Favorite Onboard Pre-Amp

TheIrishOx · #1 03-14-2008, 04:16 PM

Alot of people I have seen so far don't really talk about thier favorite bass preamp. Which is funny to me because it can help out with your tone or even the versatility of your instrument. So what is your favorite bass preamp.

P.S- My favorite or better yet the one I have been really liking is the audere preamps.

Bass Below · #2 03-14-2008, 05:07 PM

I'm not really into active, but I may be auditioning the Aguilar OBP3 soon.

rob2966 · #3 03-14-2008, 05:19 PM

I am a big fan of the "stock" Sadowsky 2-band boost only design.

Later
Rob

Fealach · #4 03-14-2008, 07:31 PM

I like Alembic, Aguilar, Demeter, and Bartolini. Not a big fan of EMG; I've tried them (the version for passive pickups) and not been too impressed. Among the ones I named, I can't pick just one - they all sound excellent, but different.

hkroy · #5 03-14-2008, 07:43 PM

+1 to sadowsky pre + VTC

I put it on my Fender jazz, it's great and help out with my tone a lot.

the sad pre+nordy pups= A magic

pedulla1 · #6 03-14-2008, 08:00 PM

I dig Pensa-Suhr pre's. They are 2-tone wide band so they sound thick and phat.

Fuzzbass · #7 03-14-2008, 08:01 PM

Currently I'm liking the Sadowsky, but I'm very much interested in the Audere.

iamlowsound · #8 03-14-2008, 08:09 PM

I haven't tried too many out, but I am planning on putting a Audere into my peavey and I am planning on putting a ACG pre into a project bass that I am working on.

lowsound

basskopf · #9 03-14-2008, 09:16 PM

John East, based in the UK, makes fantastic pre-amps. I have the J-retro installed on my Fender American Deluxe FMT, as the OEM pre-amp was a disaster. I recommend that anyone shopping for a pre-amp try one of these. By the way, John gives excellent personal service as well. See http://www.east-uk.com/

eddybomb · #10 03-14-2008, 09:26 PM

I've got EMG's in 3, an MEC in 1, a Bartolini in 1, a Musicman in 1, and an Audere in 1.

I like all of them, but the Audere is the newest and gets the most attention right now.

lowbass68 · #11 03-14-2008, 09:36 PM

I'm not a big fan of active electronics, but my favorite was the HAZ Labs system used on Steinbergers.

Gintaras · #12 03-14-2008, 09:41 PM

I just put a J-retro in my latest project bass and absolutely love it. I also have had an Audere and really liked that also. Thou I don't have the Audere anymore, the plans are to order another one configured for my MTD Grendel 5.

grace & groove · #13 03-14-2008, 10:23 PM

To date, my favorite is the Demeter.

bongomania · #14 03-14-2008, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheIrishOx

Alot of people I have seen so far don't really talk about thier favorite bass preamp.

That's because there is a whole separate forum dedicated to that subject. The "Pickups and Electronics" forum. Check it out, there's a lot to read.

TheIrishOx · #15 03-14-2008, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

That's because there is a whole separate forum dedicated to that subject. The "Pickups and Electronics" forum. Check it out, there's a lot to read.

Yeah I'm kinda new to this whole forum thing. Whoops

Rob Mancini · #16 03-14-2008, 11:10 PM

My favorite preamp is my fingers.

bassrique · #17 03-14-2008, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowbass68

I'm not a big fan of active electronics, but my favorite was the HAZ Labs system used on Steinbergers.

What did you like about that pre? Would it fit any other basses [w/out the graphite and active EMG PUPS]?

Bass Below · #18 03-14-2008, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fealach

I like Alembic, Aguilar, Demeter, and Bartolini. Not a big fan of EMG; I've tried them (the version for passive pickups) and not been too impressed. Among the ones I named, I can't pick just one - they all sound excellent, but different.

I'm trying to decide between the Aguilar and the Audere, would you mind offering a comparison of the two?

I put Carvin Soapbars in my Squier Active Jazz and I'm really diggin' the sound I'm getting out of that combo, but I can actually hear the lack of quality in the stock preamp. The sound of it is good, it's giving me a nice thick, dark sound with a decent amount of definition... a combo that I've found difficult to achieve on normal scale length basses... but I hear slight static and break up/distortion in there as well and assume it's the crappy preamp, so I'd like to replace it with something of better quality.

Brad Maestas · #19 03-14-2008, 11:40 PM

I, too, like the Sadowsky with VTC.

In close second is the Fodera Pope 18V 3-band with coil splitter.

Mr_Dave · #20 03-14-2008, 11:42 PM

From the ones i've tried i like the Sadowsky with VTC the most.