The Benson Amps BA-Pre is a Benson Amps preamp pedal, currently around $249. Close alternatives include the Benson Amps Chimera Preamp Pedal and the Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8. It pairs well with the TC Electronic Classic Sustain and the Boss CE-2 Chorus.

Benson Amps BA-Pre

Benson Amps · pedal

The Benson Amps Preamp Pedal is a FET-based preamp pedal based on the circuit of the Benson Chimera 30-watt guitar amplifier, substituting FET transistors for the original vacuum tubes. Controls include Gain, Volume, Treble, and Bass. The Treble and Bass controls significantly affect the type of gain generated, producing more tonal versatility than typical passive EQ sections. 9V DC or battery, 50mA. Priced at $249 from Benson Amps, Portland, Oregon. Described by multiple reviewers as the most amp-like gain pedal, with hypersensitive response to touch and pick attack through both tube amplifiers and amp modeling systems.

What stands out

  • “The Treble and Bass controls significantly affect the type of gain generated, producing more tonal versatility than typical passive EQ sections”

    — from the listing

  • “Tone: FET-based preamp gain from clean transparent boost through amp-like overdrive into fuzz-adjacent saturation; the Treble and Bass controls actively reshape the gain character”

    — from the community notes

  • “Standout weakness: some reviewers came away underwhelmed after extended use; the amp-like responsiveness requires playing through a real amplifier to fully appreciate”

    — from the community notes

  • “Described by multiple reviewers as the most amp-like gain pedal, with hypersensitive response to touch and pick attack through both tube amplifiers and amp modeling systems”

    — from the listing

  • “Strengths: FET-based Chimera 30 circuit; Gain, Volume, Treble, and Bass controls with active gain-character shaping; hypersensitive touch response; pairs well with drives, fuzzes, and compressors”

    — from the reviews

Trade-offs

  • “and compressors well as a front-end or stacking platform”

    — from the community notes

  • treble
  • gain
  • amp like
  • fet
  • touch
  • bass
  • pick attack
$249View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 23, 2026

Genres the Benson Amps BA-Pre is commonly used in

  • Indie Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Blues
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Classic Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Blues Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Pedals that stack with the Benson Amps BA-Pre

TC Electronic Classic Sustain

TC Electronic

25% match
$233.35via Reverb

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

TC Electronic Classic Sustain's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Boss CE-2 Chorus

Boss

23% match
$165via 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 Benson Amps BA-Pre's bright voice out front: Boss CE-2 Chorus goes after Benson Amps BA-Pre in the signal chain so its modulated voice doesn't muddy it

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Caroline Guitar Company Icarus

Caroline Guitar Company

22% match

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

Where this leans bright, Caroline Guitar Company Icarus answers back warm

Comes earlier in the signal chain

MXR Micro Amp

MXR

22% match
$76.56via Reverb

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

MXR Micro Amp's warm balances out the bright tone

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Suhr Discovery

Suhr

15% match
$579.53via 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 Benson Amps BA-Pre's bright voice out front: Suhr Discovery goes after Benson Amps BA-Pre in the signal chain so its warm voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Keeley Magnetic Echo

Keeley

15% 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.

Put Keeley Magnetic Echo after Benson Amps BA-Pre in the signal chain, clear of Benson Amps BA-Pre's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Tone City King of Blues

Tone City

tonal match
$79.15via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Tone City King of Blues's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Benson Amps BA-Pre delivers it

Boss VB-2W

Boss

tonal match

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Into Benson Amps BA-Pre, Boss VB-2W is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end

Cheaper alternatives

MXR M264 FET Driver

MXR

67% similarity
$125via Reverb

Shared character: touch, transparent, response

Xotic BB Preamp V1.5

Xotic

63% similarity
$180via Reverb

Shared character: circuit, treble, boost

Crowther Hot Cake

Crowther

59% similarity
$209.21via Reverb

Shared character: boost, transparent, response

One Control Fluorescent Orange

One Control

55% similarity
$139.99via Reverb

Similar role and voicing

67Audio Harry Balz

67audio

55% similarity
$104.11via Reverb

Shared character: volume, treble, boost

EarthQuaker Devices Zoar

EarthQuaker Devices

55% similarity
$129via Reverb

Shared character: circuit, pick attack, treble

Boutique & premium upgrades

Fortin Amplification Kali Pre-Amp

Fortin Amplification

60% similarity
$357.59via Reverb

Shared character: pick attack, gain, response

Boss FA-1 FET Amp

Boss

94% similarity
$399.99via Reverb

similar tone character

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Benson Amps Chimera Preamp Pedal

Benson Amps

88% similarity

Shared character: extended use, significant investment, compressor

Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8

Electronic Audio Experiments

69% similarity

Shared character: circuit, treble, gain

Benson Amps Preamp

Benson Amps

63% similarity
$249via Reverb

Shared character: treble, fuzz, boost

Smokin' Amp Co. FX10 BiFet Preamp

Smokin Amp Co

60% similarity

Shared character: transparent, gain, stage

Victory V4 The Duchess

Victory

59% similarity

Shared character: response, stage

Benson Amps Idol Preamp

Benson Amps

58% similarity
$249via Reverb

Shared character: boost

See all alternatives to the Benson Amps BA-Pre (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Benson Amps BA-Pre?+

The closest matches in character are the Benson Amps Chimera Preamp Pedal, the Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8, the Benson Amps Preamp. Budget picks: MXR M264 FET Driver, Xotic BB Preamp V1.5, Crowther Hot Cake. Boutique upgrades: Fortin Amplification Kali Pre-Amp, Boss FA-1 FET Amp.

What pairs well with the Benson Amps BA-Pre?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: TC Electronic Classic Sustain, Boss CE-2 Chorus, Caroline Guitar Company Icarus — TC Electronic Classic Sustain's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying.

How much does the Benson Amps BA-Pre cost?+

Around $249 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).

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