Sadowsky outboard Preamp into Hartke 210c

[happytappin]

I'm new to this, but I have a Passive Fender American standard Jazz Bass 2010 into a Sadowsky Outboard Preamp into a Hartke 210c Combo amp. Now at low levels (on the Hartke) it sounds great, but put it past level 4 it sounds BOOOOOMY and over powers the speakers like CRAZY....now with a compressor up that just cuts the bottom out sounds flat, so I flattened the EQ's turned all the knobs to 0 except volume and still no good on the sound.

So could it be because basically two premap, the outboard AND the Hartkes amp is just too much?? Would someone just use Bass to outboard preamp into just bass cabinet??

 

[rodl2005]

I'm new to this, but I have a Passive Fender American standard Jazz Bass 2010 into a Sadowsky Outboard Preamp into a Hartke 210c Combo amp. Now at low levels (on the Hartke) it sounds great, but put it past level 4 it sounds BOOOOOMY and over powers the speakers like CRAZY....now with a compressor up that just cuts the bottom out sounds flat, so I flattened the EQ's turned all the knobs to 0 except volume and still no good on the sound.

So could it be because basically two premap, the outboard AND the Hartkes amp is just too much?? Would someone just use Bass to outboard preamp into just bass cabinet??

No, you cant use the Sadowsky pre straight into the cab-no power amp. But you can plug it into the FX return of yr amp, thus bypassing the Hartke pre amp.
If your amp has an FX loop.

 

[bongomania]

^^^ That's the best approach. Also, I don't know what compressor you were using, but it probably wasn't a good one. Leave it off. Set the combo amp's EQ flat, set the Sadowsky's EQ flat. Also, and seriously I mean no offense by this, but be sure to read the manual for the amp to be sure you have the right knob settings for "flat". Sometimes flat = all knobs fully counterclockwise. Sometimes flat = all knobs at noon. Sometimes flat = "2,10,2" (Fender-style tone stack, with knobs numbered 0 to 10; lows at 2, mids at 10/maximum, highs at 2). And there are many more ways too! On my fave preamp, flat = 8,10,2... go figure! Point is, make absolutely sure you know for a FACT what the flat setting is.

AFTER getting a good basic sound with the EQ flat, just make small adjustments from there--it should not take much EQ to get a decent tone.

Another thing, the combo's 210 speaker box may just not be able to handle the bassy tone you might like. Try getting ahold of a larger speaker cab, and see if using that doesn't solve your problems.

 

[happytappin]

Hey Thanks guys. @ rodl2005 my Hartke 210 c does have an Effects Return/Amp In.. in the back console, I'm gonna try that tomorrow. I have a feeling you're right as well Bongomania as, my setup might be pushing too much into the two 10 inch speakers. So I'll try doing, Passive Fender into Sadowksy Bass Outboard Preamp into effects pedal then INTO the back Effects Return/Amp in instead of the input in the front see if that solves something. Thanks to both of you!