Preamp/DI suggestions

[highwayone]

Looking to ditch the amp and go down the preamp/DI route as I use in ears for every gig and the amp isn't really required. Any recommendations on a decent pedal to use for this? Someone suggested the Sadowsky SBP-1 but there's none about. Cheers.

[itu]

What is Your main instrument? Does she have an active preamp or is she hi-Z?

If she has a preamp, a Sadowsky would be just another preamp. You can go straight to a board with a lo-Z output.

If the instrument (or any of them) is passive, so hi-Z, I would go from no adjustments (a DI-box) to a SansAmp/EBS/whatever.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/di_balancing_boxes.html

https://www.thomann.de/gb/effects_for_bass.html

[highwayone]

Main instrument is a Fender P so not active.

[bassist_lewis]

If you have money to burn I've heard great things about the Noble Amplifier tube preamp/DI. Unfortunately I've never tried one 😭 but players like Sean Hurley and Tim Lefebvre swear by them, and they both use passive Ps a lot of the time. I think there's a couple of people on here that have them https://nobleamps.com/preamps/.

[Lozz196]

Depends on sound wanted but I’d look into the Tech21 gear. Fly-Rig, Dug have on board tuners so all in one easiness of use,  VT/Bass Driver/Para Driver don’t but all can do some very good sounds.

However If wanting to retain the sound of the instrument itself then MXR M80/81 worth looking at. Unlike the Tech21 gear there isn’t an inbaked sound 

[highwayone]

Cheers Lozz, it's for the Foo fighters tribute I'm in so mainly retain the instrument sound. I'll see if there's any tech21 or mxr gear about 👍

[pete.young]

DHA VT1 pro has a DI and a headphone out, both with a gain control.

[Cuzzie]

Tech21 DP3X is the nuts.

You want cheap as chips and bombproof 1st Gen Hartke VXL (normally around £50 second hand) with great sounds,

Not my cuppa but some of the Darkglass pedals have DI outs - out of all of them the AO is easily the best.

Two Notes LeBass

Aguilar Tonehammer

For a straight DI box you could go REDDI or Khan to enhance your sound.

My vote is the Tech21 DP3x for having it all in a tiny package, so good I think @Dood did 2 reviews on it!

Edited June 16, 2019 by Cuzzie

[Cuzzie]

@Bobby D has 3 preamps with DI’s for sale on here right now, one being a Sadowsky......

[Delberthot]

I recently bought a Radial Tonebone Bassbone and am absolutely blown away by how good it is - 2 channel, 3 band EQ, HPF, effects loop with blend control, boost/mute facility and a fantastic DI

Edited June 16, 2019 by Delberthot

[Cuzzie]

Lehle Basswitch DI will give you a bucket tonne of options

[highwayone]

Cheers all, plenty of food for thought for me.

[Dood]

3 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

Tech21 DP3X is the nuts.

 

My vote is the Tech21 DP3x for having it all in a tiny package, so good I think @Dood did 2 reviews on it!

There's no denying it has a very wide sonic palette between its available modes. Great form factor and sounds cool. I'd still fancy a @Tech21NYC Q/Strip though..ermmm.. as well ha ha!!

[Cuzzie]

6 minutes ago, Dood said:

There's no denying it has a very wide sonic palette between its available modes. Great form factor and sounds cool. I'd still fancy a @Tech21NYC Q/Strip though..ermmm.. as well ha ha!!

Pop both together, it’s a no brainer, this is me sonic spark and DP3x and covers a whole heap of territory...

[Skybone]

Pick up a second hand Line6 HD500x for around £200-250, add the HD Bass pack for about £20.

Great preamp, loads of great effects on board, loads of connectivity on the back, ideal for stage and studio, and a fraction of the cost of a Helix.

[dannybuoy]

What kind of music are you playing?

I agree the DP-3X is the nuts, but only for a certain type of sound. If you want deep fat lows, a grindy aggressive top, and a chasm in the middle to let the other instruments and vocals slot in, it’s amazing. With a heavy rock band you’d be very happy indeed.

But if you were playing old school funk, blues, Motown etc, where you just want to sit mainly around the low mids (no super deep lows, no metallic upper grind), with a bit of tubey breakup, it would be totally the wrong tool for the job. I’d put my Aguilar Tonehammer to work there instead.

Having spent years faffing with preamp DIs, I’d be happy to keep just these two. But they sound nothing alike. Chalk and cheese!

[Cuzzie]

@dannybuoy don’t disagree with you but I don’t agree with the massive chasm in the mids, they are there and you can shift them with the button, but I do agree with it’s place being in a band. There is not a hole and it dormant sound all scooped and honky like a Stingay, but the focus certainly is more towards lower and upper end, but you can get a very very good clean sound on it.

You can certainly get a more old school ‘tube’ type vibe if you either roll the tone off, or indeed using my jazz with flatwounds it gives a very pleasing sound along those lines.

[skidder652003]

On 16/06/2019 at 17:25, pete.young said:

DHA VT1 pro has a DI and a headphone out, both with a gain control.

and a tube pre..

[bazzbass]

Tech21 VT Deluxe for the win. VT goodness, 6 presets. Go nuts

or MXR M80, dang that sweepable mid para knob is magic

or Ampeg SCR DI, it's Ampeg, say no more

or Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig  yeah, I have all of these,plus more. I need help.....

[Cuzzie]

33 minutes ago, bazzbass said:

Tech21 VT Deluxe for the win. VT goodness, 6 presets. Go nuts

or MXR M80, dang that sweepable mid para knob is magic

or Ampeg SCR DI, it's Ampeg, say no more

or Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig  yeah, I have all of these,plus more. I need help.....

Nah

preamps are great fun