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  • Solo boost in effects loop

    My current rig is guitar into TS9 into Engl Fireball 60 powering a Mesa 4x12. It’s perfect for the metal rhythm tone I’m after. For a solo boost I currently have an MXR 6-band EQ in the effects loop, giving a slight mid bump and overall volume boost.

    It works well, but I wouldn’t mind a very slight bump in saturation as well as overall volume when I engage the “solo” sound. Obviously I could achieve this by putting something else in line before the amp input to drive it a bit harder, but I don’t really want to have to step on 2 pedals every time I go into/out of a solo. I’ve tried an overdrive in the effects loop instead of the EQ and, predictably, it sounds awful. I’m now thinking of something like a signal booster with an option of slight gain boost might work (again in the effects loop). I’ve never tried such a pedal before, but was thinking of something like this –


    Does anyone have any thoughts about whether this would work, or have you attempted something similar

  • #2
    Re: Solo boost in effects loop

    It's hard to do both with one pedal, the additional gain and compression you are looking for probably needs to be something in front of the amp, while the volume boost needs to be something in the loop like you are currently using. Maybe something with programmable loops so you could do both with one footswitch? But, that's not going to be as cheap and easy as just another pedal.

    You might try using the EQ pedal between your TS and the amp, but it sounds like you already are using enough gain that it's only going to compress the signal more and not really give you a volume boost.

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    • #3
      Re: Solo boost in effects loop

      You could try an EQ with a built-in boost in front of the amp to hit the preamp a bit harder.

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      • #4
        Re: Solo boost in effects loop

        Gain plus boost in the loop doesn't usually turn out well.

        Should be easy enough to set the pedals right next to each other.
        Originally posted by Bad City
        He's got the crowd on his side and the blue jean lights in his eyes...

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        • #5
          Re: Solo boost in effects loop

          Originally posted by devastone View Post
          You might try using the EQ pedal between your TS and the amp, but it sounds like you already are using enough gain that it's only going to compress the signal more and not really give you a volume boost.
          Yes I tried that, and there's zero difference in overall volume.

          Thanks for the feedback guys (no pun intended)... I'm planning to head to Anderton's guitar store in Guildford soon to try out a variety of boost pedals in the loop, to see if any of them do the trick. Will let you know if I have any joy!

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          • #6
            Re: Solo boost in effects loop

            Sounds like you need a three channel amp, man.
            Epiphone LP Standard PlusTop Pro
            Ibanez SZ320 / A8 DD103 bridge.
            Ibanez RG270 / Screamin' Demon bridge.

            Egnater Tweaker 15 Head / Laney Cub 8 / 2x12 - Celestion V30+K100
            Line 6 M13 and plenty of stompboxes I rarely use!

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            • #7
              Re: Solo boost in effects loop

              I would just get an overdrive with a good EQ and put it in front of the amp.
              Administrator of the SDUGF

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              • #8
                Re: Solo boost in effects loop

                Saturation is going to come from pushing your preamp harder, that won't happen with anything in the loop. At best, you can add additional distortion to your preamp signal, but that generally doesn't sound very good to my ears. Maybe a compressor in the loop set to boost output would help. Something like the Philosopher's tone with a "grit" knob might help, too.
                Last edited by chadd; 04-15-2019, 09:42 PM.

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                • #9
                  Re: Solo boost in effects loop

                  Originally posted by EddieVN View Post
                  Yes I tried that, and there's zero difference in overall volume.

                  Thanks for the feedback guys (no pun intended)... I'm planning to head to Anderton's guitar store in Guildford soon to try out a variety of boost pedals in the loop, to see if any of them do the trick. Will let you know if I have any joy!
                  If you don't get volume boost with boost in front you're probably already run out of headroom in first input stage.

                  Do you use any other boost/OD in front of amp or active pickups?

                  Dial gain in amp higher and input gain (guitar volume or od/boost lower) and you should get volume boost with EQ/boost in front. Or you could just go with the guitar volume.
                  "So understand/Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years/Face up, make your stand/And realize you're living in the golden years"
                  Iron Maiden - Wasted Years

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                  • #10
                    Re: Solo boost in effects loop

                    First line of OP - "My current rig is guitar into TS9 into Engl Fireball 60 powering a Mesa 4x12." No, it doesn't mention what kind of pickups, but running a TS9 into a high gain amp, I would guess he has run out of headroom.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Solo boost in effects loop

                      Originally posted by devastone View Post
                      First line of OP - "My current rig is guitar into TS9 into Engl Fireball 60 powering a Mesa 4x12." No, it doesn't mention what kind of pickups, but running a TS9 into a high gain amp, I would guess he has run out of headroom.
                      In front of the amp...absolutely. He’s out of headroom.
                      But something like a micro amp in the loop should still give a volume boost. It has worked for me, anyway.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Solo boost in effects loop

                        Originally posted by Gtrjunior View Post
                        In front of the amp...absolutely. He’s out of headroom.
                        But something like a micro amp in the loop should still give a volume boost. It has worked for me, anyway.
                        Agreed, but he wants it all in one pedal, gain boost and volume boost. I actually posted as semi-sarcastic because it seemed like every other post was "are you running a boost/OD in front of the amp?" or "run a overdrive in front of the amp" [/jerk mode off]

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                        • #13
                          Re: Solo boost in effects loop

                          Originally posted by devastone View Post
                          Agreed, but he wants it all in one pedal, gain boost and volume boost. I actually posted as semi-sarcastic because it seemed like every other post was "are you running a boost/OD in front of the amp?" or "run a overdrive in front of the amp" [/jerk mode off]
                          Ahhh...I see.
                          In my experience it can’t be done. I have never found a way to do it all in one like that.

                          Obviously there are amp makers that have solo boosts built into their high gain circuits but I don’t know enough to venture a guess as to how they accomplish that.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Solo boost in effects loop

                            Originally posted by Gtrjunior View Post
                            In my experience it can’t be done. I have never found a way to do it all in one like that.
                            'xactly, not at that level of gain.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Solo boost in effects loop

                              I completely read over the mention of TS9... Sure.

                              Originally posted by Gtrjunior View Post
                              Ahhh...I see.
                              In my experience it can’t be done. I have never found a way to do it all in one like that.

                              Obviously there are amp makers that have solo boosts built into their high gain circuits but I don’t know enough to venture a guess as to how they accomplish that.
                              It's pretty simple. Each stage ups gain, as long as there's enough headroom, gain addition adds volume. When headroom runs out you get distortion.

                              When pushing the front end of amp, first input stage goes clipping. It depends on the amp, but Gain pot usually sits after that first stage. When you up it next stage goes to clipping as well.

                              In the amp there's a gain stage that's limited on clipping, so when you activate solo boost, it kicks that stage up adding volume and gain.

                              Problem is that getting the same effect you'd need to be able to hook up the boost in the middle of preamp.
                              "So understand/Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years/Face up, make your stand/And realize you're living in the golden years"
                              Iron Maiden - Wasted Years

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