Catalinbread Crooner Discrete Console Preamp Pedal

The Catalinbread Crooner is a discrete console preamp pedal inspired by the legendary RCA BA-31 microphone preamp, designed to bring studio-grade tone shaping and character to your pedalboard. With a UREI-inspired discrete op-amp front end, germanium circuitry and a transformer-equipped output stage, it delivers everything from pristine level lift to rich saturation, overdrive, distortion and even fuzz, all while retaining the feel and dynamics of your playing.

Whether you want to add subtle sheen and presence to a clean amp, give your favourite drive pedals a more three-dimensional push, or build an entire gain structure around one always-on preamp, the Crooner slots effortlessly into any rig. Optimised for 18V operation for increased headroom and dynamic range, yet happy running from a standard 9V DC supply, it offers a huge tonal palette in a compact, pedalboard-friendly format.

At the heart of the Crooner is the interaction between its Push and Trim controls, which lets you dial in everything from a gentle console-style boost to thick, harmonically rich saturation. The Filter control then smooths high frequencies as gain increases, helping you tame fizz and harshness while keeping your core tone intact. True bypass switching and simple mono in and out connections make it easy to integrate with the rest of your effects.

From subtle mix-like polish to full-on vintage-flavoured grind, the Catalinbread Crooner gives guitarists and bassists access to classic studio preamp tones underfoot, making it an ideal choice for players who want more depth, character and flexibility from their front-end gain stage.

Studio Console Character On Your Board

Drawing inspiration from the iconic RCA BA-31 studio microphone preamp, the Crooner captures the feel of running your signal through a high-end analogue console. This imparts a sense of depth, presence and harmonic richness that can make your guitar or bass sit more confidently in a mix, whether you are playing live or recording at home.

Wide Gain Range From Clean To Fuzz

With its discrete op-amp front end and germanium-based output stage, the Crooner covers a huge gain spectrum. At lower settings it behaves as a clean boost or tone sweetener, while higher Push and Trim levels unlock overdrive, distortion and fuzz-like saturation. This makes it a flexible tool that can replace multiple gain pedals or act as the foundation of your entire drive chain.

Interactive Controls For Precise Tone Shaping

The Push and Trim controls work together to set overall gain and saturation, allowing you to fine-tune how hard the circuit is driven. As you increase gain, the Filter control gently smooths the top end, helping you keep brightness under control and avoid harshness. This interactive design makes it easy to dial in everything from articulate clarity to thick, singing sustain.

High Headroom And Pedal Stacking Potential

Optimised for 18V operation, the Crooner offers increased headroom and dynamic range, preserving your picking nuances even at higher gain levels. It also excels as a stacking tool, enhancing the feel and response of other overdrive and distortion pedals placed before or after it, so you can build complex, layered gain sounds without losing definition.

• RCA BA-31 Inspired Console Preamp - Based on the revered RCA BA-31 studio microphone preamp, the Crooner delivers classic console-style tone, adding depth, presence and harmonic complexity that helps your instrument sit naturally in any mix.
• Discrete Analogue Gain Architecture - A UREI-inspired discrete op-amp front end feeding germanium circuitry and a transformer-equipped output stage provides a rich, musical response, from subtle enhancement to saturated drive, while maintaining an organic, amp-like feel.
• Versatile Gain And Tone Controls - Push and Trim controls interact to set the amount and character of gain, while the Filter control smooths high frequencies at higher settings, giving you precise control over brightness and saturation for a wide range of musical styles.
• Optimised For 18V With True Bypass - Designed to shine at 18V for extra headroom and dynamics yet fully compatible with standard 9V DC supplies, the Crooner integrates easily into existing pedalboards, with true bypass switching to keep your dry tone intact when the pedal is off.

General

• Brand: Catalinbread
• Product Type: Effects Pedal
• Pedal Type: Preamp
• Circuit Type: Analogue
• Drive Type: None
• Channels: 1
• Audio: Mono
• Bypass: True Bypass

Controls

• Push
• Volume
• Filter
• Trim

Power

• Power Supply: 9 to 18V DC (Centre Negative)
• Power / Voltage DC: 18V
• Battery Powered: No

Connectivity

• Inputs: 1 x 1/4"
• Outputs: 1 x 1/4"

Construction

• Dimensions: 1.96" x 2.36" x 4.33"
• Weight: 0.4lbs