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

[corndog]

I was pretty specific in my needs for a preamp pedal.

Need a DI
Want a little dirt on tap
Colour the tone.

I love the Ampeg tone but my head and cab are not Ampeg. Both are quite transparent.

The SCR-DI fit my needs perfectly. Still does. It’s alway on, set and forget situation.

The price has gone up on them since I bought mine 3 yrs ago.

 

[PotsdamBass8]

Don’t forget that many are made with more expensive parts, and of course there’s the design and development of the product that they’re charging for. Just because it doesn’t cost close to the asking price to make doesn’t mean they have to only charge parts and labor.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

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.

A few bucks, but only after the R&D, proto-typing, artwork, and tool-up for the production run.
Those things and the employees mortgage/college fund that you mentioned. As well as groceries and all the other costs of life, all figure into the price.

 

[chadhargis]

A few bucks, but only after the R&D, proto-typing, artwork, and tool-up for the production run.
Those things and the employees mortgage/college fund that you mentioned. As well as groceries and all the other costs of life, all figure into the price.

Yep...like I said....overhead.

Most folks would fail basic economics. They think just because it's a "corporation" it's making gobs of money and the owners are getting rich. My dad owned his own business and I saw it kill him. It's hard work.

 

[beaglesandbass]

I can't tell if this is trolling or not, but I'm going to let you answer your own question.

You wanted to replace a stock preamp in a bass:
Preamp recommendation for SUB Stingray

You bought a bass and replaced the tuners:
Pros/Cons on the Ibanez sr306eb?

Why? Because the parts you had weren't inherently bad, but they were lacking in regards to something you wanted.

There will always be a cheaper everything, that doesn't mean it is what people are looking for.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Yep...like I said....overhead.

Most folks would fail basic economics. They think just because it's a "corporation" it's making gobs of money and the owners are getting rich. My dad owned his own business and I saw it kill him. It's hard work.

+1 on that brother.

 

[marchone]

Color, tone, connectivity options and features can make a difference for a DI box if your amp doesn’t have a built-in one.

Broughton can sock you for well over $400. For far less both Mesa Boogie ($350) and Sadowsky ($300) are excellent choices.

And Noble for the win. $1200? With a 30-month production backlog.

 

[Altitude]

This video is what you're looking for, OP.

 

[darwin-bass]

Which amp head has the features you want? How much is it? How much would you expect it to be if they repackaged just the preamp from that head (no power amp) given that the preamp is where most of the work goes and the power amp is probably a reused generic module?

 

[darwin-bass]

Oh, and mine cost $750, though it does a bit more than you're asking for Line 6 HX Stomp XL Guitar Multi-effects Floor Processor

 

[rashrader]

Cool.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

I bought a pricey-ish one (not compared to Noble or Broughton) because it's made by by favorite amp company, so I'm familiar with all the controls and sounds, and it's loaded with cool extra features.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

How much does an XLR DI box cost? Most Preamps will have DI built-in. Not everyone uses them, of course.

In the range of $20- something, to over a grand.
Some amps have pre or post selection for D.I. some don't. Then you might want to know which your's is.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

anyone notice the OP has a grand total of 10 posts on TB, hasn’t answered and took all of you for a ride on the trollercoaster?

 

[Franz975]

How much does an XLR DI box cost? Most Preamps will have DI built-in. Not everyone uses them, of course.

Depend lol. You have some that cost 100, and you have those Avalon U5 for 1000 or something

 

[swagbotbilly]

SCR-DI gang reporting for duty

 

[Acoustic356]

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?

Under $300

 

[gregbackstrom]

Cavemann audio has a really nice cheap and full-featured preamp too…
Different needs, different product = more choices

Yes they do! I bought one and it is easily one of the best purchases I've made for improving my tone. (Other than my basses, of course.)

 

[CletusMarley]

I just snagged a very cheap Sansamp YYZ and it was exactly what I was looking for. I absolutely love my Alpha Omega but was looking for an always on preamp that cleaned up just a bit more but would go full on aggro. The YYZ does just that. The AO picks up where the YYZ leaves off if that makes sense.

 

[bherman]

My mesa subway di+ was worth every penny.

This is the one that I use and I agree. Robust EQ, studio quality DI, balanced line in, mute, boost, deep and bright switches, variable hpf, probably a few other things that I am forgetting. It's basically the front end of a Mesa Subway D800+.