Do you use a preamp pedal?

[GrapeBass]

Not in the past, but I do now...

Lil'Tone Board for my semi-acoustic trio. For use with a Fender Jazz, a Squire VM Jazz (fretless), an Aria Febfluffen fretless and a Stagg Electric Upright

For my 'rock' gigs

 

[scubaduba]

With all of my basses (active or passive) in a direct to FOH environment I use a Shift-Line Olympic MKIII.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I also have a Source Audio Programmable EQ that I really like to use as well. This one has four pre-sets that can be programmed to even further tailor your tone based on the bass you're using (J-bass versus P-bass)...

 

[mattj1stc]

I use the Tech21 VT Bass Deluxe into straight the back of my amp (effects return), which effectively makes my amp a power amp only. For me, it's easier to have a smaller number of controls with wider parameters.

 

[Odinbass]

Between being forced to use backline gear, having my bass DI'ed out with no mic on my cab, complaints of loudness, and development of digital boards/IEMs................. I just decided to get most of my sound from the pedalboard and went to a Sansamp. That way no matter what the amp/PA situation I know that the audience is hearing something similar to what I am hearing.

They make so much sense even if it's not as sexy as working a big ole tube amp.

 

[maxschrek]

Discontinued and becoming a bit harder to find. I have three.

 

[Seashore]

My short answer is no... other pedals are fulfilling all the "preamp" functions I need right now. I'd love to try something cool like a Darkglass B7K. One day in a kinder future.

 

[GreyBeard]

I have a SansAmp programmable BDDI, Ampeg SCR-DI, and a Messa Subway pedal DI. I like the Subway pedal the most. It has 2 DI's one pre EQ and one post EQ and plenty of tone shaping and enough gain to drive any power-amp.

 

[bradd]

I bring my Dicosimo 360 pedal with me to every show, but only use it if the backline isn't working for me.

 

[Lowbrow]

I started playing before pedals were common for bass other than the occasional compressor, and I've pretty much relied on straight-to-amp for live work.
Since now i'm pretty much playing only at home, I find preamp pedals great for getting livelier sounds at low volumes and in digital recording captures.
I've enjoyed the VT Bass V1, SansAmp ParaDriver, Tone Hammer pedal, and find they often sound great in combination as well.
Currently my favored recording signal chain is a blend of clean signal + Xotic Bass BB Preamp (which is really more of an overdrive) into a VT Bass then into the ParaDriver.

 

[nilorius]

I bring my Dicosimo 360 pedal with me to every show, but only use it if the backline isn't working for me.

How can you determine your bqckline is bad?

 

[bradd]

How can you determine your bqckline is bad?

I didn't say bad, only that it didn't work for me. For example, on the last run I did one venue had an Ampeg PF350 into a BSE410 cab. I've never liked the tone of that amp, so I ran the 360 into it and did a slight amount of tone shaping on the pedal.

 

[Magthegrate]

I use a Tech21 Sansamp with DI and I love it. For practice, and small gigs, I leave my amp at home and go straight to the PA. For larger gigs, I'll bring my amp and cabs, but still run my preamp with my amp's EQ flat.

 

[Leo P Bass]

i´ve switched from a bass equalizer pedal (behringer beq700) to ampeg classic preamp
i know the eq can be more versatile, because of the freq you can tweak, but i´m pretty glad with de preamp
it es just what i was looking for... ampeg sound, easier to tweak the controls and modeling sound

 

[DrColossus68]

I use an Aguilar Tone Hammer DI for my main sound and then kick on my Xotic Bass RC Booster if I want more high end / active sound.

 

[TemplesOfSyrinx]

I answered no, but I sometimes do. If I'm not using my amp, I run a SansAmp VT bass di into the effects return. Easy to get my tone then.

 

[Tommy V]

i bought a sansamp bddi back in the 90's, and used it religiously until it died last year.. i had already decided to stop gigging when it died, so i didn't want to invest much to replace it for my final 3 shows.. i picked up an ultra-cheap behringer bdi 21 for those.. remarkably, it got me through without issue.

 

[foal30]

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.

Yes Sadowsky with passive bass

 

[Raw N Low]

I'm very picky/touchy about what qualifies as a preamp pedal. Most are simply 9v distortion/overdrive/fuzz pedals with the preamp prefix attached. I expect my preamps to provide the same level of quality and support of a rack mounted or encased unit. When running a preamp; I expect to be able to bypass an amps native preamp or run a power amp with full support.

Here is what I'm looking for:

• XLR support
• Volume that does not impact "OD, Fuzz, or Distortion"
• 12v - 24v of power (capable of running a power amp)
• EQ: Treble, Mids, Bass
• -/+ 12db volume boost or cut
• Send/Return effects loop

I tend to shy away from most preamp pedals because they aren't (to me) as advertised. The only two preamp pedals I liked were the Le Bass preamp and the DiCosimo Acoustic preamps. The Noble DI and Verellen Meaksmoke are also bonified dyed in wool preamps as well.

 

[SteveBassJr]

I have multiple pre amps. I have a main tube one that everything goes into and a few on my board.
Started with the Sadowsky and Aguilar. Then moved to the Shaw Tube preamp. I have a few Broughton pedals that give me my desired flavor.