Tech 21 has introduced the Steve Harris Signature SH1 SansAmp, a portable bass preamp designed to emulate the Iron Maiden bassist’s beloved tones.
Crafted as a more compact variant of Harris’ rig for utilization with his side project British Lion, the SH1 features dual-channel modes with separate Level and Gain knobs, which can be toggled between by the leftmost footswitch for convenient volume command on-stage.
The SH1 is powered by Tech 21’s SansAmp technology, an innovative FET-based way of emulating a speaker cabinet and tube amp first introduced in 1989.
A four-band EQ, with 18dB of boost or cut on every band, shapes the tone. The SH1 also carries a wet/dry switch to mix with an unaffected tone. A bite switch activates what Tech 21 refers to as a “Steve boost for extra clank and clarity.”
The amp is capable of running as a pedal before a standard bass amp or serving as a separate preamp. Other features include a chromatic tuner as well as an XLR output for going straight into an interface or a desk.
“Whatever [Andrew Barta]’s done, he’s made this thing sound like my sound,” Harris stated about the pedal design.
The Steve Harris Signature SH1 SansAmp retails for $299
