Tell me about boosters...

[TmcB]

I'm looking at things like the EP Booster, MXR Microamp, Mesa Toneburst, Super Hardon, Super Chilli Picoso, and I'm wondering exactly what differences these guys bring. As far as I can tell, the purpose of a boost is to a) raise your volume and b) knock your tubes around a bit more to get more drive.

So what's the real use of a booster, or in other words, why isn't everyone just using an LPB-1 if you're just trying to get more volume/saturation from your amp? What's so marvellous about the EP Booster that has everyone frothing at the mouth over it?

[Single coil]

Has a bass boost switch and I forget what the second one does. Also has xotic written on it.

[AiRdAd]

I use an exotic ep booster and a mi audio boost n buff v1. I love the boost and buff, it's the pedal I've had the longest. the ep booster is cool

[Bg]

to me a booster is the perfect transparent overdrive pedal. What you're doing is slamming the input of the amp and driving your input tubes into overdriven distortion. Where this falls down is if your amp has a bit of a sketchy input, where a non-transparent overdrive would be better
I've found when I've hit my vibrolux with a big signal (ge7 hit all the way up) it sounds like a marshall And equally loud through its tiny wee 10 inch speaker.
So, good for slamming your input valves. If your amp is a good un. Loud, in my circumstances - no master volume. A bit like hitting an amp with a high gain pickup I guess.

[jeremyb]

I think of a booster as something that gives you more of your amp, pushes it harder to hit that sweet spot earlier, but when really cranked can act like an extra channel, but still retaining the essence of your amp

[Hot_Grits]

They all have different flavours, though the differences can be very subtle.

Currently I have a Super Chili picoso, a Giggity, an Under/Over, an EP Boost ...and a bunch of overdrives that can act as boosts.

Of those, the most flexible would be the Under/Over and Giggity. Eq options help in that regard.

For transparency, I'd say the Under/Over and Super Chili.

For staying tight, I'd say the EP Boost. GREAT pedal for an older Marshall.

For glorious farty looseness at extreme settings I'd say Super Chili. The ZVex Super Hard On is similar in this respect. Bear in mind that sometimes the looseness is the pedal and sometimes it's the amp.

In the end they are all really good in some context or another.

Shout out to three more I don't own: AC Boost, RC Boost and Fulltone Fatboost. AC boost is great with Voxes and Marshalls in particular.

[alanp]

The most famous boost of all time is the Rangemaster. Although it is a treble boost -- they all colour the sound to some degree, some less than others.

[Kiwiaxe]

Check out the Creative Audio Mk 4.23 for a truly transparent clean boost with lots of headroom. I used them pre-Kemper/AXEFX - I have two to now sell for cheap too

[bender]

I have a Hotcake that I use as a boost, but I've gone through a bunch of others as well. There's more to it than just a level boost- I prefer something with a high-frequency lift as it add clarity as it overdrives the amp and gives the impression of the amp working harder. I haven't tried the EP boost but logic would suggest that, because it's based on the Echoplex, it would introduce more high-frequency (tape circuits often use pre-emphasis to counteract the high-freq loss of tape). I've always preferred OD pedals that are closer to completely clean with the drive control at minimum because it means you can use the tone control as an EQ. An EQ pedal would be just as useful, but I've never liked graphic EQ pedals for some reason.

[Slowy]

I probably do it wrong. I have a catlinbread Chili Picoso and an Analogman Beano but what I actually use is a Wampler Compressor and a Catlinbread Dirty Little Secret V1.

I have a low power amp but a much cleaner tone than most except Benderissimo would use. The DLS is set up as a low gain volume boost to push the highs and add some cut. It's very close to the lovely JTM45 I owned once. The Wampler has 2 jobs. It makes everything fatter and warmer and also adds smooth sustain to my Sybil Fuzz and Timmy. (For when I'm not playing clean)

[Scooter13]

I use a McPherson Black Boost, which is aclean boost like the MXR microamp, but I use it in the FX Loop. This way, you are only boosting your power tubes, resulting in complete retention of tone but with a LOT more volume and power tube drive.

[druz15]

I'm looking at things like the EP Booster, MXR Microamp, Mesa Toneburst, Super Hardon, Super Chilli Picoso, and I'm wondering exactly what differences these guys bring. As far as I can tell, the purpose of a boost is to a) raise your volume and b) knock your tubes around a bit more to get more drive.

So what's the real use of a booster, or in other words, why isn't everyone just using an LPB-1 if you're just trying to get more volume/saturation from your amp? What's so marvellous about the EP Booster that has everyone frothing at the mouth over it?

Oh man I used an LPB-1 clone for ages and it was great did the job well etc etc. Fried it one day trying to run on 18v or something
got an EP booster as a replacement, holy shit so much better. It's the kinda pedal that just makes everything sound better just by being on (even when on unity gain). Not different in a measurable, describable way, but better

[Kris]

To answer your question tony, eq.

It seems sometimes you don't just want more of your sound,but also a little sculpting for its application.ie lead etc. I'm using an OCD clone into my hm2 ( yes,really ) but it's not actually a boost as such,more a smoothing of the lower bass and slight boost of the highs. Makes the trem picked stuff more defined

[aliasceiza]

And the Pig Tronix class A boost is another worthy option...I had one, and once just using it and a dls mk iii I had an awesome tone all night, then I sold it, wish I hadn't, but I now also use an ep booster, v1 which I like better because it has a bright switch, v2 drops the bright switch for an original spec switch...it's the bright switch I like, and since it's a boost, I don't mind it doesn't have unity gain!

[TMG 03]

You can also use an OD pedal as a boost/Booster pedal. turn the drive down and volume up. has a similar effect.
Most booster pedals try to keep the middle ground in term of colour and unlike a OD pedal which will have a flavour. eg. Boss V Tube screamer etc.

It all comes down to the type of boost you want. Some people like the "I doing a Solo" boost type while other like the driving the crunch sound of an amp boost.
I prefer the adding low gain crunch type setup with a booster over the look at me setting.


like anything in guitar land there is no correct way to use them.

I like the Mod tone booster that Ryan use to sell and I still use it. also use the Catalinbread versions as well.