Why do I need a pedal preamp?

[midichlorine]

Most of my gigs have substantial PA so I run straight DI with no amp
But I do have an amp when I need it.
So far no sound person has complained

 

[StrivingOn]

Most people get pedals for the same reason people put fancy wheels on their car, or pinstripes or a wing on the back.
You don't need them but it is nice to have and play with, most people have hobbies where you buy stuff just because you enjoy doing it but you absolutely do not need it.
It starts early with stamp collections, barbie dolls, Matchbox cars etc.
Why do you have to need something to buy it ?
Just buy what gives you pleasure.

I think of preamps and other effects as tools that will help me get the tones I'm after. Your motivation about buying things based on need or not, sounds frivolous to me. Enjoy your hobbies.

 

[amper]

I think of preamps and other effects as tools that will help me get the tones I'm after. Your motivation about buying things based on need or not, sounds frivolous to me. Enjoy your hobbies.

Yep. As a gigging musician, I have no interest in hauling gear I do not need to and from gigs and rehearsals. I have a preamp/DI because it has the sound I want, and it's a backup in case of amp failure (which, tbph, I have never experienced, other than the occasional fuse blowing, but I carry extra fuses, too).

 

[joel the bass player]

I need my pedalboard with a preamp/di at the end of the chain. I don't need an amp.

I like to have my amp, but most of the time I'm playing completely ampless. Home practice and playing at church has been without an amp for maybe the last 15 years? In my band we have been on IEMs for a while, but I still turn on an amp for some feel at rehearsal, and when we play shows I bring it out for the same (but it isn't a necessity). I want control over my sound and to be able to practice with the same sound, so a pedal board (everchanging) was the answer for me. It's easy to haul around and I can practice whenever I want without disturbing the family.

 

[Kurtenstein]

I have the EHX Battalion Bass, I bought it for the distortion but having the preamp is actually pretty useful when using different amps that I’m not familiar with. The DI with ground lift is a good problem solver too. And… it doubles as a headphone amp for practicing at home!

I'm about to buy a second-hand Battalion, for the overdrive and its eq, providing yet another tone option.

I'm interested in knowing how it can be useful when using different amps. There are a few rooms at our pratice space... and as many amps! Thanks.

 

[BigYo]

I'm about to buy a second-hand Battalion, for the overdrive and its eq, providing yet another tone option.

I'm interested in knowing how it can be useful when using different amps. There are a few rooms at our pratice space... and as many amps! Thanks.

So if you have a situation where you may be dealing with an unfamiliar amp, you can plug the Battalion (or other preamp pedal) into the Effects Return of the amp which bypasses the amplifier's preamp. You are just using the power amp. This gives you a fairly consistent tone from amp to amp. Note that doing it this way means that you will not be able to use any of the EQ or other tone-shaping features of the amp. Instead, the controls on the pedal handle all of the tone shaping. There may be some subtle coloration because of different cabinets, but most of the other variables are removed this way.

 

[Kurtenstein]

So if you have a situation where you may be dealing with an unfamiliar amp, you can plug the Battalion (or other preamp pedal) into the Effects Return of the amp which bypasses the amplifier's preamp. You are just using the power amp. This gives you a fairly consistent tone from amp to amp. Note that doing it this way means that you will not be able to use any of the EQ or other tone-shaping features of the amp. Instead, the controls on the pedal handle all of the tone shaping. There may be some subtle coloration because of different cabinets, but most of the other variables are removed this way.

Thank you for that fundamental information!!! I didn't get that... It changes a lot of things!!!!

 

[Kurtenstein]

So if you have a situation where you may be dealing with an unfamiliar amp, you can plug the Battalion (or other preamp pedal) into the Effects Return of the amp which bypasses the amplifier's preamp. You are just using the power amp. This gives you a fairly consistent tone from amp to amp. Note that doing it this way means that you will not be able to use any of the EQ or other tone-shaping features of the amp. Instead, the controls on the pedal handle all of the tone shaping. There may be some subtle coloration because of different cabinets, but most of the other variables are removed this way.

Real basic question: do I plug the bass in the Battalion input... or in the amp's "front input"? Thanks for your help!

 

[gtirard]

Real basic question: do I plug the bass in the Battalion input... or in the amp's "front input"? Thanks for your help!

You can either:

• Plug you bass in the amp's input, and then plug in FX send of the amp to the input of the preamp pedal, and the output of the preamp pedal into the FX return of the amp
• Or plug you bass in the preamp pedal's input, the output of the pedal into the FX return of the amp

 

[BigYo]

Real basic question: do I plug the bass in the Battalion input... or in the amp's "front input"? Thanks for your help!

With my previous description, you would plug the bass into the Battalion. So bass -batallion- effect return. This means you're bypassing the amps preamp and using the Battalion instead.

The other option outlined by gtirard would effectively have you stacking the amp preamp with the Battalion but the Battalion would be between the amp's preamp and the power amp.

 

[Kurtenstein]

Hum... When I plug the bass in the Battalion and the latter in the effect return, the master volume isn't doing anything, the Battalion controls the overall output. Is that normal?

 

[WRM]

Hum... When I plug the bass in the Battalion and the latter in the effect return, the master volume isn't doing anything, the Battalion controls the overall output. Is that normal?

Yes, because you are bypassing the Amp's built-in pre-amp. Oftentimes, Aux-in is also like that - you have to control the volume at the source, not at the Amp.

 

[cnltb]

Why do I need a pedal preamp?​

...because the uys in marketing have done their job?

 

[NickyBass]

The two times I needed a preamp:
1. At church where we are ampless
2. When I was playing originals with a lot of provided backlines and 5 minutes to set up between acts. I was able to quickly dial in a tone that I was familiar with.

There were other times when it was nice to have, but not necessarily a needed necessity.