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I don't get $400 preamp pedals ...

P

Paco Notorious

Jun 23, 2019
11
15
#1
So, I am looking for a pedal that can boost, EQ and maybe color the tone a bit, possibly also with a DI out - in other words, a "preamp pedal".

A perfectly fine boost pedal should cost $100 or less, if it's a boost with 3-band EQ maybe $150. A combined boost/overdrive pedal with EQ options or a DI box would be about the same.

But once the pedal is branded as a "preamp" pedal, it suddenly costs twice or more - why is that?
 
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#2
Because there are people who see enough value in it to pay that much\. That said there are plenty of pedals that do more than what you describe and/or do it differently.....with tubes, cab sims, beautiful graphics, programmable interfaces/connectivity, etc etc. Further, many of these boxes are built by small companies (even 1 man bands) who do not have economies of scale. The market likes what they do enough to pay a little extra, and the exclusivity/ small production add to that. That said, you can get a Caline preamp pedal with eq for < 100 bucks.
 
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#5
Paco Notorious said:
So, I am looking for a pedal that can boost, EQ and maybe color the tone a bit, possibly also with a DI out - in other words, a "preamp pedal".

A perfectly fine boost pedal should cost $100 or less, if it's a boost with 3-band EQ maybe $150. A combined boost/overdrive pedal with EQ options or a DI box would be about the same.

But once the pedal is branded as a "preamp" pedal, it suddenly costs twice or more - why is that?
Click to expand...
I want you to be in charge of setting prices for everything.
Please start with fuel prices. Under a dollar a gallon would be nice.
Then the grocery store. Carrots... 25 cents a bunch. Tuna Noodle Casserole... 2 bucks for a family of four.
And I need a new set of flat-wounds... $5?
Thank you
 
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#7
The cost of something has very little to do with function. It's mostly a value or supply and demand issue.

If you wanna take an $800 amp and a $1000 cabinet to a gig, schlep it around, risk damage to it, etc.....that's fine. But most would pay $400 or $500 bucks to just take a small pedal sized box into the PA and rock on.

So $400 isn't so bad.

But what does it cost to make the preamp? Probably a few bucks. The rest is overhead and profit. It's how the people who make all those cool toys pay their mortgage and send their kids to college.

That said, there are a LOT of really good preamp/DI pedals for under $400. Here are a few I've used and know are excellent:

  1. Aguliar Tone Hammer
  2. NUX MLD Bass Preamp
  3. Two Notes LeBass
  4. Tech21 Sansamp
  5. Ampeg SCR-DI
  6. MXR Bass Preamp
  7. TC Electronic SpectraDrive
  8. Electro-Harmonix Battalion
 
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#9
chadhargis said:
The cost of something has very little to do with function. It's mostly a value or supply and demand issue.

If you wanna take an $800 amp and a $1000 cabinet to a gig, schlep it around, risk damage to it, etc.....that's fine. But most would pay $400 or $500 bucks to just take a small pedal sized box into the PA and rock on.

So $400 isn't so bad.

But what does it cost to make the preamp? Probably a few bucks. The rest is overhead and profit. It's how the people who make all those cool toys pay their mortgage and send their kids to college.

That said, there are a LOT of really good preamp/DI pedals for under $400. Here are a few I've used and know are excellent:

  1. Aguliar Tone Hammer
  2. NUX MLD Bass Preamp
  3. Two Notes LeBass
  4. Tech21 Sansamp
  5. Ampeg SCR-DI
  6. MXR Bass Preamp
  7. TC Electronic SpectraDrive
  8. Electro-Harmonix Battalion
Click to expand...

+1 for the Ampeg SCR-DI...
 
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#12
Bill Murray said:
You dont have to, but your Caline will never sound or feel like my Mesa.
Click to expand...

Caline would have to clone the Mesa in order for that to happen. As it stands, it's a BDDI V1 clone.

OP, I bought the Behringer BDI21 knowing it's a cheap clone of the BDDI V1. It's a perfectly cromulent pedal that sounds good and mostly sits in my case as emergency backup. If I were using it as my regular dirt or depended on it regularly, I'd absolutely get the actual Tech 21 BDDI V2 or maybe the VT Bass DI. Yeah, they're kinda spendy but they'd be worth it to me in that context. I question anything that costs more than the Tech 21 offerings as corksniffery, which I've certainly been guilty of before.

The great thing about this gear market is there are pedals for every budget. You just have to know what you want, and compare what's really under the hood. In the case of the above Caline example, it's really just a Behringer BDI21 in a different case, for twice the price.

If I were you, I'd get the MXR M81 or something from Tech 21. Also, buy used.
 
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#15
Old Garage-Bander said:
I want you to be in charge of setting prices for everything.
Please start with fuel prices. Under a dollar a gallon would be nice.
Then the grocery store. Carrots... 25 cents a bunch. Tuna Noodle Casserole... 2 bucks for a family of four.
And I need a new set of flat-wounds... $5?
Thank you
Click to expand...

Ooh, now do healthcare!
 
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#18
Fwiw, an option that's helped me is separating the preamps from the DIs. Keeps it relatively affordable and I can mix and match preamps based on need. Very helpful when recording.

I'm using these preamps at different times:
Xotic RC Bass Booster
Sushi Box Slampegg X
Sushi Box Particle Accelerator mini
Broughton SV-PRE

And these DIs:
Countryman Type 85
Radial Pro
 
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