Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

[Ben Davella]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

For me, I like an OD with set higher volume and the gain at near 0 is what I like. The amp and the OD together seem to add more harmonic content and a tighter sound overall. Actually was thinking trying that Spark booster. I just have a Peavey toaster, and love my tone right now. I wanna mention, I have some really nice "boutique" distortions, Wampler Sovereign, Pinnacle and other really nice pedals, just don't really care for them anymore.

[dxlxntxxlxr]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

You need a tube screamer type pedal. Or multiple, u can't have too many. U can have one for an always on, one for a lead boost, one to just send u into crazy sustain that feeds back beautifully, the list goes on

[Nightburst]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

Do you play in a band setting with another guitar player? A boost or OD pedal can provide you with some more mids to cut through and tighten the bass or make you sound a little louder when its guitarsolo time.
How about a noise gate instead? Some boost pedals even come with a build in gate but they can be a bit more costly.

[Mincer]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

As far as boosts go, we offer the Pickup Booster (clean gain with Resonance switches) and the Killing Floor, which is a boost with some gain.

[Dave Locher]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

If you play rhythm guitar you do not need a boost. If you also play leads then a boost or overdrive pedal will push your amp input and that gives you more compression and sustain. I have been boosting with an eq pedal into my Randall for years (decades), but only in bands where I play solos that require more smooth sustain or more sensitivity for hammer ons and pull offs. Otherwise, straight into the amp.

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

I had an RG150 G3, and I found pedals to matter very little. And if I'm thinking of yours properly, the entire preamp is solid state. The tube is part of their Valve Dynamic power-section technology designed to give the feel and sound of a full-fledged tube amp. If I were you and was unsatisfied with the amp, as I eventually found myself to be, I'd start looking at different amps. Those seem to have one sound, and you either love it, or it's not your thing. If you want to shape it with pedals, I'd recommend an EQ over a boost, since it already has a boost built in.

[dxlxntxxlxr]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

Everyone needs a ts type pedal. Everyone. Just trust me. I didn't think I needed one and boy was I wrong

[Securb]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

If you play rhythm guitar you do not need a boost.

What is rhythm guitarist? Someone is a guitarist, or they are not. A number of strings they hit at one time does not affect the need to cut through a mix. Are you telling me there are times that Malcolm Young did not modulate his tone?

[Dave Locher]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

What is rhythm guitarist? Someone is a guitarist, or they are not. A number of strings they hit at one time does not affect the need to cut through a mix. Are you telling me there are times that Malcolm Young did not modulate his tone?

No, I am telling you that when I am playing full chords 99% of the time with a similar amp to the op i find a boost totally useless, it just smears the tone and kills any dynamics. But when I am playing the role of doing a lot of sinlge-note runs and sustaining individual notes then a boost comes in handy to add a bit of compression and/or to thicken the tone a bit. I have been in bands where there were so few solos that a booat was irrelavant. In those bands I would call myself a "rhythm guitar player." Other bands I have been in had a solo of some sort in every song. In those bands I would label my role as "lead guitarist," and I used a boost.

I have no idea if Malcom Young did or did not use a boost pedal, but I do know he did not play Randall ss or hybrid amps.

An eq pedal is one of the best ways to boost them. But if the op is chugging barre chords all the time then it is unnecessary unless he does not like the sound of his guitar, his amp, or his speaker(s).
This is just my opinion and experience and for certain types of metal a ts is apparently very useful or nearly mandatory. I am not familiar with that style but I agree that it is worth trying.

But if HE already likes his sound then a boost probably will not thrill him.

[Van Noord]

Re: Do I actually need an overdrive/boost?

You need a tube screamer type pedal. Or multiple, u can't have too many. U can have one for an always on, one for a lead boost, one to just send u into crazy sustain that feeds back beautifully, the list goes on

I'd rather find an amp that does that on its own. (Which I have, a few of them actually)

I also don't put BBQ sauce on my steak...