Bass preamp pedal suggestions… please read!

[wohnjalker]

Hey y’all… so I’m looking to buy a new bass preamp pedal. I currently have a Sansamp Bass Driver V2. However I recently changed my cabinet from a 8ohm 4x10 to a 4ohm 2x15… I did this because I have a Hartke LH500 head, and wanted to get a matching Hartke cab that would take advantage of the LH500’s 500 watts @ 4 ohms. Anyways, I know the Sansamp is supposed to be great but I feel like I’m not getting the tone I want. So I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of a preamp pedal that would work well with my rig? Thanks in advance!

 

[Bassinthemudd]

The difference in tone between a 4×10 and a 2×15 cab is going to be huge. Are you looking for a pedal that makes your new cab sound like your old cab? If yes, it's not likely you're going to be successful. I'd suggest looking for a 4ohm cab with 10s, or maybe two 2×10 8ohm cabs. This would be flexible, 1 cab for lower volume situations, and 2 cabs (which would total 4ohms) for when you need more.

 

[Titch]

I'm assuming you bought the Hatke 215XL? since you said you wanted matching cab and amp.. is this correct?

I've never been a fan of preamp pedals or pedals in general, so my questions are:
Do you really need the preamp pedal?

Have you tried removing the preamp pedal from the equation and see how that sounds?

Are the settings on your amp and preamp pedal the same as you used for the 410?

 

[DrThumpenstein]

What do you play? What sorts of tones are you going for?

Also curious if you had a chance to audition the cab and if you maybe liked it better with a different amp. I’ve played 215s that I liked and 215s that were just mudfests. Never played Hartke 215s, which your post implies you have now.

Somebody is going to suggest this one, so it might as well be me:

It’s quite different from the Sansamp and has great tools to dial out mud if that’s the issue.

But really, it’s going to depend on your tonal goals, and whether they can be met with that cab.

 

[moon-bass]

There are so many preamps out here nowadays, the options are impressive. Start with your tonal goals - what sound(s) do you want? What do you want you bass to sound like, what type of music, what have you heard that you like, etc. So many options, it helps to narrow down what you are looking for.

Check out my thread as well, it may help.

My preamp journey

 

[Greg Pruitt]

I was not much of a believer in pre-amp pedals. I recently bought a small multi-effects pedal (Zoom MS-60b). Picked it up for a steal in order to try some of the Pre-amp models built into the unit. My current rig includes a rack EQ, and Rack Compressor/Gate. There are maybe 5 or 6 pre-amp models built into the MS-60b. The two standouts (IMO) are the SandsAmp and the MXR pre-amps. Even with the rack gear, I was amazed at how much head room I gained by adding the preamp to the sound chain. I am so impressed with it, that I am considering taking the rack gear out of the chain all together and doing all enhancements through the MS-6b. I am strongly considering buying a stand-alone Pre-amp pedal. My thinking is if the Pre-amp model built into multi-effects is as good as it is, a stand-alone unit must be better still. I say buy a Pre-amp pedal with hesitation.

I am looking at Demonfx Microtubes D7K, SandsAmp, Eden (used), Hartke VXL (used), or MXR. There are some deals to be had.

 

[javi_bassist]

I am a huge fan of preamp pedals. I think you can get very different sounds for different projects with just one pedal. I have used the Hartke LH and HA amps with preamps and I have to admit thet they combine really well with preamps. In my case, I have the Ashdown OriginAL, the Markbass Vintage Pre and I also use the HX Stomp. However, the thing is that you have to think what is the sound you are after. If you want an Ampeg sound, you may try the SCR DI. If you want the Mesa sound, go for the Subway. We can recommend you almost every preamp in the market, but you have to think about your tonal goals.

 

[Nebadon2000]

There are some nice Tube preamp Pedals available: Shaw, Arkam Oracle, Broughton P-15, Useful Arts BF-1, Markbass Etc.

Also nice ones from Origin effects, Trickfish, Genzler, GRBass, Aguliar, Darkglass and Ashdown.

Most likely you will have to depend on You Tube; will be hard to find good selection in Retail Stores.
And may have to use return policy's to eventually get what you want

 

[Greg Pruitt]

There are some nice Tube preamp Pedals available: Shaw, Arkam Oracle, Broughton P-15, Useful Arts BF-1, Markbass Etc.

Also nice ones from Origin effects, Trickfish, Genzler, GRBass, Aguliar, Darkglass and Ashdown.

Most likely you will have to depend on You Tube; will be hard to find good selection in Retail Stores.
And may have to use return policy's to eventually get what you want

I agree with you that the retail stores will have few examples for you to try. So, you are left with YouTube. I went through this looking for a multi-effects pedal. The problem with YouTube is there so many videos with terrible sound quality as to make it impossible to determine sound quality of the product being reviewed. However, if you go through enough videos, you may eventually find a few videos with good enough audio as to give you a taste of what the device can do. All are not created qual. But all will open tonal range you did not have before.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Welcome to the deep and highly personal rabbit hole that is the subject of preamps.

The Sansamp is a great starter pedal, but to me it always sounds like you're playing a Sansamp regardless of what bass you're putting through it. I've experienced a similar phenomenon with the various Darkglass preamps I've tried... B3K, B7K, Vintage Ultra, Alpha Omega Ultra... always "the Darkglass sound." Great if you like those sounds of course, but not necessarily applicable to all styles/genres/personal tastes... I've been covering everything from 70's

A good starting point may be something like the The Great Preamp DI/Comparison. Many around Talkbass love it, as it's a not overwhelming parametric EQ (with other tricks) designed around the EQ strip from a Neve (if I remember correctly) recording console. I have one that's been on all my board builds for a few years, and actually borrowed some settings fr Adds some warmth and allows for great tone shaping, without adding nearly as much color to your sound.

Along with @moon-bass' preamp thread above, there's also these two threads in particular. Both are extensive, and @scubaduba has put in an immense amount of work on the samples thread:
Tube Preamp/DI Sound Samples
The Great Preamp DI/Comparison

There are a few preamps on my list that I'd definitely like to try, but I think the top two at the moment are the Trickfish Minnow (not toobz) and the EBS Valve Drive DI (toobz).

The Trickfish was designed by Mike Pope and I really dig his onboard preamps. Jayme Lewis also has a great demo/impressions video exploring the Minnow, with the bonus of info included from his recording engineer perspective. It's long, but it's 100% worthy of taking notes from, even if you don't have a Minnow. I borrowed some of his settings for my Qstrip that refreshed my sound in a mix.

I've wanted to try a Valvedrive for a good while, as both a tube preamp and seeming like a "poor man's Noble" in my head. I can't justify the $$$$ for a Noble as I don't do enough studio work, and the EBS has some additional bells and whistles that I like the idea of.

That said, I cover everything from 70's rock & funk to modern pop and my current "preamp" is a combination of a 10-Band EQ and Bergantino cab impulse block in my HX Stomp, with which I am currently extremely happy with for both live amp and IEM situations.

Good luck with your search... Get a [drink/snack of choice] and some good headphones or speakers, and settle in for some researching. It may take trying a preamp or two (or three... or four...) before you find one that you really vibe with.

5sg.

 

[Greg Pruitt]

Welcome to the deep and highly personal rabbit hole that is the subject of preamps.

The Sansamp is a great starter pedal, but to me it always sounds like you're playing a Sansamp regardless of what bass you're putting through it. I've experienced a similar phenomenon with the various Darkglass preamps I've tried... B3K, B7K, Vintage Ultra, Alpha Omega Ultra... always "the Darkglass sound." Great if you like those sounds of course, but not necessarily applicable to all styles/genres/personal tastes.

A good starting point may be something like the The Great Preamp DI/Comparison. Many around Talkbass love it, as it's a not overwhelming parametric EQ (with other tricks) designed around the EQ strip from a Neve (if I remember correctly) recording console. I have one that's been on all my board builds for a few years, and actually borrowed some settings fr Adds some warmth and allows for great tone shaping, without adding nearly as much color to your sound.

Along with @moon-bass' preamp thread above, there's also these two threads in particular. Both are extensive, and @scubaduba has put in an immense amount of work on the samples thread:
Tube Preamp/DI Sound Samples
The Great Preamp DI/Comparison

There are a few preamps on my list that I'd definitely like to try, but I think the top two at the moment are the Trickfish Minnow (not toobz) and the EBS Valve Drive DI (toobz).

The Trickfish was designed by Mike Pope and I really dig his onboard preamps. Jayme Lewis also has a great demo/impressions video exploring the Minnow, with the bonus of info included from his recording engineer perspective. It's long, but it's 100% worthy of taking notes from, even if you don't have a Minnow. I borrowed some of his settings for my Qstrip.

I've wanted to try a Valvedrive for a good while, as both a tube preamp and seeming like a "poor man's Noble" in my head. I can't justify the $$$$ of a Noble as I don't do enough studio work, and the EBS has some additional bells and whistles that I like the idea of.

That said, my current "preamp" is a combination of a 10-Band EQ and Bergantino cab impulse block in my HX Stomp, with which I am currently extremely happy with for both live amp and IEM situations. I've found it to be a killer combo for covering everything from 70's rock to modern pop.

Good luck with your search... Get a [drink/snack of choice] and some good headphones or speakers, and settle in for some researching. It may take trying a preamp or two (or three... or four...) before you find one that you really vibe with.

5sg.

I have been on the yellow brick road quest for a few days now. Never considered a preamp until seeing what the modeling in the Zoom MS-60b brought to the table. Color, warmth, tone out the ying/yang, and that is from a non dedicated unit. So, I have a few more items to the list. As a noob to bass preamps, I cannot tell a DG sound from well executed fart in C-Major.

 

[fivestringgecko]

As a noob to bass preamps, I cannot tell a DG sound from well executed fart in C-Major.

You probably won't notice "the Darkglass sound" unless/until you start comparing with other preamps, but Darkglass is worth exploring to see if you like the sound. Their baked in EQ points aren't as warm as other preamps like "the Aguilar sound," but that's because DG primarily designs it's gear for heavier genres... and they excel at that modern metal/djent tone. Check out this video from Amos Heller comparing the different DG flavors: Do All Darkglass Pedals Sound The Same? (He also has more in-depth videos about each one, worth checking out if you hear something you like). They all have slightly different voicings, but it will also give you an idea of the general "Darkglass Sound" I'm talking about.

Trying a few different preamps from different manufacturers would be good to see what you like and what works best for what you play.

5sg.

 

[Greg Pruitt]

You probably won't notice "the Darkglass sound" unless/until you start comparing with other preamps, but Darkglass is worth exploring to see if you like the sound. Their baked in EQ points aren't as warm as other preamps like "the Aguilar sound," but that's because DG primarily designs it's gear for heavier genres... and they excel at that modern metal/djent tone. Check out this video from Amos Heller comparing the different DG flavors: Do All Darkglass Pedals Sound The Same? (He also has more in-depth videos about each one, worth checking out if you hear something you like). They all have slightly different voicings, but it will also give you an idea of the general "Darkglass Sound" I'm talking about.

Trying a few different preamps from different manufacturers would be good to see what you like and what works best for what you play.

5sg.

If it accounts for anything but, my Zoom MS-60b has several preamp models, and yes they all have different character and color. I would guess that the actual units provide more depth, but it is a start for someone new to bass preamps.

 

[BassyBill]

This week, I have been REALLY enjoying the sounds from my new Laney Digbeth Pre. Great piece of gear, and much more sensibly priced than the Tech 21 stuff, which always seems way overpriced to me here in the UK.

 

[fivestringgecko]

If it accounts for anything but, my Zoom MS-60b has several preamp models, and yes they all have different character and color. I would guess that the actual units provide more depth, but it is a start for someone new to bass preamps.

That'll totally give you the idea of how different preamps have different character. The MS-60B is the "single box" version of Zoom B3 which I've owned, and it's decent entry level stuff. But a dedicated bass preamp will have a quality and a sound that the the models in a budget level multi-fx (no offense!) can't match.

A lot of the cats in that Great Preamp thread have spent GOBS of money and time on testing and flipping the high end preamps, and can tell you the intricacies of Preamp A vs. Preamp B, and have shared much fantastic information and real life experience there. It's a great resource for those who can't afford to do that kind of gear chasing just to get that elusive 1% improvement in tone, or also those who may not know what they're looking for.

Having done a fair amount of gear chasing myself, I can say that you don't even really have to spend huge bucks to get a nice, solid improvement in your signal chain/sound. If you're someone like Sean Hurley who does a ton of session recording, a Noble makes sense of course. But if you're just starting out, get into something like a Two Notes LeBass to see if a tube DI is a direction you like. Or check out the Aguilar Tone Hammer to see if you prefer something solid state, because there IS an element of "feel" to tube gear. THEN you can decide if you want to start going deeper in your explorations.

Definitely take a spin through that Great Preamp thread, and do some Youtubing for corresponding demos. Then also hit up Scuba's sound sample thread.

But since you do have that Zoom, here's another good exercise:
Start with flat settings* and find a couple of your most favorite preamps in the Zoom that are "based on" real life pedals. Then see if you can get your hands on the real life version of those preamps to compare. You'll be surprised at the difference.

*Because factory settings in any multi-fx are often........ not good, particularly in the budget category.

5sg.

 

[Greg Pruitt]

That'll totally give you the idea of how different preamps have different character. The MS-60B is the "single box" version of Zoom B3 which I've owned, and it's decent entry level stuff. But a dedicated bass preamp will have a quality and a sound that the the models in a budget level multi-fx (no offense!) can't match.

A lot of the cats in that Great Preamp thread have spent GOBS of money and time on testing and flipping the high end preamps, and can tell you the intricacies of Preamp A vs. Preamp B, and have shared much fantastic information and real life experience there. It's a great resource for those who can't afford to do that kind of gear chasing just to get that elusive 1% improvement in tone, or also those who may not know what they're looking for.

Having done a fair amount of gear chasing myself, I can say that you don't even really have to spend huge bucks to get a nice, solid improvement in your signal chain/sound. If you're someone like Sean Hurley who does a ton of session recording, a Noble makes sense of course. But if you're just starting out, get into something like a Two Notes LeBass to see if a tube DI is a direction you like. Or check out the Aguilar Tone Hammer to see if you prefer something solid state, because there IS an element of "feel" to tube gear. THEN you can decide if you want to start going deeper in your explorations.

Definitely take a spin through that Great Preamp thread, and do some Youtubing for corresponding demos. Then also hit up Scuba's sound sample thread.

But since you do have that Zoom, here's another good exercise:
Start with flat settings* and find a couple of your most favorite preamps in the Zoom that are "based on" real life pedals. Then see if you can get your hands on the real life version of those preamps to compare. You'll be surprised at the difference.

*Because factory settings in any multi-fx are often........ not good, particularly in the budget category.

5sg.

The "great preamp" thread... I will search out that resource. Yep! have spend hours... and still looking on YouTube for a few things; videos with good audio, and good audio with the preamps I am interested in. Rare finds in deed. I like the tones in the Zoom model of the SandsAmp, and to a lesser degree the MXR. More important is the amount of tonal fidelity gained once any of the preamps are turned on. Which started this quest for a stand-alone in the first place.

 

[fivestringgecko]

The "great preamp" thread... I will search out that resource.
Rare finds in deed. I like the tones in the Zoom model of the SandsAmp, and to a lesser degree the MXR. More important is the amount of tonal fidelity gained once any of the preamps are turned on. Which started this quest for a stand-alone in the first place.

Both threads are linked in my earlier post.

Rare finds, eh? Curiosity then: which ones are you looking for that are so hard to find?

5sg.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Hey y’all… so I’m looking to buy a new bass preamp pedal. I currently have a Sansamp Bass Driver V2. However I recently changed my cabinet from a 8ohm 4x10 to a 4ohm 2x15… I did this because I have a Hartke LH500 head, and wanted to get a matching Hartke cab that would take advantage of the LH500’s 500 watts @ 4 ohms. Anyways, I know the Sansamp is supposed to be great but I feel like I’m not getting the tone I want. So I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of a preamp pedal that would work well with my rig? Thanks in advance!

I was going to suggest SansAmp...boy, do I feel stupid! The singularly best option would be a Fairfields Barbershop or their "always on" ModeleB. It will make your Hartke sound like a tube pre / tube power amp...seriously. It has no tone stack so you'll have to use your existing EQ and DI.

Riis

 

[Greg Pruitt]

I ended up buying this bad boy. Less than $90 bucks on Amazon. It's a clone? Yeah, so I've heard. This thing is fantastic, sounds amazing, is priced right, and has been the single biggest widening of tonal range ever to my rig! You can spend a lot more but, you ain't getting much more in tonal options than with this bad boy!

 

[Hypocrite]

I ended up buying this bad boy. Less than $90 bucks on Amazon. It's a clone? Yeah, so I've heard. This thing is fantastic, sounds amazing, is priced right, and has been the single biggest widening of tonal range ever to my rig! You can spend a lot more but, you ain't getting much more in tonal options than with this bad boy!
View attachment 4689977

It's not a clone; it's a counterfeit, a knock-off, a poor facsimile