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Amplifiers and Preamps

Amplifiers and Preamps

amptopper.jpgBe Heard.

So, it stands to reason: if you are going to amplify your bass, you're going to need an amplifier. (Duh.) We have carefully chosen a selection of quality amplifiers that all work well with upright basses and their pickups. And if you double -- meaning that you play gigs on both upright and electric bass -- we have amps that work well for that too. Regardless of your need, we will gladly help you navigate through the hype, so you can choose the amp that works best for your situation.

From a relatively inexpensive, simple combo -- to high-end, boutique amps and speakers with truly transparent sound and ultra-compact footprints -- we're sure to have something that will fit your needs (and your budget.) And our product descriptions are our own; we own and use several of these amps ourselves, and we've put all of them through their paces. We're a stocking dealer, and we know our product well. So if you have questions, email or call us and we'll give you the answers.

If you already have an amp, a Preamp Can Often Make "Good" Sound "Great!"

Could adding a preamplifier to your pickup and amp provide an improvement to your sound and/or setup? If you've got a couple of minutes, check out our detailed FAQ on the subject. But here's the shorthand -- some common reasons you might consider using a preamp:

  • the input impedance specification of your amplifier is under 1 megohm
  • there are features available from the preamp that are not on your amp, that can enhance or help with problems
  • you want/need a convenient volume control (and tone controls?) close to you, for when your amplifier is not at your feet
  • your pickup's output is very low, so you need a preamp to increase its signal level to better match your amplifier
  • you want to blend multiple pickups, or a pickup and mic, etc.
  • you need a good DI interface to send a feed to the soundman

So, which one do you choose? We've got lots of them, from tiny belt-clippable units to large table-top models -- and from stripped down simple units to ones which have more "bells and whistles" than a firetruck. So it largely depends on the features you want or need, and the format that you will find convenient.

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    SB110 Lightweight Combo Bass Amplifier, front

    SB110 Lightweight Combo Bass Amplifier

    Traynor

    Our Low Price: $599.00
    Knowing how well the original Traynor amps had worked, we figured we'd start with the smallest option -- and got them to send us the 1x10 SB110 you see here. As soon as we (Christopher and Mark) plugged in and turned on, we were very pleasantly surprised...
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    Our Low Price: $599.00
  • BigShot i/o Deluxe A/B Switch

    BigShot i/o Deluxe A/B Switch

    Radial Engineering

    Our Low Price: $129.99
    From the excellence of Radial Engineering, we have another device for doublers who don't require the sophistication of a true piezo-buffering preamp. This is the newest version of the BigShot i/o.It's a heavy duty footswitch that allows you to switch...
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    Our Low Price: $129.99
  • Specialty Cable: 1 foot effects loop 'Y' cable (insert cable)

    Specialty Cable: 1 foot effects loop 'Y' cable (insert cable)

    CBI

    Our Low Price: $14.00
    This handy 1 Foot "insert" cable is perfect for use with the Radial Tonebone BassBone dual-channel preamp; used to access its switchable effects loop. It has a TRS (Tip/Ring/Sleeve, aka "stereo") 1/4" plug on one end, which splits out to a pair of mono...
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    This item ships FREE (USA) in a cart totaling $50 or more
    Our Low Price: $14.00
  • Tonebone AC Driver 1 Channel Preamplifier, preamp top

    Tonebone AC Driver 1 Channel Preamplifier

    Radial Engineering

    Our Low Price: $209.99
    No fuss, great sound, and bulletproof construction.Sometimes you like to keep things simple. If you're considering adding a preamp to your rig, but you're not the type of player who likes fussing around with more knobs and controls than the International...
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    Our Low Price: $209.99
  • BiX - One Channel Mini Preamp, preamp top

    BiX - One Channel Mini Preamp

    Grace Design

    Our Low Price: $355.00
    And Baby Makes Three! The popular FELiX and ALiX preamps from Grace Design have become a new standard in high-quality preamplification for live bassists (and other acoustic instrumentalists as well - but we talk mostly to bassists, so...
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    Our Low Price: $355.00
  • Instrument Cable: 6 foot TRS (stereo) ΒΌ inch

    Instrument Cable: 6 foot TRS (stereo) ΒΌ inch

    K and K Sound

    Our Low Price: $14.00
    6 Foot STEREO INSTRUMENT CABLE with two ¼ inch TRS (stereo, 3 conductor) connectors, for two channel systems, such the Bass Master Pro, Rockabilly, and Golden Trinity systems. This is the same cable that is supplied with the systems, and used to...
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    This item ships FREE (USA) in a cart totaling $50 or more
    Our Low Price: $14.00
  • PZ-DI - Piezo-Optimized Direct Box

    PZ-DI - Piezo-Optimized Direct Box

    Radial Engineering

    Our Low Price: $279.99
    Radial Engineering has long been known for extremely durable, reliable, great-sounding direct boxes. It's kind of "their thing." They've recently come out with a new model, which specifically addresses the needs of upright bassists like us - and it's...
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    Our Low Price: $279.99
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    Phil Jones Bass Double 4 mini combo - front 3/4 view

    Double 4 Micro Combo Amplifier

    PJB (Phil Jones Bass)

    Our Low Price: $479.99
    We were among the very first dealers to bring Phil Jones amps to the US market, and we've brought them back on board! My take on this diminuitive little combo is that it's an ideal amp for practice, small groups in a coffeehouse-style setting, or as an...
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    Our Low Price: $479.99
  • EDM-1 H.E. 1 Channel Preamplifier by Headway, 3/4 view

    EDM-1 H.E. 1 Channel Preamplifier

    Headway

    Our Low Price: $195.00
    Headway calls the EDM–1 H.E. an Equalizer/Direct Mini Preamplifier with Harmonic Enhancer. Wow, that's a mouthful. But this handy box packs a lot of nice functionality into its diminuitive (3" x 3.25" by 1.1") footprint.   They say:...
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    Our Low Price: $195.00
  • Replacement Power Cable for most common amplifiers (IEC C13), longer cable standard product photo

    Replacement or Upgrade Power Cable for most common amplifiers (IEC C13)

    Trusted Gollihur Music Partner

    Our Low Price: $13.75
    What more can I say? This is your regular, common power cable. You probably have a bunch of them around the house, but you can never find one when you need it. We have a handful of them here, as they are commonly used with amplifiers (like Acoustic...
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    This item ships FREE (USA) in a cart totaling $50 or more
    Our Low Price: $13.75
  • On Sale
    ToneBone PZ Deluxe 1 Channel Preamplifier, top

    ToneBone PZ Deluxe 1 Channel Preamplifier

    Radial Engineering

    Special Price: $250.00
    Regular Price $309.99
    This Radial Tonebone PZ-Deluxe really impressed us. This powerful and flexible acoustic preamplifier is a great tool for both studio or stage, and it's safely packed inside one of Radial's usual rock solid floor pedals.Inside its small (5.75" x...
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    Special Price: $250.00
    Regular Price $309.99
  • ALiX - One Channel Preamp, preamp top

    ALiX - One Channel Preamp

    Grace Design

    Our Low Price: $765.00
    The FELiX 2-channel preamp was released by Grace Design to great acclaim. Now get many of the same pro features in a single-channel model! The ALiX is the little brother of the FELiX; a "studio quality, acoustic instrument and mic preamp, designed for...
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    To all 50 US States
    Our Low Price: $765.00