Valve preamp custom builders?

[Bassy]

Hi, does anyone know who could build a custom valve preamp? Nothing too complicated: vol, gain, bass/treble/mid, maybe some boost switches for low end and high. But i would like a couple of valves to warm up the sound. 

Something similar to the Boogie Subway bass pre but with valves.

Any ideas - anyone done this before?

Thanks

[EliasMooseblaster]

This sounds like a job for Dave Hall: http://www.davehallamps.co.uk/

[Bigwan]

Buy a Trace V-type preamp. Does exactly what you want and it'd be a lot cheaper than having something custom built. They sound AWESOME too!

[Bassy]

Thanks, yes i've been looking for v type pre, they look good. I used to have a Hughes & Kettner Bassmaster pre years ago and that is exactly the sound i'm after.

I did ask Dave Hall, but he said he was too busy working on new designs of his own.

[Bigwan]

19 hours ago, Bassy said:

Thanks, yes i've been looking for v type pre, they look good. I used to have a Hughes & Kettner Bassmaster pre years ago and that is exactly the sound i'm after.

I did ask Dave Hall, but he said he was too busy working on new designs of his own.

I think I've only ever seen one Bassmaster pre for sale here. It's an interesting little unit with a single ended amp in there for power stage distortion. Similar idea to the SWR Interstellar overdrive and one of Warwick's preamps whose name escapes me. If that's the kind of valve warming you're after, the v-type may not be enough, although it's an awesome preamp in its own right.

EDIT: also there's this (no affiliation with the seller): 

 

What way are you intending to use this? For live use what I'm about to suggest might be more trouble than it's worth but for recording purposes if you can't source any of the above I'd perhaps suggest something like one of the little Ashdown Valve amps, the CTM15 (which has a solid state pre and valve power amp but no DI) and a Two Notes Captor load box/DI, or CTM/LB30 (which DOES have a DI) and a resistive dummy load (or a reactive load if you want to go that far - maybe driving a little bass shaker for extra recording fun with headphones!) or the Ampeg PF20t (has a dummy load built in just for the purpose). Obviously these options are more sizeable than anything else, but still cheaper than something custom made.

Although if you go custom made, here's the schematic of the H&K Bassmaster for reference! It'd be easy to change the tone stack to give you more control than the original single tone. Much of the circuitry in the schematic is superfluous if you only use the thing one way.

Edited February 14, 2018 by Bigwan

[Bassy]

Thanks for the info Bigwan. Yes the H&K pre had a similar sound to the SWR pre, both were excellent for a warm valve sound put in front of your amp or even to record with. I am surprised that H&K have never reissued the Bassmaster as a lot of people liked them. It had some great preset buttons for boosting the bass, mid, treble. 

 

[paul_5]

Dave Hall probably already does something that’ll Do what you need

[dyerseve]

On 13/02/2018 at 12:20, Bassy said:

Hi, does anyone know who could build a custom valve preamp? Nothing too complicated: vol, gain, bass/treble/mid, maybe some boost switches for low end and high. But i would like a couple of valves to warm up the sound. 

Something similar to the Boogie Subway bass pre but with valves.

Any ideas - anyone done this before?

Thanks

Maybe this fellow BCer can help you out:

 

[fleabag]

Blimey guv, that little Danplifier is awesome.  I magine a gitwrist setting up on stage with an amp you could barely see, and then striking the mother of all chords.

Wild

[Bassy]

Thanks, that looks interesting. 

I have seen that Mooer are making a 5w all valve head which might do the job. Not much eq on it though.

http://www.mooeraudio.com/?product/201409195454.html

[sifi2112]

OP, contact Jas at 

http://www.astralsonictech.co.uk/

He knows his stuff & could probably build anything you want as he specialises in custom / bespoke amps / gear etc