Anyone using a rack mount tube preamp?

[amimbari]

I always thought back then, all guitarplayers used one of these...

damn pic is famous all over the internet now

.

[Brozz]

i always thought back then, all guitarplayers used one of these...

Damn pic is famous all over the internet now

.

classic !!!!

[Brozz]

I remember back in the 90's in Ohio, seeing one of those Jackson pre's with the "Shred" channel. How about one of those?

If I remember right, they weren't a very popular item. (very expensive and unreliable) So I doubt theres many used ones floating around. Interesting that you mention it though.

[MetalMedal II]

I remember back in the 90's in Ohio, seeing one of those Jackson pre's with the "Shred" channel. How about one of those?

I had one of these and was thoroughly unimpressed with the tone. It had cool features for a preamp though, 2 distorted channels (one of them the shred) and a clean one. And it had a stereo effects loop which you don't see very often. It just didn't sound very good and I played around with it, swapping around the preamp tubes trying to coax a good tone from it but was only mediocre. The Rocktron voodu sounded much better.

[straycat]

I use a Jackson JX-3 stereo preamp and it does a great job IMO.
80's hair OD is the best way to describe it My rack amp is a SS Randall RRM 120 and the Jackson OD works really well with it.
I do use a Rocktron maxE for added EQ for the OD.The exciter in the maxE adds a little fullness as well.

[tonemonster]

I use a JMP-1 and a Mesa Rec Pre. I like the JMP one better. it just works. you have to front load the hell out of it for my tastes, but damn its nice when you do.

[Frigo89]

I use a JMP-1 and a Mesa Rec Pre. I like the JMP one better. it just works. you have to front load the hell out of it for my tastes, but damn its nice when you do.

that's a beautiful rack! (lol)

here's mine!

[tonemonster]

Nice rack as well. (I always feel odd saying that to a guy.)

I have always wanted to try the Soldano SP-77 preamp. anyone ever use them???

[ps43203]

I'm still using a Digitech 2120. Replace the tubes with a high gain jj 12ax7 and an Eh 12ax7, gain for days. Effects are transparent and lush. Once you learn how to tweak it you can dial anything you want. I run mine with a rare mosvalve 1500 poweramp and sound incredible in stereo. Mentioned in prior post, the 2101 is just as good but harder to learn. Still by far one of the best preamps ever. Just change the freaking tubes! I modeled a Fortin Meathead with it and it's crazy how close I came. Well I did actually, when I was done playing. Lol

[ps43203]

Sp-77 is great too. Slo od ciruit and killer clean.

[Frigo89]

that big black box in my rack is a SP-77 series 2

modded by Bruce Egnater to have an extra gain stage and a master volume on the back

badass Neal Schon tone every time

[tonemonster]

sounds cool. I think that a SP77will be on my radar. maybe I will try to see if I got some stuff around here I can sell to generate some fun cash to buy one.

[hippietim]

These are my 3 favorite amps of all time (paired with a Boogie 2:90):
Bogner Fish - it's just fucking awesome
Brunetti Mille - it too is just fucking awesome
CAE 3+SE - surprise! it's fucking awesome

I had so many different preamps over time: SP-77, Triple Giant, VHT, JMP, Jackson, and many more. None of them are even close to sounding as good as those three. If I were ever going to get back into using tube amps I would definitely get one of those three again.

I never got to try a Soldano/Caswell - those are supposed to be killer too.

[Newc]

MP-1 user here. I've also had a 2101, which is basically the MP-1 with a dual-disc effects processor (designed by the main ADA designer as I understand it).
The 2101 does allow awesome effects modding, such as adding several EQs to a chain. Doing that I was able to model the sounds I get from my MP-1 and Digitech TSR-12 combo exactly.

The MP-1 by itself isn't very versatile tonewise in my opinion, and really shines if you want to use external EQ for tone-shaping. It also lends itself to post-production techniques since it has such an "uncluttered" tone.