Boost/ OD Suggestions.

[Zaulkin]

These are ridiculously expensive but I want one

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I36gX8MrTg[/youtube]

Fuck. That sounds amazing. And is expensive. It's a shame there isn't a way to swap from the light overdrive to Lead/Tube overdrive...

[rickenbackerkid]

I heartily recommend the Barber LTD SR, very clear and transparent. Moderate OD available and lots of volume on top for boost. Pedal has internal presence and bass trimpots as well as a tone control, so it can be carefully matched EQ-wise to your amp.

Also, I have tried a PaulC Timmy, and it was similar. Maybe a little warmer. But at least the Barber doesn't have a year long wait! Reminds me I must get on that list.

[Slowy]

Rocky, essentially a Black Toast? It's my fav - very, very clean boost. Second in line is the Barber Launch Pad.

the clean boost part fits the bill, but not a smooth overdrive (well I wouldn't have thought so).. how you reckon the supreaux would fit in this OPs requirement - just not run at full gain?

Oh, I was quick to ass-u-me that slowfingers was looking for something to overdrive the amp naturally. If not, and a little more drive control was preferred then yes, the Supreaux would indeed seem to be appropriate. This one retains the natural amp sounds but virtually adds a whole pre/post amp section to your signal before it gets to the amp - all without colouring it one iota. Noice.

You've raised a significant point, Unique: My amp has a great natural o/d, but at volumes I can only use outdoors without risking a lynching from the band. Solution would seem to be either more drive control or a power soak of some sort. (Comments?)
I haven't been able to convince myself to dampen down a 12 watt amp. It seems so wrong.

Guys, I really apreciate all the feedback so far; Thanks. There's so many i haven't heard of. I think I'll have to get one of everything

[rocklander]

Guys, I really apreciate all the feedback so far; Thanks. There's so many i haven't heard of. I think I'll have to get one of everything

I reckon if you just want to push the front end of your amp without driving the signal up hugely then the supreaux or the black toast is a better call as they don't so much colour your sound with their own... the klone adds its own sweet recipe, kinda what I'd call a "shiny" sounding OD, wheras the others are more transparent... just crunchier

[aliasceiza]

Not meaning to hi-jack the thread, and this is technically on topic, but not worth starting a new thread for...I've been wanting a boost pedal for leads in our covers band, I read heaps of crap, and decided I liked the look of the EP booster from Xotic...mostly because it was simple, and one of the cheapest, if you can call $250 for a button to make something louder cheap, anyway, I've got it, and been playing with it, and I'm just a little bit disapointed...

How do people usually run a boost pedal?

Between guitar and amp it just piles on more gain, no actual volume, in the FX loop, it works perfectly, but I try and avoid using the FX loop because of having to run the extra cables, I like simple set-ups, the simpler the better, and a few years back I used a Seymour Duncan booster straight in the front of the amp and it worked very well, and I've also used a comp pedal in the same way, and that was fine too!

Are there boost pedals that will put out more volume going in the front, or do they mostly just saturate the preamp more, and how are they different, I.E. The SD booster working when the Xotic EP doesn't?

The EP is supposed to have 25DB of output, surely that should up the actual volume a little?

And, as mentioned, not wanting to dis the EP, in the FX loop, the EP works good, sounds choice, and I have the level set to nothing and that jumps the volume plenty!

So, just curious really, how do people usually run a boost, as in needing a volume boost in a two guitar covers band?

[Zaulkin]

I heartily recommend the Barber LTD SR, very clear and transparent. Moderate OD available and lots of volume on top for boost. Pedal has internal presence and bass trimpots as well as a tone control, so it can be carefully matched EQ-wise to your amp.

Also, I have tried a PaulC Timmy, and it was similar. Maybe a little warmer. But at least the Barber doesn't have a year long wait! Reminds me I must get on that list.

I've been told the Barber is quite similar to the BB Preamp. Is that true Ben? If yes, I think I might just get one.. one day...

[bender]

It totally depends on your gain structure. If your amp is already distorted then hitting it with more volume will just make it more distorted whereas if your amp is pretty clean it'll make it louder and probably push it into OD. The way it tends to work is that the more distorted the sound is, the more compressed it becomes so once you get into that territory you'll get less of a volume lift. Where you place it is the key. By putting it in the effects loop of your rig you're effectively putting it in "post-distortion" so, if your poweramp can handle it, it'll get louder. Personally I have mine placed first in the chain because I really like the way if can give my other pedals (or my amp) a bit of a kick in the nadgers.

[rocklander]

course the other option is to do as bender suggested earlier and set the boost volume lower than unity gain, then whack it in front and disengage it to get the volume you want.. just whack up the master on the amp then. same could be done with an eq.. or if you want a black toast with 2X footswitches you could have the buffer set to lower than unity, disable that to get unity (stage1) then kick in the boost for higher with the front end crunching a bit (stage2).

[bender]

course the other option is to do as bender suggested earlier and set the boost volume lower than unity gain, then whack it in front and disengage it to get the volume you want.. just whack up the master on the amp then. same could be done with an eq.. or if you want a black toast with 2X footswitches you could have the buffer set to lower than unity, disable that to get unity (stage1) then kick in the boost for higher with the front end crunching a bit (stage2).

That would work really well. The volume on the buffer side of the black toast doesn't suck tone at all. Better than using the guitar's volume knob.

[Bg]

the other option is to set your amp up for the boosted volume, then twisting that little knob down on your guitar marked 'volume', simply twist it back up when you need a boost - hey presto! Instant volume! and cheap!

[Vorbis]

the other option is to set your amp up for the boosted volume, then twisting that little knob down on your guitar marked 'volume', simply twist it back up when you need a boost - hey presto! Instant volume! and cheap!

I lose harmonic nuances when I lower my Volume....do you think I need better pickups?

[Bg]

the other option is to set your amp up for the boosted volume, then twisting that little knob down on your guitar marked 'volume', simply twist it back up when you need a boost - hey presto! Instant volume! and cheap!

I lose harmonic nuances when I lower my Volume....do you think I need better pickups?

yeah you need some knuckle dusters, does this happen with all guitars or just your new strat?

[aliasceiza]

the other option is to set your amp up for the boosted volume, then twisting that little knob down on your guitar marked 'volume', simply twist it back up when you need a boost - hey presto! Instant volume! and cheap!

I drop the volume on my guitar for my crunch sound, except when the pot is next to right off, there isn't really any perceiveable volume drop, just less gain, but you get that with EMGs!

[h3x3d]

Not meaning to hi-jack the thread, and this is technically on topic, but not worth starting a new thread for...I've been wanting a boost pedal for leads in our covers band, I read heaps of crap, and decided I liked the look of the EP booster from Xotic...mostly because it was simple, and one of the cheapest, if you can call $250 for a button to make something louder cheap, anyway, I've got it, and been playing with it, and I'm just a little bit disapointed...

How do people usually run a boost pedal?

Between guitar and amp it just piles on more gain, no actual volume, in the FX loop, it works perfectly, but I try and avoid using the FX loop because of having to run the extra cables, I like simple set-ups, the simpler the better, and a few years back I used a Seymour Duncan booster straight in the front of the amp and it worked very well, and I've also used a comp pedal in the same way, and that was fine too!

Are there boost pedals that will put out more volume going in the front, or do they mostly just saturate the preamp more, and how are they different, I.E. The SD booster working when the Xotic EP doesn't?

The EP is supposed to have 25DB of output, surely that should up the actual volume a little?

And, as mentioned, not wanting to dis the EP, in the FX loop, the EP works good, sounds choice, and I have the level set to nothing and that jumps the volume plenty!

So, just curious really, how do people usually run a boost, as in needing a volume boost in a two guitar covers band?

I don't know a lot about boosting, except that I find the effects loop works well for me. But if you've found that it works perfectly for you, why not use it? Is it really that big a deal having a couple of extra cables? When I was deciding on what amp to buy a while back there were people who argued based on how many trips to the car it would take to unpack their gear...something doesn't seem right with priorities there!!