Ive always been a straight into the amp guy, never used any pedals and always passive basses. Been going thru different basses and amps lately and not super satisfied with my tone. Picked up an active bass and liked the preamp but couldn't dial the mids out and didn't really like the weight and feel of the bass. Decided to try a SansAmp Bass Driver V2 today and WOW! It really brought my amp (Rumble 200) and bass (cheap P bass with a Duncan Quarter Pound) to life! A way punchier sound now, just improved my sound quite a bit. Switched the pedal off and the base tone was just meh. Now Im wondering how I ever got by without one. Added bonus is I now also have a DI for venues that don't want amps onstage. Win/win IMO.
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Do you use a preamp pedal?
- Thread starter mbell75
- Start date
I happily used various SansAmp and MXR preamps in my first 10 of bassplaying and finally ditched preamps last summer. Took a while to adjust, but now I fully appreciate my souped-up Jazzes through the pedalboard and out of my Traynor amps. Works for me 
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I technically have two pres on my board - the Chase Bliss Condor and the one in my Noble. I use the Condor how one might use an amp EQ - adjust the tone of my bass a bit and shaping the drives. The Noble EQ I use as a sweetener right at the end.
I should also note I don't use amps generally - and am DI only when I gig.
I should also note I don't use amps generally - and am DI only when I gig.
Yes I do, the Broughton Mono Block. Back before this I had an Aguilar Tone Hammer. It has been years since I've not used a preamp pedal, it has always sounded better to me.
Yes I do. The Gallien Krueger Plex currently. I also enjoy the Tech 21 Bass Driver V2 although the Plex requires less stuff to hook up since it has a tuner etc built in.
Best wishes to all,
Brent
Best wishes to all,
Brent
Sometimes I do, but mostly for adjusting the tone and volume of two different basses to where they don't sound ridiculously far apart from each other.
My answer would be 'sometimes' - I really dig the sound of my basses straight into my amps, that's what I consider my tone (whatever that means). I have an Xotic RC Booster, which is a mostly clean boost and a Tech 21 Q Strip, which is clean but very tweak able. So if there's a sound eng at a decent venue, then I won't usually need a preamp. If we're running sound at a dive bar or street party, or I know the room and what's needed, I'll generally bring the Q Strip. One band uses a rehearsal spot with a backline that I don't like, so I bring the Q Strip every time there to get the right EQ.
Most of my basses are active with preamps on-board, but I also use a Helix and wouldn't change a thing!
Rock on.
Rock on.
Same here, but only with my passive basses. It revs them up in a nice way, and like @JimmyM said, if you switch from active to passive or basses that are quite different, it offers a little more consistency.
For the few times, that I can't use an amp, I use my 3 Leaf Audio Enablier, has pretty good eq, a good DI, and it's able to drive a power amp, when needed
I've read great reviews about that SansAmp BDDI V2 and how so many folks reviewing it stated they started receiving compliments on their tone.
I got one this past Feb and no kidding, as soon as I started using it, people started approaching me and stating how great the bass sounded lol. I wonder how terrible it was before I got the BDDI hahaha.
Yeah a good preamp/DI pedal is an awesome tool for bass. I'm using an Aguilar Tone Hammer DI.
