Boosting a tube amp??

[Thunder]

Early TS9 gain-9 o'clock level-5 o'clock tone to taste.

[the_SLOP_king]

I actually got this idea from a good friend of mine and it worked wonderfully. I cranked the volume up to about 9 o'clock (btw, I have a JCM 900 4502) and I'll run the preamp gain at slightly less than 12 o'clock...maybe even less like 9 or 10 o'clock. Like buddy said, the gain on my amp sounds great on its own, but the thing is, if one were to dial in too much gain in one stage, it kinda overloads the signal and it turns to turd pretty quick. I have a TS-9 and it works well. I also have a boss blues driver that basically does the same thing, but has a different tone. Both are good pedals. I've been thinking about getting the Keeley mod done on the blues driver.

[kjrocks]

There is a lot of good advice in this thread. I think if you take it all into consideration and test some of it I bet you'll find what works for you. It can be frustrating or fun,its what you make of it.

[jerry1954]

A more simple solution. I've been told that turning all the eq's high that you can get a little boost of volume. I've done this on my Super Champ 15 Watts tube amp and it feels like I got an extra 1-2 watts out of it clean and overdriven. I also have 2 EQ's on my board. One for just an EQ and another as a volume booster. I've found this on a thread about how SRV got his aggressive but slightly overdriven tone. With the EQ boost engaged I actually get a little more gain and volume. I play classic rock, county and blues. I'm not sure if this rig would be adequate for heavier rock but it works for me. I feel like I get 18 watts out of a 15 watt amp.

[Lewguitar]

I’ve been using Klon clones like the Aluminum Falcon for quite a few years now but last year bought a real Klon.

It’s the Klon KTR, and it is the best: Great as a clean boost...great as a dirt box.

Gets me those British Blues and Clapton w/Cream tones I love.

It’s my favorite pedal for overdriving my old Fender and Gibson tube combo amps of any I’ve owned in the last 55 years...and believe me, I’ve owned some classic pedals.

Worth the extra coin over a Soul Food or any of the klones I’ve owned.

[Lewguitar]

https://legendarytones.com/klon-centaur-vs-klon-ktr/

[devastone]

Going out on a limb here and guessing that BR is going for an 80s "hair" type sound (not a cut, that was my era too). Yep, everyone back then did it.

Lynch and Vai used a Boss DS-1 (yes, DS, not SD although the SD is great too)
Nuno used a Rat
Jake E Lee used an OD-1
boatloads of people used tube screamers and SD-1s, etc...

With any of them the trick is to set the pedal at the very edge of clipping, not saturation, so probably around 9 - 10 o' clock, definitely not about 12 0'clock. The tone setting will probably be about the same, usually well under 12 o' clock unless you have a really dark amp. The output gets pushed, probably around 2 0' clock or so depending on the amp and how much boost you want. The amp should be set pretty crunchy, but maybe just shy of being saturated, but it will take experimentation. It should work great with a JCM800, that's what most of these guys were using back in the day, JCMs, JMPs, and Superleads. Oh yeah, it works much better if the amp is loud...

The Classic 30 might be an anomaly here, I haven't played with one enough to really know what they sound like. It should work, just may take some experimentation.

[PFDarkside]

I’m also going to go on a limb and say he’s probably learned and added boost or three in the last 9 years.

[devastone]

DOH, didn't notice that it was a zombie thread, hate when that happens...

[Ben1962]

All good, I am reading some great info

[Ben1962]

Lew, you use the Klon thru your Mustang?

[JB_From_Hell]

When I can't crank my Super Reverb, I like to boost it with my 15 watt Line 6 Spider on the Insane setting. It's super responsive to the guitar's volume control, plus I get a built in noise gate.

[Phantasmagoria]

I guess it kinda works for blues/classic rock or something when the front of the amp could maybe do with a push to open/tighten/fatten it up or whatever, but I often wonder why it's still done for metal so much (hangover from the 80's?). I mean metal amp's these days don't need it imo..they're tight & thick with plenty of gain & push anyway. I've always preferred to just plug straight in!

I don't get why you need a monster high gain amp, only to then neuter it by turning the gain right down & popping a cheesy little pedal in front to do it's work for it instead?

[Lewguitar]

If you can turn your tube amp up loud enough that it’s on the edge of break up, then a good boost pedal can be added and work it’s magic.

But not if your amp is turned way down to bedroom clean.

I like a Klon KTR...but a TS 808 or the like is also a good choice.

But the amp has to be on the verge of break up before adding the pedal to really get the tones we love.

That’s why I use 20 or 30 watt amps.

[devastone]

I guess it kinda works for blues/classic rock or something when the front of the amp could maybe do with a push to open/tighten/fatten it up or whatever, but I often wonder why it's still done for metal so much (hangover from the 80's?). I mean metal amp's these days don't need it imo..they're tight & thick with plenty of gain & push anyway. I've always preferred to just plug straight in!

I don't get why you need a monster high gain amp, only to then neuter it by turning the gain right down & popping a cheesy little pedal in front to do it's work for it instead?

Since this is still going, a lot of the Djenty type guys use an OD in front of a high gain amp to tighten up the low end, most of them have a low end roll off and mid boost that tightens the amp.

[Phantasmagoria]

Yeah, I know it's de rigueur for them ....the 'mandatory Tubescreamer' in front

Can't say I'm a fan of that clinical dry lifeless tone myself ..but having said that with most decent modern high gain amps if you actually dial your amp in with your ears you can get it as tight as you like (...if that's your thing) without a pedal in front anyway...but eh, to each their own.

[JB_From_Hell]

Yeah, I know it's de rigueur for them ....the 'mandatory Tubescreamer' in front

You’re talking about people who buy 9 string guitars then live on the bottom one.

[ehdwuld]

If I take my 50 watt Carvin Belair , set at 2 on master volume
Then take my Joyo Ultimate Drive, with knobs dimmed

I can make all my neighbors come out on their front poarchs

I discovered this by accident


On another note, my buddy uses an SD1 into a Classic 30 with good results
He isn't going for hairmetal but gets some classic rock tones

Oh and he has swapped the blue marvel speaker with a C Rex

[justFred]

Had a hifi nut friend who builds his own systems make me a 12AT7 tube boost unit. It is otherworldly.
Didn't Duncan make a tube boost at one time?

[esandes]

Hey, I read ALL the time about guys boosting Marshalls and other tube amps with boss DS1 s and tube screamers and stuff. Any time I try to boost a lead channel, it sounds like mush.. Or like the pedal is causing a clip opposite of the amps natural clip so it screws the tone..

I ask this once years ago somewhere and was told not to run the distortion too high on the pedal. Ive tried this and get a volume boost, but Ive heard players and listened to clips where they definately juice up the gain with these pedals too.
Whats the secret?? I have a bunch of dirt pedals.. most I have to use on the clean channel or get too much feedback.. Grunge, marshall Jackhammer, etc.. But I have some that should be compatible with the front end: Tubescreamer, boss ds1 and boss DS1 modified by a forum bro..

Please share with me..

I had first hand experience with this. I used to own nothing but vintage (non re-issue) non master marshalls. I had the luxury of practicing in the studio at loud volumes and I bought a bbe boosta grande clean boost pedal to nail the sound of a louder and more cranked marshall plexi without the extra volume and no mushy mess at all.

If you have a re-issue plexi with an effects loop try putting the effects through there. My 2203x does not take pedals directly in-it needs then through the loop.

Also, the single knob on the pedal is all i need. Simple. True bypass.