Yamaha PB-1 Bass Preamp - EQ - Bi-amp - DI - Demo. Studio Recording - Live Sound -Pre Secret Wepon
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- Use to drive power amps live or as a Direct Box in the studio ..this thing rocks
Vintage 80's YAMAHA PB-1 Bass preamp.
Passive 3 band interactive EQ (like fender tube amps etc)
Active single band full parametric EQ ( 50-2.5K range )
Two way crossover with frequency and level for both highs and lows
Effects loop with level controls on send and receive
Balanced and unbalanced +4 outs
Headphone out with volume control
Solid build great sound
SOOOO after 20 years of this winning shootouts in the studio i (finally) got rid of Avalon U5, Countryman FET85, Avalon 737, Butler Blue Tube and several pre's with DI ...... this is a great piece of gear
Finally bought mine a few years ago, it was used by a high end bass manufacturer in Canada to test out their basses and is in excellent condition .. The PB-1 is a must have.
i think its the sleeper piece of the century for bass.. so solid and versatile
Thank you for the video! I am glad I could hear it and get a good overview of the features and controls of the unit. I am going to buy one soon. I was searching a long time for a nice bass preamp for studio recordings and it seams, I finally found the right thing for a decent price. Plus it's a vintage peace of gear (MADE IN JAPAN in the 80's) which I really appreciate. So thanks again for posting this video, it's been a great help for making a decision. 👍
solid
I was lucky enough to find mine in Kijiji in Alberta. This thing is physically heavy a testament to the build quality and it's incredibly powerful. Love the tones I can squeeze out of this and I've even profiled it with my Kemper
they are so solid in every way .. massive low end if you want it
I own two of these and they are THE best bass preamps I've ever owned next to my SWR Baby Blue.
i must agree... it is not only a great bass pre but it works like a champ on my moog synth .. built like a brick too .. pro gear rocks
@@thebrainard Now these are selling in 2024 from $350 - $650 ! I remember when they were dirt cheap. I bought the powered version which is basically the same preamp with a Yamaha 100w power section from Guitar Center Used for $159 !! It's my daily driver. I LOVE this amp and they are SOOO under the radar. I just bought another PB-1, too !
I owned one of these in the early to mid ‘80s. I modded the EQ, by fixing the high frequency shelf at 12k, which was unique for that time, (you can hear it’s too low @.2:45 - it sounds like an upper mid control, and now I notice the bass shelf is fixed too high, that should be modded down to 80 Hz about). The tech that did the mod thought I was nuts, but I was chasing a sound that became the 90s Eden/SWR sound, back in the mid ‘80s. Everything had to be customized back then. I mean everything. I ran the PB-1 into two Yamaha stereo (dual mono) power amps, which had a very distinctive and slightly warm tone for a PA style power amp. Glad I had roadies back then! Btw, the Alembic bass pre from that period was sweet sounding. Can’t remember the model number. Then Trace Elliot came out with their green stuff and that changed everything. In 1985 Trace Elliot was 🔥. The 💣.
your timeline of tone is spot on! and i agree about the mods to a point .. since the tone stack on the PB1 is passive the controls overlap a lot.. pretty basic and 'mid' oriented. For the type of recordings i am doing the stock sound is very close to what i am after... Duck Dunn et all.
@@thebrainard Yeah, it’s perfect for the tone your after. The build quality of the PB-1 was solid. I sold my PB-1 when I bought a Trace Elliot preamp in ‘87 and an SWR in ‘88. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone’s still using it today. I eventually got an Eden WT-800 in the ‘90s and I still use that today. Thanks for the video. I haven’t thought about the PB-1 in a long time.
Best pre amp ever made.
Agreed!
HELL YES !!!
I've had a few of these over the years and I got a replacement about two years ago (2020) from Craigslist and this time I will NEVER sell it. It's is one of THE BEST bass preamps I've ever owned.
I have one of these and it was given to me by a bassist who traveled and gigged with it for many years. They are rock solid and one of the great bargains for bassists. I don't know why Yamaha stopped making them. You usually see them used for around $150 and I've seen them for as little as $75. If you need a solid great sounding bass pre and see one, buy it. You can't go wrong IMHO. Thanks for the review.
like the man said
The crazy thing is that these are basically a $1,000 Alembic F1-X preamps without the 12ax7 tube, which is completely unnoticeable due to it's warmth. I just bought a 2nd one for $150 bucks on Marketplace.
Will this drive speakers WITHOUT another power amp?
nope .. its just the pre-amp section
But you CAN record with it straight into the mixer without a power amp. You do need power to use it as an amplifier. A Crown XLS works wonders and they're cheap.
Had one in the early 90’s wish I would have kept it!