boosting amps

[stephen sawall]

Not all boost cut bass.

 

[jdel77]

It's all about interaction with your amp's preamp and introducing saturation and compression via a pedal.
Most guys like to run their amp's preamp at the 'sweet spot', which might be say around 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock on the Gain.
Any more and it starts to get real flubby and loose sounding in the low end.

The first boost pedal ever was the Dallas Rangemaster/Treblebooster, which used a single Germanium transistor gain stage to not add high end as the name implies, but rather forcefully inject a metric buttload of midrange focused volume boost, which would simply add more saturation and compression to a dirty amp, while simultaneously shelving or removing low end. This is basically what Sabbath, Queen and Priest were doing - pushing British amps to Malcolm Young levels of gain, then WHAMMO - boosting the shit out of the preamp with the Rangemaster.

The Boss OD-1 was basically a much more stable silicon version of the Rangemaster (which, being Germanium, went to shit in summer due to the heat) with a gain control and a Master Volume. The TS808 and SD-1 added a treble roll off Tone control.

Once you've got your amp at the point where you can get a nice old school rock and roll rhythm sound, and still be able to roll your guitar's volume control down to a clean-ish tone, then get something like an SD-1, TS808 or Klon clone and dime the Volume and keep the Gain at zero, Tone where it works.
Adding pedal gain simply increases the clipping of signal via the silicon diodes - you'll end up with feedback and squealing depending on how loud your amp's Master Volume is, proximity of the guitar to the amp, pickups used etc... etc....
Keeping the pedal's Gain low and the Volume up is much easier to control how it saturates your amp's preamp - it will punch a dirty amp into metal glory and shelve that woofy low end so your rhythms are tight, crisp and articulate.
It works really well.

 

[ewill52]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

I boost pretty much the same way you do depending on the pedal. Gain up just a little bit and volume around 2-3 o’clock

Me too

Me three

....Aaand me 4. I usually run the gain down on the amp quite a bit and start from there, moving the gain up until it's right for my ears. I love a boost with everything...low or high gain.

I'm in this group too. Usually some flavor of Tube Screamer. Currently a Maxon 808, gain just barely on and volume up at least past half way and probably close to 3 o'clock-ish. It's not super scientific for me, I might tweak it every great once in a while but it's a great sound to hear an amp that's already getting pushed hard hit just a little bit harder

 

[adrianb]

Buy one and check it out. I personally love to use them.

I don't really need one but I prefer one. IMO the Maxon 808 is the standard. Get one of those and go from there. It can be a rabbit hole. I have had 10 at one time and still have 4 of them. Lol

They all bring their own flavor but I need to decide on one. That is my only warning, can be easy to get sucked in to buying every boost you can find.

You've had 10 808's at once?! Wow that's a whole new level of gear psychopathy- and I thought I was bad haha! Even four is a lot.
I have one of those 80's TS-10's, would that be any good? Also receiving an SD-9 today which I'm excited for, but I guess that's a different circuit.
I will look into the Maxon 808's.

Believe it or not, the OD808 is supposedly based on the TS-10, if not an updated clone.

To reply to your original post, i also find that using overdrive boosts adds more frequencies to the overall tone. Fills it up and rounds it out, so to speak. Where an amp alone might sound "thin" or "hollow" a boost might thicken the sound by adding the missing frequencies.

Also if you start turning up the gain control on the overdrive, more of the pedal's character comes through. For example, the DOD 250 pedal is essentially Yngwie's sound because he runs the pedal with the gain maxed.

 

[Mr. Huge]

when people talk about "boosting" their amps (boosted marshall, for example), what exactly does that entail?

sorry, but you stepped right into this one.

boost - bo͞ost (in particular, your guitar amplifier)

Verb
Help or encourage (your guitar amplifier) to increase or improve.
Synonyms
To: raise, escalate, uplift, enhance, help, heighten, invigorate, revitalize, improve, strengthen, inflate, push up, promote, advance, foster, stimulate, maximize, facilitate, help, assist, aid, jump-start . . .

Noun
A source of help or encouragement (your guitar amplifier) leading to increase or improvement.
Synonyms
spur, encouragement, inspiration, stimulus, pick-me-up . . .

Antonym
To: decrease

 

[maddnotez]

Buy one and check it out. I personally love to use them.

I don't really need one but I prefer one. IMO the Maxon 808 is the standard. Get one of those and go from there. It can be a rabbit hole. I have had 10 at one time and still have 4 of them. Lol

They all bring their own flavor but I need to decide on one. That is my only warning, can be easy to get sucked in to buying every boost you can find.

You've had 10 808's at once?! Wow that's a whole new level of gear psychopathy- and I thought I was bad haha! Even four is a lot.
I have one of those 80's TS-10's, would that be any good? Also receiving an SD-9 today which I'm excited for, but I guess that's a different circuit.
I will look into the Maxon 808's.

Believe it or not, the OD808 is supposedly based on the TS-10, if not an updated clone.

To reply to your original post, i also find that using overdrive boosts adds more frequencies to the overall tone. Fills it up and rounds it out, so to speak. Where an amp alone might sound "thin" or "hollow" a boost might thicken the sound by adding the missing frequencies.

Also if you start turning up the gain control on the overdrive, more of the pedal's character comes through. For example, the DOD 250 pedal is essentially Yngwie's sound because he runs the pedal with the gain maxed.

Yeah, I was messing with my Keeley boost last night. That pedal has a lot of character and it is a good thing in this case. Just have to experiment to see what sounds best for whatever room you are in.

 

[Exo-metal]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

I boost pretty much the same way you do depending on the pedal. Gain up just a little bit and volume around 2-3 o’clock

Me too

Me three

....Aaand me 4. I usually run the gain down on the amp quite a bit and start from there, moving the gain up until it's right for my ears. I love a boost with everything...low or high gain.

Anand not me 5, I have so much gain I could start gas station and sell jet fuel to everyone on this forum

 

[lll]

Assuming the Tubescreamer has been mentioned already...

Everyone needs to own, or at least try, these classic "boosters" with a good cookin' (maybe not fully cranked, but cranked enough) tube amp:

- Rangemaster (Catalinbread Naga Viper for ex.)
- MXR Dist+
- Echoplex preamp (Badgerplex brand or similar, *not* Dunlop, Clinch, EP Booster - which do not use TIS58 @ ~22-24V)
- MXR 6 Band EQ (EQ? absolutely, and you can shape the tone)
- MXR 10 Band EQ (EQ? absolutely, and you can shape the tone)
- MXR Micro Amp

...as usual, mix to taste

 

[Exo-metal]

WASTE OF TONE

 

[Racerxrated]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

I boost pretty much the same way you do depending on the pedal. Gain up just a little bit and volume around 2-3 o’clock

Me too

Me three

....Aaand me 4. I usually run the gain down on the amp quite a bit and start from there, moving the gain up until it's right for my ears. I love a boost with everything...low or high gain.

Anand not me 5, I have so much gain I could start gas station and sell jet fuel to everyone on this forum

Not about the gain brother. The reason MOST people boost has nothing to do with the amount of gain. I dial the gain on the amp back so that when I boost, the level would be the same as I would set on the amp without the boost. But the boost in my case changes the mids in a way that improves the tone to my ears, and does tighten the low end a bit. But it's the upper mid increase that I like the most. In the case of my Wizard, it also adds a touch of compression which is nice since the amp has next to NO compression at all.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

"Not about the gain brother. The reason MOST people boost has nothing to do with the amount of gain. I dial the gain on the amp back so that when I boost, the level would be the same as I would set on the amp without the boost. But the boost in my case changes the mids in a way that improves the tone to my ears, and does tighten the low end a bit. But it's the upper mid increase that I like the most. In the case of my Wizard, it also adds a touch of compression which is nice since the amp has next to NO compression at all."
^^^
Exactly why and how I boost

 

[japetus]

I still really like the Boss Blues Driver for a good broken up tone with Fender amps I use.

 

[ewill52]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

I boost pretty much the same way you do depending on the pedal. Gain up just a little bit and volume around 2-3 o’clock

Me too

Me three

....Aaand me 4. I usually run the gain down on the amp quite a bit and start from there, moving the gain up until it's right for my ears. I love a boost with everything...low or high gain.

Anand not me 5, I have so much gain I could start gas station and sell jet fuel to everyone on this forum

 

[Markedman]

The alternative to having a boost is having an amp that has a nice thick tone to start with. If I had to use a boost and waste some tone, I'd sell my amp.

I see some guys need a noise suppressor too!

See my signature for high gain amps that need neither a boost or suppressor.

 

[Exo-metal]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

I boost pretty much the same way you do depending on the pedal. Gain up just a little bit and volume around 2-3 o’clock

Me too

Me three

....Aaand me 4. I usually run the gain down on the amp quite a bit and start from there, moving the gain up until it's right for my ears. I love a boost with everything...low or high gain.

Anand not me 5, I have so much gain I could start gas station and sell jet fuel to everyone on this forum

Not about the gain brother. The reason MOST people boost has nothing to do with the amount of gain. I dial the gain on the amp back so that when I boost, the level would be the same as I would set on the amp without the boost. But the boost in my case changes the mids in a way that improves the tone to my ears, and does tighten the low end a bit. But it's the upper mid increase that I like the most. In the case of my Wizard, it also adds a touch of compression which is nice since the amp has next to NO compression at all.

I guess I need to dig out the maxon 808

 

[Racerxrated]

The alternative to having a boost is having an amp that has a nice thick tone to start with. If I had to use a boost and waste some tone, I'd sell my amp.

I see some guys need a noise suppressor too!

See my signature for high gain amps that need neither a boost or suppressor.

It ain't about thick or nice. It's about adding something different to your tone as an option. Some amps don't take well to boost pedals, and it takes away from them. But others improve with a little nudge.
Both my C+ sound killer, and both sounded even MORE killer by dropping the gain back a bit and then boosting. Just as thick and toneful with a little more upper mid snarl that the Mesa could not get on its own.

Again, it's not about needing a boost. None of my amps have. They just happen to sound even better with one.

 

[droptrd]

I like a slight boost for HG. its more about the feel and attack than the actual tone.

 

[maddnotez]

Boosts on 10 - Gainz on 11

JK, I dial the gain back too. My amp may have enough. I don't NEED a boost, it just sounds better and gives it a little more.

Almost like having more headroom for gain if you will. Especially in a room by myself.

 

[braintheory]

As others said, the boosts are used oftentimes to have a faster attack and more focused/tighter sound rather than to add gain, but some amps I’ve had that are already super tight like my ccv or Engls sound better without them, but my iic+ and modded Marshall’s work great with them. Some boosts like my klon or v1 Timmy are also great with high gain amps like my iic+ to make its lead tone even more liquidy and sweet. I’ve also found that most of these boost type pedals have also made me cut through and sit better in a band setting

But some of my amps like my ccv, engl se, and wizard mtl just don’t seem to sound good with any of the countless different boosts I’ve tried for whatever reason. The ccv though in many ways sounds like an amp that’s already heavily boosted when the diodes are engaged

Also, there are plenty of fantastic boosts that don’t tighten or lessen the bottom end or add upper mid snarl, but I usually prefer those for more rock or bluesy stuff or just to make my amp more growly and saturated. My favorites for that are the lazy j cruiser and spaceman Mercury iv

I like to think of boosts as being something like using ketchup or bbq sauce for foods. It can be a great to add to or enhance the flavor as long as you overdo it, but sometimes it’s better without it

 

[maddnotez]

Also, there are plenty of fantastic boosts that don’t tighten or lessen the bottom end or add upper mid snarl, but I usually prefer those for more rock or bluesy stuff or just to make my amp more growly and saturated. My favorites for that are the lazy j cruiser and spaceman Mercury iv

King of tone here. I had to sell it since it was so expensive and tricked out but it was the best pedal I have ever played for a NON metal boost.

I will get another with less options when my name come sup.