High gain pre amp recommendations

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dyllheaven88
  • Start date Start date
For a cheap but sounds good alternative; grab an old 90s Digitech GSP 21 or related units…they measure up well even compared to the AX8 that I had a few yrs ago.
 
Be interesting to do a high gain pedal vs pre amp shootout
 
Tons of preamp pedals put these days, but a little harder to find some high gain ones. Tubesteader makes the sun keeper, which is an orange rockerverb 2 channel tube preamp pedal, may be more suited for doom than what you want but a good option. Also a couple of Mesa studio pres are in the for sale section here.
 
I've tried more than 20 high gain preamps and my favorite ones are:
Mesa Boogie Quad (really raw and in your face)
Mesa Boogie Studio (more scooped / modern sounding than the Quad)
Peavey Rock Master (Really versatile )
Kettner Access (The triaxis killer)
Rocktron Piranha (Love - Hate thing )
ISP Theta ( good and cheap sounding SS preamp)
 
FWIW I've really enjoyed having the Fryette GP/DI, and I use it as a pre almost exclusively.
 
glpg80 said:
Good old JMP-1 is hard to beat. I’m really surprised it wasn’t mentioned so far.
Click to expand...
^^^^ for sure! Dialed in properly, it screams. Triaxis with eq in the loop kills too...if I was to go modern day it'd be synergy or the black widow preamp
 
ISP Theta preamp pedal with their Stealth power amp does it for me and it all fits in a back pack.
 
A few votes for the rockmaster, and if you decide to follow that recommendation, I have one available if you're interested.
 
Myaskinov hands down just as good or better than any other preamps. You cant get one right now because of so called war, i dont think.
 
The Axefx FM3 blew me away and I normally dont like digital preamps. Its an all in one small pedal board size. I run that to my KSR tube power amp through a regular 4x12 guitar cab. Not sure what your application is but its a great for a grab and go rig with a band.
 
Rack Modelers:
Fractal Audio Axe-Fx III

Rack tube preamps:
Mesa Quad
Mesa Triaxis (You'll want an external EQ if you go this route. The Triaxis sounds great but the built-in EQ called "Dynamic Voice" is awful)

Pedal Preamps:
Bogner Ecstasy Blue pedal
Bogner Ecstasy Red pedal
Carl Martin Plexitone
Friedman BE-OD
JHS @+ (Andy Timmons pedal)
Joyo American Sound
 
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