uk_lefty Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 I am pretty much decided I'm giving up on my Helix Stomp. I barely use 1% of its capability and most of what I want I'm buying extra pedals for anyway. So... I want to replace my essential effects. I think a preamp pedal is a necessity for shared backline gigs and in case the amp goes pop. I'm looking for something that does EQ and DI out as a minimum. Some compression and drive would be nice but not essential. What I've found on the past is that some that sound great for passive basses just don't work for actives. My gigging basses are a Jack Casady, Stingray and a Sire V9. I also have a passive fretless Kramer but it rarely comes out to play. So quite a range of sounds and styles I'd need catering for! Ideally I want to buy second hand. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 Tech 21 VTDI will cover a lot of ground and is a hugely popular member of their pedal line up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 I really like the combination of my Precision/Jazz/Stingray with my Ampeg SCR-DI into my Ashdown practice amp, they just all seem to work together really well. No compression but the Drive is both separate and blendable so does the tube-warmth feel quite nice. It’s a pedal that just seems to work with whatever bass I put through it. There’s one on here as well, at a very decent price. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 GALLIEN-KRUEGER PLEX BASS PREAMP PEDAL I just picked this up off the market place here. I’ve been after one for awhile to try out and as a back up just in case. From what you’ve requested it ticks all the boxes. EQ, basic Sim, DI ( pre/post,) Drive, compression and an in built tuner. I’m really looking forward to trying it out when it arrives. it also acts as a recording interface with the USB and allows media playback for practice. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulo m Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 (edited) EBS Microbass II.... Very difficult to beat' & you can find them second hand for around £ 150.00... Read any reviews on this Super Versitile ' & Great Sounding Outboard Pre Amp... Edited August 1, 2022 by paulo m 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted August 2, 2022 Author Share Posted August 2, 2022 On 31/07/2022 at 12:05, Bunion said: GALLIEN-KRUEGER PLEX BASS PREAMP PEDAL I just picked this up off the market place here. I’ve been after one for awhile to try out and as a back up just in case. From what you’ve requested it ticks all the boxes. EQ, basic Sim, DI ( pre/post,) Drive, compression and an in built tuner. I’m really looking forward to trying it out when it arrives. it also acts as a recording interface with the USB and allows media playback for practice. I'd love one but they are pricey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted August 2, 2022 Author Share Posted August 2, 2022 On 01/08/2022 at 13:12, paulo m said: EBS Microbass II.... Very difficult to beat' & you can find them second hand for around £ 150.00... Read any reviews on this Super Versitile ' & Great Sounding Outboard Pre Amp... This looks right up my street, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted August 2, 2022 Share Posted August 2, 2022 I use a TC Spectrodrive, which does all those things, straight into the pa. You can load it with different compression and drive patches, which is useful - especially for drive. The various patches range from downright fuzzy grind to a light boost, which is the one I use. Been using it for a couple of years now and I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted August 2, 2022 Share Posted August 2, 2022 41 minutes ago, uk_lefty said: I'd love one but they are pricey! They are indeed new, I picked mine up for £200 from here, although I will say you don’t see them very often on the used market, which says a lot for them 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMoon Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Another very satisfied EBS Microbass II user here. It's my "Swiss Army Knife" when playing live, especially. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 BDDI Deluxe is a good option. Soundguys all know the DI will come out static free so don't baulk at unplugging theirs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisisswanbon Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 Also interested in this... question to all of the folks who use these to go straigh to FOH though; do you also use drives? If so, how do you tame them?! Is there an alternative to using cab sims? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 very happy with my Laney Digbeth £125 new, XLR out with FET and TUBE options https://www.gak.co.uk/en/laney-db-pre-digbeth-bass-preamp-pedal?gclid=Cj0KCQjwuaiXBhCCARIsAKZLt3lnghnTNl-6y6CHmY-iXXYm-0CYKg3b6g_9LZIHsOfw-ger-2lVessaAhhFEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_buoninfante Posted August 3, 2022 Share Posted August 3, 2022 (edited) I second what @skidder652003 said. I got a Digbeth Pre not too long ago and am quite happy with it. Until a couple of months ago, for recording I used my GK MBSIII, that is a really good studio amp (nice preamp - I don't mic it and use its lineout), and even if it sounds different (more neutral tbh), the Digbeth holds the comparison. The Laney pedal sounds really good, clean but with character. The EQ is quite musical and offers more options (4 bands with 3-way switch for the lo-mid) than other EQs on other preamps (even the pricey ones), the tube channel (emulation) sounds really good, and the FET (clean channel) sounds clear. Also, you get the "tilt" function, that is useful. Connectivity is comprehensive, with the always welcome send/return too. Edited August 4, 2022 by mario_buoninfante 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Behringer BDI21. Can't be beaten on price, and not too dissimilar soundwise to the Sansamp. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 2 hours ago, MacDaddy said: Behringer BDI21. Can't be beaten on price, and not too dissimilar soundwise to the Sansamp. I toyed with this... Mainly because part of the reasoning is that I want the sound of my amp 99% of the time so a preamp/ DI will either be cluttering a signal chain or adding/ cutting frequencies unnecessarily. I'm in a quandary really. If I spent proper time with my Helix I could just get it to do most of what I need it to.... I just don't know if I can get the time to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 I’ll leave this here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115483556572?hash=item1ae35b3adc:g:DaIAAOSwf8Bi6rZ2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJPJ Posted November 5, 2022 Share Posted November 5, 2022 On 31/07/2022 at 12:05, Bunion said: GALLIEN-KRUEGER PLEX BASS PREAMP PEDAL I just picked this up off the market place here. I’ve been after one for awhile to try out and as a back up just in case. From what you’ve requested it ticks all the boxes. EQ, basic Sim, DI ( pre/post,) Drive, compression and an in built tuner. I’m really looking forward to trying it out when it arrives. it also acts as a recording interface with the USB and allows media playback for practice. How are you getting on with this? I've been looking at these as want to invest in a pre-amp. I've already recently acquired an excellent compressor. Do you think this pedal is worth the money for just pre-amp section as I probably would't use the compression? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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