Bass Preamps

[Holy Schnikes]

I think a big part of my problem is that it's not the best at low volumes, but when its cranked, it destroys. I just don't get many chances to crank it.

Most every option mentioned in this thread will sound far better at high volume than low volume. That's just how these things work, even more so if you decide on a tube amp. Never gonna sound it's best reigned in.

[Derelict78]

im looking around and can't really find many affordable tube heads. I see some hybrids, and some really expensive low watt heads.

How many tube watts would one need for small club gigs with a loud drummer? 100w?

For bass you could get away with 100 watts cranked but don't expect it to be clean at all.

Really it depends on what you mean by "clean"

I mean not distorted.

[Dexterecus]

I'm interested in a Meatsmoke pre-amp pedal but I'm still not sure how it works.
Do you just plug it into your amp like a normal pedal or can you only use it with power amps?

[Fuzz_Pi]

I'm interested in a Meatsmoke pre-amp pedal but I'm still not sure how it works.
Do you just plug it into your amp like a normal pedal or can you only use it with power amps?

You can do both

[fiddelerselbow]

Has anybody tried the Correct Sound bass pre? I'd fucking love the meatsmoke but that shit it just too expensive for me.

Demo for the Correct sound is a bit crap unfortunately.

http://youtu.be/TGObiT2mRng

[ChetMagongalo]

I think a big part of my problem is that it's not the best at low volumes, but when its cranked, it destroys. I just don't get many chances to crank it.

Most every option mentioned in this thread will sound far better at high volume than low volume. That's just how these things work, even more so if you decide on a tube amp. Never gonna sound it's best reigned in.

Completely agree. It can be pretty inconvenient too
Neighbors, roommates, pets, family are what will really kill your tone

[Holy Schnikes]

Neighbors, roommates, pets, family are what will really kill your tone

Haha so goddamn true!

[sears]

I use an ashly sc-40 instrument preamp into a QSC PLX series power amp. Lots of power, plenty of fat bass, good eq.

[D.o.S.]

im looking around and can't really find many affordable tube heads. I see some hybrids, and some really expensive low watt heads.

How many tube watts would one need for small club gigs with a loud drummer? 100w?

For bass you could get away with 100 watts cranked but don't expect it to be clean at all.

Really it depends on what you mean by "clean"

I mean not distorted.

One person's distorted is another person's grit, you know? Are you looking for, like, super sterile?

[Derelict78]

I'm not looking but yeah that what I'm talking about. I do like grit but I also like the ability to go clean as in not distorted.

[hamletpowpowpow]

I went from a Rusty Box to a Meatsmoke as well. I guess the difference for me is that I wasn't aiming to replicate a tube amp. Or buy a pedal that is a "tube amp in a box". That stuff is kind of best for Talkbassers who talk about getting heavy in their Sunday morning bands I call it the Tech21 VT club...

The Meatsmoke for me is a tone fattener. It adds 70% of the 3D sound of a tube amp and also provides a brilliant overdriven boost section. I've also recorded direct with it and it sounds magic. It's hugely useful. The fender tone stack works fine for me but I've always been a guy who looked at those EQ slider sections and then searched for a bypass button or set them all in the middle. Additionally, the Meatsmoke does great things with other pedals. Dirt and delay and vibe all sound huge through it. It takes ordinary shitty solid state amps and elevates the tonal quality a bunch. It makes amps sound bigger and deeper. That's why I love it. It's also not a bullshit digital emulator. It's authentic and organic sounding.

I dug the rusty box but it was a flavour for me, not a preamp. It's pretty specific and solid state sounding but a cool pedal. I also used an EBS Valvedrive for a long time. It's a brilliant drive pedal to use on solid state amps. Again, it's a fat and full sounding drive - not a tube amp. Tube pedals have a flavour. I like them for it but then again I didn't use SVT emulation as my benchmark. I just picked what worked in my band.

I would love to know more about your thoughts on the Rusty Box v Meatsmoke. I'm building a little modular rig for ye olde bedroom studio, and was thinking about both of these. My normal fullsize rig used to be a SVT Blueline into an 8x10, or an Rb800 into a Mesa 2x15 (Loved that!). Looking to kind of duplicate that, but in the studio, and without a cabinet.

Was considering a Verellen Kalaloch with record out so that I could just drop in different pre's - but am also thinking about the new Darkglass 900...but the only people raving about that are Talkbass players, and I'm definitely not one of those. It's small, and about 700-900 cheaper than a Verellen...

Thoughts?

[odontophobia]

I went from a Rusty Box to a Meatsmoke as well. I guess the difference for me is that I wasn't aiming to replicate a tube amp. Or buy a pedal that is a "tube amp in a box". That stuff is kind of best for Talkbassers who talk about getting heavy in their Sunday morning bands I call it the Tech21 VT club...

The Meatsmoke for me is a tone fattener. It adds 70% of the 3D sound of a tube amp and also provides a brilliant overdriven boost section. I've also recorded direct with it and it sounds magic. It's hugely useful. The fender tone stack works fine for me but I've always been a guy who looked at those EQ slider sections and then searched for a bypass button or set them all in the middle. Additionally, the Meatsmoke does great things with other pedals. Dirt and delay and vibe all sound huge through it. It takes ordinary shitty solid state amps and elevates the tonal quality a bunch. It makes amps sound bigger and deeper. That's why I love it. It's also not a bullshit digital emulator. It's authentic and organic sounding.

I dug the rusty box but it was a flavour for me, not a preamp. It's pretty specific and solid state sounding but a cool pedal. I also used an EBS Valvedrive for a long time. It's a brilliant drive pedal to use on solid state amps. Again, it's a fat and full sounding drive - not a tube amp. Tube pedals have a flavour. I like them for it but then again I didn't use SVT emulation as my benchmark. I just picked what worked in my band.

I would love to know more about your thoughts on the Rusty Box v Meatsmoke. I'm building a little modular rig for ye olde bedroom studio, and was thinking about both of these. My normal fullsize rig used to be a SVT Blueline into an 8x10, or an Rb800 into a Mesa 2x15 (Loved that!). Looking to kind of duplicate that, but in the studio, and without a cabinet.

Was considering a Verellen Kalaloch with record out so that I could just drop in different pre's - but am also thinking about the new Darkglass 900...but the only people raving about that are Talkbass players, and I'm definitely not one of those. It's small, and about 700-900 cheaper than a Verellen...

Thoughts?

I don't think anybody is talking shit about the Darkglass stuff.

I know jwar fucking loves it. Feel like excane was digging it, too.

[Tendollarcat]

Man, I was angry about Sansamp in 2014

Since writing that post, I also had some time with a Darkglass B7K and Vintage but haven't tried the amp. I found the EQ on the Darkglass to be really useful. I'm not surprised to hear good reports about the amps. They seem to have a really clear goal to build tones to sit in a live mix. The Darkglass 900 seems like it would have all of the good sounds in one box. Pretty ideal for recording too.

In terms of the difference between the Verellen and the Rusty, they are completely different animals. If raising kids hadn't eaten up my gear budget, I could imagine owning a board with a Meatsmoke driving huge round tubey tones and then switching to a RB to create clanky solid state overdrive. My dream board would toggle between the two tones and the pedals are so great that I think it would go close to sounding like an A-B switch between amps.

[Phosphene Audio]

The Metasonix boxes with 6BN6 tubes sound nice with bass, though I haven't kept up with their product line, so I amanita sure which ones currently have it. I built a preamp like that for myself a while ago:


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsR7Y6s5tRk[/youtube]


Schematic for the distortion part of the circuit here:

http://cgs.synth.net/tube/beam.html

[Jwar]

Excane actually didn't dig the Meatsmoke but as far as I know he only tried the first version (EDIT! Though you were talking the Meatsmoke but you were talking Darkglass with Excane he and I do love it as we do each other....). The second version is the SHIT. I had to sell it sadly but knew I would upon buying it. LOL! It's mega expensive. The Rusty is awesome as well and even better if you can have it modded to accept a non 30v power supply or whatever the fuck. I mean, seriously, stupidest supply ever. Jack Nelson Angel nuts modded his to 9v and it sounded killer.

My favorite preamps have been

Darkglass B7K and VMT Deluxe (did not dig the Ultra)
Providence Dual Bass Station
AMT Bass Crunch (although it was a bit noisy on my board, I've heard it was dead quite for others)
Rusty Box
Metasonix TM-5 (biggest sale regret ever)

And I really want to try the new Gallien Krueger one. It sounds fucking great!

Those are my favorites so far.