Seymour pickup booster???

[KLINKDETROIT]

Does the pickup booster pedal make a C-5 or other lower output pickup have a hotter signal while still retaining the original characteristics of the pickup. Or does it just add distortion. Should I get a hooter pickup or C-5 and a pickup booster?????? I am leaning toward a c-5 but not sure about power.One more question. Does covered pickup (nickel etc) lose any qualities compared to a uncovered one?????

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

Any clean boost will retain all of the sonic signature of the pickup and guitar and just make it hotter as it goes into the amp. This may make the signal louder, or if boosted too much, will distort the input of the amp and drive the amp into distortion (a technique you can use for things like a Vox, Matchless, Marshall plexi, or other 1 channel amps).

If you have never used a boost pedal, take your guitar over to a music store that has one and try it out. (You live in Detroit Rock City, so this should not be difficult to do) They're great pedals and if you're in a band, you will need a boost for your solos. Just make sure the boost has true bypass, so your signal is unaffected when you're not using it.

It sounds like you have a couple of problems. The general rule of thumb is: NEVER CHANGE MORE THAN ONE THING IN YOUR SYSTEM AT A TIME. It is virtually impossible to hear where any improvements are coming from, or where added problems are coming from, if you change the pickup and add a boost at the same time. Try one piece, see where you're deficient, and then add the other. If you like the sound you're getting now, but just want to make it louder, try the boost pedal.

A nickel cover will change your tone, but I forget how + why exactly, and since all of my pickups are 'naked' I'll leave that for someone else to answer.
Hope you find this helpful!

 

[Curly]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

the pickup booster is a clean boost, with a switch that reduces the resonant frequency of single coils, effectively fattening them up to sound like humbuckers.

I'm not sure how much effect that has on HB's, since I haven't tried that.

25 db boost is a lot, though! I think in general, most single coil players want to add a little distortion to their boosted signal, and most humbucker players want a clean boost, although that's a bit of a generalization.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

I saw a guitar site in passing that was selling it, AND an *Seymour Duncan in guitar pickup booster*, as an exclusive ... I didn't know SD made it in a preamp design (I know it's a preamp, but you know what I mean ... ).

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

Before it was the Pickup Booster, it was an on-board circuit called a "Firestorm" that is used by Jackson on their Dinky and a few other builders. But it didn't have the Resonance Switch or the LED indicator.

Otherwise, it's the same 25dB clean gain boost circuit.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

Before it was the Pickup Booster, it was an on-board circuit called a "Firestorm" that is used by Jackson on their Dinky and a few other builders. But it didn't have the Resonance Switch or the LED indicator.

Otherwise, it's the same 25dB clean gain boost circuit.

Cool, thanks for the clarification Evan ... I was kind curious as to what the deal was on that.

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

This crazy booster pedal really does have a lot to add to humbuckers. The extra "heat" going in through the signal is quite effective depending on how the pedal is set.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

........ Otherwise, it's the same 25dB clean gain boost circuit.

Hey Evan (or other SD company techy), what kind headroom deos it have with high output buckers, and what's the cleean headroom on it like under that kinda condition (I know it's not really made for preamping buckers). What's the unit like itself when it clips, and what's the recovery like ... in other words if you clip it, does it clip smoothly or does it get a little jagged ?
Thanks guy. :cool3:

 

[bushey37]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

I saw a guitar site in passing that was selling it, AND an *Seymour Duncan in guitar pickup booster*, as an exclusive ... I didn't know SD made it in a preamp design (I know it's a preamp, but you know what I mean ... ).

the site is http://www.guitarelectronics.com/ and it is sold exclusively on that site. There out of stock but i've ordered one. Its the same as the pickup booster except for the resonance peak shift, but it comes with a battery connector so you can add it on. I don't use single coils so i didn't need the resonance peak shift. The best part is that the circuit board is $25 cheaper than the pedal.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

It's supposed to be a transparent boost but mine cranks up the bass even in the neutral position and even at the lowest (+6db) setting. Think I'll trade it for an EQ stompbox like the Boss GE-7...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

Should I get a hooter pickup or C-5 and a pickup booster??????

Boy....a "hooter pickup" can be hard to beat!:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

 

[Artie]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

FYI - I notice a couple of folks, including Evan, refer to the 25db of boost. Thats only if you have it cranked all the way up. You can also roll it down to a "tame" 6db boost. Nice and clean. No distortion.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

I gotta say that I view the Duncan Pickup Booster as a device for making a single coil sound more like a full size humbucker.

Just seems like the controls and resonance and all are tweaked for that purpose.

I think of it as a device to make a stock Strat sound more like a Les Paul or a Strat with humbuckers.

 

[xicodelico]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

It Works wells with Humbucker too, specially with JB & Jazz comb?

 

[More-Gear-Than-Skill]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

heck Im jonesin for a booster! If only SD would have a forum-buddy lucky-dip (international) giveaway. Imagine how I'd promote the product in my town, I'd be a spokesperson/praise-singer.... hmmm. Or I could shell out.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Seymour pickup booster???

Boy, the Zombie Threads are gettin´ older by the day