SisterAbdullahX Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Just a quick thought....Anyone using preamp/eq pedals to get their tone and using their amp pretty much purely to amplify? Thinking that rather than spend big bucks on an amp which may only provide one sound it may be better to get a "meat and tatties" amp for not much dosh (such as a Hartke LH500) and having something like two EWS Trilogic 2s or similar (one for both pickups, one for back pickup) and maybe a Sansamp for a bit of character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I tend to use the preamp on my bass to change what tone I'm going for and I use my amp to adjust ever so slightly. I actually sometimes use my amps eq section a little like a eq pedal. The footswitch has a switch for low boost, mid scoop and high boost so I use these a little like a stompbox for certain parts of songs. It's handy for slightly shaping the sound. I would say thought that if I used passive basses it would make more sense to use pedals to shape the tone...especially with things like the source audio EQ that can save different settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I was wondering this too. I have the B7K and the VMTD but I've never tried them straight into the FX Return or into a PA. I'll have to try it- a little pedal into a modern tiny power amp might be the lightest way to travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 When I used pedals, that is what gave me my sound. That analogue grittiness from the moogs sounded awesome, whether that be my bass' dry tone or the sub octave of an OC3. The rig was there just to amplify. Now I don't have fx, I find that my bass still sounds like my bass through most rigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefrash Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) I use an ms60b (ive tried others but settled with the zoom) at the end of my chain. With an amp sim always on. never change it's settings so that every gig I play I get di'd and the foh gets the identical signal every time. Less likely for the other fx sounding a bit funny when straight to desk. I then just use whatever amp or my own for monitoring purposes. I will always sound the same out front. Also means I can be set up and ready to go within seconds. Not sure why it's not a standard thing to do to be honest. Edited January 30, 2016 by lefrash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 The vast majority of my tone shaping comes from the DHA VT1 EQ on my board - I use the amp to adjust for any 'inconsistencies' in the stage sound. DI feed comes from the DHA too, so I know my feed to FOH is just the way I like it. I tried running an old Laney power amp (bridged to 300W mono instead of 150W per side) this week instead of my usual SWR, and it still sounded great. I might start looking into a small class D power amp... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I use my amp for my sound it is a Hartke amp and is so easy to get a good sound from, I do use pedals but they are really more for fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixdegrees Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I felt a little guilty of not using the pure tone from my amp before reading this thread. I use a TC rack compressor with the first engine in front of the preamp (as a limiter) and the second engine in the effects loop for parallel compression. Added to this is an Aphex BB/AE which acts as a room-fixer and is set according to the venue. I find that this setup adds punch that amps alone cannot achieve. Although I switch the Aphex off during arpegio lines, otherwise the tone can be a little too thick with the added harmonics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r16ktx Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I use a zoom B3 into the return of my amp, but since my drummer bought a electric kit I don't need the volume so I'm now going straight into the PA. Seriously thinking about moving to just an active wedge for my on stage needs or iem, either way the bass and the b3 are all I'm using Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 I just bought a zoom B1on to experiment with this. Setting up a few patches all ending with the same amp sim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 I do this, I have both an Aguilar Tonehammer 500 amp, and Tonehammer pre-amp pedal/DI. So I set the pre-amp/DI the same as my amp, and no matter what amp I`m using I set it flat and I`m virtually there, save for speaker bias in some frequencies. But what goes to FOH is what I want them to get. It`s a good option if doing gigs with shared backlines, especially as I need gain/drive for my sound and many amps don`t have that. I also have a Sansamp in the chain to add a bit of chunk and bite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 I do yes, but it's a detailed rat run of loops that I am messing with at the moment to get the tone I want. Peals, rack and effects stuff out the way, everything gets sent to a QSC Power Amp and a nice big Barefaced Big Twin II to make the whole lot loud and, hopefully a suitable replica of the sound I am sending via DI to FOH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 At present I'm using my VT-Bass as my main preamp through a switchblade+ straight into the poweramp inputs of 2 Behringer BVT 4500H heads each driving a separate cab. It certainly sounds a lot better to my ears than running through the heads' own preamps and it did give me complete control of my sound at my feet which I've found handy a few times on cramped stages where it's not always easy to get back to my amp to adjust it. That said, I'm looking forward to picking up a new (used) Aguilar rig next weekend which will do away with the need for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzodog Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 The amp you suggest a Hartke LH500 is perfect for this. It's my main amp and I liked it that much I bought another as a backup. It's very simplistic so whilst it generates a decent enough sound on its own it's perfect to put pedals in front of to dial in a tone. I use a b10n in front of it and have several patches set for various songs we do. Amp remains flat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callumjord Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 The vast majority of my tone mainly comes from my pedalboard, mainly my cs3 compressor which colours my tone in a nice way then through to my tech 21vt. I run my line 6 lowdown flat but if I feel that my tone needs a little more bass or a little more high mid I will then use that to adjust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 [quote name='SisterAbdullahX' timestamp='1454114623' post='2966706'] Just a quick thought....Anyone using preamp/eq pedals to get their tone and using their amp pretty much purely to amplify? [/quote] I do! Tech 21 Leeds straight into the back of whatever amp there is. I really love the sound of the Leeds pedal so I figured it made sense to bypass the amps's preamp stage. Satisfaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LewisK1975 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Yup - exactly what I do - the main core of my sound comes from the EBS Billy Sheehan pedal, into a Sansamp ParaDriver. My tecamp PUMA then running set flat into BF Supercompact(s). I only ever make tiny changes on the PUMA to suit the room.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guinness21 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I've not long bought a Markbass LMT and a Bergantino CN212, which is a very clean and transparent sounding rig. I haven't tried one but no doubt I'd like the sound of the Aguilar TH500, but I wanted a transparent rig so that if I wanted a specific sound at some point I could get that by adding pedals into my chain. I think for me at least buying a transparent rig future-proofs it - I know what music I like now, but my music tastes might change in time. Having said that I don't actually use any pedals at the minute, but I plan to when I have the wonga. For now I'm just enjoying playing through a rig that allows my bass to be heard as it was designed to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthaside Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I use a zoom b3 with the SVT amp model and the mark-bass amp model (different songs require different sounds) A line-out goes out via XLR to the Front of house / a Zoom R16 for recording at rehearsal a line going into the effects return of my Trace , bypassing the first stage of the amp entirely and using just the Power amp on stage for volume I like how it sounds a lot and since going wireless from my pedal-board its great to be unshackled from the amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy mcbride Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 I have 2 set ups which I'm messing around with at the minute. I run a B3K into a sansamp RBI which give me my tone. My RH450 is used as a power amp although I go into the input using a little drive and tubetone neither of which are probably necessary considering the 2 pedals in front of the amp but I like how it sounds. I also have another setup which is B7K into a sansamp BDDI straight into the effects return of an ampeg for the power amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 I use a load of pedals into the behringer BDI21 straight to the desk. I just use monitors, CBA to carry an amp around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 I run a Darkglass VMTD into a Marshall VBA that's eq is flat. Absolutely stinking tone. Love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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