The Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI is an Electro-Harmonix preamp pedal, currently around $123.73. Close alternatives include the Hotone B Station and the MXR Thump Bass Preamp. It pairs well with the Greer Black Mountain and the Walrus Audio Eons.
Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI
Electro-Harmonix · pedal
The Electro-Harmonix Battalion is a bass preamp and DI pedal from Electro-Harmonix, combining a bass preamp with distortion overdrive, parametric mid EQ, bass and treble EQ, and an XLR DI output in one pedal. The Battalion gives bass players a complete bass tone-shaping and direct recording solution with overdrive capability. Controls include Volume, Drive, Blend (dry/drive mix), Bass, Mid, Frequency, and Treble plus an XLR DI output with ground lift.
What stands out
“Its standout strength is the combined bass preamp, distortion, EQ, and XLR DI output in one pedal”
— from the community notes
“The Electro-Harmonix Battalion is a bass preamp and DI pedal from Electro-Harmonix, combining a bass preamp with distortion overdrive, parametric mid EQ, bass and treble EQ, and an XLR DI output in one pedal”
— from the listing
“Controls include Volume, Drive, Blend (dry/drive mix), Bass, Mid, Frequency, and Treble plus an XLR DI output with ground lift”
— from the listing
“Strengths: Combined bass preamp, distortion, parametric mid EQ, and XLR DI output in one pedal”
— from the reviews
“The Battalion gives bass players a complete bass tone-shaping and direct recording solution with overdrive capability”
— from the listing
- bass
- distortion
- xlr
- di
- eq
- drive
- mid
Good for
- Live
- Silent Recording
- Silent Stage
- Studio
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI is commonly used in
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Electronic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Gospel
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Acoustic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI
Greer Black Mountain
Greer
20% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Put Greer Black Mountain in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Eons
Walrus Audio
18% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Put Walrus Audio Eons in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Monument CS
Walrus Audio
16% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put Walrus Audio Monument CS after Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI in the signal chain, clear of Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Vox Valvenergy Silk Drive
Vox
12% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
What Vox Valvenergy Silk Drive brings here leans toward smooth — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Eventide Modulated Delay
Eventide
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Eventide Modulated Delay after Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI in the signal chain, clear of Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte
Caroline Guitar Company
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte after Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI in the signal chain, clear of Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes
Electro-Harmonix
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI gives it exactly that
Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz
Behringer
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Into Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI, Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end
Cheaper alternatives
Electro-Harmonix Bass Metaphors
Electro-Harmonix
63% similarityShared character: blend, treble, natural
Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord
Electro-Harmonix
52% similarityShared character: treble, mix, middle
Demon FX Bear PAW Analog Bass Preamp
Demon Fx
51% similarityShared character: bass, signal chain
Sadowsky SBP-2 Bass Preamp
Sadowsky
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Mesa/Boogie Subway Bass DI Preamp II
Mesa Boogie
58% similarityShared character: bass, studio, stage
Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp
Orange
53% similarityShared character: bass, studio, overdrive
ISP Technologies Beta Bass Preamp
Isp Technologies
51% similarityShared character: bass, studio
Tech 21 Sansamp YYZ Shape-Shifter
Tech 21
50% similarityShared character: signal chain, bass, distortion
Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature
Ashdown
49% similarityShared character: treble, middle, bass
Ashdown MAS GZR-Pod
Ashdown
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Hotone B Station
Hotone
66% similarityShared character: treble, middle, bass
MXR Thump Bass Preamp
MXR
59% similarityShared character: bass, stage
Markbass MB Instrument PRE
Markbass
56% similarityShared character: treble, middle, bass
Suhr Thump Bass Preamp
Suhr
56% similarityShared character: treble, middle, bass
Behringer BDI21
Behringer
55% similarityShared character: blend, treble, mix
Ampeg SCR-DI
Ampeg
52% similarityShared character: bass, studio, stage
See all alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI?+
The closest matches in character are the Hotone B Station, the MXR Thump Bass Preamp, the Markbass MB Instrument PRE. Budget picks: Electro-Harmonix Bass Metaphors, Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord, Demon FX Bear PAW Analog Bass Preamp. Boutique upgrades: Mesa/Boogie Subway Bass DI Preamp II, Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp, ISP Technologies Beta Bass Preamp.
What pairs well with the Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Greer Black Mountain, Walrus Audio Eons, Walrus Audio Monument CS — Put Greer Black Mountain in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy.
How much does the Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI cost?+
Around $123.73 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).