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Treble Booster : what is it used for?

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  • #31
    Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

    The tube amp needs to be cooking somewhat for maximum results... can't rely on it entirely for gain+clipping.

    treble booster -> plexi at about 6

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    • #32
      Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

      Naturally best in front of a cooking non-master-volume amp, because that's what they were specifically designed for.

      They don't work well with solid state amps by themselves, but can be great in front of many OD pedals, especially the more amplike drives with multiple FET stages. And after drives and fuzzes, they can add brightness & volume.

      I still say the term "Treble Booster" is deceptive. They boost mids too. Really everything except bass, which would've made amps sound tubby.
      .
      "You should know better by now than to introduce science into a discussion of voodoo."
      .

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      • #33
        Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

        Originally posted by eclecticsynergy View Post
        I still say the term "Treble Booster" is deceptive. They boost mids too. Really everything except bass, which would've made amps sound tubby.
        Remember back before the wealth of information was available on everything related to Guitar ever and you just went by a magazine and what some old dude said at the guitar shop? You read that Iommi, May and Clapton used a Treble Booster, but had no idea what it was outside of the description?

        Back then there were lots of threads like “Why would I need a treble booster? Why not just use an EQ with the treble set higher?” Then you kind of try to explain its a booster but kind of a Fuzz and it doesn’t really boost treble as much as roll off bass but you really need to play one to understand?

        Good times.
        Oh no.....


        Oh Yeah!

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        • #34
          Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

          I know there have been a lot of comments since this question, but IT DEPENDS.

          There are solid state preamp stages that respond well to being goosed. And some tube preamps that don't.

          Honestly, Treble Boosters work a lot like how metal bands in the 80s used Tube Screamers: a little extra gain, and an eq tweak. You probably already know whether you have a signal chain that will respond well to that sort of thing.


          Originally posted by pac112 View Post
          thanks for the info John. that means no use for the Treble Booster on a solid state amp i guess....
          ---------------------------
          The most popular thread I've ever made was 1) a joke and 2) based around literally the most inane/mundane question I could think of. That says something about me, or all of you, or both.

          https://forum.seymourduncan.com/show...or-for-a-Strat

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          • #35
            Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

            i never liked treble boosters, just like i never used to like fuzz pedals. they are quirky and you have to know when/how to use them. i have a rangemaster copy my friend made me and i pretty much only use it with one small amp but with that amp, it sounds awesome! as others have said, i find the rangemaster (germanium quirky device it is) sounds best into a (tube) amp that is already turned up enough to overdrive before you slam the front end with the boost.

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            • #36
              Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

              One thing about treble boosters in 60's and 70's: They do give edge to dark tube amps, but guitars we're also darker sounding due to caps and people used tone + effects that sucked high end + worse cables. For somewhat dulled tone the treble boost does wonders, especially when it's hitting hard tube preamp.

              I love that classic rock tone. Often I use two singlecoils (SSL-5 being the other) in series and use treble boost to hit preamp = Killer hard rock tone for lower volume levels.
              "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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              • #37
                Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

                i dont hear most old tube amps as dark or 50's & 60's guitars as dark either. strats, teles, les pauls, sg's and their ilk are all pretty bright guitars. some silvertone and others were darker but usually still pretty bright. you have a point with the cables though, them old coily cables suuuucked a lot of high end. fx as well had some suckage as well.

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                • #38
                  Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

                  Originally posted by Jacew View Post
                  One thing about treble boosters in 60's and 70's: They do give edge to dark tube amps, but guitars we're also darker sounding due to caps and people used tone + effects that sucked high end + worse cables. For somewhat dulled tone the treble boost does wonders, especially when it's hitting hard tube preamp.

                  I love that classic rock tone. Often I use two singlecoils (SSL-5 being the other) in series and use treble boost to hit preamp = Killer hard rock tone for lower volume levels.
                  Nice insight. And, I like your sig. \m/
                  Sanford: "The hardest part about tone chasing is losing the expectations associated with the hardware."

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                  • #39
                    Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

                    Originally posted by jeremy View Post
                    i dont hear most old tube amps as dark or 50's & 60's guitars as dark either. strats, teles, les pauls, sg's and their ilk are all pretty bright guitars. some silvertone and others were darker but usually still pretty bright. you have a point with the cables though, them old coily cables suuuucked a lot of high end. fx as well had some suckage as well.
                    Don't know if you watched the Pete Thorn video I posted earlier, but he explained the circumstances that yielded the dark tone - circumstances most of us arent going to encounter in every day playing. That being, having to crank the volume up on old NMV amps in order to achieve an overdriven tone... in the process of doing that, the tone often became dark on those old amps.
                    Sanford: "The hardest part about tone chasing is losing the expectations associated with the hardware."

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                    • #40
                      Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

                      i didnt watch the video but ive cranked up plenty of nmv amps, i dont think they get dark. they do have a ton of low end but there is usually plenty of high end ripping along with it. the treble booster works great with that type of setup since it pushes the gain way up and cuts the low end so it doesnt get mushy

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                      • #41
                        Re: Treble Booster : what is it used for?

                        Originally posted by Jack_TriPpEr View Post
                        Pete Thorn does a great job in this video explaining treble boosters and playing some classic riffs with and without a treble booster so you can see the difference one makes:

                        THAT is what a real Treble Booster is used for! If your treble booster only boosts the treble it's not the right pedal.
                        “Practice cures most tone issues” - John Suhr

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