software

Ah but NOW it's different, because I HAVE the amp that needs boosting
It has a lot of gain and a great sound. I want more gain, and to keep this sound. Tight bass, no midscoop, trebly more than bassy.

I have a little list...Of course the cheaper the better, as my amp (Laney AOR pro tube 30) is 15 years old and can't be found in shop, so I can't try the pedals with it...
Boss SD1
Zakk Wylde OD
FullTone Fat boost (in my dreams)
Visual Sound Jekyll and Hyde (My dream. If I sell the drum kit soon enough, I'll go for that, almost sure)
MXR Microamp (though from what I heard, it's not great, but it seems like an easy pedal to start up building your own, so I'll try that)
pup booster.

The pup booster seems to be the cheapest and the best: real clean boost, up to 20 db... I'm just worried it'll be the exact same as the MXR microamp.

Anyhoo to all of you who use boosts and have experience with Marshall JCM800 type amps (Zerb!), suggest away Thanks!

I have used some pedals to boost for soloing.... i've given up and now switch from one amp to another... I have a JCM 800 that i sometimes use various OD's in front of for more gain during solos... But i have been spoiled by the 5150 that has a solo channel with Volume controll for each channel.... So when i use other amps i find it awful that i can't switch to a solo channel.... so the end result is i now have an Axess Electronics Head Switcher and switch from one head to another.... The volume boost is amazing running a set up like this..... It is a costly set up but one that really works!!!

When not using the 2 head set up- For solo boosting into a single amp i have been using a TS10 Tube Screamer for a while..... i hate my Boss late 90's OD... sucks! I have an early 80's Tokia OD that is good with the JCM 800..

WhoFan

I'll never get a new amp for YEARS dude
I guess my first step should be to get a footswitch for it though. I'll email Laney.

hey bro, answer this...do you want a pure CLEAN boost or do you want a boost that has some gain on it's own? Also, keep in mind that most boost pedals are gonna change your tone, even if only a little...for a good clean boost with no crunch of it's own IMO the Duncan pickup booster can't be beat...it is a flat EQ (no tonal change) and is easy to use and doesn't cost a lot, the Fulltone Fat Boost isa good as well, NOT flat EQ, but you might like it. The MXR Micro Amp is solid unit as well...again, not a flat EQ and they can be a bit noisy. As for the SD-1/Wyled OD, they have a bit of gain on their own but they do have a lot of volume on tap and lots of guys use them for a boost, you caould also look into a TS-9 as well...the TS-9 has a pretty big mid hump and a bass cut off, the SD-1/Wylde OD has less mid hump, but it still does, and they both have the cut off in the bass. Another option is a treble booster (Beano Boost, various Rangemaster clones, Brian May booster, etc...) these are all old style boosters that do have some gain on tap but are more of a boost...these units sound amazing in front of Brittish style amps.

I hope I was some help
Good luck bro

It's pricey, which probably takes it out of the running immediately, but the Legendary Tones Time Machine Boost has a super-clean boost as well as a treble boost. My understanding is the Bad Bob Boost is a clean boost as well -- and certainly less expensive than the Time Machine Boost.

- Keith


Originally Posted by PierreI'll never get a new amp for YEARS dude
I guess my first step should be to get a footswitch for it though. I'll email Laney.

Ya i hear ya... gear can be hard to get a hold of.... I have bought almost all my stuff second hand for cheap thru friends in guitar and amp business's... Local store helps me out a lot and i know a lot of techs and walk into amps all the time i never expected to own.

That aside i have found a cool little way to get a killer boost from little amps but it means using a Distortion pedal as your main Distortion sound ... I found a used Boss Line Selector pedal at a local store for $50 Canadian. Thru an amps clean channel I find that if you run a distortion pedal thru the Boss LS's LOOP A, and another one set louder and dirtier in LOOP B you can have an almost 3 channel amp.... You have to run the pedals thru the amps clean channel as if you tried it thru the distortion channel it is not going to work. You can A/B between the 2 stomp boxes and get a LOUD boost when you switch to Loop B set up for solos. Plus you can turn the Distortion off to use the Clean channel of the amp.... so it is Clean/Rythym/and Solo in a small package....

It really does work well! And i know alot of players prefer Tube Distortion but if David Gilmour uses stomp boxes to get those great tones on Floyd records it's ok for me too. I use a Peavey Classic 30 combo alot and i have the Line Selector Pedal and some Distortion units that i run thru the clean channel... I also use the amps own Distortion channel for some tunes too... It is amazing as it is so Flexible as well as portable... So i have Tube Dist Channel, Clean Channel, Distortion box one, and distortion Box 2.. add a chorus and a wah and i'm in tone heaven.

WhoFan


Originally Posted by PierreFullTone Fat boost (in my dreams)

No need to dream if you can handle a soldering iron. The Fulltone Fat boost is a circuit that was lifted from Jack Orman's website, and the schematic is here. Its literally about $10 worth of parts. Jack supplies the circuit board if you want to make it real easy.

More info in this article.

Build and enjoy.

Artie

(btw - The SD Booster is suweeeet!)

Hey Pierre, im in the same boat as you really. I have a VC50 and ive been considering a pedal to boost or add distortion etc. I tried some dist. pedals and i think OD is the way to go, so you are on the right track. Right now im really considering the SD1 cause it is cheap and i could always resell if i needed. Im also looking at the ZW pedal too.


Originally Posted by ArtieTooNo need to dream if you can handle a soldering iron. The Fulltone Fat boost is a circuit that was lifted from Jack Orman's website, and the schematic is here. Its literally about $10 worth of parts. Jack supplies the circuit board if you want to make it real easy.

More info in this article.

Build and enjoy.

Artie

(btw - The SD Booster is suweeeet!)

Can I hug you? Seriously...
Would that give me enough gain you think...?
I don't understand the diagram but once I have a look at what parts I need, I'll get it I think. I'm a fast learner (see sig).
I'll definitely try the SD1 first though, then resell it maybe if I don't like it. But eh if I do, it'll be perfect.

Oh and I do want more gain. I'd be using this on my amp's distortion channel, so a clean boost would add gain anyway. That's why it doesn't matter much if it's clean or gain, as long as it sounds good, gives me what I want and doesn't rape the sound of the amp.

Ahhhh screw that... I decided to wait until the drum kit was sold to start on the guitar building project.
Which means I have about...150 to 200 euros for one or 2 pedals. If I chose 2 pedals, one will be a boost, the other a distortion. If I chose one, it'd be a boost, or both.
I really like the Jekyll and Hyde, but I feel that SD1/Bad Monkey Turbo Rat will serve me better, though I don't know if the Rat has enough gain. If I got the Maxon OD too, I'd probably get a great sound but that's 150 by itself :s

So I could do:
SD1 Distortion
Bad Monkey Distortion
In Distortions, it could be the Turbo Rat, or anything under 100 euros... I don't have many ideas.
Or
Jekyll and Hyde
Maxon OD9/OD808

You szeem to be really happy with the tone of your amp's gain...why do you want a Distortion pedal, Im only asking so I will know what you are looking to do. Also, are you want a high gain distortion pedal or a more mild OD type pedal?

If you are wanting a good distortion pedal AND a good OD/Boost pedal, and you want don't want to drop a ton of caash I would get a Boss DS-1 and a Boss SD-1, send them BOTH to John Spina and you'll end up with 2 amazing pedals for a very good price...Originally Posted by PierreAhhhh screw that... I decided to wait until the drum kit was sold to start on the guitar building project.
Which means I have about...150 to 200 euros for one or 2 pedals. If I chose 2 pedals, one will be a boost, the other a distortion. If I chose one, it'd be a boost, or both.
I really like the Jekyll and Hyde, but I feel that SD1/Bad Monkey Turbo Rat will serve me better, though I don't know if the Rat has enough gain. If I got the Maxon OD too, I'd probably get a great sound but that's 150 by itself :s

So I could do:
SD1 Distortion
Bad Monkey Distortion
In Distortions, it could be the Turbo Rat, or anything under 100 euros... I don't have many ideas.
Or
Jekyll and Hyde
Maxon OD9/OD808
Eh... I'd rather keep it all stock... I'm about to move out to Edinburgh again so sending stuff out and all, not great :P
I'm happy with my amp for sure. The only beef is that it's noisy and that when I dial the amount of bass I usually dial (about 4 oclock), the bass get fuzzy...
The Distortion would simply be for practical purposes. I start on clean, stomp on the OD and get a nice little crunch, and then the Distortion for heavier stuff. 3 sounds. With just the boost, I can only have 2 sounds at a time.
Either way if I do go for an OD, it'd have to be able to boost well.

I have used a MXR Micro amp (currently) and a Boss LS-2 Line Selector (in past) in the effect loop of my amp with amazing results. Set your amp to the tone you want and then plug one of these on your effects loop and you're set. I paid $50 for my Micro amp off ebay and have been very pleased with it.

Ok I made a decision, tomorrow I'll go buy a boost and a cable.
Bad Monkey vs SD1? That is the question...

Man, I've used so many overdrives and boosts I've lost count. My favorite overdrive (production wise) right now is the Wylde Overdrive. Yes, it's a clone of the Boss SD-1 but it has more low end and no buffers. It actually keeps your sound intact yet adds more grit to it. I've used it with my JCM900 (with the gain set to 800 max level) and it pushes it real nice.

As for boosters, take your pick. There's a ton out there, and I have to side with Artie on trying Jack's Mini-Booster. Great circuit.

(Cheap Plug) - I have one too: from : localhost/www.erikhansen.net/diy/marsha.htm

What's a buffer?
I'll see if I can try some tomorrow. I'm affraid I'll get bored though, there's noone to go to town with


Originally Posted by PierreWhat's a buffer?
I'll see if I can try some tomorrow. I'm affraid I'll get bored though, there's noone to go to town with

The buffer's help keep the signal up at a constant level so it is strong enough to drive the input of the next pedal. The more pedals used and the longer cable runs used, the signal gets degraded. A buffer helps keep the signal level up where it should be. I also run an outboard buffer by itself at the end of my effects loop to keep the signal up right before the return. BOSS pedals have buffers built in to them (input and output). In fact, I need to correct myself, the Wylde has an input buffer, just no output buffer.

The Boss DS-1 is a great pedal and used by Joe Satriani and Steve Vai...and me! It's also very inexpensive. Highly recommended! A real plus is that you can reduce the volume on your guitar and get very clear rythym tones. The DS-1 seems to make other pedals sound better. My buddy uses one and plugs his Big Muff into the DS-1 and the DS-1 actually makes the Big Muff sound much better than when the Big Muff is used by itself. The DS-1 is kind of like a quot;Rock Guitar Tone Conditionerquot;. I totally love it.

The other pedal I love is the Pickup Booster. It's a great pedal too and very transparant.

Lew


Originally Posted by LewguitarThe Boss DS-1 is a great pedal and used by Joe Satriani and Steve Vai...and me! It's also very inexpensive. Highly recommended! A real plus is that you can reduce the volume on your guitar and get very clear rythym tones. The DS-1 seems to make other pedals sound better. My buddy uses one and plugs his Big Muff into the DS-1 and the DS-1 actually makes the Big Muff sound much better than when the Big Muff is used by itself. The DS-1 is kind of like a quot;Rock Guitar Tone Conditionerquot;. I totally love it.

The other pedal I love is the Pickup Booster. It's a great pedal too and very transparant.

Lew

Funny you say that about the DS-1. I've tried it and could never get it to work for me. Maybe I just needed to mod it first but I got rid of it before I got in to modding pedals. Oh well.

I haven't heard much about the DS1. People tend to say it doesn't boost great though so I'm not too sure...
I'll see what gives tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be able to play one or 2 on some amps that need boosting. Keep suggesting people The pup booster is out of my budget by the way.