Tech 21 Q-Strip EQ and Preamp Pedal

I had been looking at the Q Strip since it was released but the cost always made me hesitate purchasing. I felt like what I had would be “good enough” for most situations, even though I was never really satisfied with the results. I finally figured it would be the best overall option for someone like me that plays several instruments depending on the occasion. Like another reviewer here, I’ve never been keen on DI boxes with drive control. My philosophy is bass tone should be warm, punchy and pure. I really liked the MXR M81 and it really livened up my tone (my passive instantly transformed to an active in response and tone) but because of the form factor, the M81 was short on a few options that the QStrip possesses. Not to mention the M81 was very transparent whereas the QStrip has a bit of a more bold tonality. Unlike the character series, the Qstrip has metal knobs and the device feels and sounds premium.I’ve been able to really dial in the bark of a bass with a really musical round bottom end. A few turns and suddenly I’m cutting through a mix really well, without abrasion. So far, it’s been a real pleasure to use and without ear fatigue.It’s a real Swiss Army knife of DI boxes and recommended. Though, be patient. Don’t expect instant preset results. Take your time and really find the nuances using the two mids. It’s one of those boxes you’ll keep forever.Knowing that, it’s not too bad on the wallet.

I ended up using the QStrip as a high-quality EQ in the FX Loop of my Peavey Invective 120 guitar head to clean out the mud and add some bite at the top end. In my opinion, the QStrip is way more flexible than typical 7- or 10-band equalizers that you would typically use for such purpose. You can dial in the exact frequency that you want to address unlike being stuck to fixed values like in graphic EQs.On top of that, the QStrip shines in a ton of other scenarios, such as a preamp, boost, DI box or even used as a Neve 73 style channel strip when connected as outboard equipment to your DAW. The pedal is quite expensive but totally worth its price.

I had my eye on this EQ for quite a while and finally pulled the trigger 2 months ago. Seriously money well spent, I couldn't be happier with what it does. I run a pretty serious Orange rig with a Sansamp, 2 MXR boxes (envelope and fuzz octave), Ampeg chorus and Keeley compressor, and the QStrip has become an invaluable tool at shaping and utilizing what those other pedals do to their fullest or just straight signal on its own. It makes the sound sparkle and gives you total tonal control. The simplest analogy I can come up with is that it's the ultra fine finishing sandpaper that smooths out even the roughest and toughest of materials, or in this case, tone. It doesn't add gain, distortion or do anything "weird", it only shapes the signal you feed it. Got high mids that are giving you a headache? Done. Can't quite dial in or out the low boom because the room is odd? Done. Playing acoustic but its a feedback extravaganza? Done. Need more punch and still keep a big bottom end? Yup, done. Oh, and it's an awesome DI box as well. From a design standpoint it's solid, very well made, all the knobs have great resistance when you turn them, you get a noticeable change in tonal frequency even with the slightest turns, all the buttons do what they're supposed to and honestly it just looks cool on the board. Highly recommend if you're in the market for an EQ or you're looking for that "something" you've been searching for in your tone.

Great sound quality, versatility, and adjustments. I actually replaced VT Bass DI with this unit, and I like it much better. I did not need the drive and character functions of the VT, and this unit features additional mid tone control, which allows me to EQ out boominess that pops up in certain venues. I also use the DI out to go direct in to our PA. That adds additional low end through our 15" subs. The high pass filter eliminates rumble, and the -20db XLR pad switch better aligns output to our board. This unit offers everything I need for overall tone control Highly recommended.

I have been using for about 3 months. Although you will be skeptical, I can testify that Q-Strip can be used as a "cab sim" straight into a PA with decent results. My setup is guitar (or lap steel) -> Fulltone Supa-Trem -> J Rockett Boing reverb -> J Rockett Dude overdrive -> Tech 21 Q-Strip -> board straight in. No amplifier/mic setup. Nothing heavy to carry across town to the open mic -- where you only get to play 2 songs anyway. My Uber drivers show up in their Toyota Prius and don't need to pop the back hatch. My whole setup just fits in a messenger bag.I also love using Q-Strip into my amp at home. I live in an apartment building and can only practice at low volume. I run the setup into a Fender Excelsior 13-watt 15" amp. I can tweak it into a much fuller sound with the Q-Strip. It also is a great box for tweaking tone to suit different guitars (Schecter TSH-1 electric, Godin 54th Ave Kingpin P90 archtop, various old lap steels). I consider Q-Strip to be my secret tone weapon.