Preamp suggestions please!

[pinto79]

Hey,

I'm looking to use a preamp for band purposes. I love the sound of my AX2 into my Classic 50/50, but it's clumsy and not very portable.

What, in your esteemed opinions would be a great guitar preamp?

SS or Tube doesn't matter. I have a few distortion/OD boxes to use with it if necessary, but I would prefer to be able to get a good modern-ish distortion from the preamp itself, but it should be able to do 80s stuff well too.

Units I have looked at are the Line 6 POD Pro, BOSS GX-700 (Mostly for the effects) a Hafler unit, a Hughes and Kettner ATTAXX, Rocktron Gainiac and a Marshall 9000. I had a JMP-1 at one time but was less than totally impressed.

Stereo is preferred but not required if the right thing comes along.

Thanks!

 

[pinto79]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

I should note that Rack mounted is best for me!

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

Hey,

I'm looking to use a preamp for band purposes. I love the sound of my AX2 into my Classic 50/50, but it's clumsy and not very portable.

What, in your esteemed opinions would be a great guitar preamp?

I am not so esteemed, I mean I poo three times a day and stuff, but anyways. For that particular description above the best choice would be V-Twin by Messa. And I am not a fan of messa at all, but that is great unit. Just listen to Zerbs clips and WahWahs, amazing tone, amazing range.

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

A Triaxis of course!

 

[pinto79]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

I should have noted that I'm trying to do it a bit on the cheap as it's a secondary rig...

But good ideas so far! Keep 'em comin'!

 

[Schappy]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

Check out a Mesa Studio.

You can grab one pretty cheap on ebay.

 

[pinto79]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

Wow... a lot of Mesa suggestions. Can anyone tell me how to be sure that a Mesa preamp won't sound as Nickelback/Creed/Avril/P!nk/Schlock as their heads?

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

Wow... a lot of Mesa suggestions. Can anyone tell me how to be sure that a Mesa preamp won't sound as Nickelback/Creed/Avril/P!nk/Schlock as their heads?

Dont play in such retarded styles. I think if you take the hype and the "must" theory for a style. Messa impresses people with their pre-amps more than with heads. I've noticed that before, that tone chasers/gear whores are frequent to mention messa's pre-amps.

 

[ParameterMan]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

A Mesa Studio or Quad won't sound like any of the above because they're based on the MKII/MKIII circuitry. I'm not sure how modern metal sounding they can get. I love my Quad, but it's a blast from the 70's/80's which suits me just fine.

You could also check out the ADA MP1, if you're looking for mega gain.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

I have a Mesa Formula. It does not sound like modern metal. The crunch channel sounds like a 70's Marshall, cleans up well if you roll your volume back, doesn't have endless sustain- it's an organic, old school sound. The lead channel has more sustain and gain, but it's more of sustaining lead channel, not a modern metal sound.

pinto, just what sound are you after? I got to try out an H & K Attax preamp once. It sounded great, and was a steal at $125 used. H&K amps/preamps tend to sound quite good.

Which Hafler unit did you try? I had a T3 for a long time but upgraded when I could afford it. I have a Triple Giant now. The T3 was OK for the money. The Triple Giant is amazing. The brown channel does an amazingly useful, crunchy, tight hard rock overdrive. The sharp channel is totally 80's, with lots of hair and "Zzzt". Not the cheezy mosquito tone buzz that some cheaper units give you, but a totally furry 80's metal tone. The clean channel gets sparkly clean to bluesy overdrive when you turn the gain up.

If you weren't trying to do this cheap, of course I'd suggest going for a Soldano, VHT or Bogner preamp. But there are some good options out there if you're looking to spend less than $500.

 

[pinto79]

Re: Preamp suggestions please!

I've been looking more closely at the Attax and I think I'm going to bid hard on the one on ebay. I've generally been impressed with the H&K stuff I have used. I like that it's tube, and the one I'm looking at comes with the foot switch.

I'll be sure to post a review if I get it.

Thanks for the insight bros!