My preamp is the "always on" pedals on my board. Hyper Luminal > Phat Phuk B > SV-Pre > DSM OmniCabSim
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Do you use a preamp pedal?
- Thread starter mbell75
- Start date
Zoobiedood
Commercial User
- Sep 1, 2015
- 869
- 744
- 56
- Disclosures
- Writer/Ambassador/Artist/Resident Bass Expert for Seymour Duncan
I have several:
Verellen Meatsmoke Pre V2
Ideally I'd like to have the hybrid head, but living in Europe means shipping+customs make it a no-no. The Pre comes quite close to the full Meatsmoke sound though, it's way cheaper and more portable so it's an acceptable compromise imo.
Tronographic Rusty Box
My go-to for that Albini (or rather, Bob Weston) sound, pairs really well with my aluminium basses. Only slight downside is that it takes 24 instead of 9v.
EAE Model feT V3
Had the V2, gave it to my guitarist and got the V3 since it supposedly has better lows. Haven't used it properly yet, might make a mini-board around it at some point.
Fuzzrocious Broke Dick Peanut Gallery
Really nice write-up on it here. Got it for a good price, mainly because I generally really like Fuzzrocious. Haven't used it much since I prefer my other options, plus it's a primarily dirty preamp, which I find quite limiting.
Verellen Meatsmoke Pre V2
Ideally I'd like to have the hybrid head, but living in Europe means shipping+customs make it a no-no. The Pre comes quite close to the full Meatsmoke sound though, it's way cheaper and more portable so it's an acceptable compromise imo.
Tronographic Rusty Box
My go-to for that Albini (or rather, Bob Weston) sound, pairs really well with my aluminium basses. Only slight downside is that it takes 24 instead of 9v.
EAE Model feT V3
Had the V2, gave it to my guitarist and got the V3 since it supposedly has better lows. Haven't used it properly yet, might make a mini-board around it at some point.
Fuzzrocious Broke Dick Peanut Gallery
Really nice write-up on it here. Got it for a good price, mainly because I generally really like Fuzzrocious. Haven't used it much since I prefer my other options, plus it's a primarily dirty preamp, which I find quite limiting.
Agreed. I started hanging out here in 2008 and I remember seeing a few modified VTs with DI outputs, so they were seen as preamps back then. I think the VT Deluxe came out a little later (or I became aware of it a little later) and the VTDI a little more down the road. Never owned the Deluxe, but had 2 different VTDI units . I still prefer the VT Bass v2.
I can get by without one, and certain settings call for or demand I go without, and that's cool.
But if I have my choice, I have all the tone shaping I can get. Bass? If it's active, that presents the "profile" I send to the preamp pedal, which then contours to taste for the style of music. Then the amp sculpts that to the room, adjusts for position of amp relative to me onstage, or allows quick style adjustments (well, true of all three depending on mood). With a passive bass, the same is true for most music.
Also, I use my preamp pedal as my recording interface, and for the occasional fully-backlined gig, it's the perfect connection to the house system.
AND mine in particular is my preferred overdrive pedal for "touch of grit" to medium-heavy applications.
Your mileage WILL vary heh, esp depending on what kind of music you play, and to be honest, if you're doing fine without a preamp, then you clearly don't need one. But if you're hurtin' for some extra control, even if it's a clean boost or a one-step treble cut or something like that, a good preamp pedal is a really fantastic tool to have in the box.
But if I have my choice, I have all the tone shaping I can get. Bass? If it's active, that presents the "profile" I send to the preamp pedal, which then contours to taste for the style of music. Then the amp sculpts that to the room, adjusts for position of amp relative to me onstage, or allows quick style adjustments (well, true of all three depending on mood). With a passive bass, the same is true for most music.
Also, I use my preamp pedal as my recording interface, and for the occasional fully-backlined gig, it's the perfect connection to the house system.
AND mine in particular is my preferred overdrive pedal for "touch of grit" to medium-heavy applications.
Your mileage WILL vary heh, esp depending on what kind of music you play, and to be honest, if you're doing fine without a preamp, then you clearly don't need one. But if you're hurtin' for some extra control, even if it's a clean boost or a one-step treble cut or something like that, a good preamp pedal is a really fantastic tool to have in the box.
How do I get a Broke Dick? I need a Broke Dick in my life.
(seriously, this pedal's got a killer baseline tone even at "low" gain and I'd love to put one to work)
Yes the Voodoo bass is always on, it basically sounds like an old tube amp in the “pushed” spot , it sets my overall tone with mild compression ... the other two HAO pedals are for OD as needed.
I use an old basic tube preamp without any EQ, just input gain and output volume, and without any brand name tag on, so can't tell you what it is, followed by a graphic EQ for some slight adjustments, just boosting the bass, low mids and mids and cutting everything above 5Khz, ever so slightly (about 2-3 dB boost/cut).
I set the preamp so I just get an ever so slight touch of breaking up tube grid and warmth.
Run the preamp and the EQ as always on.
I set the preamp so I just get an ever so slight touch of breaking up tube grid and warmth.
Run the preamp and the EQ as always on.
