Using an Eq vs Boosting

BrentSSL

BrentSSL

Active member
So I have tried many boost pedals and for my application I landed on the grid slammer by Mesa boogie. It seems to work well for what I need to give my fatter guitars more edge. I have also been experimenting with an EQ in front of the amp the MXR 10 band. I'm having a little trouble deciding on which I like better. The grid slammer is great sounds good very natural but a little limited versus the 10 band of course. The 10 band MXR is awesome however it sounds a little bit less natural to boost with then the grid slammer. It has kind of a more processed sound it could be how I have it dialed in I need to do more testing. Anyway hoping to get some input on which one I should possibly keep I like both of them but there's only room on my paddle board for one. The main differences I'm finding is the EQ doesn't seem to make as much noise and when engaged as the grid slammer. Also MXR does not get in radio signals which is this whole other thing I'm dealing with. However the grid slimmer is not super bright and only needs 9 volts to power it. just an FYI I have a parallel loop and cannot use the EQ in it. Thoughts and opinions please.
 
Put your boost up front,and the EQ in the loop to tweak your sound after the tone stack and before the power section.

Good luck,Martin.
 
Any amp sounds better with a Mesa 5 band EQ in the loop. That is the only thing I even would use a loop for.
 
sleewell2":szq0idrb said:
rottingcorpse":szq0idrb said:
Put your boost up front,and the EQ in the loop to tweak your sound after the tone stack and before the power section.

Good luck,Martin.
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Agreed here. EQ and OD are two necessities to me, something else would need to go.
I use 2 EQ’s one in the loop and one in front along side OD.
 
rottingcorpse":wzur2ftb said:
Put your boost up front,and the EQ in the loop to tweak your sound after the tone stack and before the power section.

Good luck,Martin.
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I have a parallel loop putting an EQ in it is next to useless lol
 
Hey mate. personally i run a TC 1128 EQ in the FX loop Of my amps. i also stick a BBE Sonic Maximiser Pedal in the loop after the EQ to fatten it up nicely :)
 
Man I hear ya, I also own an MXR 10-band and have been thinking of getting a second one - one for boosting out front and one for the loop. Bottom line is you have more control of the frequencies when boosting with the 10-band vs the Grid Slammer (great pedal btw) or most any other OD. I absolutely love my 10-band out front, and sometimes it beats out boutique OD's as a simple boost.

Which version do you have? I know the new silver one with the dual outputs is true bypass, so this needs to be considered in your signal chain (ie switching it off can lead to treble loss, depending on your cable lengths).
 
Whatever works best for YOUR ears, is my suggestion.

I'd also agree with a couple posts up. MOD THE LOOP. You don't know what you're missing without a 10-band in a good loop.

For me, a shitty FX loop is an absolute deal-breaker. The MXR 10-band is the one thing I've owned for many years, and absolutely can't live without. It's been in the loop of every amp I've ever owned. I simply won't buy an amp that I can't use it, and time-based effects in the FX loop. I'd either get that amp's loop modified, or unload it. Life's too short for an amp with a shitty FX loop.

I assume it's a Mesa?
 
Meeotch":38yt4w0b said:
Man I hear ya, I also own an MXR 10-band and have been thinking of getting a second one - one for boosting out front and one for the loop. Bottom line is you have more control of the frequencies when boosting with the 10-band vs the Grid Slammer (great pedal btw) or most any other OD. I absolutely love my 10-band out front, and sometimes it beats out boutique OD's as a simple boost.

Which version do you have? I know the new silver one with the dual outputs is true bypass, so this needs to be considered in your signal chain (ie switching it off can lead to treble loss, depending on your cable lengths).
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Yes I have the new one I really like it except it's too bright The old one I tried out was way noisier
 
I have over 20 overdrive pedals and I've stopped using them as boosts in favour of a Boss GE-7 in front of nearly all my amps. I like it better than in the loop I find in the loop it doesn't shape the front end enough.
I like that with and the EQ pedal I can cut frequencies as well as boost them where you cannot do that with an overdrive pedal. They're all boost and no cut. And obviously the frequency tooting and access just isn't there with overdrive pedals.
 
Which boost/EQ to use in front of the amp can be very amp/player specific IME. Then there is also clean boost vs OD used as a boost. To use a very basic example, a JCM800 tends to work best with ODs used as boosts (like SD1 or Tubescreamer) because saturation and compression are a good thing. But a SLO doesn't need any saturation or compression so an EQ can work great there. It mainly just needs some tightening up. Most ODs can be set to unity gain and very low grit so in that case you are mostly getting equalization but still getting some compression. Bottom line is do a lot of testing and I think it's worth it to somehow temporarily set it all up in a live situation. Then at the end of the night...which pedal did you keep reaching for?
 
I dumped overdrives for EQ Plus boost a decade ago. So glad so many products exist now, i was using crazy rackmount eq etc to haveLP/HP filters etc years ago.

Pre distortion EQ is the most powerful tool for revoicing amps.
 
same as above

boost the front, run the eq in the loop, get that loop in order too, mod it on a switch to be full series or parallel!
 
There isn't any reason you can't use a EQ in a parallel loop. Some effects can get a phase issue in a parallel loop....EQ isn't one of them.
 
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