The Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp is an Aguilar preamp pedal, currently around $145.43. Close alternatives include the Aguilar OBP-2TK and the Dunlop MXR M85 Bass Distortion. It pairs well with the JHS MoonShine Overdrive and the Nobels ODR-1.

Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp

Aguilar · pedal

The Aguilar OBP-1TK is a 2-band boost-only on-board bass preamp using all-discrete FET circuitry for passive bass guitar installation. It provides up to 18dB of boost at 40Hz for bass frequencies and 4kHz for treble with separate pots in the TK configuration. Compatible with 9V or 18V operation. The circuit has a characteristic inherent mid-scoop that adds a modern scooped character even at unity settings making it well suited to slap bass, funk, and R&B rather than mid-forward blues or rock contexts. Low noise floor and high headroom reproduce full bass dynamics cleanly.

What stands out

  • “Low noise floor and high headroom reproduce full bass dynamics cleanly”

    — from the listing

  • “Best used with passive Jazz and Precision basses to add bass weight and treble shimmer in slap, funk, and R&B contexts”

    — from the community notes

  • “Clean musical boost with excellent headroom and a low noise floor — community broadly agrees the OBP-1 adds an inherent mid scoop that is a tonal character choice”

    — from the community notes

  • “The circuit has a characteristic inherent mid-scoop that adds a modern scooped character even at unity settings making it well suited to slap bass, funk, and R&B”

    — from the listing

  • “The mid scoop is audible even with knobs at unity giving the preamp a consistent modern-sounding character that players either want or need to compensate for at the amplifier”

    — from the reviews

Trade-offs

  • “the boost-only design limits versatility since neither band can cut and the baked-in mid scoop”

    — from the community notes

  • bass
  • treble
  • mid
  • scoop
  • boost
  • high headroom
  • modern
  • full
$145.43View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 25, 2026

Genres the Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp is commonly used in

  • Blues
  • Rock
  • Funk
  • Jazz
  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Metal
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Pedals that stack with the Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp

JHS MoonShine Overdrive

JHS Pedals

27% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

JHS MoonShine Overdrive pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Nobels ODR-1

Nobels

26% match
$101.54via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

Feed a scooped signal into Nobels ODR-1 and it comes out closer to mid-forward

Comes earlier in the signal chain

TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler

TC Electronic

19% match
$85.26via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Run TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler after Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp in the signal chain, clear of Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp's own gain stage

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro

Pigtronix

18% match
$119via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (scooped → mid-forward)

Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro's own mid-forward character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Binson Echorec Delay

Binson

10% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Binson Echorec Delay after Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp in the signal chain, clear of Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb

pedal

10% match
$81.48via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep the RV-5 after the OBP-1TK — the scooped, boosted bass preamp stays clean and the spring-voiced reverb trails behind it. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer

Ibanez

tonal match
$349via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer wants

Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive

Behringer

tonal match
$23.79via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Behringer TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive wants

Cheaper alternatives

Ashdown Pro-FX Two-Band Boost

Ashdown

62% similarity
$34.99via Reverb

Shared character: high end, articulation, boost

Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp pedal

Ampeg

55% similarity
$116.04via Reverb

Shared character: treble, middle, boost

Sadowsky SBP-2 Bass Preamp

Sadowsky

49% similarity
$96.53via Reverb

Shared character: high end, presence, treble

Master Effects Manta Ray 3-band Bass Preamp

Master Effects

48% similarity
$129via Reverb

Shared character: treble, middle, bass

Ashdown James LoMenzo HyperDrive

Ashdown

48% similarity
$117.01via Reverb

Shared character: high end, treble, middle

Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp

Ampeg

48% similarity
$116.04via Reverb

Shared character: treble, headroom, middle

Boutique & premium upgrades

Origin Effects DCX Bass

Origin Effects

45% similarity
$293.38via Reverb

Shared character: bass, boost

Similar character

Aguilar OBP-2TK

Aguilar

56% similarity

Shared character: high end, presence, treble

Dunlop MXR M85 Bass Distortion

Dunlop

51% similarity
$157.32via Reverb

Shared character: presence, middle, bass

Aguilar DB 925

Aguilar

50% similarity
$139via Reverb

Shared character: articulation, jazz, presence

Xotic Bass RC Booster V2

Xotic

47% similarity
$172via Reverb

Shared character: boost, bass, clean

Ashdown Triple Shot

Ashdown

47% similarity
$179.99via Reverb

Shared character: treble, middle, bass

SolidGoldFX Beta-V

Solidgoldfx

46% similarity

Shared character: bass, jazz, full

See all alternatives to the Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp?+

The closest matches in character are the Aguilar OBP-2TK, the Dunlop MXR M85 Bass Distortion, the Aguilar DB 925. Budget picks: Ashdown Pro-FX Two-Band Boost, Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp pedal, Sadowsky SBP-2 Bass Preamp. Boutique upgrades: Origin Effects DCX Bass.

What pairs well with the Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: JHS MoonShine Overdrive, Nobels ODR-1, TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler — JHS MoonShine Overdrive pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward.

How much does the Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp cost?+

Around $145.43 (live listing price, updated Oct 25, 2026).

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