AMT Brick "Alembic Tube Preamp" pedal

[Phaidrus]

The A bass is a bit warmer due to the preamp tube where the Crimson is cleaner.Both are good.The A bass is as you probably know modeled after the Alembic preamp and the Crimson after the B-15 port o flex. Two pretty different amps imo.

Looking for something to make my Little Mark Vintage amp head (already has a tube in the preamp section) sound warmer and thicker, for dub reggae. So added clean warmth and thickness is the goal. Which one would be the better option, you think? I'm not familiar with the Alembic preamp and sort of have an idea of what the B-15 sounds like.

 

[kevmac]

Looking for something to make my Little Mark Vintage amp head (already has a tube in the preamp section) sound warmer and thicker, for dub reggae. So added clean warmth and thickness is the goal. Which one would be the better option, you think? I'm not familiar with the Alembic preamp and sort of have an idea of what the B-15 sounds like.

I think you could coax the dub sound from either even from the Mark Bass by cutting highs and adding bass but I have seen a few video demos for the Crimson on YouTube that show different settings.I'm a bit of a preamp freak and own more than a few.One Control makes a nice product,I own 3.The Blue 360 might work also. Plus they are generally cheaper than others I own,good value.Youtube has demos on all their bass preamps.15" speakers work well for dub tones also.I'm sure others here can advise you better on Reggae-dub tones as it isn't my forte.Prymaxe carry One Control and usually have a discount code.No nasty tax either but keep that under your hat.

 

[moon-bass]

Is this the A-Bass or the O-Bass?

I have the A Bass. I like it.

 

[moon-bass]

Would the A-Bass work when used as a pedal (not as a preamp), in front of an amp head (that already has a preamp), to fatten up the tone?

Yes, absolutely. That's what I use it for.

 

[Phaidrus]

Yes, absolutely. That's what I use it for.

Thanks. I think I should just give it a go! I'll use it on top of a Little Mark Vintage head, which already has a tube preamp. So I suppose I should switch the A-Bass to "DRIVE" mode.

 

[Funky40]

For a fuller, thicker tone (no OD).

take a Arkham Oracle in case your funds allow !
I´ve read your Reggae "fat Bass" thread.
(quote taken from the tube rolling thread)

Looking for something to make my Little Mark Vintage amp head (already has a tube in the preamp section) sound warmer and thicker, for dub reggae. So added clean warmth and thickness is the goal.

i had the crimson red too. It was NOT working with my Bass.
I really liked it on my drummachine, though.
So, what suits is also dependend on your Bass !
my Bass has allready a good and strong working EQ, 4 band in fact, so the Crimson red gave me quasi nothing.
it just made the sound dull, ....and ....i don´t know. Its like a "pre-set EQ", .....and nothing more. I did add nothing to my sound.


For your fat-Bass Reggae would i claim that compression is a BIG part of that sound.
But: NOT only the compression from a compressor, but even more important the compression/saturation from a good tube Amp or pre.
The Oracle + a Gold Lion tube woks here better than a A-Bass. Also: is its EQ the perfect EQ partner for you to bring the lows out.

 

[Phaidrus]

take a Arkham Oracle in case your funds allow !
I´ve read your Reggae "fat Bass" thread.
(quote taken from the tube rolling thread)



i had the crimson red too. It was NOT working with my Bass.
I really liked it on my drummachine, though.
So, what suits is also dependend on your Bass !
my Bass has allready a good and strong working EQ, 4 band in fact, so the Crimson red gave me quasi nothing.
it just made the sound dull, ....and ....i don´t know. Its like a "pre-set EQ", .....and nothing more. I did add nothing to my sound.


For your fat-Bass Reggae would i claim that compression is a BIG part of that sound.
But: NOT only the compression from a compressor, but even more important the compression/saturation from a good tube Amp or pre.
The Oracle + a Gold Lion tube woks here better than a A-Bass. Also: is its EQ the perfect EQ partner for you to bring the lows out.

Grüezi und merci! The Oracle is quite expensive and it will get even more expensive as I would have to order it from the US in to the EU. So I suppose it's out of the question. I only play passive Pbasses, so the Crimson may work with them but I see your caveat. So I'm left with something like the A-Bass or, say, Markbass Compressore, which is a compressor using a tube, namely a two-in-one kind of thing, perhaps. Yet although all my gear is from Markbass and I obviously like the brand, I find the idea of the A-Bass more exciting. Or perhaps Compressore + A-Bass + Little Mark Vintage for maximum fatness.

 

[4Mal]

The Oracle is superb. The Slampegg is very good.

 

[DirtyDuke]

The Oracle is superb. The Slampegg is very good.

The Particle Accelerator is still a favorite

 

[4Mal]

Yep. Have the PA and Slampegg. Each assigned to a bass. Mixed via sFx micro-mix and on into the chain. Native mode the Fender tone stack is easy for me. The James is growing on me though.

 

[moon-bass]

The Oracle is superb. The Slampegg is very good.

I'm thinking about picking up a Slampegg. I have a Barber Linden that I love, I just wish it had gain/volume, and wondering how it would sound with tubes. Wondering how the Slampegg compares.

I like having the option of several tone stacks on my board. I have the A AMT on a board with two other preamps - it works great because it is so small.

 

[4Mal]

The Particle Accelerator is still a favorite

I'm thinking about picking up a Slampegg. I have a Barber Linden that I love, I just wish it had gain/volume, and wondering how it would sound with tubes. Wondering how the Slampegg compares.

I like having the option of several tone stacks on my board. I have the A AMT on a board with two other preamps - it works great because it is so small.

You do have quite the collection or preamps!

 

[Klangfarbe]

Looking for something to make my Little Mark Vintage amp head (already has a tube in the preamp section) sound warmer and thicker, for dub reggae. So added clean warmth and thickness is the goal. Which one would be the better option, you think? I'm not familiar with the Alembic preamp and sort of have an idea of what the B-15 sounds like.

You might wan' a consider the Eden Glowplug.

 

[Phaidrus]

You might wan' a consider the Eden Glowplug.

Discontinued, unfortunately.

 

[Klangfarbe]

Discontinued, unfortunately.

I know, but, you know, Google is your Invalid Link Removed.

 

[Btbp]

I have the GlowPlug and Slampegg, yet to have them on the same board but I feel they have different purposes, GlowPlug for natural grit and Slampegg for tone - it gets grit just fine but that's not my primary use. I just have to figure out where I would use the Slampegg vs. the SV-Pre.

 

[Phaidrus]

I know, but, you know, Google is your Invalid Link Removed.

Habe es gerade bestellt! Vielen Dank! Let's see how it sounds!

 

[el murdoque]

i had the crimson red too. It was NOT working with my Bass.
I really liked it on my drummachine, though.
So, what suits is also dependend on your Bass !
my Bass has allready a good and strong working EQ, 4 band in fact, so the Crimson red gave me quasi nothing.
it just made the sound dull, ....and ....i don´t know. Its like a "pre-set EQ", .....and nothing more. I did add nothing to my sound.


For your fat-Bass Reggae would i claim that compression is a BIG part of that sound.
But: NOT only the compression from a compressor, but even more important the compression/saturation from a good tube Amp or pre.
The Oracle + a Gold Lion tube woks here better than a A-Bass. Also: is its EQ the perfect EQ partner for you to bring the lows out.

I can second that. I bought the crimson, tried it in my setup (passive 6 string J style bass with flats) and it gave me nothing.
I liked the sound better when it was off and my bass was playing straight into the board.
I tried the AMT A-Bass, the Sushi Box FX Particle Accelerator, the Sushi Box FX Underground Accelerator and the EBS Valve Drive (v2).
They are all based on the Alembic/Fender Tone stack. I found the AMT and the Particle Accelerator quite close to each other, with the PA a touch warmer, but both very very good. The Underground Accelerator has the same tone stack on a circuit that is modeled after the Orange amp (I think), so breakup works a bit different, which makes it a bit warmer/rounder/softer/more musical IMHO. I could live with either the PA, the UA or the AMT on my board.

My dub sound has three more ingredients:
1. A Fuzzrocious BDPG v2. This comes first in chain (I usually used that pedal after overdrive to fatten it up) and does its magic.
2. A Cali76 Bass Compressor. It's used for both peak limiting and giving the sound that gooey texture when I dig in.
3. A high pass filter last in chain. That cuts off the excess bass frequencies, of which there are a lot.

 

[Phaidrus]

I can second that. I bought the crimson, tried it in my setup (passive 6 string J style bass with flats) and it gave me nothing.
I liked the sound better when it was off and my bass was playing straight into the board.
I tried the AMT A-Bass, the Sushi Box FX Particle Accelerator, the Sushi Box FX Underground Accelerator and the EBS Valve Drive (v2).
They are all based on the Alembic/Fender Tone stack. I found the AMT and the Particle Accelerator quite close to each other, with the PA a touch warmer, but both very very good. The Underground Accelerator has the same tone stack on a circuit that is modeled after the Orange amp (I think), so breakup works a bit different, which makes it a bit warmer/rounder/softer/more musical IMHO. I could live with either the PA, the UA or the AMT on my board.

My dub sound has three more ingredients:
1. A Fuzzrocious BDPG v2. This comes first in chain (I usually used that pedal after overdrive to fatten it up) and does its magic.
2. A Cali76 Bass Compressor. It's used for both peak limiting and giving the sound that gooey texture when I dig in.
3. A high pass filter last in chain. That cuts off the excess bass frequencies, of which there are a lot.

Nice setup of which I'm taking notice as I'm also working on my dub sound. Just ordered the Glowplug, new for about €66! It's my first ever pedal whatsoever and will put it in front of my Little Mark Vintage head amp, which already has a tube preamp section. Also considering ordering the Markbass Compressore tube compressor for extra compression and fatness but I think I'll wait and see whether the Glowplug fattens up the tone enough first.

 

[kevmac]

I'm thinking about picking up a Slampegg. I have a Barber Linden that I love, I just wish it had gain/volume, and wondering how it would sound with tubes. Wondering how the Slampegg compares.

I like having the option of several tone stacks on my board. I have the A AMT on a board with two other preamps - it works great because it is so small.

What's your thoughts on the Eden Glow Plug? I've been seeing it come up on this thread.I found one new from Japan for under $150 and free shipping.Does this sound right?