Bass Guitar Preamp

B

Brandon White

Freshman
May 16, 2011
45
0
6
Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Hi fellas,

I am currently working with a bass player that walks in and plugs his guitar into a direct box. The signal I'm getting is extremely dull and lifeless. Is there an affordable (<$300) preamp any of you techies could suggest. Preferably not rack mountable, but if it's going to blow my mind I could reconsider the rack option.

Thanks gang
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

Brandon White said:
Hi fellas,

I am currently working with a bass player that walks in and plugs his guitar into a direct box. The signal I'm getting is extremely dull and lifeless. Is there an affordable (<$300) preamp any of you techies could suggest. Preferably not rack mountable, but if it's going to blow my mind I could reconsider the rack option.

Thanks gang
Click to expand...

Tech 21 Sansamp, I have the rackmount RBI version, but there is a pedal version as well.
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

I just asked my bass player... a serious tone junkie that's been playing on the National Circuit for 30 years and he recommends the Tone Hammer over the SansAmp or the Radial BassBone. He plays through an aguilar rig (single 15 over a 2 12 cabinet) and for fly dates he uses this pedal in front of the rental rig amp.
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

Brandon White said:
Hi fellas,

I am currently working with a bass player that walks in and plugs his guitar into a direct box. The signal I'm getting is extremely dull and lifeless. Is there an affordable (<$300) preamp any of you techies could suggest. Preferably not rack mountable, but if it's going to blow my mind I could reconsider the rack option.

Thanks gang
Click to expand...


Chances are good that what you're hearing is this fellow's preferred "tone" - you might find that plugging him into some kind of whizbang box does little or nothing to improve things.

What kind of bass is it? Is it active with a battery inside or old school passive? Is he an old geezer with 20 year old flatwound strings and proud of them?
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

Rob Spence said:
It could be that the bass simply doesn't sound so good? Or, perhaps the DI you used isn't so good? What DI was it?

I find putting a Radial J48 right in line from most basses I see gives me a great sounding signal.


Sent from my iPad HD
Click to expand...

+1 - the tone has to be 80% there in the first place. If there is great tone it should translate readily from a neutral DI box like the Radial J48 or Countryman 85. Boxes like the SansAmp Bass DI or Avalon U5 (which can be found used for your budget) are useful in providing some coloration to the signal if it needs an edge, but as a previous poster stated, sometimes those "tone box DI's" can mangle the sound rather than enhance it if the controls are not used judiciously. I used a homebuilt tube DI with a big iron transformer (that our sound guy built) years ago and it was my favorite bass DI ever. I suspect I'd have to find a REDDI, Evil Twin or something of that nature to emulate that sound, and these boxes usually go for the $700 range new.
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

Kip Conner said:
I just asked my bass player... a serious tone junkie that's been playing on the National Circuit for 30 years and he recommends the Tone Hammer over the SansAmp or the Radial BassBone. He plays through an aguilar rig (single 15 over a 2 12 cabinet) and for fly dates he uses this pedal in front of the rental rig amp.
Click to expand...

Off topic, but I've yet to see (or hear) the attraction of Aguilar gear.
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

You may be able to find an used line6 bass pod...

I'm using the tech21 vt-bass deluxe if I want a sound with charater, otherwise the reddi if I want a more ampeg-ish kind of sound or the j48 for no colorisation.
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

I would agree that the signal has to be pretty close to begin with, but once you get there the A Designs REDDI is a great DI. It was designed to sound like an Ampeg B15. I also have an Avalon U5 and prefer the REDDI.
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

Thanks for the response everyone, all good stuff. The players tone is fine and it has worked for years. I forget the make and model of his guitar, but I do know it's a middle of the row active bass. It's not terrible by any means and his playing is not bad either. I've been doing some freelance work and some of these bass guitars just pop right into the mix with little effort. I just want a nice fat, round, strong, signal. currently it gets a bit "mucky" even with a hacked EQ.

Thanks everyone
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

This..
wtdi.jpg


Eden World Tour WTDI Direct Box/Preamp

Not that much money and they work great.
 
Re: Bass Guitar Preamp

What are you using for compression? To fast of an attack time can really dull a bass tone. I have found a good compressor setting makes a huge difference on a DI bass guitar. As far as an DI I have used most all of them. If money were not an object I would pick the Avalon U5 out of the choices above. I like most of the others listed as well but the Avalon is really in a different league. I have not tried the Eden but it looks interesting.
 
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