Name:    Steve Kennedy
Email:   steve@pacair.com  
Subject: Preamps for Overdrive
Thread:  14
Time:    Thu, 14 Feb 2002 21:32:09 UTC

Here is another viewpoint.... rackmount preamps.


I normally don't use pedals myself and prefer a rack setup, as I can wire up a personilized set-up without exposed cabling and tear-down/set-up/reliability problems.


I almost always go through a preamp before going out to my Music Man amps. This is an acquired taste and not for everyone.


I have a number of different preamps I use to get different qualities of distortion.


The Peavey Rockmaster is a 4-tube (12AX7) preamp that sounds really good for "Classic Rock" type music. It really sings and is very versatile with 3 switchable channels (Clean, distortion rhythym and distortion Lead) and 4 different effects loops!


Another favorite tube preamp is the original Chandler Tube Driver (3-12AX7). This one is not quite as versatile, but has two switchable channels and very nice harmonic structure to its smooth and seet distortion.


A surprise is the ART Power Station. This is an all solid-state unit with two switchable channels. The clean channel is much like a Music Man preamp section... it has very high headroom and can't be distorted!


The distortion channel generates a signal that is full of second-order harmonics (I looked at it on a scope), does a good job of emulating overdriven power tubes and is highly compressed. It isn't high-gain metal but much more aggressive and compressed than the tube preamps I have.


I used to have a Marshall 9001 preamp, which was essentially a Marshall amplifier in a single rackmount without the output amp. It sounded just like my JCM 800 combo and was another signature sound you can't normally get from a small pedal. I sold it during a weak moment and have regretted it.


Steve




I look at these preamps as the front-end my Music Man amps never had. While I switch around these and go straight to the amp input for most clean situations, I have never found a pedal that was as versatile as any one of these preamps are.