I'm looking to upgrade some pres for guitar/bass. Looking for something cheap, but not terrible. I heard the Presonus Bluetube isn't bad, if you replace the 12ax7's with better tubes. For $250 2 channel preamp, that seems like right up my alley. I also saw FMR Audio RNP8380, dual channel pre for about twice the price, probably the top of my budget.

I've got an Art Pro Tube MP and a Studio V3 I've been using for dedicated voice channels, they aren't bad. I suppose I could try those out. But, looking for something good and dedicated for guitar and for bass, or both. Just curious what other people's thoughts are.

The FMR is a great unit. Get one used and you'll come really close to that presonus unit and not have to fiddle with maybe getting a better sound by changing tubes - and if you don't dig it, you can sell it back on Reverb for close to what you paid for it.

If you have only a few "good" pre-amps to choose from, I think you'd be better served by a good, solid, less-colored pre like the FMR. Current production tube preamps vary widely with quality and coloration, and I think you'll find a lot more utility out of a good, clean solid-state pre like the FMR.

Garth wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 11:12 am The FMR is a great unit. Get one used and you'll come really close to that presonus unit and not have to fiddle with maybe getting a better sound by changing tubes - and if you don't dig it, you can sell it back on Reverb for close to what you paid for it.

If you have only a few "good" pre-amps to choose from, I think you'd be better served by a good, solid, less-colored pre like the FMR. Current production tube preamps vary widely with quality and coloration, and I think you'll find a lot more utility out of a good, clean solid-state pre like the FMR.

Do you think that the less-colored pre like the FMR would be an upgrade from the colorless pres in the Tascam Model 12?

I'll throw out a heavily-qualified "most likely yes" because I'm not familiar w/ the Tascam 12 specifically.

I think the main thing I'd say is that if you're not adding a ton of gain (ribbon mics, quiet sources), you may not notice a huge difference.

Now might be a good time to ask more pointedly: "what are you hoping to achieve w/ getting better pre's" or "what problem are you trying to solve?"

If you're just not happy w/ how your recorded guitar/bass sounds, I'd look more at the source first and foremost and then the mic choices, the mic placement, etc. Those tascam pres honestly should be at least "fine" or "ok" at worst.

I think preamps are probably like the 5th or 6th most important thing in the signal chain.

The only time I really notice the "sound" of a preamp is when I start summing tracks that were all recorded on the same type of preamp. Like 16 tracks recorded through Neve pres sounds different than 16 tracks recorded through API pres.

That being said, the Golden-Age Project Pre 73s are good for Neve-flavor stuff. There's the old standby Sytek MPX-4 preamps if you want something relatively colorless.

How do you intend on using them? Are you plugging direct? Are you using them to mic a cabinet? If you are plugging direct I probably wouldn't bother with a mic preamp at all. I'd get something like the Iridium (which is out of your price range even used). Maybe a Sansamp of some kind? Maybe a Rusty Box.

I have the RNP and it's pretty colorless with relatively low noise. I mostly use it for drum overheads, but I do plug in synths and stuff through the front end, because it's quick and easy. At home I typically mic my guitar cabs with your old built in 002 preamps, even with my Royer ribbon mic. Sounds fine. Would I like better preamps? Yes. Do I think they make as much difference as different mics and placement? No.

Also, the Tube MP sounds pretty great with a bass plugged straight into it. We used one when the preamp section of an SVT went out until we could repair it. Never tried it with guitar.

Garth wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 12:39 pm I'll throw out a heavily-qualified "most likely yes" because I'm not familiar w/ the Tascam 12 specifically.

I think the main thing I'd say is that if you're not adding a ton of gain (ribbon mics, quiet sources), you may not notice a huge difference.

Now might be a good time to ask more pointedly: "what are you hoping to achieve w/ getting better pre's" or "what problem are you trying to solve?"

If you're just not happy w/ how your recorded guitar/bass sounds, I'd look more at the source first and foremost and then the mic choices, the mic placement, etc. Those tascam pres honestly should be at least "fine" or "ok" at worst.

Yeah, good point. I do like how the guitar sounds for now. I guess I want more control, maybe even EQ onboard, rather than in software. I would even love to get some hardware compressors at some point.

I def need and like the pres that I use for vocals. I don't use mics at all for guitar or bass, I've got the following:

Guitar/bass -> pedalboard -> amp -> reactive load box -> IR cab sim -> audio interface (Tascam Model 12) -> DAW

I get pretty good gain and have volume control at almost every touchpoint in the signal chain. That is not really an issue. I've noticed I need to punch up the bass more often than not, but don't really need to do much for guitar. This I think is primarily due to the bass my bass player is using. (I've recorded with my P bass and it sounds pretty good comparatively, but I want my bass player to be comfortable playing his own bass). But, I think they both could use a little color/warmth. Maybe it's not so much a pre, but some kind of EQ/compression?

Anyway, great responses and thank you so much for the simple advice!

tommy wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 1:58 pm Also, the Tube MP sounds pretty great with a bass plugged straight into it. We used one when the preamp section of an SVT went out until we could repair it. Never tried it with guitar.

Oh cool, I think I'll give that a try. I haven't been using that one as much as the V3, which I like better on vocals. Also, for $50 it ain't a bad choice.

Alternatively, I have a free credit to one of the following VSTs. This goes against trying to use hardware, but can't say no to free:

https://www.arturia.com/products/softwa ... e/pretrida
https://www.arturia.com/products/softwa ... dle/prev76
https://www.arturia.com/products/softwa ... e/1973-pre

If you're mostly happy w/ the guitar sound, then maybe for the bass, you could maybe try a combo of the IR cab sim (y'know since that's kinda like the virtual version of a mic on the cab, right?) in tandem with a decent DI. I did some stuff recently w/ one of those active Radials and was VERY happy w/ it. Minimal fussing in both pre and post.