Preamp pedal recommendations.

[Steve Fox]

Recently I took over bass duties in a local cover band. It's mostly classic rock with a few newer songs thrown into the mix as well. Since we are going to be playing out a few times a month, mainly small stages where having an amp on stage won't be practical, I need to put together a pedalboard rig. I'm not looking for the cleanest pedal on the market, I'd actually like something with its own character. Mainly I want a pedal that I can use for 100% of my tone shaping needs, within a budget of $400.

Right now my short list for pedals I'd like to try are the Ampeg SCRDI, the Sansamp VT, Walrus Audio Badwater and an EBS Microbass 3. Are there any other recommendations for a good DI preamp?

 

[Lammchop93]

All of those you recommended are great preamps. Another one to throw into the mix is the GK Plex.

can you share some tones you like? Might help us give good recommendations.

 

[Steve Fox]

All of those you recommended are great preamps. Another one to throw into the mix is the GK Plex.

can you share some tones you like? Might help us give good recommendations.

I generally like more of a modern vintage tone. Big and warm, but with some clarity. Maybe a little grit. I've always liked Ben Shepherds tone on "Burden in my Hand", or Rick Burch's tone from "Bleed American".

 

[HelpImaRock]

Unless you like the sound of the Scrambler on the Ampeg, I would go with the Tech 21. My personal preference is based on interfaces that are easy to dial in. The Walrus and EBS look more complicated.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

Used Plex.

 

[Lammchop93]

I generally like more of a modern vintage tone. Big and warm, but with some clarity. Maybe a little grit. I've always liked Ben Shepherds tone on "Burden in my Hand", or Rick Burch's tone from "Bleed American".

I would go sansamp VT DI

 

[two fingers]

I would get either the EBS or the programmable Bass Driver from Tech 21. That way you will have more than one tone at the tap of a toe.

Ever since I got my Mesa TT800 head (with two channels) I can't see myself going back to just one sound.

 

[Steve Fox]

Unless you like the sound of the Scrambler on the Ampeg, I would go with the Tech 21. My personal preference is based on interfaces that are easy to dial in. The Walrus and EBS look more complicated.

I tried the Ampeg di a few months back and remember the Scrambler being the part I really liked. Since it was at GC I didn't get a full impression, but I know a lot of people on here use it.

 

[grimjim]

I tried the Ampeg di a few months back and remember the Scrambler being the part I really liked. Since it was at GC I didn't get a full impression, but I know a lot of people on here use it.

I A/B'd the Ampeg, Tonehammer and Sansamp. The Ampeg had a more natural bass tone to my ears, so I went with that. YMMV of course. The scrambler was the thing I didn't like about it, but I really don't use distortion unless I'm playing metal and I have a whole other setup for that.

 

[MarkM13]

Another vote for the Tech 21 SansAmp Programmable Bass Driver. I used it all the time when I was in a classic rock band.
I'd set my bass and amp up for an overall sound for the room. Then the first preset was for old school blossoming low end. The second was overdrive and the third for slap. The only thing else I used was a compressor.

 

[Steve Fox]

I A/B'd the Ampeg, Tonehammer and Sansamp. The Ampeg had a more natural bass tone to my ears, so I went with that. YMMV of course. The scrambler was the thing I didn't like about it, but I really don't use distortion unless I'm playing metal and I have a whole other setup for that.

I remember really enjoying the lower gain setting on it.

 

[jschulman]

If you're looking for 'Big and warm, but with some clarity. Maybe a little grit.' then you might dig the Two Notes Le Bass. It's got two separate channels warmed up by a 12AX7...the A channel is clean and warm, and the B channel can go from modern cleans to overdriven to filthy. You can run them individually, or in parallel or serial, so there's lots of flexibility.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

SansAmp for sure!

 

[HelpImaRock]

I tried the Ampeg di a few months back and remember the Scrambler being the part I really liked. Since it was at GC I didn't get a full impression, but I know a lot of people on here use it.

Personally, the Scrambler wasn't for me. I bought a BDDIv2 instead and use other pedals for dirt. But if it works for you, then go for it.

 

[JohnnyBottom]

1 of the Origin Effects Bassrigs! I love my black panel 64. I get that old school sound through my modern rig.
Soundman love the DI as well.

 

[getBAK]

There are a million options. I'm not sure what character you want, but the Tech21 Flyrig has a lot of the stuff most would want in 1 package
Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig V2

 

[GreyBeard]

If you want clean with great tone shaping, the Mesa Preamp/DI is great. If you like a baked in Ampeg tone then give the Ampeg SCR/DI will give you that. And, if you want something with some great tone shaping and really good dirt, give the Aguilar Tone Hammer a look. These are the preamp pedals I have and like. I mostly use the Ampeg for the headphone jack, the Tone Hammer when I want some dirt and the Mesa for everything else.

 

[Cutter8]

ShiftLine Olympic MKIIIs

 

[matante]

Keep in mind that you don't necessarily need a preamp pedal for this. You can combine an overdrive pedal with a standalone DI box for far less than your budget. And you can add a second drive pedal as your other "channel".

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

I can't recommend Origin BassRig Super Vintage enough. Our dedicated sound engineer doesn't want me to play through anything else either. He says that it shapes the bass sound so well that very little is left to him.