What Preamp???

[GrooveWarrior]

My church has decided to do away with on-stage amps, so I thought this was a great opportunity to get something fun on my board (or on the floor on it's own) that would cover the job. It doesn't have to have a DI, but I realize most of these do. Also, overdrive isn't a necessity for me, as I rarely use it.

Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Bassworship1]

I've been on a Preamp and DI journey for the last year and have tried alot of the heavy hitters like Mesa Subway Plus, Nordstrand STarlifter, Trickfish Minnow, SLO Tube Preamp, Noble, Reddi, RNDI, Ampeg, Firefly and more...The best I've found is the Nordstrand Starlifter. It is like having a Top Notch Studio tone for Live use.

 

[two fingers]

Of those, I would have to say the Subway would be the last preamp you'll ever have to buy. Just so versatile.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

We have great preamp threads like this one, but even with audio samples such as here, and the post following that, it's tough to pin this down without trying them in person. Probably tough in person too.

 

[Krisfield]

Get the Mesa Subway. It's a good one.

 

[John Stephen]

My church has decided to do away with on-stage amps....

I'm getting off-topic, but why? Is it for visual / esoteric reasons, or audio reasons, or other?

 

[Zbysek]

Many good choices on the market these days. I have been happy EBS MicroBass II user for years.

I would recommend a preamp with either cab sim or HPF/LPF...such as Q strip, Broughton Messenger, Broughton Studio One...

 

[GrooveWarrior]

I'm getting off-topic, but why? Is it for visual / esoteric reasons, or audio reasons, or other?

We just got a new board and in-ear monitors, and they want to keep the stage volume down, controlling everything through the house. Not my favorite way to do things, but I understand it. When you have different players week-to-week, it's important to have consistency and control over the volume.

 

[FutureTense]

I just recently purchased a Shift Line MK IIIs and it's pretty amazing. Worth a check if your budget allows. On that list, though, I'd go with the Mesa Subway. That's what I had been using up to now and it's a really good preamp.

 

[Mosfed]

Broughton Messenger

 

[silvertone]

To beat a dead horse: Felix by Grace. (Made in Lyons, CO).
This is my swiss army knife of tone.
Stoopidly expensive but worth it for it's tone, flexibility and capability.

 

[Dynomuttasaurus]

What, no Darkglass? Aleister Crowley would not approve of anything lesser.

Sorry, it had to be said.

 

[Lovep]

Mesa Subway Plus preamp

 

[GrooveWarrior]

What, no Darkglass? Aleister Crowley would not approve of anything lesser.

Sorry, it had to be said.

The Darkglass stuff all seems to be very OD based, and a little more than I want to spend. They all seem to be around $400.

 

[Flatwound]

I really like the EHX Battalion, although I bought mine used and didn’t find out until later that there’s no output from the DI. A workaround is easy, but shouldn’t be necessary. And it’s cheap.

 

[GrooveWarrior]

Mids are important to me. My tone most of the time is a mid-bump sound. Not necessarily Jaco, but definitely not Billy Sheehan mids.

I’ve actually been looking at the Providence Dual Bass Station. I love the idea that I can have a mid-boosted tone, and a mid-cut (slap) tone on one pedal that I can hit a switch to change between them.

 

[57pbass]

Sadowsky makes an awesome pedal.
Mesa Subway gives you amazing bang for the price.
Noble is amazing.
Shiftline is also great with great grind if that’s your desired sound.
To my surprise the Hartke pedal is another great value.

IMHO..the gold standard is the Alembic F1X is legendary but it’s a rack unit.

Happy hunting..so many great options available these days.

 

[GrooveWarrior]

I should have mentioned that I play a Warrior through a Euphonic Audio, so I’m used to a pretty clean, uncolored tone, but I’m not against some color and character.

I also have a NS Design NXT4 Electric Upright that I will probably start bringing along to add to the mix.

 

[nilorius]

If you had it on the list i would wote for Hartke tx600 tube preamp and d amp.

 

[GrooveWarrior]

Sadowsky makes an awesome pedal.
Mesa Subway gives you amazing bang for the price.
Noble is amazing.
Shiftline is also great with great grind if that’s your desired sound.
To my surprise the Hartke pedal is another great value.

IMHO..the gold standard is the Alembic F1X is legendary but it’s a rack unit

Sadowsky makes an awesome pedal.
Mesa Subway gives you amazing bang for the price.
Noble is amazing.
Shiftline is also great with great grind if that’s your desired sound.
To my surprise the Hartke pedal is another great value.

IMHO..the gold standard is the Alembic F1X is legendary but it’s a rack unit.

Happy hunting..so many great options available these days.

I have played 10 or 12 Sadowskys over the years, but have never owned one because I don’t like the tone. I know I’m in the minority, but that preamp is missing the mids that I like for my tone. I just can’t dial in something I like on them.