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Average Price: $320
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$70
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Description
The Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra Preamplifier is a versatile and powerful tool for bass guitarists seeking to elevate their sound to professional levels. This multi-functional bass preamp integrates a comprehensive array of features designed to shape and enhance your tone with precision. At the heart of this pedal is its all-analog signal path, ensuring that your bass retains its natural warmth and character throughout your signal chain.
The Vintage Ultra boasts a 4-band EQ, allowing precise tonal adjustments to suit various musical styles. Its dedicated distortion circuit provides the ability to add anything from subtle grit to aggressive overdrive, making it an ideal choice for diverse genres. The unique Blend control allows you to mix the clean and overdriven signals seamlessly, giving you total control over your sound. Additionally, the built-in cabinet simulation offers the convenience of direct recording with realistic amp characteristics.
Engineered with the modern bassist in mind, this preamplifier also features a balanced XLR output and a ground lift switch, making it easy to integrate into any live or studio setting. The pedal's robust construction ensures it can withstand the rigors of both the road and the stage, while its compact design conserves valuable pedalboard real estate. With its combination of analog warmth and digital flexibility, the Vintage Ultra is a compelling choice for bassists who demand both quality and versatility.
Key Features:
- All-analog signal path
- 4-band EQ for precise tonal control
- Dedicated distortion circuit with Blend control
- Built-in cabinet simulation for direct recording
- Balanced XLR output with ground lift switch
- Robust construction for durability and reliability
Product specs
| Brand | Darkglass Electronics |
| Model | Vintage Ultra |
| Finish | Silver |
| Year | 2010s |
| Made In | Finland |
| Categories | Distortion Pedals, Preamps |
| Color Family | Silver |
| Pedal Format | Standard |
FAQs
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What kind of tones can I expect from the Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra for bass guitar?
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The Darkglass Vintage Ultra offers a wide range of tones from warm, vintage tube-like distortion to modern, aggressive overdrive, making it versatile for various music styles from rock to metal.
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Does the Darkglass Vintage Ultra work well with a 5-string bass guitar?
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Yes, the Vintage Ultra is designed to handle a wide frequency range, making it suitable for 5-string bass guitars and providing clear, articulate low-end response.
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Can the Darkglass Vintage Ultra be used as a standalone preamp for live performances?
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Absolutely, the Vintage Ultra functions as a high-quality standalone preamp with direct output options, making it ideal for live performances without needing an additional amplifier.
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What power supply does the Darkglass Vintage Ultra require?
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The Darkglass Vintage Ultra requires a standard 9V DC power supply with a minimum of 30mA current, which is typical for most pedalboards.
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How does the Darkglass Vintage Ultra compare to other Darkglass pedals like the B7K?
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The Vintage Ultra focuses on delivering more classic, warm tones compared to the modern, aggressive distortion of the B7K, catering to different stylistic preferences.
Videos
The Bass Channel
Darkglass Vintage Ultra Bass Demo
Reviews
PROS
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Offers both clean and overdrive channels with independent stomp buttons
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Flexible tone shaping with precise parametric EQ capabilities
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Excellent DI with XLR and 1/4" TRS outputs for versatile routing
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Delivers unique and vintage tone options for bassists
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High-quality build and aesthetically pleasing design
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Provides a smooth, non-overpowering overdrive perfect for rock genres
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Compact size suitable for portable pedal boards
CONS
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The sound may be too nasally for some users
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Cab sim can introduce unwanted noise to the signal
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra Preamplifier.
Use cases and applications
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The B7K Ultra has been successfully used in pop punk and worship music, showing its versatility beyond just metal.
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It's noted that the Vintage Ultra excels at emulating Ampeg and TubeScreamer tones, ideal for achieving classic tube amp sounds.
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The Vintage Ultra is noted for being less suitable for always-on amp simulation in genres like disco and funk, where a smoother tone might be preferred.
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Comparisons
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Despite the similar EQ settings, the B7K Ultra is noted for having more versatility compared to the Vintage Ultra.
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The Vintage Ultra is compared to MXR bass preamps for tone shaping, suggesting an alternative setup for heavy distortion needs.
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Owners describe the Mesa Subway DI as more versatile than the Darkglass Vintage Ultra, suggesting it better accommodates a broader range of music styles.
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The Darkglass Vintage Ultra is perceived to have a more modern sound compared to the Mesa, which is considered reliable for traditional sound profiles.
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User experience
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Owners have reported that both Vintage and B7K models can handle clean and dirty tones exceptionally well, making them adaptable for various genres.
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Owners find placing preamps like the Vintage Ultra at the end of the signal chain problematic with pre-placed reverb/delay, leading to muddier bass tones.
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Some owners use the Vintage Ultra primarily for its cab sim and EQ at the end of their chain, indicating its effectiveness when not the core tone provider.
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Features and functionality
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The Vintage Ultra v2 allows for separate footswitches to control preamp and distortion independently, enhancing live performance flexibility.
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The Darkglass Vintage Ultra's aux in and headphone amp are highlighted for their practice utility, despite not being essential for live performance.
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Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 0 Reviews and 5 Ratings
Artist usage
Add artist
In a photo shared by Darkglass on their Facebook account, an unlabelled pedal can be seen in the bottom left corner. Based on the number of knobs and switches visible, it is identified as the Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra Preamplifier used by bassist Nate Mendel.
In the YouTube video titled "Chris Schiermann - 'Technical Disabilities' - Bass Playthrough by Amos Williams," Amos Williams utilizes the Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra bass effects pedal. This video, authored by Williams himself, showcases his use of the pedal alongside other gear, including the Kiesel AW5 Vader Bass and MXR Compressor, to deliver a dynamic bass performance.
The Vintage Ultra! Threw this lovely piece of sonic engineering on the front of my pedal chain for this tour! Really helped take things up a notch.
Fil Thorpe-Evans uses the Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra bass effects pedal to achieve his signature tone. According to a post by techdeep_ on Instagram, this pedal, along with Music Man Sterling and Stingray basses, is integral to his sound and has been in constant use since its acquisition earlier this year.
Jonathan Hischke uses the Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra Preamplifier while performing with The Sound of Animals Fighting, as confirmed by a discussion on TalkBass.com.
This is essentially my entire live rig now: the Darkglass B7K Ultra, Vintage Ultra, and Microtubes 900 amp. I'll be using all of these on upcoming Haken tours and Mike Portnoy's Shattered Fortress shows, and darn it, I'm excited! Perhaps a couple demos are in order. Thank you, @darkglasselectronics
Pedalboard setup for Facebook live tomorrow!! @darkglasselectronics super symmetry comp, Vintage Ultra ,B7k, Korg pitch black and MXR DC brick! All patched with Planet waves cables! Kinda messy but does the job!
Marcelo Corvalán uses the Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra Preamplifier as his main preamp for live performances with Arde La Sangre. This information is confirmed in a video by Doble Bobina on YouTube titled "Arde la sangre nos muestra su set up (Parte 2): 'Corvex' Corvalán y 'Nacho' Benavides," where "Corvex" discusses his equipment.
Noah Harmon uses the Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra Preamplifier on his pedalboard. According to his statement in the Premier Guitar's "Poison the Well Rig Rundown" with Perry Bean, the signal from the Vintage Ultra goes directly to the front-of-house, accounting for approximately half of what the audience hears during performances.
Album Usage
The Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra Preamplifier has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra Preamplifier, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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