What is the purpose of an internal pre-amp?

[Gord_oh]

I always wondered since I've seen people install their own.

[Chinguschild]

On a bass you mean? On an amp you need a pre amp to make the signal from your bass usable to the post amp or power section.

Edit: If a bass is what you mean a bass pre amp usually adds some sort of tonal flexibility and usually makes the output hotter.

[seanm]

Passive basses have cut only EQ. A preamp on the bass, generally called an active bass, gives you cut and boost EQ. And can give more control over the mids.

Also an active bass also has less loss of highs over a long cable.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by Gord_oh

I always wondered since I've seen people install their own.

The main benefit is the low impedance output of an on-board, which eliminates signal loss and noise pickup in the cable connecting the bass to the amp.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

The main benefit is the low impedance output of an on-board, which eliminates signal loss and noise pickup in the cable connecting the bass to the amp.

+1, and it also pretty much eliminates different input impedance issues across various heads and preamps.

And... most on-board preamps also have variable tone controls, which can be quite handy when playing in a live situation (i.e., allowing for minor adjustments without going back to your amp mid song).

[BAW]

i saw an interview with marcus miller were he says how session players in NY would use preamps due to the lack of bass maps during sessions. i dont think im saying it right, ill let marcus talk for me,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hx-UYcUHQI
he says right in the beginning

[Gord_oh]

edit: I meant on board a bass. (sorry)
so does the amp build in on a bass meant for passive type basses then? since active already gives you the option to cut and boost EQ.

[wtf_is_a_bass]

If a bass has a preamp in it (meaning you can boost/cut eq), it is classed as 'active'. People put pre amps in their bass either to upgrade or change the one they already have or to make their passive bass active (which i will be doing to my passive sub anytime now )

The active circuit in a bass also tends to brighten it up a little, even without touching the eq.

[joeyl]

Originally Posted by BAW

i saw an interview with marcus miller were he says how session players in NY would use preamps due to the lack of bass maps

yeah, you need a good map to play bass

[GODSBASSMAN]

Come on, now. They call them "grimoires".

[Gord_oh]

Originally Posted by GODSBASSMAN

Come on, now. They call them "grimoires".

nice.