What's the best boost for...?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rex Rocker
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Rex Rocker

Rex Rocker

Well-known member
... an amp that doesn't need tightening, just a bit more gain and slightly more aggression?

My EVH's blue channel sounds great. It has a great character, and it gets me 90% of the way there... but I do feel it doesn't have enough gain for what I play, and I wouldn't mind slightly more attack and aggression the way the red channel has.

It would be killer to get two different high-gain tones out of these two channels, but I feel the blue is still missing something as it is.

I was thinking TC Electronic Spark or perhaps some clean boost that has very basic EQ adjustments perhaps to cut a bit of bass and/or add a bit of treble before the gain stages.

What do you guys think?
 
You mean an EVH 5150III?

Maxon 808 gain on 0 and level and tone to taste is the OD for that channel on that amp.

More gain is the red channel.
 
I used a Green Rhino on the blue channel when I had a 5150III 50 watt. Sounded great.
 
I already have an Ibanez TS808 and an MXR Classic Overdrive. They're great, but I want something that cuts less lows and imparts less character. I've owned an OD808 before, and while it is a tad more transparent than my current OD's, it's definitely not miles apart.

I kinda want that same blue channel character, just a touch more saturated.
 
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Try a Timmy OD. It’s about as transparent as they come. Set it up as a boost with the gain down and the level up
 
VFE Standout. You can set it to add a little drive.... but best of all you can blend in as little or more of the pedal with the original sound. This way you aren't "stuck" with 100% of the added pedals sound or effect.
 
If you want pure clean boost with no EQ’ing or sound coloring you could try something like an MXR Microamp.
 
Rex Rocker said:
I already have an Ibanez TS808 and an MXR Classic Overdrive. They're great, but I want something that cuts less lows and imparts less character. I've owned an OD808 before, and while it is a tad more transparent than my current OD's, it's definitely not miles apart.

I kinda want that same blue channel character, just a touch more saturated.
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The biggest mistake I made with exactly what you are doing is going for anything else other than a Maxon 808 for this blue channel on this amp which is really not a pedal taker at all.

A Zack Wylde OD might be another choice but I would do the green Maxon before anything else if I could go back and do it all again.

An EQ can open up this amp more but in my experience I was better off without and just learning by watching videos of the different ways people used just the amp settings before discovering all sorts of things including Mesa type tones. Some 5 years after buying this amp. ??
 
Rex Rocker said:
I already have an Ibanez TS808 and an MXR Classic Overdrive. They're great, but I want something that cuts less lows and imparts less character. I've owned an OD808 before, and while it is a tad more transparent than my current OD's, it's definitely not miles apart.

I kinda want that same blue channel character, just a touch more saturated.
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Get the Spark Boost, (the full sized with the EQ). I'd also suggest a Tungsol in V1.
 
I’m really digging the MXR M77 Custom Badass Modified OD. The 100 Hz boost/cut knob is great and there’s a mid bump switch as well.

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Boost, EQ or Timmy. Don't overthink it, any of these will do exactly what you want.
 
psychodave said:
VFE Standout. You can set it to add a little drive.... but best of all you can blend in as little or more of the pedal with the original sound. This way you aren't "stuck" with 100% of the added pedals sound or effect.
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Yeah the standout is amazing, perfect for a pure boost and tightening
 
Cusack Screamer would probably work but don't be afraid to run it or any other boost pedal with a little bit of gain . Running an OD pedal as a boost with gain at 0 can work I'd assume but I find it works best with running at least a small amount if gain from the pedal . YMMV
 
Exo-metal said:
PQ-3 never fails but some prefer the tc 1140, it is quieter. I love my PQ-3 tho.
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Both are great and sound different enough to warrant having both imo. I’ve had at one point or another all the boosts mentioned here so far and my PQ-3 or 1140 would slay all these ones mentioned. They literally did send many of the ones mentioned packing including the Standout and Timmy V1. Both sounded like toys/pedals in comparison

To answer the OP’s question, if we stick to just pedals, I’d recommend a Wizard Leopard or VFE Merman (if you can find one used. They’re no longer made). Those are among the few pedals I still have that my rack pq’s couldn’t quite send packing, but could be dialed in to sound very close. I still use an original Klon at least 95% of the time I use a boost, but I understand it’s not worth the investment to most guys
 
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From the OP:

“My EVH's blue channel sounds great. It has a great character, and it gets me 90% of the way there... but I do feel it doesn't have enough gain for what I play, and I wouldn't mind slightly more attack and aggression the way the red channel has.”

“I was thinking TC Electronic Spark or perhaps some clean boost that has very basic EQ adjustments perhaps to cut a bit of bass and/or add a bit of treble before the gain stages.”

This has Spark Mini written all over it. There are wonderful pedals out there to take a Malcom Young rhythm tone into lead territory and excellent pedals to cut / firm up tubby low end. But I cannot think of a pedal that does a better job of complimenting an amp with tone that you absolutely love and just needs the slightest bit of transparent push than the Spark Mini. I used to be a die-hard ‘all gain must come from amp’ guy, but in the last year have dialed a small but noticeable amt of gain out of every amp I use and drop the Spark mini in front just for flexibility.
 
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