THE AMPSAMPS PRE-Q!

Give any amplifier the punch, feel and musical midrange of your favorite vintage tube amp… the PRE-Q is a hand-built tube preamp inspired by the classic 1970’s Ampeg V-Series amplifiers, and features an active Baxandall EQ (Treble, Middle, Bass) with a foot switchable Vintage Console Boost (my take on the Zvex Super Hard On - Crackle Okay!).

Perfect for: Gigging musicians that want vintage amp tones from a generic backline amp, studio musicians that want tube feel in front of their digital modelers, guitarists who’s tone lives on the edge of breakup. This is not another voltage-starved “tube” pedal - the circuit has 250 volts supplied by the step up board inside the pedal and sounds BIG - like an amp!

Each unit is hand wired by me in Salem, OR on eyelet boards and features the same real, substantial parts that you would find inside any full-size boutique amp: 600 volt Mallory 150 & WIMA capacitors, 1w carbon film resistors, JJ 12AX7s, Belton tube sockets, etc. (the only PCB in the unit is the step up power supply).

What makes the PRE-Q unique is it’s custom-wound Cinemag inductor (silver can top of unit) that is used to shape the mid frequencies in the preamp. Most EQs use a resistor/capacitor network, which can sound clogged or muddy in the mids. The use of an inductor to boost or cut mids lends more of a resonant character, emphasizing frequencies without sounding harsh or thin - like a tube preamp should!

Included: 12 V DC, 2.5 A adapter (2.1 x 5.5 mm) that steps up to ~250 V inside the pedal is included.

Controls: Top row — Treble, Bass. Bottom row — Boost, Middle, Volume. Size: 7 x 7 x 3 in (with knobs and tubes).

International buyers welcome! Please select “international shipping” at checkout. For more information on international shipping, click here.

“Dude. I not only got it but I got a new tele with mini humbuckers in it and they sound frigging amazing together. I've been running it into the KMA End Game witch has IRs built in and a power amp sag simulation of some kind… but it's killer through headphones and a Tone X cab. I've also run it through my only amp with a loop right now - my modded Blues Jr. I have that in a bigger Mojotone cab with a Cream Back. Sounds awesome there too Thank you for building awesome shit! -DB

“Aside from the outstanding customer service and friendly chats throughout the build process of the pedal, this is hands down the most amazing preamp and/or pedal out there. Coming from someone like myself who has owned hundreds of different amplifiers, gain structured pedals, preamps etc, this was the one that finally gave me that WOW factor. Nails the classic VT40 tone and infamous mid control, with the built in boost on top of it? Nothing else like it out there. HIGHLY recommend this unique and custom piece of equipment. Absolutely phenomenal. This is one of the few pieces of gear I will never sell. Thank you AmpsAmps!” -AD

Just got one. Absolutely in love. I have a V-4 and a VT-22 and this does those tones really well. Each of those two amps sounds a bit different and so does this pedal, but across them all is a variety of really wicked, mid-forward tones that nothing else seems to do. Highly recommended! -RH

“Just had my first band practice using it a couple of days ago.  It totally sounded like I was still running my VT-22! I think the low end may even be a bit tighter than the VT-22.  I’m very happy with it.” -BH

“Was just using with my Princeton Reverb and it sounds killer! Fenders have a natural mid-scoop to them, and having something like the PRE-Q to dial in the mids is super useful.” -DR

“I absolutely love them! Some of the best pedals I’ve ever owned. “-BL, on his PRE-Q & Vintage Console Boost

“The [PRE-Q V1 & 2] have been so much fun, and they’ve been part of my regular setup since you sent them. I actually use a Kemper a lot, and I have it in front of that to make everything a bit more analog ;)” -ES

“The PRE-Q has a really wide ‘edge of break up’ which I find particularly useful and uncommon… on most amps this is a narrow spot on the volume control, on the PRE-Q you have some range on the edge.” -JF