Handmade in Portland, Oregon, Benson Amps have quickly gained a reputation for making some of the finest boutique guitar amplifiers and pedals on the market. The Benson Preamp is their amp in a box, based on the preamp stage of their Chimera 30 amplifier.
The Benson Preamp substitutes tubes for JFET transistors, a component used to recreate the sound and feel of a valve amp while being able to sit in on your pedalboard. Tonally, the Preamp covers a huge range of sounds, from a light boost to bluesy overdrive, all the way to blown out Fender Tweed amp a-la Neil Young. When pushed, the Preamp can also comfortably move in to fuzzy distortion territory, all while retaining a vintage vibe that you would expect from the best amps of the '50s & '60s. The on board EQ adds another level of flexibility, allowing you to accurately dial in the fine details of your tone, covering both British and American style amp sounds.
