The Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp is an Orange preamp pedal, currently around $359.80. Close alternatives include the Behringer BDI21 and the Dunlop Way Huge WM91 Pork & Pickle. It pairs well with the EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter and the JHS Smiley.
Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp
Orange · pedal
The Orange Bass Butler is a bi-amp bass preamp pedal, and the bi-amp arrangement is its defining feature: it splits the signal into separate clean and overdriven paths with independent outputs, so the low end can be kept clean while the upper range is distorted. That solves the long-standing problem that distorting a full-range bass signal collapses the low end. It carries Orange's thick, midrange-forward voicing on the driven side. It suits rock, stoner and doom bassists who want heavy overdrive without losing bottom end.
What stands out
“The Orange Bass Butler is a bi-amp bass preamp pedal, and the bi-amp arrangement is its defining feature: it splits the signal into separate clean and overdriven paths with independent outputs, so the low end can be kept clean while the upp…”
— from the listing
“Studio-style compression on the clean channel is a notable,”
— from the community notes
“Dual balanced XLR outputs with cab emulation are a real practical advantage for live sound engineers needing separate clean and dirty feeds”
— from the reviews
“Standout strength is the dual balanced XLR outputs with cab emulation, letting engineers receive the clean and dirty signals separately for independent mixing”
— from the community notes
“Bi-amp signal splitting with independent EQ and compression per channel genuinely replicates a two-amp bass rig's tonal layering from one pedal, a distinctive design most bass preamps”
— from the reviews
- bass
- clean
- compression
- dirty
- xlr
- balanced
- low end
Good for
- Live
- Silent Recording
- Silent Stage
- Studio
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp is commonly used in
- Metal
- Rock
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Folk
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Acoustic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp
EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter
EarthQuaker Devices
25% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → fuzzy)
EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter leans this transparent tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own
Comes earlier in the signal chain
JHS Smiley
JHS Pedals
25% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → fuzzy)
Run JHS Smiley into that transparent platform and it finally leans toward fuzzy
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Bad
Electro-Harmonix
18% 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 Electro-Harmonix Bad after Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp in the signal chain, clear of Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp's own gain stage
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Artec SE-NGT
Artec
11% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
What Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp brings here leans toward transparent — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Meris Polymoon
Meris
8% 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 Meris Polymoon after Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp in the signal chain, clear of Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp 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
Dawner Prince Boonar
Dawner Prince
8% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Dawner Prince Boonar after Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp in the signal chain, clear of Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp 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
Tone City Golden Plexi V3 Mini Distortion
Tone City
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Tone City Golden Plexi V3 Mini Distortion's own voicing points at Marshall-style amps, and Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp delivers it
Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes
Electro-Harmonix
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Into Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp, Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end
Cheaper alternatives
Sonicake B Factory Analog Bass Preamp Comp and Overdrive
Sonicake
58% similarityShared character: compression, bass, clean
Electro-Harmonix Bass Metaphors
Electro-Harmonix
54% similarityShared character: signal, compression, bass
Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI
Electro-Harmonix
53% similarityShared character: bass, studio, overdrive
Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature
Ashdown
53% similarityShared character: headroom, bass, clean
Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord
Electro-Harmonix
51% similarityShared character: bass, response, clean
Ashdown Triple Shot
Ashdown
51% similarityShared character: signal, bass, clean
Similar character
Behringer BDI21
Behringer
55% similarityShared character: bass, full, overdrive
Dunlop Way Huge WM91 Pork & Pickle
Dunlop
54% similarityShared character: grit, thickness, bass
Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive
Ashdown
53% similarityShared character: signal, grit, bass
Tech 21 DP-3X Dug Pinnick Signature Bass Distortion
Tech 21
50% similarityShared character: thickness, bass, response
Ampeg SCR-DI
Ampeg
47% similarityShared character: bass, compression, studio
Hotone B Station
Hotone
46% similarityShared character: bass, studio, overdrive
See all alternatives to the Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp?+
The closest matches in character are the Behringer BDI21, the Dunlop Way Huge WM91 Pork & Pickle, the Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive. Budget picks: Sonicake B Factory Analog Bass Preamp Comp and Overdrive, Electro-Harmonix Bass Metaphors, Electro-Harmonix Battalion Bass Preamp/DI.
What pairs well with the Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter, JHS Smiley, Electro-Harmonix Bad — EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter leans this transparent tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own.
How much does the Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp cost?+
Around $359.80 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).