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Aguilar OBP-1, 2 or 3 preamps


thebassist
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I use the Aguilar db924 which is basically the OBP1 as an external preamp. It makes absolutely any other bass sound awesome.

I had a Spector NSCRFM as well which had an OBP1 going through EMG pickups. It sounded awesome.

The Tone Hammer is an OBP3 in a box, they sound awesome too. Just depends if you want to control the mids or not.

Overall though, they sound awesome.

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I've previously had the DB 924 and its a great pre amp - the Aguilar guys were making the Sadowsky pre's before doing their own thing. The obp3 is basically the tone hammer pedal so depending if you want an internal pre or external look at those two as options. The DB924 isn't foot switchable though but I'm guessing someone could put a obp 1 into a pedal - Tom at COG Effects would be the man to contact for such a job.

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I've always preferred the John East preamps, or if you have an interest in something a bit different the filter preamps are very cool.

These are a good introduction to the breed: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249328-acg-eq02-pre-amp-recently-serviced-healthchecked-by-john-east/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249328-acg-eq02-pre-amp-recently-serviced-healthchecked-by-john-east/[/url]

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[quote name='ead' timestamp='1416558091' post='2611372']
I've always preferred the John East preamps, or if you have an interest in something a bit different the filter preamps are very cool.

These are a good introduction to the breed: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249328-acg-eq02-pre-amp-recently-serviced-healthchecked-by-john-east/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249328-acg-eq02-pre-amp-recently-serviced-healthchecked-by-john-east/[/url]
[/quote]

Just goes to show how different we all are :)

I think John East is a lovely guy but I don't get on with his pre-amps at all. I've had a few and have stripped them out of each bass very quickly. In fact, I'm pleased I read this thread because I've got one kicking around that I need to stick up for sale!

Personally I much prefer the Aguilar tone. I've had all three at some point or another. I rarely fiddle with mids on a bass (tend to do this on the amp instead) so I don't really need the 3 band option.

Even the simple OBP1 can make a big difference to a bass - actually, I'm pretty sure I have a spare one of those somewhere too, plus I've got just the bass to fit it in. Even more pleased I read this now :)

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[quote name='molan' timestamp='1416607293' post='2611955']


Just goes to show how different we all are :)

I think John East is a lovely guy but I don't get on with his pre-amps at all. I've had a few and have stripped them out of each bass very quickly. In fact, I'm pleased I read this thread because I've got one kicking around that I need to stick up for sale!

Personally I much prefer the Aguilar tone. I've had all three at some point or another. I rarely fiddle with mids on a bass (tend to do this on the amp instead) so I don't really need the 3 band option.

Even the simple OBP1 can make a big difference to a bass - actually, I'm pretty sure I have a spare one of those somewhere too, plus I've got just the bass to fit it in. Even more pleased I read this now :)
[/quote]
Personally I love the East circuits, but I can see why some people don’t like them.

They sound awesome (if you want an active ‘super’ jazz tone) but you have to be really careful with the bass on them – anything more than a little is far too much! However, the variable mid control is great for adjusting to a room on the fly without having to touch the EQ on the amp.

Great piece of kit, but perhaps not for everybody…

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  • 2 years later...

I have a OBP1 and when i turn it on it sounds fantastic, i wish it would also make the bass a bit louder. Does somebody happen to know if this is the case with the OBP2 or 3?

I know that the sadowsky preamp can add some volume and is FET designed. The OBP2 and OBP3 are some different design, OBP1 is all FET also, so my fear is that 2 and 3 will sound different but i have not ever tried them yet.

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Bit of a zombie thread but here goes: the Sadowsky pre was designed by Alex Aguilar (later he started Aguilar amplification with Dave Boonshoft). The OBP-1 is a further development of the Sadowsky pre. Both are two-band boost-only preamps, both have the bass @ 40Hz and the treble @ 4KHz. They sound quite similar but not identical. The Aguilair is said to be "warmer" sounding FWIW. I find that the OBP-1 can add some volume too.

Roger Sadowsky prefers the sound of his 2 band FET preamp to opamp based three band preamps. His Will Lee model has a three band EQ (a combination of his 2 band and an opamp based mid control).

The John East preamp in my Lakland DJ is a stonking great preamp. Really fantastic sounding bit of kit and really well made. John is very responsive to emails and very knowledgable.

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[quote name='acidbass' timestamp='1505229946' post='3370394']


Agreed. I never understood why East pres don't have a centre detent on the EQ knobs. So annoying
[/quote]

Maybe just because, the older ones were boost only, so center was simply zero...

That said I really like the new SPM-02 3 bands preamp, to me the best he has ever made, but my ears are not yours.

I found that the Aguilar OBP-3 was also a very good preamp, colouring the sound of course, but in a good manner, I mean to bass players taste. But don't go too far as it will sound too much compressed.

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[quote name='Hellzero' timestamp='1505230978' post='3370403']
I found that the Aguilar OBP-3 was also a very good preamp, colouring the sound of course, but in a good manner, I mean to bass players taste. But don't go too far as it will sound too much compressed.
[/quote]

Truth. I've got an OBP3 in my Ibanez BTB and the level of boost and cut available is pretty huge. Just a little turn of the knobs produces a lot of tonal change. Some may be overwhelmed by how much power is on tap but I like it as I use the BTB as my "effects" bass. I use the powerful preamp to adjust the response of certain pedals on my board. It's very useful for my needs.

Edited by CameronJ
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Taste is very personal. I had an obp-3 in my Spector Euro which was promptly replaced with a tone pump.

The Aguilar pre's, to my ears at least, are much the same as their amps... VERY transparent. If that's what you are after then they are amazing. I bought the above Spector euro for that classic Spector growl, which had been tamed with the aggy pre so it just sounded like any other active bass.

Some may say that is a good thing!! 😂

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I had an OBP-3 in a Jazz and the sound was [i]huge[/i], one of the best I've heard. Then again I'm an Aguilar fan and have been using a TH500 since they came out. Other amps have come and gone but so far nothing has knocked the TH500 off the top spot.

I believe the OBP-3 came first. That was put into the Tonehammer pedal, which formed the basis of the front end of the TH500. I just love the sound of Aguilar stuff.

edit for spelling

Edited by chris_b
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  • 1 month later...

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1416558091' post='2611372']
I've always preferred the John East preamps, or if you have an interest in something a bit different the filter preamps are very cool.

These are a good introduction to the breed: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249328-acg-eq02-pre-amp-recently-serviced-healthchecked-by-john-east/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/249328-acg-eq02-pre-amp-recently-serviced-healthchecked-by-john-east/[/url]
[/quote]

A few years ago I built a Warmoth Jazz and was just about to get an East Deluxe when I read a few reviews of the filter based preamp so went for that instead. I thought it was a bloody nightmare! Granted, it could do way more than a standard Bass/Treble active but the controls were so sensitive moving one a maggot's eyelash made a big difference. The frequency range on it was incredible but that just meant the majority of sounds were unusable, and could I buggery get it to just sound like a Jazz! I swapped it for an Audere which I wasn't knocked out with either so I sold the bass and got a passive Jazz.

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