Rackmount tube pres that break up

[parker_knoll]

Hi all

 

I've been running Ampeg SVT 4 and the related SVP Pro for a long time, both for guitars and basses, primarily in recording. 

 

BUT I can't get the SVT/P pre to break up, even with the gain on full using passive pickups. Yes, the SVP Pro has a "Drive" knob but honestly it sounds crappy and I suspect it's just diode clipping. I'm looking for natural tube clipping. I get annoyed using dirt pedals because they always fundamentally change the tonality of the sound. 

 

Are there rack tube pres that will break up a bit? I'm not looking for much, just some crunch. Never had the chance to try a Demeter, TBP-1, Aguilar etc. so I'm looking for recommendations. 

 

Thanks 

Edited 2 hours ago by parker_knoll

[ghostwheel]

That kind of distortion you are after is the power amp distortion, or at least, that of phase inverter. It's impossible to get such one with preamp. You might like to give Origin Effects BassRIG Super Vintage a try.

[parker_knoll]

15 minutes ago, ghostwheel said:

That kind of distortion you are after is the power amp distortion, or at least, that of phase inverter. It's impossible to get such one with preamp. You might like to give Origin Effects BassRIG Super Vintage a try.

i disagree. I have a lot of guitar pres (and full amps) that deliver a very nice bit of clipping with preamp tubes alone. Ever tried an Orange AD30? But sadly most of the guitar pres are all oriented towards high gain applications. I have a few of them. 

 

The answer may lie in a tube pre aimed at mics so I'm busy researching those too (although they can be very expensive). I'm running into a mixer so the tone control section is not crucial, although I love the SVT tone shaping versatility

Edited 1 hour ago by parker_knoll

[three]

1 hour ago, parker_knoll said:

Never had the chance to try a Demeter, TBP-1, Aguilar etc.

 

The Agi DB680 doesn't break up - it's surprisingly clean, and surprisingly tame (IMO) in comparison with the pre in a DB750.  Great for fine sculpting but not for grit or break-up in my experience.  The Millennia TD-1 (half rack I think) doesn't break-up either. 

Edited 1 hour ago by three