NAMM 2020: Orange reveals the Bass Butler, a stompbox-sized dual-amp rig

NAMM 2020: Orange Amplification has revealed the Bass Butler, an entire dual-amp bass rig in a pedal. Orange describes it as “quite possibly the only pedal bassists will ever need” – due to its versatility and extensive I/O.

The pedal works by splitting the bass guitar signal into two completely separate, parallel, analogue signal chains, emulating a full dual-amp setup. The pedal’s two signals are then each passed through a channel – one clean, and one dirty. The always active clean channel can be adjusted for compression, bass, treble and volume. An optical compressor circuit, cut/boost tone controls and dedicated, bass cabinet-simulated balanced XLR output offer extensive tone-shaping for classic bass tones.

Over in the dirty channel, you have five smaller knobs that control a three-band EQ, the volume, and four stages of gain. This channel runs into a guitar cabinet simulation (as opposed to a bass cabinet sim) and a balanced XLR output, providing bright vintage tones as well as fully saturated modern gain tones.

The balanced DI outputs of each channel mean that the pedal can be run into a mixing desk without any trouble, and the fully separate signal paths means the clean and dirty signals can be adjusted independently by a sound engineer.

Alternatively, you can run the Bass Butler into an amplifier with an output that blends the two channels and bypasses the cab simulation. This can be used alongside the balanced XLR outputs in order to set a different on-stage volume, or to make the Bas Butler function more like a traditional preamp pedal. A ‘Ground Lift’ switch eliminates ground hum when the Bass Butler is hooked up to a PA and a bass amp at the same time.

Watch Orange’s introductory video below:

More information at orangeamps.com. The Bass Butler will be on display in full at NAMM 2020. Keep up to date with all we know about the upcoming show here. For more gear news, click here.