Good guitar boost pedal.
- Thread starter lucaspaço
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TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
lucaspaço
New member
DanjaBellza
New member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
I love my xotic fx EP booster. Very cool pedal. Adds a lot of mojo without overly coloring the sound. Mine is on almost all the time when my amp Is running...
I love my xotic fx EP booster. Very cool pedal. Adds a lot of mojo without overly coloring the sound. Mine is on almost all the time when my amp Is running...
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
TC Electronics Spark Booster Mini.
TC Electronics Spark Booster Mini.
TimmyPage
New member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
I love both the TC Electronics Spark Booster and the Mini Version of it. Both add a touch of compression and EQ your sound nicely while raising the volume as drastically as you want. The full sized one has some more options, and a Bass and Treble knob which are great, while the mini is just a volume knob. It's one of those pedals that's hard to go wrong with.
The only argument I have against it is that it's a little characterless. The MXR has a bit of character to it, an EP Booster (any kind of Echoplex preamp based pedal) has a dark/warmer character to it, one of the old-school style 'Power Booster' pedals have a cool glassy/gritty character to them. The TC Electronic will just be whatever sound you put into it, but louder, for better or worse. That might be exactly what you want though.
I love both the TC Electronics Spark Booster and the Mini Version of it. Both add a touch of compression and EQ your sound nicely while raising the volume as drastically as you want. The full sized one has some more options, and a Bass and Treble knob which are great, while the mini is just a volume knob. It's one of those pedals that's hard to go wrong with.
The only argument I have against it is that it's a little characterless. The MXR has a bit of character to it, an EP Booster (any kind of Echoplex preamp based pedal) has a dark/warmer character to it, one of the old-school style 'Power Booster' pedals have a cool glassy/gritty character to them. The TC Electronic will just be whatever sound you put into it, but louder, for better or worse. That might be exactly what you want though.
IM4Tone
New member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
I like the MXR m-133 micro amp very much. It's the most transparent boost I've ever used. If you happen to have your amp set at a significant distortion level, and want to boost the volume, an EQ pedal in-the-loop is the best way to do that so as not to cause additional distortion (using the slider).
When I boost a near-clean amp, I like to add just a touch of mild OD and the Fulltone Fat Boost FB-3 does a great job with it's own EQ as well. It's priced only a few US$ more than the MXR.
I like the MXR m-133 micro amp very much. It's the most transparent boost I've ever used. If you happen to have your amp set at a significant distortion level, and want to boost the volume, an EQ pedal in-the-loop is the best way to do that so as not to cause additional distortion (using the slider).
When I boost a near-clean amp, I like to add just a touch of mild OD and the Fulltone Fat Boost FB-3 does a great job with it's own EQ as well. It's priced only a few US$ more than the MXR.
GilmourD
Burritotoneologist
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
It's the boost you want if you want zero coloring and tons of volume. Also, the Mini has the sweet feature of the switch being a momentary switch if you hold your foot on it for more than a second so it releases when you remove your foot. That way you don't have to double tap if you only need the boost for a short lick.
Sent from my VK810 4G using Tapatalk
I'm shocked it took this many posts to recommend the TC Spark Mini. I looooooove mine.
It's the boost you want if you want zero coloring and tons of volume. Also, the Mini has the sweet feature of the switch being a momentary switch if you hold your foot on it for more than a second so it releases when you remove your foot. That way you don't have to double tap if you only need the boost for a short lick.
Sent from my VK810 4G using Tapatalk
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
To me, that's what a boost pedal should be. No EQ'ing. Completely clean.
To me, that's what a boost pedal should be. No EQ'ing. Completely clean.
Condemned soul
New member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
Not too many Fulldrive users here, so I have to suggest it. The old blue FullDrive 2 can be set to give two boosts.
It is primarily a two in one pedal - an OD side and a boost side.
OD Side
Roll down the gain
Set the first switch to Comp cut - this switches out the diodes. So here is the first boost. It does have a tone control which controls the highs.
Boost side.
For this side to work, the OD side must be on.
Now you can set up your boost volume. To me it seems to be better at thickening higher notes.
This is a versatile pedal that deserves some playing time.
Not too many Fulldrive users here, so I have to suggest it. The old blue FullDrive 2 can be set to give two boosts.
It is primarily a two in one pedal - an OD side and a boost side.
OD Side
Roll down the gain
Set the first switch to Comp cut - this switches out the diodes. So here is the first boost. It does have a tone control which controls the highs.
Boost side.
For this side to work, the OD side must be on.
Now you can set up your boost volume. To me it seems to be better at thickening higher notes.
This is a versatile pedal that deserves some playing time.
Wormhelmet
New member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
I have an xotic RC boost thats a great clean boost and pretty transparent. I only use with my Ibanez with screamin demon, but it boosts cleans great and dirt boxes or channels is perfect to bring up the milder demon to higher output sounds.
I have an xotic RC boost thats a great clean boost and pretty transparent. I only use with my Ibanez with screamin demon, but it boosts cleans great and dirt boxes or channels is perfect to bring up the milder demon to higher output sounds.
Demanic
PenultimateTone Member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
That's the Keeley Katana. It goes to "20" (though the knob is 1-10). Except if you pull the knob out, it's now become a Dallas Rangemaster clone.
That's the Keeley Katana. It goes to "20" (though the knob is 1-10). Except if you pull the knob out, it's now become a Dallas Rangemaster clone.
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
I'll have to try that out. I just downloaded a Rangemaster VST but I haven't had a chance to play it yet.
I'll have to try that out. I just downloaded a Rangemaster VST but I haven't had a chance to play it yet.
ZSSelectronics
New member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
MXR Micro Amp is good - only volume boost, almost no tone correction. small and well built. good one.
MXR Micro Amp is good - only volume boost, almost no tone correction. small and well built. good one.
Mr Wolf
New member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
Whoa, that hold feature sounds like a genius idea! I am surprised not to have heard about that before in anything else.
Whoa, that hold feature sounds like a genius idea! I am surprised not to have heard about that before in anything else.
Laughing Kookaburra
New member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
Another vote for the EHX LPB-1. I have the reissue. I use it for a solo boost when gigging, it is inexpensive, and works well.
I've used it at casual jams as an always on pedal to fatten my overall sound up. That works nicely also, although that isn't a sound that I need currently at the blues type gigs I do play.
Another vote for the EHX LPB-1. I have the reissue. I use it for a solo boost when gigging, it is inexpensive, and works well.
I've used it at casual jams as an always on pedal to fatten my overall sound up. That works nicely also, although that isn't a sound that I need currently at the blues type gigs I do play.
briggleman
New member
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
Another vote for the Seymour Duncan Pickup booster. Tons of flexibility, clean if you want it but makes up for single and humbucker selections in terms of tone if you want it. New version would be my pick but the old version would be cheap. I have and still own the spark by TC and the Tone burst by Mesa. I got to try the keeley... (not bad, and ergonomically the best of the bunch) but tone wise, the SD Pickup booster is really, and I mean really hard to beat. I think the new version has no equal. Guys, listen, try that baby out. Its amazing.
Another vote for the Seymour Duncan Pickup booster. Tons of flexibility, clean if you want it but makes up for single and humbucker selections in terms of tone if you want it. New version would be my pick but the old version would be cheap. I have and still own the spark by TC and the Tone burst by Mesa. I got to try the keeley... (not bad, and ergonomically the best of the bunch) but tone wise, the SD Pickup booster is really, and I mean really hard to beat. I think the new version has no equal. Guys, listen, try that baby out. Its amazing.
wahwah
GumbyLoveologist
Re: Good guitar boost pedal.
I can understand that, and there are certain applications where an equal boost across all frequencies is desirable, but in practice there is also a lot to be said for a boost with specific characteristics. The Xotic EP Booster is a good example, particularly with single coils. Despite the fact that it really only leans toward the sound of an EP3 preamp rather than emulating it, the effect that it has is remarkably similar to giving the master volume a nudge on many amplifiers. The boost it applies carries substantially more in the lower mids (of the guitar range, at least) and adds a kind of bloom and girth to the signal, without going all sparkly sparkly in the upper mids and top end, as would a transparent clean boost. So it tends to come across more like driving a power stage harder, with a bit of extra thump but relatively less sizzle.
In the application of a Strat with single coils into a Fender amp, it's a much more 'believable' boost than hearing something with equal gain across the frequency spectrum, which tends to sound clinical by comparison. Having used both transparent and coloured boosts, it is the EP Booster that stays on my board. Under onstage battle conditions, it announces itself with much greater musical authority than a transparent clean boost.
Cheers...................................... wahwah
I can understand that, and there are certain applications where an equal boost across all frequencies is desirable, but in practice there is also a lot to be said for a boost with specific characteristics. The Xotic EP Booster is a good example, particularly with single coils. Despite the fact that it really only leans toward the sound of an EP3 preamp rather than emulating it, the effect that it has is remarkably similar to giving the master volume a nudge on many amplifiers. The boost it applies carries substantially more in the lower mids (of the guitar range, at least) and adds a kind of bloom and girth to the signal, without going all sparkly sparkly in the upper mids and top end, as would a transparent clean boost. So it tends to come across more like driving a power stage harder, with a bit of extra thump but relatively less sizzle.
In the application of a Strat with single coils into a Fender amp, it's a much more 'believable' boost than hearing something with equal gain across the frequency spectrum, which tends to sound clinical by comparison. Having used both transparent and coloured boosts, it is the EP Booster that stays on my board. Under onstage battle conditions, it announces itself with much greater musical authority than a transparent clean boost.
Cheers...................................... wahwah
