Help me pick a new drive / preamp.

[dwagner]

My current rig consists of a Tuner into a Cali76 into an octave into a Noble. I'm in search of some sort of drive that also might have some expanded EQ capabilities. Mainly so I can get dirt into my signal and perhaps some extra tone shaping.

The Noble is awesome. The 2.5 band EQ is a little limited so was thinking it might be nice to get some added functionality from somewhere.

things I've used in the past:

Tone Hammer
Origin BassRig '64
Origin BassRig SV
HX Stomp

my biggest concern is low end loss. Specifically that below 100hz. I play a lot of large PA concert hall type gigs where there are large subs and I want to make sure I retain some of that 40hz body.

Give me your sales pitch! Obscure items welcome.

 

[Solude]

My one and done for bass guitar, boost through distortion, is the Darkglass B7K. You can think of the switches as boost/overdrive/distortion that are band split so you can boost the bottom and distort the top or any other combo you like.

 

[corvette_br]

I've never used it, unfortunately, but judging from specs and demos I'd say that the Broughton SV-Pre could fit the bill.

 

[4stringfarley]

Boss LS2 pedal. Turn any pedal into a blend. Find a dirt you love the sound of, blend in dry with the ls2 to keep that low end.

 

[JeffTCS]

Snag a Broughton Scorpion.



You're welcome.

 

[bassbrad]

@Sushi Box FX offers many tasty options for tube preamp / overdrive pedals that all sound fabulous on bass. Depending on how much grunt you need the Underground Accelerator is a great starting place. The Elementary or Dr Wattson or JC Emerald if you need a more rocking edge.

 

[sloppy_phil]

The Sushi offerings are most excellent, as are many many others. We are thankfully super spoiled for choice these days!

If you want lots of low end presence in your drive, I've got to give a shout out to the Wampler Belle. It's not considered a "bass" pedal per se, but the amount of control over your low end content is prodigious. I could use it to boost my bass WELL beyond the point of ruining a mix, but it's very simple to dial in the right amount for your tastes.

I put together a couple demo videos not too long ago, one of the Sushi Box Underground Accelerator, one of the Wampler. I didn't, in these demos, go over the bass knobs specifically, but I think you can hear, without even adjusting them from noon, how much low end range you can have on offer.

 

[mmbongo]

Darkglass Vintage Ultra. Done.

 

[Mrblackbeard15]

Maybe a spaceman redstone? Also could do the darkglass alpha/omega. That sounds pretty good in combo with the noble.

 

[Sugarbear08]

Sushi box devices are indeed special.

 

[Bass Blender]

I'm using the new Ampeg SGT DI preamp. I'm liking it a lot so far. Has cab simulators to blend in if you want, or you can turn that portion off altogether.

My current rig consists of a Tuner into a Cali76 into an octave into a Noble. I'm in search of some sort of drive that also might have some expanded EQ capabilities. Mainly so I can get dirt into my signal and perhaps some extra tone shaping.

The Noble is awesome. The 2.5 band EQ is a little limited so was thinking it might be nice to get some added functionality from somewhere.

things I've used in the past:

Tone Hammer
Origin BassRig '64
Origin BassRig SV
HX Stomp

my biggest concern is low end loss. Specifically that below 100hz. I play a lot of large PA concert hall type gigs where there are large subs and I want to make sure I retain some of that 40hz body.

Give me your sales pitch! Obscure items welcome.

 

[pbass2]

If you can find one, Xotic BB, hands down.

 

[r_bnks]

The one and only preamp I use.

 

[goodformetal]

If you can find one, Xotic BB, hands down.

This

 

[DaveParker39]

If you don't need a DI out or speaker modeling, Darkglass B3K.
If you do, Sansamp VT Bass DI.

 

[pbass2]

This

Why they discontinued them is beyond me. Very highly regarded by many pros.

 

[kev451]

My current rig consists of a Tuner into a Cali76 into an octave into a Noble. I'm in search of some sort of drive that also might have some expanded EQ capabilities. Mainly so I can get dirt into my signal and perhaps some extra tone shaping.

The Noble is awesome. The 2.5 band EQ is a little limited so was thinking it might be nice to get some added functionality from somewhere.

things I've used in the past:

Tone Hammer
Origin BassRig '64
Origin BassRig SV
HX Stomp

my biggest concern is low end loss. Specifically that below 100hz. I play a lot of large PA concert hall type gigs where there are large subs and I want to make sure I retain some of that 40hz body.

Give me your sales pitch! Obscure items welcome.

Sans Amp bass driver, I've tried damned near every preamp pedal you can think of, the only one which has remained is my Sans Amp.

 

[Mr Horse]

My current rig consists of a Tuner into a Cali76 into an octave into a Noble. I'm in search of some sort of drive that also might have some expanded EQ capabilities. Mainly so I can get dirt into my signal and perhaps some extra tone shaping.

The Noble is awesome. The 2.5 band EQ is a little limited so was thinking it might be nice to get some added functionality from somewhere.

things I've used in the past:

Tone Hammer
Origin BassRig '64
Origin BassRig SV
HX Stomp

my biggest concern is low end loss. Specifically that below 100hz. I play a lot of large PA concert hall type gigs where there are large subs and I want to make sure I retain some of that 40hz body.

Give me your sales pitch! Obscure items welcome.

I've recently started using a Tech 21 Q-strip and it has replaced the rack Sans amp RPM and an ART EQ/HPF-LPF I was balancing on top of my pretty tall rig.
It's super clean and sounds good before and after dirty and swooshy pedals.

 

[gstaats]

my biggest concern is low end loss. Specifically that below 100hz. I play a lot of large PA concert hall type gigs where there are large subs and I want to make sure I retain some of that 40hz body.

Give me your sales pitch! Obscure items welcome.

With modern digital mixers, if you need more low end, the sound guy will give it to you. Trying to shape EQ for FOH is futile as FOH will reshape your tone to fit the venue and their system. I'm usually more concerned about being too boomy. Seems like a lot of FOH engineers like to make the bass sound like car audio bass. They get an HPF of some sort Are you running ampless/IEMs?

 

[matante]

Your Noble offers like 20 db of bass boost. Why would you be concerned with low end loss? That's what the EQ is there for.