The SolidGoldFX BETA-V is a bass preamp pedal from the Canadian maker SolidGoldFX, combining three functions in one box: preamp, overdrive and filter. The maker describes it as "a Bass Preamp pedal that kicks!" and the latest incarnation of its top selling Beta Series. It is aimed at players who want the character of an old tube rig in front of, or instead of, their bass amp1.
What it does
SolidGoldFX designed the Beta-V to capture the warmth and grit of favorite vintage tube amps, what RockBoard's PedalPedia calls "that distinctive drive and tone" it says is lacking from much of today's modern bass amplification1. In practice that makes it a preamp pedal in the bass lane: it shapes the core tone of the instrument and can push it into overdrive, with a filter section on top for tonal shaping1.
The Beta-V is the latest incarnation of SolidGoldFX's top selling Beta Series, carrying that name forward as a bass preamp pedal that combines preamp, overdrive and filter functions1. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as designed to capture the warmth and grit of favorite vintage tube amps, that distinctive drive and tone it says is lacking from much of today's modern bass amplification1.
Launch and price
SolidGoldFX's manual describes the BETA-V as a Bass Preamp pedal, with an analog circuit running on 9V DC center-negative power and drawing 13mA1. The pedal carries the three functions of preamp, overdrive and filter on its face, and the maker positions it as the newest version of its Beta Series1.
Power and practical notes
The Beta-V runs on a 9V DC, center negative supply and draws 13mA, figures from the maker's product listing1. That current draw is light enough to sit on a pedalboard with other pedals on a standard supply, and the pedal is analog throughout1.
The maker's product listing carries an English manual as a PDF, which covers setup and operation in detail1.
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Questions
Is the SolidGoldFX Beta-V analog or digital?
The Beta-V is an analog circuit, according to the maker's product listing. It combines a preamp, overdrive and filter in one pedal and runs on a 9V DC, center negative supply, drawing 13mA of current. Being analog, it needs no battery compartment mentioned in the listing and no digital modeling, which players who prefer a straightforward signal path generally look for in a preamp pedal.
When did the SolidGoldFX Beta-V come out?
SolidGoldFX introduced the Beta-V in the spring of 2023. Guitar World reported the announcement on April 5, 2023, describing it as a compact bass preamp and overdrive inspired by vintage Ampeg-style tube rigs, priced at $199. Guitar.com had reported the UK launch on March 31, 2023, at £199.
Sources (1)
- Beta-V Bass Preamp by SolidGoldFX, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
