eden preamp following it. That's three preamps in a row. See where I'm going?

Your first, best bet is to change strings as tremblap suggested.

The second thing is, if you can't get good funk and slap out of an EBMM and an Eden, the problem is not with those two pieces of gear, it's in how they are used. Try different technique, or have a teacher watch you play and make some suggestions. Be open to the idea that your technique may need work.

Also, have a teacher or some local heavy hitter bassist (not just your buddy or cousin who may think they know something) look at your EQ settings on both the bass and the amp. They are related, and they are fighting each other if you don't have them set up right to complement each other.

Fourth, try a different bass. Try a Jazz, and if you already tried a Jazz you didn't like, try a different one, they don't all sound the same. Try both active and passive.

AFTER you have done all that, then see about some outboard pedal preamps.