10 best boss preamps

Boss preamps, in the context of musical instruments, specifically electric guitars, are devices designed to shape and enhance the guitar signal before it reaches the amplifier.A preamp, short for preamplifier, is an essential component in the signal chain, and it plays a crucial role in shaping the tone and character of the guitar sound.

Boss is a well-known brand in the music industry, and they produce a variety of guitar effects pedals and amplifiers, including preamps. Here are some general aspects related to Boss preamps:

  1. Tone Shaping: Preamps allow guitarists to adjust the tonal characteristics of their instrument. They typically include controls for bass, midrange, and treble, enabling users to sculpt the sound to their preference.

  2. Gain and Distortion: Some Boss preamps include gain and distortion controls, providing the option to add overdrive or distortion to the guitar signal. This is especially useful for achieving various genres of music, from clean tones to heavily distorted sounds.

  3. Versatility: Boss preamps often aim for versatility, catering to a broad range of musical styles. This makes them suitable for players with diverse preferences, from jazz and blues to rock and metal.

  4. Compact Pedal Design: Many Boss preamps come in the form of compact pedals. These stompbox-style designs make them easy to integrate into a pedalboard setup, allowing musicians to switch between different preamp settings easily during performances.

  5. Integration with Amplifiers: Boss preamps can be used in conjunction with amplifiers to shape the overall tone. They are often employed to drive the input stage of an amplifier, influencing how the amp responds to the guitar signal.

  6. Digital and Analog Varieties: Boss offers both digital and analog preamps. Digital preamps may incorporate additional features such as presets, digital effects, and more extensive tonal possibilities, while analog preamps often focus on simplicity and a more traditional sound.

  7. Reliability: Boss is known for producing durable and reliable equipment. Many musicians appreciate the sturdiness and longevity of Boss pedals, making them a popular choice for both beginners and professionals.

In conclusion, Boss preamps are components used by guitarists to shape and enhance the sound of their electric guitars before it reaches the amplifier. They offer tone-shaping controls, gain options, and often come in a compact pedal format, making them a convenient and reliable choice for musicians looking to modify and customize their guitar tones.

Below you can find our editor's choice of the best boss preamps on the market
  

MXR M81 Bass Preamp

JIM DUNLOP

Based on 64 reviews Check latest price

Product description

The MXR Bass Preamp combines a pristine bass preamp with astudio-quality Direct Out in a Phase 90-sized box, providing clear tonewithout hogging precious pedalboard space. Use it to add a new voice toan old passive bass, sweeten up any amp, or put some special sauce on aparticular song. Dial it in just the way you want it and send itstraight to the house—pre or post-EQ—with the built-in Direct Out.

  • Separate INPUT & OUTPUT level controls
  • 3-band EQ section with sweep able midrange
  • Studio-quality Direct Out

User questions & answers

Question: Does the output and the xlr out work simultaneously so as to link with the Amplifier on the stage and also send the balanced out to the mixer
Answer: They work simultaneously the plug and xlr to link with the amplifier and to send the balance to the mixer, if you've got all the wire it will be fine
Question: How does this compare to the mxr m80 bass d.i.+, and is it appropriate for both active and passive basses, or only one type
Answer: I use both in my chain (starting with the m81 and then ending with m80) - but if I only had to choose one I would get the m81. There are more possibilities in shaping the tone and the m80 distortion is not as good as the boss IMO. I have a passive bass and have not heard it on an active. I hope that helps!
Question: can you just use a preamp instead of ab amp head
Answer: If you want to drive loudspeakers you have to have some sort of power amp; this preamp will amplify the instrument signal enough to drive a power amp and speakers. It does not put out enough power to drive speakers or even headphones but it will drive a power amp, a PA or a recording desk quite well. Self-powered speakers also have some sort of power amp built in and the MXR M81 preamp should be able to drive a self-powered speaker adequately.
Question: This helps the sound for an Active Bass
Answer: Yes, this preamp works with both passive and active basses. I used it for creating a different EQ from the sound I had set on my active bass that I could activate with just a press of the footswitch rather than quickly trying to change the knobs on the bass. The DI output works whether the EQ section is active or not.

Caline Pedals Driver Guitar Effects Pedal Classic Tube Bass Guitar Amp Pedal Metal Ture Bybass Wine Cellar Yellow CP-60

Caline

Based on 68 reviews Check latest price
  • Caline DI bass Wine Cellar CP-60 pedal captures all the sound of a mic’s classic tube bass amp
  • Has Drive, High and Low frequency, HF Harmonics, and Mix controls and boasts analog cabinet emulation circuitry
  • True bypass design, minimizes tone loss and get more control of your pedal. With LED light for indicating effects or bypass status
  • Guitar Effects dimensions: 5.5(L)*4.7(W)*2.8(H) inch, Guitar Effects weight: 0.43kgs. 3 months warranty
  • Mini size, space-saving and portable for guitarists carry. With aluminum alloy shell, durable and stable

User questions & answers

Question: what frequencies are the low and high set at
Answer: There’s no info on the website or anything I can find. To my ears the low is somewhere around 100hz-200hz with a large Q. High is probably between 2khz-4khz again with a high Q.
Question: What is a proper 9V power adapter for this delay pedal
Answer: Thanks for the interest here and appreciated. It runs on standard 9V power ( negative center) Adapters which you can get it in most places at a very low cost.

Product features

Caline Guitar Effect Pedal

Darkglass Electronics Darkglass Alpha Omega Bass Pre-Amp and Overdrive (AO)

Darkglass Electronics

Based on 17 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Besides being an amazing composer, producer and bassist, Jon Stockman is amazing at crafting some of the most devastating bass tones in the world. We got together in our then Helsinki headquarters 18 months ago and after endless tweaking and tens of prototypes we are finally ready to announce our first co-designed creation: Alpha Omega. This creation differs greatly from our previous preamplifiers and overdrives: it is fully operational amplifier based and has two distinct distortion circuits (Alpha and Omega) which can be selected or blended using our Mod knob. This unusual control, in conjunction with the toggle switches and 3 active band equalizer makes Alpha Omega the most flexible among our designs.

  • Blend: mixes the clean and processed Signals. The clean signal remains at unity gain while the volume of the overdriven signal is set by the level knob, allowing for fine mix tuning.
  • Mod: Selects or mixes between the two distinct distortion circuits: Alpha is punchy, tight with a lot of definition, whereas Omega is simply brutal and raw.
  • Bite: boosts high midst (2.8Khz) for additional presence and definition.
  • Growl: Shelving Bass Boost for a fatter tone and increased low end saturation.
  • Direct Output: A balanced version of the ¼” output, useful for running into PA’s or studio mixing consoles.

User questions & answers

Question: Difference between black & blue version
Answer: just the color, black is a limited edition
Question: Hey All can anyone suggest a Dc adapter for this? Thx
Answer: I recommend an mxr brick or a voodoo labs even a walrus power supply. Or if it is the only pedal you have a one spot would work just fine. I personally use the mxr and voodoo labs power supplies.

KAISH Pre-wired 3 Band Active & Passive EQ Equalizer Electric Bass Preamp Circuit

Based on 31 reviews Check latest price

Product description

KAISH Pre-wired 3 Band Active & Passive EQ Equalizer Electric Bass Preamp Circuit

  • Volume B50K; Pickup MN250K
  • Bass: +/- 14dB 80Hz B100K; Middle: +/- 8dB 900Hz B100K; Treble: +/- 23dB 3-7KHz B100K
  • P1 should be wired with neck pickup positive; P2 should be wired with bridge pickup positive; GND should be wired with two pickups negative
  • High quality bass preamp, not inferior bass Circuit made in cheap factories
  • Please consult your local luthiers if you don't know how to install the Circuit

User questions & answers

Question: Can this be wired with 18v
Answer: You could but I would not, the control board is a 9v board 18v will probably damage it. I assume you are trying to use two 9v batteries for your build so if you wire them in parallel rather than series and you can double your amps instead of your volts this wont damage the control board but you might get a little bit of a shock on the strings if everything isnt grounded well.
Question: Is this a true active/passive system like the Bartolini preamp system
Answer: I have not installed the system into my bass as yet.
Question: Thinking of installing this into my custom p bass. any recommendations
Answer: Swap the separated bass/treble pots for a concentric 100k pot. Also, if your p bqss also has just 1 pickup, remove the balance knob and change the volume knob for a push/pull 500k... so you can change passive / active
Question: Is there a wiring diagram for active pickups
Answer: There is no wiring diagram. It is pretty simple for active pickups or non-active. There are 3 wires that attach to the "blend" pot for the pickups. I call it "blend" because there are 5 pots, V, B, M, T, and the "blend". V=volume, B=bass, M=middle, T=treble. "Blend" would be tone, but T is already labeled. Battery is there, and a input jack. I had to cut and solder the battery connector because my bass has a special compartment for the battery. You will need to solder the pickup wires, all 3. The 3 wires to the "blend" pot are for 1) neck PU (P1) 2) bridge PU (P2) and 3) ground/common. There is a bridge hardware ground (common) spare wire as well so you don't get shocked. You can see that spare wire in one of the photos, its a bare wire with black insulation.

Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI Effects Pedal

tech21

Based on 120 reviews Check latest price

Product description

SansAmp Bass Driver DI Effects Pedal. The SansAmp Bass Driver DI has been an arsenal staple for players and studios almost since the day it was introduced in 1994. This multi-function, multi-application pedal dials up big vintage tube tones, bright modern slap sounds, gnarly distortions, and all in between. Since the popularity of 5- and 6-string basses has gone beyond fad status and become mainstream, Tech 21 added a switch to adjust the bass frequency to extend into those lower registers. They also added a mid-range control and a switch to adjust its frequency. The core of the SansAmp Bass Driver and all of its tones remain true to its original design. CONTROLS Presence: Controls the amount of definition and upper harmonic content Drive: Adjusts the overall gain structure and overdrive Level: Regulates the XLR and effected 1/4" output levels Blend: Allows you to mix the direct bass signal with SansAmp Tube Amplifier Emulation circuitry (which is particularly useful for basses equipped with piezo pickups) Bass & Treble: Active EQ controls, specifically tuned for bass guitar, that cut or boost +/- 12dB

  • Presence, Drive, Level, Blend, Bass and Treble controls Three outputs: an effected XLR, effected 1/4 in. and parallel, uneffected 1/4 in. Phantom power operable, optional DC power supply or 9 V alkaline battery
  • The SansAmp Bass Driver DI has been an arsenal staple for players and studios almost since the day it was introduced in 1994
  • This multi-function, multi-application pedal dials up big vintage tube tones, bright modern slap sounds, gnarly distortions, and all in between
  • Since the popularity of 5- and 6-string basses has gone beyond fad status and become mainstream, Tech 21 added a switch to adjust the bass frequency to extend into those lower registers
  • They also added a mid-range control and a switch to adjust its frequency

User questions & answers

Question: Is it programmable, does it store settings
Answer: It does not have any programmable features or saved settings. Just the dials and buttons 😎
Question: Does it comes with adapter
Answer: No I had to buy one separately. Found mine on amazon. It can also be powered by 9V battery tooI think it sounds great I highly recommend purchasing
Question: What power supply voltage do I have to use for this
Answer: The DC power supply adapter is included. It's a 9v supply. You can also use a 9v battery.
Question: What is the diference within this V2 and the other
Answer: VERSION 2 With the popularity of 5- and 6-string basses going beyond fad status and becoming mainstream, we added a switch to adjust the bass frequency to extend into those lower registers. We also added a mid-range control and a switch to adjust its frequency. The core of the SansAmp Bass Driver and all of its tones remain true to its original design

Darkglass Alpha Omicron Bass Preamp OD Pedal

Darkglass Electronics

Based on 43 reviews Check latest price

Product description

The Darkglass Alpha Omicron was created for the bassist who wants the Alpha Omega's premium analog signal path and dual distortion modes in a smaller pedal format for less money. Clank and djent are this pedal's strong suits. But thanks to a Blend control, players can unlock subtler shades of dirt with ease. Choose or mix between two distinct distortion flavors, tap into added thickness and presence via the Growl and Bite controls, then layer onto your dry bass tone to taste. Like all Darkglass pedals, the Alpha Omicron is proudly handmade in Finland from the finest parts.

  • Bass Preamp/Disttion Pedal with Dual Disttion Modes Blend Control

User questions & answers

Question: How is this quality
Answer: The quality imo is 10/10. Even the box was fancy. Darkglass knows what they're doing. It's a really solid pedal and you can get alot of different tones with it.

MXR Thump Bass Preamp Guitar Effects Pedal (M281)

MXR

Based on 11 reviews Check latest price

Product description

The MXR Thump Bass Preamp is a tone-sweetening, signal-boosting, and altogether groove-enhancing machine. This pedal was conceived when the MXR design team and our in-house bass players discovered that the Echoplex Preamp’s sonic secret sauce made for just as delectable a pairing with bass as it does with guitar. Using that circuitry as a foundation, the MXR team added a simple yet potent tone-shaping interface so that you can dial in the perfect bass sound for the stage and the studio. Crafting the sound you need is easy. The Echoplex Preamp circuit conditions your signal with a carefully balanced EQ profile, and this pedal’s tone controls let you take it from there. The Treble and Bass knobs cut or boost frequencies at 8 kHz and 40 Hz respectively, while the Mid knob cuts or boosts the midrange as set by the Frequency knob, from 250 Hz to 1 kHz. This range of frequencies was selected to give players maximum flexibility and minimal fuss when refining their bass signal. Whether you need to punch up a solo, boost your signal in a live mix, or sculpt more edge into the sound of a passive bass, the Thump Bass Preamp packs incredible versatility into an MXR mini housing.

  • All the tone-sweetening versatility bass players need in an MXR mini housing
  • Combines the Echoplex Preamp with a three-band EQ and mid-frequency adjustment
  • Punch up a solo, boost your live signal, or sculpt a more aggressive edge onto a passive sound
  • Package Weight: 0.24 kilograms

MXR M81 Bass Preamp Pedal Bundle with XLR Direct Out, 3 band EQ and Level Controls w/ 4 Cables

MXR

Based on 8 reviews Check latest price

Product description



Save with this bundle. Package includes: MXR M81 Bass Preamp Pedal Bundle with XLR Direct Out, 3 band EQ and Level Controls w/ 4 Cables





MXR M81 Bass Preamp Effects Pedal

The MXR Bass Preamp combines a pristine bass preamp with a studio-quality Direct Out in a Phase 90-sized box, providing clear tone without hogging precious pedalboard space. Use it to add a new voice to an old passive bass, sweeten up any amp, or put some special sauce on a particular song. Dial it in just the way you want it and send it straight to the house pre or post-EQ—with the built-in Direct Out. The Bass Preamp features separate INPUT and OUTPUT level controls and a 3-band EQ section with sweepable midrange from 250hz to 1khz for extensive tonal flexibility. It’s all delivered super clean with high headroom thanks to our own Constant Headroom Technology, and you can use the PRE/POST EQ switch to set whether or not your Direct Out signal is affected by the Bass Preamp’s EQ section. And of course, the Bass Preamp features a GROUND LIFT switch in case you encounter ground loop hum. The Bass Preamp is factory preset to operate in ¼” out buffered bypass and Direct Out active. For players who only want to use the ¼” out, there are two internal switches that disable the Direct Out and ¼” out buffered bypass for true ¼” out bypass mode. asin B00I3TOXVM For studio-quality bass tones wherever you play, rely on the MXR M81 Bass preamp pedal. Separate input and output level controls let you take advantage of MXR's innovative Constant Headroom Technology for clarity at volumes other preamps just can't produce. The flawless direct out can be sent to the house pre or post the 3-band, sweepable midrange EQ section - dial in tone for your amp and leave the PA to the sound chick.

Features

Includes 4 Cables!

Separate INPUT & OUTPUT level controls

3-band EQ section with sweepable midrange

Studio-quality Direct Out

  • Save with this bundle. Package includes: MXR M81 Bass Preamp Effects Pedal w/ 4 Cables
  • Put award-winning tone at your feet with MXR M81 Bass Innovations pedals with High headroom input and output level controls for distortion-free signal and 3-band EQ section with sweepable midrange dials in whatever you need
  • Buffered bypass/True bypass switchable for even greater versatility with Operates on 9V battery, optional power supply, pedalboard power, or phantom power from your mixer
  • The flawless direct out can be sent to the house pre or post the 3-band, sweepable midrange EQ section - dial in tone for your amp and leave the PA to the sound chick.
  • For studio-quality bass tones wherever you play, rely on the MXR M81 Bass preamp pedal with Studio-quality Direct Out with Switchable pre/post EQ direct out - get the right tone for your amp and the room guitar pedal dunlop bass pedal bass pedal for guitars guitars pedals

Darkglass Harmonic Booster Clean Bass Preamp v2

Darkglass

Based on 14 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Designed to be the perfect complement to our distortion circuits, the flexibility and portability of the Harmonic Booster is also the perfect one-stop solution for gigging musicians in search of a precise and harmonically rich clean preamplifier.

  • Flat -20dB to +20dB cut or boost
  • +-20dB @ the frequency selected by "Mid Frequency"
  • Mid frequency from 250Hz to 2.5kHz
  • +-20dB @ 80 Hz
  • Allows blending in the perfect amount of the tone-shaping circuitry.

MXR M81 Bass Preamp Pedal Bundle with 9V Power Supply, 2 Patch Cables and 6 Dunlop Picks

MXR

Based on 4 reviews Check latest price

Product description

The MXR Bass Preamp combines a pristine bass preamp with a studio-quality Direct Out in a Phase 90-sized box, providing clear tone without hogging precious pedalboard space. Use it to add a new voice to an old passive bass, sweeten up any amp, or put some special sauce on a particular song. Dial it in just the way you want it and send it straight to the house-pre or post-EQ-with the built-in Direct Out. The Bass Preamp features separate Input and Output level controls and a 3-band EQ section with sweepable midrange-from 250hz to 1khz-for extensive tonal flexibility. It's all delivered super clean with high headroom thanks to our own Constant Headroom Technology , and you can use the PRE/POST EQ switch to set whether or not your Direct Out signal is affected by the Bass Preamp's EQ section. And of course, the Bass Preamp features a GROUND LIFT switch in case you encounter ground loop hum. The Bass Preamp is factory preset to operate in ¼" out buffered bypass and Direct Out active. For players who only want to use the ¼" out, there are two internal switches that disable the Direct Out and ¼" out buffered bypass for true ¼" out bypass mode.

  • Switchable pre/post EQ direct out - get the right tone for your amp and the room
  • High headroom input and output level controls for distortion-free signal
  • 3-band EQ section with sweepable midrange dials in whatever you need
  • Buffered bypass/True bypass switchable for even greater versatility
  • Bundle includes 2 6-inch right angle patch cables, 9 volt power supply, and 6 assorted Dunlop picks

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