TC Electronic Integrated Preamp

The TC Electronic Integrated Preamp is a boost and EQ preamp from the late 1970s, part of the Danish company's early line of outboard gear. It was designed to connect directly to the guitar, which is why the original unit had no bypass switch: it was meant to be always on, shaping the signal before it reached the amp.¹

What it does

As a preamp with boost and EQ, the Integrated Pre sat at the front of the signal chain, lifting the guitar's output and shaping its tone before the amp. Running the circuit at up to 32V from an external supply, rather than the standard 9V of a battery, gave it considerable headroom for its era.¹

The unit has since become rare, and it is a preamp that metal players in particular have held in high regard. TC Electronic's own account of the pedal notes "the TC preamp having become rare" while acknowledging its standing among metal players.²

In the TC Electronic range

The Integrated Preamp belongs to TC Electronic's early preamp work, a lineage that later shows up in the company's pedal-based amp-inspired preamps such as the TC Electronic V550 PREAMP and the TC Electronic JIMS 45. For a wider view of the category, see Preamp Pedals and Boost Pedals.

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