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What is the best Outboard Bass Preamp?


grich154
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Hi guys,

i have a Fender Jazz bass with passive pickups that are really nice and handwound, but i am looking to boost my highs and dont want to install an onboard pre-amp into the bass itself. The pick ups are way too good for me to remove them, but i would like a little more "punch" i suppose, at times where i feel like it...

So i have been looking at a few different types of exteneral pre-amp and at the moment i am drawn to the MXR M81. But i was wondering if anyone else has experiences they would care to share (good or bad) with regards to outboard preamps.

Any feedback, on any brand etc would be great.

Thanks

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You want one that doesn't colour the sound then. Some outboard pres are pretty much a colour box with an eq control, similar to the front end of an amp.

John East makes a pedal version of the J retro IIRC which should complement the bass very nicely.

The tone cap will be sucking some high end even with it wide open as far as I know though.

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Not tried the MXR but I've used a Hartke Bassattack pedal for years and liked it, wouldn't gig without it now. Despite all the knobs and buttons on my Trace amp I think I can get just that bit more out of it with the pedal up front. I've used both passive jazz and precision with it. I wouldn't recommend it if you are into a lot of fiddling on stage though, the position settings on the knobs are almost impossible to see on stage. A while back there was an anniversary edition of the pedal with clearer knobs that was available at a stupidly low price, wish I'd picked one up. They are not available any more but the regular black one is, gone up in price a bit over the years but still cheaper than the MXR.

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yeah i have started switching to different strings too, i've gone to nickel instead of stainless and stuff. The hartke sounds interesting too, i will have to check that out. i would be happy with a sound structure change, just a specific sound i am looking for so i wouldnt be much for changing settings on stage either...i can imagine that would be a real nightmare!

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I'm a Jazz man, and have been through a fair few pres. Aguilar Tone Hammer, MXR M80, Hartle Baas attack, BB Xotic, and DHA VT1eq are the ones I can remember. They all has their plus points, but I went back to the DHA because of the eq. Moat of the 'bass Pre' pedals have a 2 band eq (bass and treble) with no ability to dial in more mids.
If you want 'punch' then you might want to consider a compressor though.

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[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1423139416' post='2681222']
I absolutely swear by my Hartke Bass Attack, its the best money I've spent in years! My sound is just incredible now and I wouldnt play without it.
[/quote]

They seem so ruggedly put together I'm not expecting mine to fail any time soon yet at the same time I wish I'd picked up the silver anniversary one, a couple of places were selling them at about £40 or something similar, bargain.

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[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1423142067' post='2681294']
They seem so ruggedly put together I'm not expecting mine to fail any time soon yet at the same time I wish I'd picked up the silver anniversary one, a couple of places were selling them at about £40 or something similar, bargain.
[/quote]

Yeah I got my silver anniversary one from Thomann, I would of been happy to pay twice the price for how good it is!

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Another vote for the MXR M-80 here. The clean channel is excellent for a bit of heft and punch without overly changing your sound and you have the option of a totally tweakable distortion channel, noise gate and DI facilities if you ever need them. I believe there is one currently up for sale on this very forum.

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1423136719' post='2681159']
Not tried the MXR but I've used a Hartke Bassattack pedal for years and liked it, wouldn't gig without it now. Despite all the knobs and buttons on my Trace amp I think I can get just that bit more out of it with the pedal up front. I've used both passive jazz and precision with it. I wouldn't recommend it if you are into a lot of fiddling on stage though, the position settings on the knobs are almost impossible to see on stage. A while back there was an anniversary edition of the pedal with clearer knobs that was available at a stupidly low price, wish I'd picked one up. They are not available any more but the regular black one is, gone up in price a bit over the years but still cheaper than the MXR.
[/quote]

You can buy new knobs online very cheaply - I had the same issue with visibility and got some black knobs with a big white stripe on to replace the chrome topped ones for a couple of quid.

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[quote name='Mudpup' timestamp='1423156465' post='2681574']
You can buy new knobs online very cheaply - I had the same issue with visibility and got some black knobs with a big white stripe on to replace the chrome topped ones for a couple of quid.
[/quote]

Do you guys tweek for different songs then or something?

I set mine at the start of the gig and dont touch it ever again haha!

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1423230554' post='2682534']
Yes, and much more so when I play in a covers band - which I don't. But yes. :)
[/quote]

Is that because of different songs or just unhappy with your sound?

I get so worried about gear at gigs that I set everything up get it all sounding half decent and dont touch anything in case it all breaks!!

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[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1423230826' post='2682538']
Is that because of different songs or just unhappy with your sound?
[/quote]

Yes, different songs - particularly for covers. It helps create the illusion, especially if the guitar does the same and the singer is a bit of a chameleon. Not much you can do about the drums, though - unless it's a leccy kit, of course - depends how far you want to go with it.

But I do use different settings for my originals bands, too - a bit of disto here, maybe a little bit of (shh) slapping there... though to a great extent I do most of my tone changes by plucking the strings at different positions and/or alternating between fingerstyle and pick.

No, I'm not unhappy with my sound! Though not enough happy enough to stop buying gear all the time though, obviously. ;)

Edited by discreet
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If you've got a basic sound that you use most of the time but just want to add some tonal variations in places, then I'd look at getting a Pod.

I have a basic sound that is the starting point as one of my presets and then a couple of drive variations to thicken up the overall sound as required in the guitar solos, and finally a few completely different sounds that are used on specific songs. Each patch is just a footswitch press away and I never had to worry about my EQ settings. I plug it in and there's my sound.

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[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1423230826' post='2682538']
Is that because of different songs or just unhappy with your sound?

I get so worried about gear at gigs that I set everything up get it all sounding half decent and dont touch anything in case it all breaks!!
[/quote]

All you need to do, really. I might switch to the back pickup for a style or prefer another bass as it sound checked better
but the last thing I'm doing is chasing EQ. It is set-up, that is what the sound check is for.
The keys and Gtrs handle the effects but it pisses me off if we set a level and it goes half thru the second set
because someone has turned up.

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You guys who tweak and twiddle at things DURING a gig, between songs - my hat's off to you. I turn the bass up, use neck pickup where there's a choice, and tweak the amp so that I can hear myself. I can't handle more than that, I'm afraid, I'm too busy remembering what the hell I'm supposed to be playing - and I wrote some of it! ;)

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