Linus27 Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I've just bought an Ibanez UB804 Upswing EUB which I absolutely love. I'd like to get a fairly uncoloured preamp with DI that I can then run straight to the desk rather than going through the DI in my amp. I don't really want to spend a huge amount but I do want to get something that's going to be half decent with a little bit of tone shaping. I was looking at the Fishman Platinum Pro which has great reviews but is a little pricey for my budget. They do also have the Platinum Stage which also looks good but no idea if it is any good. I could go super cheap and get the Behringer DBI21 but not sure if this would be suitable for a EUB. The other option is use my Zoom MS-60B for tone shaping and buy a decent DI to run to the desk. Anyone got any recommendations for a half decent preamp with DI that's good with a EUB or even a half decent DI if I use my MS-60B. Open to other suggestions or recommendations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I use the Fishman Platinum Pro for a multitude of uses, not just straight preamp or DI and they are very versatile; find one 2nd hand (I did and a 'wanted' advert on BC can be useful) and you won't regret it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 Why not just use your existing MS-60B, and then only change if after a number of gigs it transpires you are not happy with it. I used a MS-60B with a Behringer DI400P DI box for ages. In the end I was pulled to EBS preamps for their feature set (as I am doubling nearly all the time), but I was never unhappy with the way the Zoom sounded. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted March 11 Author Share Posted March 11 (edited) 29 minutes ago, jrixn1 said: Why not just use your existing MS-60B, and then only change if after a number of gigs it transpires you are not happy with it. I used a MS-60B with a Behringer DI400P DI box for ages. In the end I was pulled to EBS preamps for their feature set (as I am doubling nearly all the time), but I was never unhappy with the way the Zoom sounded. This is my other option, to use the MS-60B but it has no DI out which is something I would like so I can run direct to the desk. So I'm happy to do this and I know the MS-60B is great so it would be recommendations on a good DI if I went this route. I'll into the Behringer DI400P DI box if you think its a good option. It might be a good short term option until I can afford a Fishman Platinum Pro or EBS Preamp which I've heard is excellent. Edited March 11 by Linus27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I’m using the EBS Stanley Clarke pre as I double between NS EUB and fretless bass but it’s probably a bit overkill for what you want. Failing this, keep an eye out for a Radial Tone Bone. They come up on here quite regularly and are an excellent preamp with DI for EUB. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted March 11 Author Share Posted March 11 (edited) On 11/03/2024 at 12:14, JPJ said: I’m using the EBS Stanley Clarke pre as I double between NS EUB and fretless bass but it’s probably a bit overkill for what you want. Failing this, keep an eye out for a Radial Tone Bone. They come up on here quite regularly and are an excellent preamp with DI for EUB. Thanks JPJ, I'd also read that the Radial Tonebone is another good product. Edited March 18 by Linus27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 3 hours ago, Linus27 said: Thanks JPJ, I'd also ready that the Radial Tonebone is another good product. I love Radial kit but their prices (both new and pre-owned) have gone right through the roof over the last few years. For less than half the price of a pre-owned Tonebone you could get an equally flexible and high-spec'd pre-owned EBS MicroBass II. Those things are good enough that I have two of them. For my purposes, the Mk.III is a step down and the Mk.II is a much better product. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 5 hours ago, Linus27 said: I'd like to get a fairly uncoloured preamp with DI that I can then run straight to the desk rather than going through the DI in my amp. Just going back to the original post - what's the reason for not wanting to use your amp's DI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I agree with @warwickhunt. The Fishman Platinum Pro is a lovely bit of kit. Obviously if you have a bigger budget I would suggest any of the Grace Designs options, well, the Alix or Felix. They will last you forever and there's nothing better imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted March 11 Author Share Posted March 11 19 minutes ago, jrixn1 said: Just going back to the original post - what's the reason for not wanting to use your amp's DI? I have a MarkBass LM IV and a Warwick Gnome and I play fretless. Recently I have found that my MB DI has caused some buzzing. By pure chance I'd just bought a Sansamp to use on my pedalboard in case one day, my amp goes down. A few gigs back I was playing an amazing venue but in soundcheck, I was getting some buzzing which I'd had before at other venues so the soundman saw I had a Sansamp and said lets run the DI from that, we should get a beautiful clear sound as they are amazing pedals. So we did and the buzzing went and I had an amazing sound. I then did about 3 more gig running the DI from the Sansamp and again, the best sound I have ever had and so this is what I now do, DI to the desk from the Sansamp for my fretless gigs. So I want to build a very small pedalboard for my EUB of basically a DI, Preamp and Octave pedal. I don't want to keep taking the Sansamp on and off my fretless pedalboard and to be fair, when I have tried my Sansamp with the EUB, its not really complimented it and thus my request for a fairly uncoloured preamp. My Warwick Gnome is the head I use for my EUB but I'm keen to follow suit with my fretless pedalboard and run a DI to the desk from a preamp or DI rather than rely on my Warwick Gnome DI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 Thanks for the additional info - makes sense. To add to the suggestions, the MXR M81 is a small, well-built, transparent preamp pedal with DI. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted March 11 Author Share Posted March 11 1 hour ago, jrixn1 said: Thanks for the additional info - makes sense. To add to the suggestions, the MXR M81 is a small, well-built, transparent preamp pedal with DI. You are welcome and hope it makes sense. Interesting that you suggest the MXR M81 as it has crossed my mind as well. I bought one of them in the past and I was really disappointed in it as I found it super subtle, very clean and didn't really add anything to my fretless tone so I returned it. I was thinking over the weekend how it would work with the EUB what with it being very clean and uncoloured. They are quite expensive for what they are though but it could be a good option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie C Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 12 hours ago, Linus27 said: They do also have the Platinum Stage which also looks good but no idea if it is any good. I have a Platinum Stage for sale in the Marketplace section of the forum 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeEvans Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 I use an ART Tube MP preamp for double bass, which has no EQ but somehow makes the bass sound a bit warmer and fatter. I just go straight to PA from there, and any EQ needed is done on the desk, or in small venues into my own Turbosound ip300 active speaker, which has basic EQ. It's the best sound I've ever had on db and I've come to the conclusion that the less there is in the chain, the better, for my bass and my taste. Whether that would work for EUB I can't say, depends how good the clean sound of the instrument is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 It's also worth considering a reverb pedal to try and mimic the acoustic resonance of a DB. It's not foolproof, but used judiciously can add some lovely character to an EUB. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted March 12 Author Share Posted March 12 24 minutes ago, Burns-bass said: It's also worth considering a reverb pedal to try and mimic the acoustic resonance of a DB. It's not foolproof, but used judiciously can add some lovely character to an EUB. I will try that. I love reverb and use it a lot on my fretless to great effect. I did try it quickly on the EUB and it got a bit mushy so I think it needs to be subtle so I'll give that a go tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPJ Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 I use reverb on my NS EUB but you need a reverb with an eq as you really need to try to emulate the ‘abbey road’ technique of cutting the hi’s and lo’s on the reverb channel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 I've been using a Palmer DI box. This just DIs into whatever I'm recording on and allows an additional out to an amp/stomp. Can't get much more transparent. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted March 12 Share Posted March 12 41 minutes ago, JPJ said: I use reverb on my NS EUB but you need a reverb with an eq as you really need to try to emulate the ‘abbey road’ technique of cutting the hi’s and lo’s on the reverb channel. Excellent point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyrus Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 You can check out the Headway EDB-1, or the much more updated model. I use the EDB-1, and it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.