The Little Jake requires a preamp, which can be a wide number of things. To make things easy on most bassoonists I work with someone from Chicago that makes a very simple preamp housed in an Altoids tin with a belt clip that provides the necessary impedance buffer and signal boost in a compact package. There are some EQ problems with it depending on your rig though – as it’s a very bass heavy signal. I temper that preamp with an EQ pedal or just at my amp.
Most of the time I prefer to use a slightly more expensive belt clip preamp made by L.R. Baggs called the GigPro. For about $100USD it provides a similar impedance buffer and drive that the Little Jake needs, but also provides gain and volume controls and a two band EQ along with a “trim” that can help avoid any extra boomy-ness. Here are my settings that I use with this and my rig. It changes slightly sometimes, but basically this is it:
Click to view the image a little larger. I’ve added red lines to clarify where the Trim, Bass, and Treble knobs are pointing, since it doesn’t photograph well. If anyone is using the Little Jake and wants to try it out, this can be purchased at many music stores both locally and online.
Trent Jacobs, bassoonist 
daniel
/ January 26, 2012Hello, and congratulations for your work.
I will soon buy your “Little Jack” by ForrestsMusic, already mounted on Fox bocal.
I would like to ask you confirm that I understand correctly (my english is not very good): If it is not important for me to save a few tens of dollars, do you advice “L. R. Baggs GIGPRO”? It is better than the preamp Altoids box?
Gigpro is the only preamp that you recommend? Or other preamp for acoustic guitar can be even better? In the city where I live (Bologna – Italy) there is a large shop for guitarists and bass players: it is well stocked, and I could try also other models. Otherwise, I can easily buy online Gigpro.
If it can be used to give me your precious advice, I tell you that I will play jazz (clean sound as realistic as possible) and electronic music with effects (Ableton Live, etc.).
Thank you very much in advance for your help.
I look forward to using your pickup.
Daniel
trentjacobs
/ January 26, 2012You can use a number of things instead of the Gigpro. Forrests sells a less expensive and more simple to use preamp housed in an Altoids box. I totally approve of using that preamp for a lot of people, but there are no additional features like volume control or EQ. It’s just a “plug in and go” solution. Any number of buffer/preamps will work with the Little-Jake. Here’s another one that I just found out about that looks promising (I haven’t tried it myself)
http://personalpages.tds.net/~fdeck/bass/hpfpre.htm
Anything designed to work with acoustic guitars or violin/cello/bass pickups will probably work, but they don’t all have nice boxes or have a belt clip like you’ll need for use with the Little Jake.
Good luck and enjoy!
daniel
/ January 27, 2012Thank you very much. You were very clear and have removed my doubts. Then I’ll try different preamp models. In this way I will also acquire more awareness of the potential of your pickup, and the aim will be to find the best setup for my needs. Thanks again and good music.
Daniel
Edwin
/ May 2, 2013Dear Trent
Is it the “little Jake” that T W Howarth in England sell? It looks like it.
Ed
Trent
/ May 2, 2013It is not. They are selling the Telex pickup. Assuming you’re talking about what is on this page: http://www.howarth.uk.com/products.aspx?id=112&url=bassoonacc.html
I find it pretty funny they’re selling the Akai Headrush pedal too. 🙂
Ed
/ May 3, 2013They are a great shop. THE bassoon and oboe (and arguably singLe reeds too) shop in the UK I went in today and asked if they could get hold of little jake. I hope you do sort something with them
Ed
/ May 3, 2013PS why is the headrush funny? Totally ignorant on that one sounds like an experience. Not a piece of kit
Trent
/ May 3, 2013Oh, only funny because it’s not the kind of thing you’d expect to find in a woodwind shop. 🙂
It’s a pretty popular basic delay and looper pedal that guitarists use.