• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Please pardon this nutbag of a question..

kawika5150

kawika5150

Mar 8, 2011
206
1
Island of Oahu
#1
..but again I'm new to all this effect stuff.

What is the main difference between the VT Bass pedal (not the deluxe model) and the Sadowsky Outboard Preamp? What the heck is an Outboard Preamp anyway, a separate device to boost signals?

Pros and cons?

I like my VT, however I wonder what the Sadowsky can do that the VT can't.

Again, sorry for the dumb question.
 
#2
It's like the difference between a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. Both perform amazing, some people just prefer one over the other.


If I grasp this correctly, Sadowsky calls it Outboard Preamp because their main business is building basses, and the electronics that go into their basses.
This is some sort of pedal version of the preamp they put into a bass... so not into a bass: hence the "Outboard".
It's just a name. I think my explanation makes sense, I usually do... think that I make sense that is.
 
#3
René_Julien;10827557 said:
It's like the difference between a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. Both perform amazing, some people just prefer one over the other.


If I grasp this correctly, Sadowsky calls it Outboard Preamp because their main business is building basses, and the electronics that go into their basses.
This is some sort of pedal version of the preamp they put into a bass... so not into a bass: hence the "Outboard".
It's just a name. I think my explanation makes sense, I usually do... think that I make sense that is.
Click to expand...

Rene_Julien is Exactly right, the Sadowsky Outboard Preamp, is Precisely what Rene said it is. It costs approx $239.00, direct from Sadowsky and its a boxed external version of their Internal Pre Amp and Electronics. It provides you the abillity, to Completely change the sound of Any bass, both Active or Passive. A friend of bothe my uncle and I just purchased one, so far our experimentation has been 2, Foderas an MG4 Imprial w/Duncan dual coils, and a Monarch Deluxe, w/EMG's. They are both supporting members here on talkbass, and Any Fodera provides such a unique sound, they were the Perfect candidates, they are both also Sadowsky owners so both kinda had an idea as to what the pre amp would do. The Sadowsky, for the price would make a washtub, with a rope and broomstick sound amazing
 
#4
Their really 2 different things
VT Bass is an emulation of the old Ampeg SVT and B15 amps including tone control and saturation like an amplifier
while the Sadowsky is the actual active circuit that they place in their basses in box which you can use to enhance any bass for recording or playing live thru an amp.
 
#6
kawika5150 said:
So the outboard preamp is basically an active circuitry in the form of an external (stomp) box that will enhance (in this case) a passive bass, whereas the VT pedal is not active circuitry - rather a device that boosts and shapes the tone?
Click to expand...

Hmmm... the VT also has active circuitry, just not Active Circuitry. ;)
The VT is a toneshaper, it has some colour and overdrive, a certain tonestack (equalizer)... praised for its amp simulation.
The SOP is a toneshaper, it has a certain tonestack (equalizer)... maybe falls into "active bass simulation", if there is such a thing.
These pedals offer great tonal control... although they deliver in different ways, for people with different tastes.

I'm not that familiar with the SOP, but if you like your VT and you want to complement it with more tonal control, there are a lot of regular equalizer pedals you might look into.
A regular BOSS EQ pedal might be a cheap way to go further with your exploration in pedals.

The question is: what do you want a pedal to do for you?
 
#7
If it helps, you can look at both the Sadowsky AND the VT Bass as preamps.

Both of them are toneshapers that will impart their own coloration to your tone and allow EQ adjustments (bass, mid, treble etc).

The difference is that the Sadowsky, like most onboard preamps, is a fairly mild coloration of your tone. But the VT's purpose is to make it sound like you are playing through a tube amp, specifically flavors of Ampeg (B-15, SVT etc) and thus colors your tone much more heavily.

The other very obvious difference is the gain knob on the VT which adds grit, overdrive or even distortion depending on where it is set while the Sadowsky is not designed to add any sort of clipping.

Again, both are basically preamps but one comes from the electronics package of Sadowsky basses and will give you some of that flavor and the other is designed to let you approximate Ampeg rigs.
 
#9
Is the MXR M80 Bass DI+ any different than either of these (apart from tonal differences). I love the M80, it fattens my tone, it has a distortion channel, and an XLR output. I got it mainly in case I have to play a venue that doesn't have a bass amp. I guess that's the DI part. It can go directly into FOH. But Sadowsky and VT can't?
 
#10
kokoshmusun said:
Is the MXR M80 Bass DI+ any different than either of these (apart from tonal differences). I love the M80, it fattens my tone, it has a distortion channel, and an XLR output. I got it mainly in case I have to play a venue that doesn't have a bass amp. I guess that's the DI part. It can go directly into FOH. But Sadowsky and VT can't?
Click to expand...

What is the specific use of a DI? How is it hooked up? I don't even know what FOH stands for.

I don't understand a lot of these acronyms.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back