Preamp Recommendations

ebagjones

ebagjones

New member
Hello everybody

I switching to a more portable rig finally, using pedal preamps into my Effects into a tube power amp into a cab.
I understand most vintage tones were relatively clean preamps smashing the phase inverter and or power amp with their output, but I'm not really looking for those tones. More like 80s or 90s amp tones. I have a Tubesteader Beekeeper and an Effectrode Blackbird on the way to cover clean and Dumble like tones. I am also looking to cover Mesa Mark series tones and Soldano SLO like tones. I also wouldn't mind a hot rodded JCM style preamp.
I wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations. I know Synergy has those modules but not really interested in investing in their whole setup. I know Carvin still sells the front end of the X-100 in pedal format, and I'd heard that that was just a Mark II clone, but having never played one myself I wasn't sure.
Thanks is advance for anyone who reads this and has any directions to point me in. The flooded pedal market is so full of preamps that aren't actually preamps it makes searching for real ones harder than it should be.
 
I think I might check out the ToneX pedal. The demos I've seen (and my limited time with it) says it can get those tones easily. Another option is the Sansamp PSA 2.0, a new-ish programmable analog preamp pedal from Tech 21.
 
I kinda wanted a carvin pedal until I read some reviews and heard some clips. I used to have the head version and I got some killer tones but other days it would sound farty to me.

To be able to do all that you want, def sounds like you'd want a modeler or something that can capture/profile. So many options with modelers but most modern ones seem to have a decent jcm800 and mesa mark tone. If I didn't have a cheap modeler I already liked, I'd go for a refurbished line 6 pod go for $350 (on their site), or a new tonex (sounds like buying used gets weird with licensing). If money not an issue - fractal or neural would make most sense (if good enough for maiden, metallica, megadeth on tour...)

For straight-up marshall tones, I love my jmp-1 preamp.
 
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Used to use Mesa Boogie’s V Twin pedal….found it great for a wide variety of tones but especially good at the ripping gain stack tonze…
 
ebagjones said:
Hello everybody

I switching to a more portable rig finally, using pedal preamps into my Effects into a tube power amp into a cab.
I understand most vintage tones were relatively clean preamps smashing the phase inverter and or power amp with their output, but I'm not really looking for those tones. More like 80s or 90s amp tones. I have a Tubesteader Beekeeper and an Effectrode Blackbird on the way to cover clean and Dumble like tones. I am also looking to cover Mesa Mark series tones and Soldano SLO like tones. I also wouldn't mind a hot rodded JCM style preamp.
I wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations. I know Synergy has those modules but not really interested in investing in their whole setup. I know Carvin still sells the front end of the X-100 in pedal format, and I'd heard that that was just a Mark II clone, but having never played one myself I wasn't sure.
Thanks is advance for anyone who reads this and has any directions to point me in. The flooded pedal market is so full of preamps that aren't actually preamps it makes searching for real ones harder than it should be.
Click to expand...

If you are good/confident enough at soldering I sell PCBs for both the IIC+ (with optional GEQ board) and the SLO.

See Raijin/Mach2pre+ for the IIC+ (only difference is one board is designed to fit in a 1u chassis the other 2u

and Jupiter for SLO lead channel.

www.aurora-audio.co.uk

I also do commisioned builds too but that's on hold for a month or so as i'm moving house.

Edit: Just reread your post and realise you specifically want preamp pedals so the above will be no good to you!
 
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Mincer said:
I think I might check out the ToneX pedal. The demos I've seen (and my limited time with it) says it can get those tones easily. Another option is the Sansamp PSA 2.0, a new-ish programmable analog preamp pedal from Tech 21.
Click to expand...

I have yet to see a bad product from Tech21
 
This should handle the Marshall tones, Seymour Duncan made some pedal preamps about ten or so years ago called "Twin Tube(Classic, Blue, and Mayhem), I owned a Mayhem briefly but didn't have the right tupe of rig to use it properly, but that was definitely in the high gain metal type.
 

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Was checking a video about that yesterday, looks pretty cool. Dual tube, can load IRs. Under 4 bones.
 
You might want to check out the two notes revolt. I have one and it's pretty good sounding, it's 3 preamps in a pedal format with a boost shared by all 3. The 3 preamps are a fender Bass man 100, a marshall JMP super lead 100, and a soldano SLO100 and the boost is toggled on and off of whatever preamp your using. You switch preamps by just hitting a different footswitch.
 
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