Bargain boost

[InbredJunk]

Say you have 100 bucks, and you need a good boost or overdrive pedal to drive a dirty tube amp. What will you buy? Something good for metal to classic rock.

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[PFDarkside]

Re: Bargain boost

The classic... Tube Screamer.

Of course, with that budget you could get a used Bad Monkey/SD-1 AND and used Soul Food.

[Matt42]

Re: Bargain boost

It depends largely on what type of sound you want from your boost.

[devastone]

Re: Bargain boost

Pick up a used Boss OD-3 for $45 - $55 and go out to dinner with the leftover. I would have said a SD-1 until I picked up a OD-3, great pedal that you don't hear enough about.

[Scott_F]

Re: Bargain boost

SD Pickup booster is a great boost. EH Soul Food gives up the Klon boost. Classic tube screamer is well known. Then there's the entire Joyo line that would let you own three.


Crap. I typed all that out and went back and saw you typed metal. I'm out.

[Hank-]

Re: Bargain boost

The OD3 takes the best of the BD2 & builds further up on it, its really an awesome od but at non boutique prices. The color probably reminds of the SD1 but its not like that in sound wise. Definitely a collective to have around in the pedal collection from the boss camp.

For cheap, you have the joyo ultimate drive, clone of the OCD.

[InbredJunk]

Re: Bargain boost

How about the east river drive from electro-harmonix?

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[PFDarkside]

Re: Bargain boost

I've never used the East River, but as a Tube Screamer clone, it is definitely a viable option. Actually, it would be interesting to try the East River, Soul Food and the Glove, to see which works with your guitar, amp and tonal preference.

[dave74]

Re: Bargain boost

used od808 or od9

[bladefrenzy]

Re: Bargain boost

I love the Maxon Od9!!

[InbredJunk]

Re: Bargain boost

The east river drive sounds alot like the Maxon od808 to me. Sounds like the od 808 has more gain and a bit more girth.

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[Aceman]

Re: Bargain boost

Mooer pure boost

MXR Micro amp

Or Tube Screamer

[Gainstage]

Re: Bargain boost

Hands down the Fulltone 2B, for me anyway. Great front end buffer as well. Also vastly superior quality over the popular bargain pedal lines which I just cannot use anymore.
The 2B is not costly but gets my pick for a low cost killer boost/buffer.
There is no way I consider the "SoulFood" a Klon. Archer ticks it closer but vastly better than EH. As Finnegan has stated when you change the layout and component substitutions you get a different circuit. A lot of things "sound like" things but not the same circuit. When Finnegan made the KTR Klon he stated it was not the same circuit because the original could not be built any more and the KTR was as close as he could get to it.
Remember that older PGS demo blind test of a Lovepedal Kalamazoo and a real Klon, most picked the Kalamazoo as the real and better sounding Klon, and it is a totally different tubescreamer mod type circuit. Ears are deceiving measuring tools that's why we use electronic measurement equipment. You demo a cheap pedal with a nice guitar and good amp and of course it is going to sound decent but is that a need to try and buy the cheapest gear available? If that is what motivates one to play, have at it.
I'll tell you a wicked cool boost which uses a real tube, hot internal amp level plate voltage, the Blackstar boost for $100 from PGS. Not a really super clean pedal but sends an amp or other pedals into sonic heaven. I could not believe that was only a $100 with amp level tube plate voltage. I wish I could use it but right now does not fit my layout. That 2B is amazing quality for the bucks, beats the hell of out Mooer and whatnot.

[ThisDyingSoul76]

Re: Bargain boost

Really depends on the sound you're after. Any overdrive or clean boost should do the trick as far as pushing the amp to the level of gain you are after.

[Darg1911]

Re: Bargain boost

If you're just looking for a boost, the suggestion for the Fulltone 2B is a good one. I like the Fulltone buffers, so you get that too, the pedal is buffered bypass.

The Mad Professor Golden Cello may be an alternative. I think you can still get them for 100 bucks or a little over (check ebay). Pretty unique pedal, a low to mid gain OD with some delay. I don't own one. Not sure how it sounds into a already dirty amp ... check out some video demos.

Tone Bakery Crème Brulee is one of the "Klone" type pedals, or at least a pretty close take on the circuit. 99 bucks I think. Works as a clean boost or OD. I use it mostly as a boost with a little of the circuit mixed in (gain at around 10 o'clock) into my "Marshall" already into early break up. It does the Klon thing pretty well. Sounds good with buckers and single coils. The buffer is great (IMO), which is really why I took a flyer on it.

Just a couple of options ... neither of the above may be what you are looking for. You should really narrow it down to what you think you are looking for and then ask for suggestions on pedals, or budget "clones".