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How about the Laney Digbeth preamp pedal?

I've now played mine with headphones using a fretless short scale...I like it for the range of eq adjustment, to me it sounds quite smooth. I still like the Tilt function for quick adjustments. Like most preamps on the market, it could do with a volume control for the aux in (my phone had to go really high to get reasonable output, but maybe I had the bass up too high). I've still yet to try with my big amp, but just for the eq range it's a pretty good, with the amp I'll play with the grit more 'cos with headphones it didn't sound that good (not the best headphone though)
I put my preamps through the FX loop and it sounds great.I don't own this one but if the build quality is like my Black Country Custom bass pedals it is built to last.
 
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My Digbeth preamp arrived today and after playing through it for a few hours, this thing is a winner in my book, I absolutely love it.
It is definitely its own animal and it probably wouldn't be my go to for a super clean tone, but it’s pretty versatile and would definitely be at home anywhere you’d want to use an SVT or an Orange. The fet side has a really cool light breakup when it’s pushed hard. There’s definitely a lot of warmth there, but it retains a great clarity.

The overdrive side is very surprising. I haven’t had good luck with preamp pedals that have a drive channel. Got some really fun KISS/Thin Lizzy overdrive and some gnarly doom tones at the upper levels. I’m sure I could get a decent “Snakes for the Divine” type tone.

The Digbeths eq seems user friendly enough. I really appreciate it having separate low mid and high mid controls as opposed to a single sweepable mid. The low mid toggle switch is a nice touch. I’m not sure about the tilt feature, but it could be useful if you gig with multiple basses.

As King Harvest pointed out, there are no tubes and I won’t say this thing sounds like it has them. It does seem to respond to your playing in much the same way as a tube preamp does in that harder you play the more you drive the preamp. But it’s old school solid state, just a really good example of it.

I think that the clean channel could do with a master volume, again it has a KILLER 70’s style SS grind. Other than that the only regret I have is that now I seriously have to consider buying the actual 500w head too!
 
Just found one on "Amazon Renewed" for $117. A Christmas miracle (if it actually works)! :cool:
I found a "renewed" model last night and made the purchase. I like the sound and its somewhat unique compared to most preamps.

This will be the "amp" in a wet/dry DI recording board I am working on. Dry side will be a DI. Wet side will be a Preamp doing an "amp pushed hard" plus whatever effects I choose etc. Like my guitar board, it will likely end up being filled with things I cannot get in the box. There are Fender and Ampeg sims everywhere I can put on the DI signal if I want that. The Digbeth is unique to my ear and I am excited to hear it in person. My only wish is that it was smaller.... :)

This old chestnut really convinced me on the tones...
 
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I found a "renewed" model last night and made the purchase. I like the sound and its somewhat unique compared to most preamps.

This will be the "amp" in a wet/dry DI recording board I am working on. Dry side will be a DI. Wet side will be a Preamp doing an "amp pushed hard" plus whatever effects I choose etc. Like my guitar board, it will likely end up being filled with things I cannot get in the box. There are Fender and Ampeg sims everywhere I can put on the DI signal if I want that. The Digbeth is unique to my ear and I am excited to hear it in person. My only wish is that it was smaller.... :)

This old chestnut really convinced me on the tones...


Hey Architect, yeah I really wanted to try this one out as well. The renewed one you ordered from Amazon is likely the one I had just canceled. I canceled the order because after about three weeks it still hadn't shipped. At least they don't charge your cc until it ships. Haven't decided whether or not to buy a new one since I prefer discounts... (haha). Invalid Link Removedcarries them as well FYI. Really hope you have better luck and would like to hear what your think about it if/when it shows up.
 
Hey Architect, yeah I really wanted to try this one out as well. The renewed one you ordered from Amazon is likely the one I had just canceled. I canceled the order because after about three weeks it still hadn't shipped. At least they don't charge your cc until it ships. Haven't decided whether or not to buy a new one since I prefer discounts... (haha). Invalid Link Removedcarries them as well FYI. Really hope you have better luck and would like to hear what your think about it if/when it shows up.
Interesting.. mine had not shipped either. Will see what happens..

Even at full price it's still not a bad price if that's what it takes
 
As an alternative, I have my eye on this Walrus. Waiting for a few more reviews.
That Walrus looks pretty nice, I was eyeballin' that one too.

Excellent. I am not likely to wait 3 weeks but I'll see how it goes. Should not be listed if it's not ready to sell. Waiting may be the cost of the discount
I hear ya, hope it comes through quickly for you.

While waiting for mine I've been trying to figure out some of the possibilities of the DigBeth for my bigger board.
Might end up something like this? I also have the other 9 standard MXR sized pedals (on the right) to experiment with before deciding which 3 will go in the middle/back row.







A pic of the actual board (out of the case) in waiting.
 
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Hey Architect, yeah I really wanted to try this one out as well. The renewed one you ordered from Amazon is likely the one I had just canceled. I canceled the order because after about three weeks it still hadn't shipped. At least they don't charge your cc until it ships. Haven't decided whether or not to buy a new one since I prefer discounts... (haha). Invalid Link Removedcarries them as well FYI. Really hope you have better luck and would like to hear what your think about it if/when it shows up.
Mine just shipped. Will let you know what shows up
 
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View attachment 4850155 My Digbeth preamp arrived today and after playing through it for a few hours, this thing is a winner in my book, I absolutely love it.
It is definitely its own animal and it probably wouldn't be my go to for a super clean tone, but it’s pretty versatile and would definitely be at home anywhere you’d want to use an SVT or an Orange. The fet side has a really cool light breakup when it’s pushed hard. There’s definitely a lot of warmth there, but it retains a great clarity.

The overdrive side is very surprising. I haven’t had good luck with preamp pedals that have a drive channel. Got some really fun KISS/Thin Lizzy overdrive and some gnarly doom tones at the upper levels. I’m sure I could get a decent “Snakes for the Divine” type tone.

The Digbeths eq seems user friendly enough. I really appreciate it having separate low mid and high mid controls as opposed to a single sweepable mid. The low mid toggle switch is a nice touch. I’m not sure about the tilt feature, but it could be useful if you gig with multiple basses.

As King Harvest pointed out, there are no tubes and I won’t say this thing sounds like it has them. It does seem to respond to your playing in much the same way as a tube preamp does in that harder you play the more you drive the preamp. But it’s old school solid state, just a really good example of it.

I think that the clean channel could do with a master volume, again it has a KILLER 70’s style SS grind. Other than that the only regret I have is that now I seriously have to consider buying the actual 500w head too!

How do you like it vs the NUX? Do you miss the cab sim/IR when using it?
 
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How do you like it vs the NUX? Do you miss the cab sim/IR when using it?


I don’t know that I can answer that definitively, they’re very different tools that I think are equally as good at what they do.

The NUX is an awesome box that still gets used when I need a really clean tone (weddings, churches, school fundraising events, drum corps). It’s awesome in a small room when I want the band to sound bigger, because it has cabsim. The drive isn’t that great, kinda fizzy. And the eq isn’t that strong (the MXR in that pic has a stronger eq by miles), but it’s pretty broad and easy enough to find a sound I’m happy with.

The Laney goes to the bar on rock night, has a solid clean tone but it’s drive is what sells it. The eq is weird, the low mid/switch situation takes some experimenting with. The tilt feature is cool but I don’t think it’s something I’ll ever use. A low/high boost switch like on an SVT would have been more useful, otherwise it has a kinda narrow eq range. Not any huge amount of bass or treble unless you use the tilt knob which robs from the other side. And it’s gigantic, and heavy. And the headphone out is too quiet. But sometimes it’s fun to have a big heavy fun amp on stage and it looks just crackers on a pedalboard.

As far as missing IR, I am the absolute wrong person to ask. I’m a complete luddite in that regard and the NUX is my only experience with it. I will say that the NUX needs its IR to sound good, the Laney just sounds good.