Which tube preamp for Ric basses?

anoukane · Post by **anoukane** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:29 am

Currently I use the Sansamp RBI as preamp. When I use it for recording it sounds pretty good, but also a bit like a chainsaw.
Could you guys recommend a tube preamp to fit a Rickenbacker? I like Geddy's sound (for what is worth).

Here is a sounddemo of my Ric 4001 '77 with the Sansamp RBI. (I sold the 4001 a couple of months ago. Now I'm looking for a 4003 JG as you can see in the Wanted thread).
http://www.webstudio10.nl/2112.mp3

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Thu May 18, 2006 2:38 am

I use the Sansamp as well.

Im still trying to get a grip with it. I really like the distortion I get, but dont like how it likes to scoop out the mids. I can compensate to a certain degree, but the tone in my head still is'nt there.

Im thinking of trying the Line 6 bass pod. These are highly recommended by forumite Jeff Rath. They also feature compression, a big part of Geddy's tone in my opinion.

anoukane · Post by **anoukane** » Thu May 18, 2006 2:42 am

Is it possible to use the Line 6 bass pod as a preamp?

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Thu May 18, 2006 2:57 am

Im sure you can. Go here:

http://www.line6.com/

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu May 18, 2006 4:05 am

I can run my bass pod 4 ways ...

1 - into the instrument input in the front of the amp.
2 - into the effects loop
3 - into the slave input in the back of the amp (this bypasses all of the knobs on the front on my ampeg b2r)
4 - direct into a recording deck or mixing board

I use 1 and 4

rpmartino · Post by **rpmartino** » Thu May 18, 2006 5:09 am

I used a Sansamp Bass Driver DI for a while running into a Boss SE-70 for some additional processing. To get closer to the Geddy/Squire kinds of sounds I found you really had to boost 1.25 kHz and scoop out around 125K to have the bass "cut" more and reduce boominess. I also used the SE-70 to add more compression.

Lately I like the results I've been getting using a software only approach, just the bass plugged directly into the computer using Guitar Rig preamp/software. The two Rickenbacker tunes on my website "Rush to Judgement" and "Differential" demonstrate this approach.

IK Multimedia will soon be releasing an Ampeg bass amp plug-in which could be really cool, I tried it for a bit at NAMM and it seemed to have a lot of potential.

Rob
http://robmartino.com

shinynewtoy · Post by **shinynewtoy** » Thu May 18, 2006 5:34 am

Great tone on Rush to Judgment... reminds me alot of Circumstances.

You've got some killer stuff on your site, Rob!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Thu May 18, 2006 7:23 am

Ampeg made a tube SVT preamp some time during the 90's, you'll still see them on ebay here and there. It is just the preamp section out of an SVT as they have both power amp and preamp in separate sections in the heads and they plug together.
Geddy Lee used SVT's at one time I guess.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Thu May 18, 2006 12:47 pm

Rob, did you mean to say scoop out round 125Hz and not 125K? Not many humans can hear 125 kilohertz!

zoomduck · Post by **zoomduck** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:50 pm

Bass Player magazine did a pre-amp comparison several years ago......The Alembic killed them all !

jps · Post by **jps** » Thu May 18, 2006 2:55 pm

I used to have two Alembic F-1X preamps, very nice but a bit shy in the gain department. Forget it if you are looking for any valve distortion however, as these preamps are very clean sounding, as they only have one tube gain stage. The first half of the single 12AX7 is used as a unity gain buffer for the effects loop and the second half is the gain before the tone stack and volume control, which then goes to a solid state second gain stage before the crossover and output.

If you are looking for some grind, try the rackmount version of the discontinued Mesa/Boogie V-Twin preamp.

rpmartino · Post by **rpmartino** » Thu May 18, 2006 6:16 pm

125K? Ah yes, sorry, sometimes I forget I have much better hearing than most humans.

Yup, meant 125 Hz... 100 to 200Hz seems like the "boomy" range so I tend to dial things down in that area.

Rob
http://robmartino.com

jayfbv · Post by **jayfbv** » Fri May 19, 2006 8:45 am

I think using the Sansamp as an effect/DI device, into an Alembic F2-B would be a nice combination. F2-B's need a minor modification because they won't drive many power amps properly. The output needs to be a cathode follower, not plate drive. This can be done with a $3 solid state device. You don't have to add another 12ax7 like David Gilmour's. The part is an IRF820 MOSFET.

dougp · Post by **dougp** » Fri May 19, 2006 2:16 pm

I've found the Ampeg SVP preamp to be quite good for gigging, but a bit noisy for recording (the tubes in mine are due for replacement, so that could be the problem).

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Fri May 19, 2006 2:21 pm

For what it worth, I just snagged a Bass Pod off of Ebay. I should get it by the end of next week. I'll probably have lots of questions for Jeff R.