Tech 21 GED-2112

The Tech 21 GED-2112 is a Geddy Lee signature SansAmp: a single-rackspace, all-analog bass preamp in rack form, designed with the Rush bassist and singer to replace a large amount of his touring equipment. After the R40 tour, Geddy wanted to streamline his gear for new projects and partnered with Tech 21 to design it¹². Premier Guitar's reviewer called it "an excellent-sounding, versatile bass preamp"³.

The idea behind the unit is Geddy's long-standing two-part bass tone. In his own words on Tech 21's product page²⁴³:

Parallel Pre-Amping in one rackspace

What sets the GED-2112 apart from a conventional preamp is its topology. Tech 21 says the rackmount design introduced a new framework the company calls Parallel Pre-Amping: two separate internal preamps that run in parallel rather than in series². Premier Guitar describes the same layout from the player's side, with a "drive" preamp section and a "deep" preamp section running in parallel³.

Each half of the unit handles one side of Geddy's tone:

• Drive section: based on the SansAmp RPM, for the edgy crunch side, with a wide range of sonic possibilities¹
• Deep section: offers low end boost for what Tech 21 calls thick, meaty tones¹

Because the two preamps are separate, each has its own output. The Deep preamp has dedicated 1/4-inch and XLR direct outputs¹, and the Drive section has its own pair as well³. Bass Musician Magazine's reviewer, Ty Campbell, found this the unit's core strength, writing that "of all the different parameters you can setup on the GED-2112, whether using both outputs or just one at a time, leaves you with endless combinations"⁸.

The controls

The front panel is split between the two preamp sections, each with its own control set. The Drive section carries dials for overdrive, bass and treble, a parametric midrange and an output level³. Tech 21 specifies a sweepable semi-parametric EQ covering 170 Hz to 3.0 kHz with 12 dB of cut or boost¹.

One deliberate simplification: Guitar Interactive Magazine reported that "to keep things lean and efficient, the EQ curve is pre-set to Geddy's personal specs"⁹. Players looking for a fully tweakable EQ on every band will find the pre-set curve a different approach from a conventional graphic or parametric rack EQ.

Inputs and outputs

Connectivity is generous for a 1U box. There are two ways to plug in: a single 1/4-inch input on the front panel, or two inputs on the rear panel, switchable with a front-panel button, which MusicPlayers.com describes as selectable A/B inputs³⁸⁷. The rear panel also carries a tuner out, an effect loop and an unaffected output that sends a direct signal without passing through the GED-2112's processing¹⁸.

Each preamp section has its own 1/4-inch output and XLR Direct output, and each output section has a switchable -20 dB pad³. The XLR Direct outputs also have a ground lift selector⁸. Campbell summed up the connectivity from a working player's perspective:

From the SansAmp RPM to the MP40

The GED-2112's story starts with the SansAmp RPM, the multi-mode preamp whose rear 1/4-inch input and selectable-level XLR output formed part of Geddy's rig¹⁰. The Drive preamp section of the GED-2112 is based on that pedal, a point on which the maker and both major reviews agree¹³⁸.

The rackmount then traveled in the other direction, back into pedals. Guitar World reports that the GED-2112 "was later distilled into a pedal format and then re-launched as the limited edition MP40"¹¹. The MP40 SansAmp, announced by Premier Guitar with anticipated availability in March 2022, carries a Drive control, an active 3-band EQ and a Master Volume, and Tech 21 says each Geddy Lee Signature SansAmp offers Geddy's core sound along with versatility for many different styles¹². It was later issued as the Geddy Lee MP40 Limited Edition Signature SansAmp¹³. Tech 21's line has since grown further with the YYZ and YYZ Shape-shifter signature pedals, and the company published images of Geddy's Fifty Something Tour pedalboard and backline in 2026, including the GED-2112 rackmount alongside the newer pedals².

What reviewers said

The two published reviews of the rack unit are positive on its versatility. Premier Guitar's reviewer wrote³⁸:

The same review describes it as "a flexible tone machine that he helped create," noting it is not a one-trick device³. Bass Musician Magazine went further, calling it "one of the most versatile dual preamps with parallel processing ever made"⁸. MusicPlayers.com's coverage of the follow-up YYZ pedal refers to the GED-2112 as a WIHO award-winning product¹⁴.

FAQ

Is the Tech 21 GED-2112 analog or digital?

It is all-analog. Tech 21 describes it as dual, all-analog SansAmp circuits, and Premier Guitar's review confirms an all-analog signal path throughout the unit.

Who designed the Tech 21 GED-2112?

Geddy Lee partnered with Tech 21 to design it as his signature SansAmp. After Rush's R40 tour he wanted to streamline his gear for new projects, and the collaboration distilled a large amount of equipment into a single rackspace.

How many rack spaces does the GED-2112 take up?

One. It is a single-rack-space unit with a minty green front panel, and Tech 21 describes the design challenge as distilling a boatload of equipment into that one rackspace.

Does the GED-2112 have XLR outputs?

Yes. Each preamp section, Drive and Deep, has its own XLR Direct output and 1/4-inch output, each output section has a switchable -20 dB pad, and the XLR Direct outputs have a ground lift selector.

What is the Tech 21 MP40?

A Geddy Lee signature SansAmp pedal that distills the GED-2112 into pedal format, with a Drive control, active 3-band EQ and Master Volume. Premier Guitar reported anticipated availability in March 2022, and it was later re-launched as a limited edition.

Is the GED-2112 based on the SansAmp RPM?

Its Drive preamp section is based on the SansAmp RPM, the source of Geddy Lee's edgy crunch tone. The Deep section supplies the deep clean half of his two-part bass sound.

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