Pearce BC-1 when I need a little more aggressive tone than my Thunderfunk head. I used a Pearce into an RBI to record with,and it worked great.I like having one channel clean,and the second mixed with the first with a bit of overdrive.Awesome!!!
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What Rack Pre's are you currently running?
- Thread starter stflbn
- Start date
tom....that is amazing.
someone please tell me they are using a hellborg.....
to me...the best thing ive ever heard IMHO of course. Would be keen to hear toms thoughts on it.
someone please tell me they are using a hellborg.....
to me...the best thing ive ever heard IMHO of course. Would be keen to hear toms thoughts on it.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,515
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- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
I have only heard the Warwick Jonas Hellborg gear at the 2007 and 2008 NAMM shows, but I'd love to spend some more time with one of those rigs, for sure.
I'm seeing quite a bit of stuff I've never even heard of. So to add to the list: my circa 1982 Roland SIP-301.
I've been loving the Thunderfunk 750-A (#12)! Head and power, in two rackspaces, with tons of connectivity. I love all the patching possibilities; it is super versatile and I love the sound. It slays my Walter Woods High Power Stereo in low end bump, transient response, and headroom, even though it is supposedly only 750 watts vs. the Woods 1000 watts bridged. It has really opened up a whole new world for funk playing. Super fast and super low is no match for it. It's like time slows down; I have more time to think between notes because as soon as the impulse is there, the note is there. You can run it without speakers, and without the fan. We recorded it along with a Raven Labs MDB-1 and a Countryman Type 85, and I liked the Funk the best, then the countryman, then the Raven. I do not like it as much for double bass; though when I run my Radial PZ-PRE acoustic preamp/DI before the input, it sounds great and matches the impedances correctly. This is with a Rick Turner piezo double bass transducer, a K&K Bass Max, and an Underwood.
For awhile I ran a Demeter HBP-1 into a QSC PLX3402; it sounded great, but I actually preferred the sound of my buddy's QSX RMX series; it was rated at less power, weighs about three times more but sounds much thicker and punchier to my ears! Much more satisfying bass. I'd keep your RMX if I were you...
The Walter Woods is really hard to beat as a lightweight all in one two channel go-to gigging amp. I use mine all the time, but it is not deployed on the front rails of Iraq...
Lately I've been trying out the Raven Labs Universal Stereo Instrument preamp and it sounds great; it's like a Swiss Army knife of preamps; even more patchability than the T-Funk. This USIP with the QSC RMX power amp was killer!!! The tone does not seem as bright and pure and clean as either the Demeter or the T-Funk, however. It sure is nice to have two channels, each with three sweepable EQ bands though.
The PZ-PRE has been scoring highest marks with engineers and soundmen, BTW. I absolutely love it as an electric bass switcher as well as a double bass piezo booster. You can turn the piezo boosters off and use it as a mini mixer--sounds superior to the Bassbone IMO. Even though I absolutely love its feature set, the bassbone caused much signal loss; why run it through something that's gonna suck out your volume and punch? The PZ-PRE sounds clean, with no signal loss.
Blah-de blah...
Nice rack Tom...
For awhile I ran a Demeter HBP-1 into a QSC PLX3402; it sounded great, but I actually preferred the sound of my buddy's QSX RMX series; it was rated at less power, weighs about three times more but sounds much thicker and punchier to my ears! Much more satisfying bass. I'd keep your RMX if I were you...
The Walter Woods is really hard to beat as a lightweight all in one two channel go-to gigging amp. I use mine all the time, but it is not deployed on the front rails of Iraq...
Lately I've been trying out the Raven Labs Universal Stereo Instrument preamp and it sounds great; it's like a Swiss Army knife of preamps; even more patchability than the T-Funk. This USIP with the QSC RMX power amp was killer!!! The tone does not seem as bright and pure and clean as either the Demeter or the T-Funk, however. It sure is nice to have two channels, each with three sweepable EQ bands though.
The PZ-PRE has been scoring highest marks with engineers and soundmen, BTW. I absolutely love it as an electric bass switcher as well as a double bass piezo booster. You can turn the piezo boosters off and use it as a mini mixer--sounds superior to the Bassbone IMO. Even though I absolutely love its feature set, the bassbone caused much signal loss; why run it through something that's gonna suck out your volume and punch? The PZ-PRE sounds clean, with no signal loss.
Blah-de blah...
Nice rack Tom...
I run an Alembic F1-X through a Crest CA-9. I still have not find anything that I like the sound of more. I like the sound of certain other preamps like the Aguilar DB-680, but I feel like I can use my Alembic for anything. I plan to add an SF-2 to it in the future.
So true! I just purchased this new HBP-1J at the beginning of May. Finally put it in my rack in time to try it out on two outdoor gigs this past weekend. Wow! My tone-freak guitar player was really impressed with the Ashly/Crown/Aguilar GS-212 setup I'd been running. He's REALLY impressed with the Demeter/Crown/Epifani UL-410 I used this weekend. The Ashly is an excellent sounding pre to my ears, but the Demeter takes things a bit farther with a touch more warmth and clarity...a bigger 'sound picture' for lack of a better description. Try running 2000 bridged watts into an Epi UL-410 and hear the voice of thunder from a single cab. I like!
P.S. I'm keeping the Ashly.
M. M.
- Aug 21, 2003
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- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
BBE T-Max or Alembic F-1X
I love either of these.
Not a fan of the Demeter (just not my cup of tea although its a nice pre) or any thing from Ampeg and SWR IMHO.
Dig the Kern though.
I love either of these.
Not a fan of the Demeter (just not my cup of tea although its a nice pre) or any thing from Ampeg and SWR IMHO.
Dig the Kern though.
Additional follow-up...
After a few gigs with the Sansamp PSA 1.1 I remain content. I've been using it for what I consider full stage volume gigs with a BBE Maxcom for Comp/Maximizer through my Stewart power amp into 2 4 ohm Avatar b210 cabs vert stacked running at 2 ohm. Very happy with the clarity in my low end and punch coming through live.
However, i've also just bought a Line6 X3 Live to use for a small stage or small room rig so that I only need to bring it, my Stewart, and 1 Avatar b210. Between the two I feel I can simulate about any sound I need, at least well enough to pacify my personal needs.
After a few gigs with the Sansamp PSA 1.1 I remain content. I've been using it for what I consider full stage volume gigs with a BBE Maxcom for Comp/Maximizer through my Stewart power amp into 2 4 ohm Avatar b210 cabs vert stacked running at 2 ohm. Very happy with the clarity in my low end and punch coming through live.
However, i've also just bought a Line6 X3 Live to use for a small stage or small room rig so that I only need to bring it, my Stewart, and 1 Avatar b210. Between the two I feel I can simulate about any sound I need, at least well enough to pacify my personal needs.
