Compact Bass Preamp, Drive, EQ, DI, and Signal Hub
The EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls Bass Odyssey is a powerful, portable bass tone machine built for everything from Motown warmth to modern metal aggression. Designed in collaboration with Japanese bassist Kentaro Nakao, Scrolls combines a tube amp-like drive channel, full active EQ section, buffered parallel output, onboard effects loop, and balanced XLR direct out into one compact pedalboard-friendly unit.
Why We Love It
Scrolls is built to be the brain of your bass rig. Use it as a tone-shaping preamp, a gritty drive pedal, a direct-to-FOH solution, or a flexible studio tool. The EQ channel stays transparent when set flat, while the Drive channel gives you deep control over overdriven bass tones without losing the low-end weight your sound depends on.
Active EQ Channel
The EQ side includes Bass, Middle, and Treble controls, plus a powerful Variable Frequency section that can cut or boost frequencies from approximately 20 Hz to 10 kHz. Three push-button tone-shaping options make quick adjustments easy:
Deep: 80 Hz boost for bigger lows
Process: low-mid scoop for a modern, punchy tone
Bright: 5 kHz boost for added attack
Tube Amp-Like Drive Channel
The Drive channel delivers versatile bass distortion with controls for Level, Blend, Drive, Bandwidth, and Tone. The Blend control lets you mix clean bass back into the driven signal, while Bandwidth determines where the clipping is most active, helping keep your low end full, focused, and musical.
Built for Stage and Studio
Scrolls features three simultaneous outputs: a standard ¼” output, a buffered parallel clean output, and a balanced XLR direct out with subtle analog filtering designed to emulate the tonal character of a bass speaker cabinet. The onboard effects loop sits between the Drive and EQ stages, making it easy to place modulation, delay, reverb, or additional dirt after the drive section while still using the EQ for final tone shaping.
Key Features
Tube amp-like bass drive channel
Active EQ with Bass, Middle, Treble, Vari, and Vari-Freq controls
Variable Frequency range from approximately 20 Hz to 10 kHz
Deep, Process, and Bright push-button tone shaping
Buffered parallel clean output
Balanced XLR direct out with analog speaker cabinet-style filtering
Ground lift for XLR output
Effects loop between Drive and EQ stages
Relay-based true bypass switching
Drive side features Flexi-Switch® Technology
Designed in collaboration with Kentaro Nakao
Artwork by Geoffrey Crowe
Tech Specs
Dimensions: 4.75” x 4.50” x 2.25” with knobs
Current Draw: 70 mA
EQ Input Impedance: 10 MΩ
EQ Output Impedance: <1 kΩ
Drive Input Impedance: 500 kΩ
Drive Output Impedance: 100 Ω
Parallel Input Impedance: 10 MΩ
Parallel Output Impedance: 100 Ω
Direct Output Impedance: 100 Ω
Power: Standard 9V DC, 2.1 mm negative center barrel
Perfect For
Bassists who need one portable rig for live shows, recording sessions, direct setups, fly dates, and pedalboard-based tone control. Scrolls is ideal for players who want vintage-inspired warmth, modern EQ flexibility, and drive tones that stay full and controlled.
BOOM!
