The Ampeg Classic Bass Preamp is a bass preamp pedal from Ampeg that provides key tones of an array of classic Ampeg amps in stompbox form1. It is built around the classic Ampeg preamp tone stack, a Baxandall-style design with an added midrange filter, plus the Ultra Lo and Ultra Hi buttons originally found on the all-tube SVT head2. Ampeg describes it as an all-analog circuit with true bypass switching to preserve your tone1.
Controls
The pedal keeps things simple. Ampeg describes the 3-band tone stack and the accompanying Ultra-Hi and Ultra-Lo circuits as effective and efficient partners in dialing up Ampeg tone1. Chris Devine, reviewing the pedal for Performer Mag in September 2017, found the layout just as straightforward:
"The controls are quite simple; a three band EQ and volume knobs do exactly what's expected of them"
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Three-band EQ | The classic Ampeg tone stack, a Baxandall design with an added midrange filter for further control2 |
| Volume | Master level, doing what is expected of it3 |
| Ultra Lo | Sucks out the mids to create a sense of improved low-frequency response2 |
| Ultra Hi | Carried over from the original all-tube SVT head2 |
Performer Mag's reviewer found the Ultra Lo and Ultra Hi controls really add an extra depth in the low and high ends, respectively3. Guitar World's reviewer noted that the Ultra Lo circuit has always been more about diminishing midrange, which is how the classic Ampeg preamp voiced its low end2.
How it sounds and what reviewers said
Guitar World's reviewer found the preamp captures the basic essence and EQ personality of the classic Ampeg preamp, with the EQ circuits appropriately voiced with the same gentle but effective curves associated with the Ampeg preamp's overall voicing2. Performer Mag's Chris Devine called it a great bang for the buck for classic bass tones, and at $99 it is a heck of a lot cheaper than a vintage rig3.
Guitar World framed the pedal as part of Ampeg's latest pedals, which seek to bring a few of its distinctive circuits to the mid-priced stompbox market2.
The pedal runs on 9 volts via AC adapter or battery, but no battery is included, so plan on a 9V supply if you are mounting it on a pedalboard2.
Where it sits among bass preamps
For players comparing preamp pedals, the Classic Analog Bass Preamp is Ampeg's dedicated preamp stompbox, distinct from the company's bass pedals that combine a preamp with other circuits. Its appeal, as both reviews frame it, is classic Ampeg voicing in a compact all-analog box at a street price around $10032.
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Questions
Is the Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp true bypass?
Yes. Ampeg describes the pedal as an all-analog circuit with true bypass switching to preserve your tone when the effect is off. That means the pedal's circuitry is removed from the signal path entirely when bypassed, which matters for players who want the pedal out of the chain without coloring the bass's natural sound.
Does the Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp run on a battery?
It can. Guitar World's review lists power as 9 volts via AC adapter or battery, with the battery not included. So you can run it on a battery for occasional use, but most players will want a 9V DC adapter or a pedalboard power supply, especially since a battery is not supplied in the box.
What does the Ultra Lo button do?
The Ultra Lo button scoops the midrange out of your signal. Guitar World's reviewer noted that the circuit has always been about diminishing midrange to create a sense of improved low-frequency response. In practice, pressing it gives you a deeper, fuller low end with the mids pulled back, in the manner of the classic Ampeg heads.
Is the Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp analog or digital?
It is all analog. Ampeg's product page describes an all-analog circuit with true bypass switching. There is no digital modeling or DSP involved; the tone shaping comes from the analog tone stack and the Ultra Lo and Ultra Hi circuits.
Where is the Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp made?
Guitar World's review lists the pedal as made in China. Ampeg describes the enclosure as road-ready all-metal construction.
Is the Ultra Hi from the original SVT?
Yes. Guitar World's reviewer points out that the pedal adds the Ultra Lo and Ultra Hi buttons originally found on the all-tube SVT head, so those two switches carry over from the classic Ampeg amp design rather than being new inventions for the pedal.
Sources (3)
- Ampeg | Pedal Series :: Preamps and Effects, Ampeg
- Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp and Scrambler Bass Overdrive review, Guitar World, 2020-01-08
- Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp Review, Performer Mag, 2017-09-27
