Ashly Audio BP-41 Bass Preamp

As previous reviews have stated, the Ashley BP-41 has plenty of features. One additional comment I'd like to make regarding the two imputs is that the button switching from imput A to imput B acts as a nice "mute" button. The pre-amp has a gain and a stage volume control which is very nice for shaping an overall volume of your sound without clipping. Since the BP-41 was made to be used with an additional power amp (which often could have attenuators on the back of the device), having the "stage gain" acting as a master volume keeps one from having to adjust the power amp attenuators while playing.

I use a variety of basses with the Ashley BP-41 ranging from an Alembic Series II to a Modulus Q-5, vintage Fenders, Musicman Stingrays...passive and active electronics...and play many styles. The BP-41 show great adaptability sculpt tones and not color the natural sound of the instrument. I can dial in a very good tone quickly, live or in the studio. For live applications I often run effects before the Pre-amp. Most notably a Radial Bassbone DI which allows for further parametric EQ and tone sculpting. The Ashley is very good about transparency and again, allows the instrument's "natural sound" to come through relatively unaltered.

My Ashley was in immaculate condition when I bought it used from a guitarist who was the original owner. The was no "rack rash" at all. Since I also own other Ashley gear (a 1972 Ashley SC-50 Compressor), and have had dealings with Ashley's service department, I know them to service any gear regardless of the age. The BP-41 has never let me down.

See previous comment on Reliability.

This unit has most of the features one could reasonably hope for in a bass preamp: XLR out, good active EQ with one band of parametric. I'd gladly swap the crossover for a compressor. Also, the two inputs aren't really necessary (except to add confusion - have to have the push-in switch set right). As a matter of fact, I find there's a few too many of these push-in switches for my liking. Every time I set this thing up, I have to spend a few minutes squinting to make sure nothing's set wrong. But at least you get options.

The headphone output on my unit has a loud hum. If it worked, I suppose it would be handy.

Good tone is an important feature! Without that, all the other stuff doesn't really matter.

This preamp is GREAT for recording. It's clean and crisp and it seems to add "bite". Every time I've used this in the studio, the track stands out very nicely. The EQ is very easy to use. The parametric EQ is good for tone-shaping and/or problem-solving.

My guitar player buddy used this on a few tracks and started to favor it over all the gear he has. As a matter of fact, he gigged with it for a year until I repo'd it.

Live playing is a different story for me. I usually use an Alembic F-1X with a power amp. I've tried swapping in the Ashly and it always feels to me like something is missing. I guess I'm hooked on that tube tone when I'm onstage. (Turning up the solid state bass knob just isn't the same thing.)

I save the '10' for the Alembic because it's much simpler and sturdier. True to the '80s era, the Ashly is very complex, with lots of jacks, knobs, lights and plastic switches. I'm guessing the interior is crammed to the gills with circuit boards and components, some of which could be a headache to access & replace.

But the quality is there. If you get one in good shape and treat it like the expensive piece of electronic equipment that it is, it should hold up well.

Mine was abused by the previous owner and the ravages go beyond the surface. One of the plastic switches busted off (can still toggle it with a pointy object). The light in the power switch flickers erratically. The headphone amp hums loudly and is effectively useless. Something is flopping around inside. In spite of all this, the important stuff keeps working. (So it doesn't fare so well in the cable bag - why should it? It's a RACK-mount, not a stomp box...)

Preamps are supposed to help you sound good and for me in the studio, this one absolutely does. Some big names like Darryl Jones even favor it onstage, and with a resume like his, who am I to argue? Suffice to say this remains my "magic bullet" for recording. It also retains some sentimental value, being my very first eBay purchase.

See the previous review for the details.

I use it with a Tokai/Warmoth P-Bass and a '60's Hagstrum "Cromwell" bass. I play basic bass as I'm really a guitarist. The music is '60's country-folk rock and Neo-Gypsy-Trance music.
I use the preamp with a Carver power amp, a 1 X 12" cab and a Carvin 1 X 15" cab. It gives me a good strong signal to drive the amp and speakers. I don't pop or slap or overdrive my rig so it's a good match for me.

I got it from a former bandmate in trade for a crossover. He upgraded his rig with a Demeter bass preamp and needed a crossover so we swapped. He abused it pretty well and it still works fine for me. It was made in the '80's and it's still working fine for me.

I've never dealt with Ashly, but it pro audio circles they get high marks.

I used it as a preamp for my Ovation mandolin for several years before it became a bass preamp again. The notch filter was great for taking out the quack of the piezo pickup. The effects loop allowed me to add reverb and other effects.
I've been playing since God was a child and own lots of other gear. The Ashley serves me well. If it were lost or stolen, I'd try to find another. Our local recording studio has one in their control room rack along with all kinds of tweaky studio gear, so that says a lot to me about the quality.

My only complaint is that it's almost too clean. The guy I got it from built a little tube preamp just to give it a little grit and warmth. I might add a compressor for that. I didn't compare it to anything else. It had the features I needed at a price I couldn't refuse, so I got it. Over the years I've hobbled together a decent bass rig with the Ashly at the core.

These preamps were made in the 80s (in the US) and were one of a very few models of separate, rack mountable bass preamps (along with the Yamaha PB-1 and the Alembic FX-1).

Front Panel:
- Two inputs (managed by an A/B switch)
- Input Gain
- Presence button (really brings out the high end)
- 3-band EQ, in the form of Bass, Mid and Treble knobs
- Parametric EQ - Frequency and balance selection knobs, as well as wave selection and bypass buttons
- Effects loop bypass button
- Crossover knobs, including Frequency and balance knobs
- "Stage" knob, which is the master volume knob
- Direct Output Mute button
- Headphones volume knob

Rear Panel
- Hi and Lo crossover Outputs
- Single "Stage" output with Line/Instrument level button to adjust output
- Effects Send and Return with Line/Instrument level button
- 1/4" and XLR direct outputs with pre/post EQ button and XLR Line/Mic button
- Ground lift button

This solid state preamp will push your power amp to its full capacity. I keep the gain cranked 3/4 of the way up with no clipping.

Sound-wise, this preamp is nicely transparent and quite versatile. It really allows you to get your bass's true sound without coloring it too drastically.

It can be noisy with the presence button engaged, however, if you like a modern slap tone, this button is a must.

I play a variety of styles and this preamp suits them all. This is probably due to its inherent transparent nature.

I bought it used online and, after cleaning the scratchy pots, it looks and sounds almost as good as new. I was lucky in that the previous owner(s) must have babied it as there is very little rack rash.

Because you can still find these around after 15+ years, I would say that they are quite reliable.

Though this preamp was discontinued in the 80s, an Ashly rep responded quickly to my request for an owners' manual and sent one promptly.

VERY service-oriented company.

I have experimented with a LOT of preamps over the years and this one appears to finally be "the one" for me. It really shapes the tone nicely without overly colorizing it. Quite transparent, but also quite versatile, especially with the presence and parametric EQ functions.

Would I get another one? Without question. In fact, I highly recommend it to anyone. It was a great preamp and it has stood the test of time, comparing favorable with newer model preamps.

Basically, if you're looking for a well-made, high quality, transparent bass preamp, you would do well to find one of these.