Battle of the Outboard Preamps:Sadowsky, Fodera, Aguilar, Other

For around $100, in my opinion, you just can't beat the Stewart UDP-1a. You can listen to it on the basstasters great preamp shootout page. It sounds great flat, but gives you boost/cut on treble and bass and a very useful variable notch filter which is good at removing feedback from URB or "honk" from electric bass.

Tom.

 

Fodera!!!
I've been using a Fodera 2000 preamp
for about 5 months now. Got it to use
with my older Walter Woods amp, to get
a useable electric sound. I bypass the
Woods preamp. I'm now useing it with all
my amps. Killer sound. As good as most
rack mount preamps. My workingmans 10
sounds incredible. I put it in the effects
return to bypass the stock preamp.
Big vote for Fodera!!

 

i really like the Sansamp BADDI. good features & versatility, and lots of great sounds.

another similar sounding unit to the Sadowsky for that Marcus Miller sound is the J-Retro floor box. i especially like the mids frequency dial. i use the onboard pre for my parts Jbass, and couldnt live without it.

speaking of the Sadowsky, Alex Aguilar helped to develop the Sadowsky preamp, so i wouldnt be surprised if they sounded similar.

 

Right now the Sadowsky outboard is on www.basstasters.com and soon the Aguilar will be too... now if someone would just send us the fodera, your questions could be .... partially answered...

 

i would stay away from the fodera. i just didnt find it to be tasteful. i went with the sadowsky but marks j retro was happenin too.

 

I just ordered a Raven Labs PMB-II. Because I also play URB I prefered the Raven over the other pre-amps.

 

I will say it somebody proves me wrong, you can't beat the fishman PRO-EQ DI.


Here is a review about it

Mark

 

I know that it might sound weird but I use a Zoom BFX-708 as a preamp. I have also used a Line 6 Bass Pod and a Fulltone Fat Boost both of which are more than $200 each.

 

I'll go for the SADOWSKY, it's just so simple and delivers the TONE every time....can't find anything I would replace with this unit...

 

you don't say whether you need a DI or not?

If you do need an all in one preamp/DI, to my ears the Sansamp was the best out of the Sansamp/Sadowsky/MXR choices. The Sadowsky is slightly better at what it does (bass/treble boost), but the Sansamp has more flexibility (presence/drive/blend plus b/t cut/boost)

If you just need a preamp, and don't care about DI, then to my ears the Aguilar DB924 was the best tonally. It's bass / treble boost only, but voiced very well. I have an OBP-1 (onboard version of DB924) in my Modulus Flea bass, and it sounds great.

That being said, maybe my requirements are different to yours. You have a passive bass. I have all actives, and play a lot of places round NYC with their own backline. To make it easier to setup, I generally leave backline amp flat and eq using onboard and offboard so I can change basses easily without messing with settings.

 

Hi Joker
I'm considering an outboard for my Lakland Joe Osborn. It has wonderful sounding Lindey Fralin pickups, but sometimes I don't have enough EQ with my Demeter 201S. I do have an option of making my Joe Jazz bass active because it has the cavity for a Bartolini setup. If I go that way than I will lose the passive tone controls if bypassed. So, I'm kinda liking the SansAmp or maybe the Sadowsky stomp boxes. I'm not really worried about DI because I have the best on the Demeter. Which would you recommend ?

 

i'd get the J-Retro, just for the sheer versatility of the mid frequency control. but it will sound very "active". very similar to the Sadowsky.

if you want a bit of an SVT like drive, try the Sansamp.

but if you want the most versatile EQ, then try a Raven Labs True Blue EQ. very transparent to hold onto your "passive" tone, but gives you incredible EQ control. great little box. i'm actually tempted to pick one up for my gigs, if i feel like just bringing my bass, and not my whole rig.

 

My homebrew JFET preamp sounds amazing. It's still under development but it's almost there. It has a headphone amp in it too and I can mix in a stereo signal (cd player) with my bass signal. Great for practicing. Great for plugging into a power amp. Total cost of parts - $50. Total cost of labour - don't ask, it's embarassing.

 

I'm in teh same boat. I'm looking for an outboard that won't detract from the LanePoors I have on the Acacia 6 I got. I haven't had a passive system for a while. I find the eq effects the volume too much.

 

Thanks JJ
Since you are familar with the Demeter 201S would run the True Blue through the effects loop or bass/eq/preamp. ??

 

What about Aphex Xciter pedals? I have read some nice reviews about it.

Jure