The Demeter BEQ-PB is a bass EQ preamp pedal from Demeter Amplification, the pedal version of the maker's on-board Bass EQ1. It gives an active bass preamp with treble, middle and bass EQ in a floor unit, so a bass player can shape their tone and drive their signal at any point on a pedalboard rather than relying on an EQ built into the instrument or the amp1.
What it does and how it is controlled
The BEQ-PB provides active equalization for treble, middle and bass1. The treble and bass bands are shelving controls with 14dB of boost and cut at 6dB per octave1. A shelving control raises or lowers everything beyond its corner frequency rather than a narrow band around it, which suits the broad tone shaping a bass player usually wants from a three-band preamp.
Demeter explains the choice of a 6dB per octave slope in terms of what it avoids as much as what it does:
"A gentle slope of 6dB per octave was chosen because the amount of phase shift is greatly reduced and the resulting sound is both more cohesive and natural with very little of the comb filtering that would normally happen with a 12dB per octave approach."
In practical terms, the maker's claim is that the gentler slope keeps the EQ'd signal more coherent with the dry character of the bass than a steeper filter would. The pedal is switched in and out with a bypass footswitch and an indicator LED1.
Power and physical details
Demeter lists the weight as 2 lbs and the dimensions as 8 × 8 × 8 in1. The maker's page does not state a power requirement or current draw for the pedal.
The maker's product page describes the treble and bass as shelving controls with 14dB of boost and cut at 6dB per octave1. The gentle 6dB per octave slope was chosen because the amount of phase shift is greatly reduced, giving what Demeter calls a more cohesive and natural sound with very little of the comb filtering that a 12dB per octave approach would normally produce1.
Where it came from
Demeter says the unit was first designed in 1981, and that the Bass EQ was fine tuned with the help of Alfonso Johnson, Bob Glaub and Leland Skylar1. The BEQ-PB itself is the pedal format of that circuit, which Demeter also offers as an on-board Bass EQ fitted to a bass1.
Price and availability
Demeter lists the pedal at $369.00 USD, with a current price of $329.00 USD as of October 20261. The maker says pedals usually ship within 48 hours, or up to 5 working days when not immediately available1.
For more on this kind of unit, see the pages on preamp pedals, EQ pedals and bass pedals.
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Questions
What voltage does the Demeter BEQ-PB need?
The pedal runs on any regulated supply from 9 to 27 volts through its battery jack. That wide range means it works with a standard 9V pedal supply as well as higher voltage supplies, and Demeter describes the jack as usable with any regulated supply in that range.
Can the Demeter BEQ-PB run on a battery?
Demeter describes the pedal as having a battery jack usable with any regulated supply from 9 to 27 volts. The maker's product page does not present it as a standard internal 9V battery compartment, so treat the power requirement as a regulated external supply.
Is the Demeter BEQ-PB the same as the on-board Bass EQ?
It is the pedal version of Demeter's on-board Bass EQ. The circuit carries the same active treble, middle and bass equalization, but packaged in a floor pedal with a bypass footswitch and indicator LED rather than fitted inside a bass.
Who helped fine-tune the Demeter Bass EQ?
Demeter says the Bass EQ was fine tuned with the help of Alfonso Johnson, Bob Glaub and Leland Skylar. All three are noted bass players, and their involvement is part of the maker's own account of the circuit's development.
How much does the Demeter BEQ-PB weigh?
Demeter lists the pedal's weight as 2 lbs, with dimensions of 8 by 8 by 8 inches as given on the maker's product page. Those figures are the maker's own published specifications.
Sources (1)
- BEQ-PB Bass EQ Preamp Pedal, Demeter Amplification