Custom Audio Electronics SE3+

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 9
The unit is very straight forward. Gain, 3-band EQ, volume and bright switch per channel, plus a switchable 2-band EQ w/ level that effects all the channels. You either need to use a latched switching system, or you can get the proprietary 4-button pedal, which has a button for each channel, plus one for EQ.

Sound Quality: 9
Tele>3+SE>Chandler Digital Echo>VHT 292>Boogie open/closed back cab with Vintage 30's. I use the proprietary footswitch, which was REALY expensive for what it is. Over $200 if I remember correctly

Channel 1- It's real clean. Even at maximum setting, it doesn't break up. It just gets tubby and compressed. I use pretty high gain settings, as I don't use an outboard compressor. It looses high end at higer gain settings, which I make up with the EQ and bright switch.

Channel 2- Very nice through all gain settings. I really like it with the gain at around 4. Nice bluesy just breaking up amp-like tone. Higher gain settings can get very saturated, but have relatively low hiss, and clean up nicely with the guitar volume. This channel remains tight even at maximum gain. Great for crunchy rhythms and tight bluesy lead work. Bright switch adds some shimmer, but it's not needed.

Channel 3- Very saturated and loose at high gain. Noisier than channel 2, even at relative gain levels. Don't use it to much, but it's buttery and makes fast legato stuff easy and fun.

EQ- I really like the EQ, and use it two different ways, depending on the project. I usually turn the bass and presence down a few notches, and boost the volume for a lead boost with extra mids, but on ocasion where I need a crunch metal sound, Using Channel 2, I boost the bass and presence and cut the volume for a rhythm sound, then turn the EQ off for leads.

Reliability: 10
I've had it for 7 years. It was a 3+ and I sent it to CAE for the SE mods on all channels. Don't tour with it anymore, but it still kicks in the studio.

Customer Support: 9
Don't expect small talk, but they have a good turnaround time.

Overall Rating: 8
It's a nice, very versitile preamp, but it doesn't have the character of a dedicated combo or head. I don't use this rig to much anymore, opting for fuzzboxes and combos amps, but it's nice to plug in and shake the studio every once in a while. One thing about this rig, it sounds AMAZING with my Alembic Baratone guitar, so it remains in the studio for that purpose. I wouldn't replace it if it were stolen, but I'm not selling it either. I understand that it is built as a "component" piece for a big rack, but I'm not a big rack guy. I wish it had a parallel effects loop with a 5th switch on the pedal to toggle it, but I guess that would defeate the purpose of CAE's switching systems.

Submitted by Joe at 09/07/2001 03:11

Price Paid: US $1400 used

Ease of Use: 7
3 channels , no front plate switching!!!
not possible to switch all 3 channels with jack-based switches,you will
have to turn off the 2th channel to enter the 3th channel!
with remote switching unit it works just fine! (outboard switching unit like
the rocktron stuff)

Sound Quality: 9
I use emg loaded strat-style guitars!
The unit is a little noisy in the high-gain mode but it is controlable!
I have played amps that where a h.. of a lot noisier!( like mesa
amps,soldano,...etc)
I us a custom made power amp loaded with 6l6 tubes!
This preamp gives me all the sounds and tone that i ever want to use!!!!!!
clean channel is like a good sounding twin ( even reminesent of a
dumble? )
The 2th channel sounds like anything between a plexi -and a 2203
marshall! real good marshall tone !
The 3th channel is high-gain domain, a lot of lukather tone frees itself
here!!
this channel can be a little fuzzy,but if you get all the knobs right it can
sound amazing!!!!! they dit a great job at custom audio amplifiers!!!!

Reliability: 9
This is a real good and reliable preamp, the best i eve had!!

Customer Support: 8
I talked to Bob a few times, he is a nice guy and allways willing to help!

Overall Rating: 9
I play all styles of music, from jazz to rock , from Atkins to Hendrix and i
can use this preamp for any style!!
I have been playing guitar for about 20 years now and used this preamp
for about 4 years and i would buy it again if it got lost!
I compared this preamp with the egnator preamp, and the 3+ sounds
much,much better in all channels!!!!!!!!
The egnator sounds dull , but the 3+ sounds alive with much more
headroom! This is the best sounding preamp on this planet!!!!

Submitted by someone at 01/30/2000 02:39

Price Paid: US $1650

Ease of Use: 10
create a sound!! everything you do works.

Sound Quality: 10
I got the best results using this preamp with a VHT 2150 poweramp and Marshall 4x12" vintage 30 cabinets. I`m using an RSB-18 switching system with eventide effects.I like the old Steve Lukather sound and with this equipment I got it.

Reliability: 10
the preamp is now 4 years old. I never had any troubles with it.

Customer Support: 8
well the company isn`t very friendly, but serious. I had to prepay this unit as a swiss has to do. I was waiting for 6 months.

Overall Rating: 10
I think there are only three really usable preamps on the market. if you are looking for a good preamp then choose between soldano XR88, the CAE 3+se or the Mesa/Boogie Triaxis. Everything else is shit!!!!

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/08/1999 17:00

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 10
Set up great!Everything is right infront of you.It does'nt get any easyer.

Sound Quality: 10
I write for a hard rock/metal magazine,so I had a chance to review the older 3+(and also own one to)but never realy "dug" channel three(to buzzy)so I got rid of it.
Well a few years later,I had a chance to grab a newer 3+se preamp,and did so.This preamp is great,I cant put into words how happy I am with unit.I have a 36sp rack built by a good friend at mesa hollywood,and I use rackmount recto for my "high gain" and was using a triaxis for clean and other tones.(some asshole stole the triaxis from my system) Thus my new 3+se comes into play,CH1.it has the best clean tone i've had to date.CH2.Plexi to the bone,if you cant find your tone here then your hands are at fault not the preamp..CH3.GREAT! a little buzz,but wayyyyyyyyyy better than my older3+.
Oyeah..your poweramp plays a major role with the C.A.E+3SE,im using a mesa 2:90 and the power stage from the recto for dry.wet/dry/wet I also had a V.H.T 2150 poweramp I loved them both,each poweramp did an insane job!

Reliability: 10
I took it apart,Bob Bradshaw did a great job,truly worth the money.

Customer Support: 9
Yeah they dont make you feel to welcome,but there,there to answer your calls and do so well.

Overall Rating: 10
The preamp is great,and when it comes to tone ,im as picky as mother f&*ker.the C.A.E3+se is a great buy.try one you"ll see:)

Submitted by Bobby F. at 06/14/1998 11:38

Price Paid: Canadian $2450.00

Ease of Use: 10
The Custom Audio 3+ pre-amp uses seven 12ax7 tubes to achieve three totally independent channels; plus, an all tube channel boost with additional eq. Each channel has gain ,treble, middle, bass, presence, and volume as well as a bright switch. This pre-amp is very amp-like and stupifingly easy to dial up AMAZING amp tones.

Sound Quality: 10
Theb sound quality of the 3+ is incredible. I use this pre-amp with a VHT Classic Limited Edition power amp and the sound coming out of my 25 watt greenback loaded Marshall 4x12 cabinets is unbelieveable. I use a Rocktron Intellefex to split the signal into stereo to feed my VHT power amp.(VERY LOUD. HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO FRY THE GREENBACKS) Channel 1 sounds HUGE, like a 25 foot 1965 Fender twin on steriods. I use a little compression on channel 1, using a rocktron 300G compressor and my strings sound as thick as telephone wire in a Canadian blizzard. This channel is super clean and I Love It. Put a tube screamer in front of it and stand back. Channel 2 is like plugging into a completely different amplifier. This second channel sounds like an old Marshall and cleans up nicely when I back off my guitar volume. This is a medium gain channel but can be driven quit hard for an early Van Halen sound. From classic rock to hard AC/DC this channel can do it. Someone else that reviewed the 3+ said they had a hard time getting a great sound out of channel 2. I don't know what power-amp you're using or what pre-amp tubes are in your 3+ but if you can't get a good sound out of this channel call the tone police and ask them to aprehend the thief who stole your ears. THE SECOND CHANNEL SMOKES.Thats why everyone raves about it. Channel 3 takes off where the second ends. Super saturation with great pick articulation. Also cleans up nicely by turning down your guitar. This channel can get a little noisey so I use the HUSH option form a Rocktron PatchMate (which also switchs the channels and eq. on my 3+). Channel 3 is very warm sounding with extreme amounts of even order harmonics. Beautifully sweet to very nasty.LUKE likes it, and so will you.

Reliability: 10
The 3+ seems to to be very reliable. I've had the pre-amp for over two years and have had no problems at all.

Customer Support: 9
I've spoken to Custom Audio techs. a few times and they were quite helpful, although it did seem like I was eating up their valuable time. (Who knows they could have had Van Halen and Vai on hold while addressing my questions.) Every time I've asked for literature I have recieved it promptly.

Overall Rating: 10
I would definitly by the Custom Audio 3+ again. Everyone that has heard this pre-amp wants to buy one. I love all three channels especially the first and second. The third channel sounds great but I would pay the same amount of hard earned money,(from teaching hundreds students and playing many a gig)for just two channels. The third channel is just icing on the cake. I did compare it to other pre-amps. First I purchased the Mesa Boogie Triaxis( I took it back four days later and got my money back.) I also tried the Marshall JMP1 (Very noisy and not as refined sounding.) I would like to compare the Custon Audio 3+ to the Egnator ie4 but they're hard to find in Toronto,Canada. The one thing I wish the 3+ had would be a way to switch the bright switches remotely; or, a midi interface to switch the channels. Hunt one down, plug in and smile smile smile.

Submitted by B.T.K. at 08/22/1997 18:49