Germanium Preamp

The Germanium Preamp is based on Benson's Preamp pedal, replacing the first FET gain stage with a germanium gain stage derived from the company's Germanium Boost. The result combines the response and character of germanium transistors with the EQ and tone-shaping capabilities of the original Preamp design. Compared to the standard Preamp, it offers slightly less gain but a richer and more harmonically complex sound. Depending on settings and signal level, it can function as a clean boost, overdrive, or fuzz-like gain stage while retaining the amp-inspired character of the original circuit. The germanium stage uses a servo-biased design to reduce the temperature sensitivity commonly associated with germanium transistors, although extreme heat can still affect operation.