Amp/Preamp EQ Technique

[scrotimusprime]

Is there a good technique for eq'ing your amp if you have a pre-amp? Are there good things to push with the pre-amp and others that are good to push with the amp's eq?

Is there a gerenal technique for getting a well rounded eq? (aside from futzing with it for the next 6 months)

 

[bongomania]

First, read the link in my sig explaining preamps. Once you have a grip on which kind of preamp you're asking about, then maybe we can answer your question.

 

[scrotimusprime]

k so i've got an 18V obp preamp in my bass. Given your faq its got volume but i imagine the gain is fixed on the preamp. I also have tonal controls (Bass, treble, mid, where the mid is a push pull pot with a mid cut).

The way I lookat it is like, I can control all this stuff on my bass, I can control 5 times as much stuff on the amp.

I mean, I can start flat on both the guitar and the head, but its like, do I drive the bass high through the guitar or do I keep it flat and drive it high thruogh the head or do I do a little of both. That's the kind of dilemma I'm facing.

 

[NKUSigEp]

I mean, I can start flat on both the guitar and the head, but its like, do I drive the bass high through the guitar or do I keep it flat and drive it high thruogh the head or do I do a little of both. That's the kind of dilemma I'm facing.

That's where the magic happens. I'm not fond of "it's whatever you like" answers but this truly is one of those times where it's all about what your ears are telling you. There's no right or wrong way. More than likely, you'll end up doing 50/50 for EQ'ing between your amp and pre.

 

[RickenBoogie]

For an example, I run my amp pretty flat, and on my 18 volt active bass, the same. I'll adjust my amp's eq for the room I'm in, usually just a slight mid bump, and leave it set all nite. I can do minor tweaks from my bass more often, if needed.

 

[conebeckham]

I run my amp relatively flat as well, though I may boost or cut a wee bit of lows or highs, depending on the room...and if it's REALLY woofy, I'll use parametric to dial in the offending frequency and smooth it out a bit.

I play a six string with a three band, active 18 volt preamp (Bartolini) and I find that, for a more retro/old school tone, cutting the highs a bit, boosting the bass a teensy bit, and cutting the high mids, gives a pretty convincing, though more defined and balanced, sound. Oh, and I mainly leave the pickup balance centered...except when I solo, then it's usually a low mid boost, and I dial in a bit less neck pickup from the balance knob.

Again, though....experiment. Have fun.

 

[bongomania]

OK, so with an onboard pre it's like these other guys say, "to taste".

One thing to consider is the sound going via DI to the PA. You want that signal to be representative of your tone, but you don't want that signal to have any EQ changes you need to make on the amp onstage in order to hear yourself better, or to get the best tone from your particular speaker cab.

So e.g. you might want your tone to be based on the bridge pickup with a boost to the lows, great- that sound should go to both the PA and your amp. But then let's say that tone isn't cutting through the mix onstage for you, so you go over to the amp and turn up the mids so you can hear yourself and cut better. That's perfect, because you're still retaining control over (a) your tone and (b) your onstage sound, without messing up the EQ setting at the PA desk.

That's just one example though, there are a lot of other approaches that work.

 

[NKUSigEp]

One thing to consider is the sound going via DI to the PA. You want that signal to be representative of your tone, but you don't want that signal to have any EQ changes you need to make on the amp onstage in order to hear yourself better, or to get the best tone from your particular speaker cab.

Which is EXACTLY why I have an Aguilar Agro running into the single channel AG500SC and not the two-channel version.