Just Clean boost

Over the past couple of weeks there have been some posts on here about the best clean boost pedal that everyone likes. I have been using an EQ for a while and I thought I would try something different.
In some of the pedals that were recommended I went to their web sites and they have recorded samples. The problem is they all are distorted. None of them have a clean signal to begin with.
I very rarely use distortion and I would like to know if there are some boost pedals out there that aren't disguised overdrive pedals. Anybody know of a good clean boost without coloring the tone?

I just recently picked up a Catalinbread Super Chili Picoso and I am very pleased with it.

... Anybody know of a good clean boost without coloring the tone?

Bad Bob.

Period.

'Nuff said.

The Bad Bob does add a fair amount of grit as you turn it up; it's a great sounding pedal, but it definitely puts it's own character on your sound. The pedal that knocked it off my board is a Flying Dragon clean boost; it doesn't color my sound at all, stays clean, and stacks much better with other OD's:

http://lizardlegeffects.com/dragon.html

i bought a barber launch pad 2 weeks ago and even though i play low headroom amps, the launch pad sounds just like my amp. clean boost. i don't hear any color coming from it.

i have a twin, but didn't get a chance to try it on that amp.
i hear a person can use the launch pad pedal to "cook" an amp, as well as a bunch of other things.

Does anybody know anything about the MXR MC-401 or the Artifact 25 by Effector13?

Does anybody know anything about the MXR MC-401 or the Artifact 25 by Effector13?

Well here is the MXR one

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Thanks tazzboy. These are the guys that I was referring to in the original post. It seemed that they had every review of a clean boost with the guitar so distorted by the amp you couldn't hear the pedal do its job.

Have you tried an Electro Harmonix LinearPowerBoost? Stays clean almost all the way (except with high output humbuckers) - but it does indeed slightly color/fatten the tone of your guitar...

Hey GaryTelecastor,

How much boost are you looking for?

I looked all over the place for a clean boost for a long time, then picked up a TS, and used it with the gain down and the volume up. That worked pretty well. Then I sold my Mesa and bought a DRRI and everything changed. Now I use the TS for a little grit and I use the guitar's volume knob to adjust the actual volume of my playing (for solos and such). I love this setup.

I love the Juaernig Luxury Drive. It's very clean, at least at the level of boost that I use, and just makes everything sound better. I hear a slight boost in the highs, but that may simply be the volume. I rarely turn mine off.

John

For clean boost (w/headroom) i use an MI Audio Boost 'n' Buff.

It has a whopping 35db of boost on tab. The first 12-16db of that is pretty darn clean. It is very quiet, and it has a ultra high input impedance buffer (5Meg!). You can run it on 18V for lots of headroom.

Run it first in my chain.

for boost with more grit to it... i use the bad bob (which i love).

Lot's of good suggestions. Bang for buck, I like the BBE Boosta Grande. Lots of clean boost and very transparent and quiet...

The "cleanest" boost will be one that uses a hi fidelity op amp run at more than 9v (i.e 18v) for greater headroom /voltage swing. Pedals like the Barber Launch Pad and the MK.4.23 Boost fit into this category.

Fets, Mosfets, etc have more potential to alter the original tone.

That being said, running a mosfet boost (like the AMZ or SCP) at 18v can also give you a great "mostly"clean boost. Check to make sure that the pedal you choose can indeed be run at 18v.

Finally...let me just say that 99.9% of people don't actually "want" a clean boost. They don't want a "straight wire with gain" type tone...they want something that enhances the signal, and makes it fatter, warmer, rounder, brighter, etc, etc, etc.

Lot's of good suggestions. Bang for buck, I like the BBE Boosta Grande. Lots of clean boost and very transparent and quiet...

+1 This pedal doesn't get a lot of attention. Maybe because of the size or maybe the look doesnt appeal to most folks. But as mentioned, it doesn't colour your tone at all and very quiet.

Lot's of good suggestions. Bang for buck, I like the BBE Boosta Grande. Lots of clean boost and very transparent and quiet...

Another Boosta Grande user hear... Great Clean boost with little to no color... I Used to use a MXR Micro amp boost pedal but it is just to noisy for my taste

+ another barber launch pad



http://www.barberelectronics.com/LaunchPad.htm

check out the Reinhardt Hitman A/B/Y with Cleasn Boost.

bob has a good pedal that with a fairly transparent, at least to my ears, boost.

i've got one and have removed almost everything from my board.

steve

If you don't want to colour your sound then adjusting your amp and guitar volume controls works really well. Of course it will depend on your amp but try increasing the volume (not gain) on your amp and backing off the volume on your guitar to get your "normal" level then you can open up your guitar volume for when you want to wail.


Ted

Wow. Thanks you guys for all the suggestions. I run my guitar into a Carl Martin Comp into a TS9 into a TS10. I just wonder if there is a correct spot for it on the board? I know Kp8 said he puts his first in the chain but I just really want to take my clean tone and push it up for solos.

as you can see, i run it at the end of my chain (goes right to left)....it boosts whatever pedals are "on" in front of it....as such, when no dirt pedals are on, its pure clean boost...and the launch pad (if you can see the settings) has a lot more boost than i've ever needed in obnoxiously loud bands....buy it from someone with a 30-day return policy....no big woop

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/attachments/stomp-box/10417d1207613118-show-us-your-pedal-board-stuff-017-jpg

Over the past couple of weeks there have been some posts on here about the best clean boost pedal that everyone likes. I have been using an EQ for a while and I thought I would try something different.
In some of the pedals that were recommended I went to their web sites and they have recorded samples. The problem is they all are distorted. None of them have a clean signal to begin with... Anybody know of a good clean boost without coloring the tone?

I've heard the Keeley's Katana. It definitely needs to be heard to be believed. But really, I see nothing wrong with using a regular EQ pedal.

Seymour Duncan Pickup Boost has worked for me. Gives my Tweedy Champ a lot more clean to slightly hairy headroom. Never use the EQ filtering that is supposed to make a single coil sound like a HBer ( it doesn't, but boosts mids). It has 25db of gain.

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Thanks again for the vid Tazzboy. From what I was able to gather from the vid the pedal kind of acts as a Humbucker simulator. Am I on the money?

That's what the Narrator said.

MXR Micro Amp works great for me in the effects loop..real creamy.

deleted my post

+1 on the Boosta Grande.

I've heard the Keeley's Katana. It definitely needs to be heard to be believed. But really, I see nothing wrong with using a regular EQ pedal.

i didn't have too good results using a barb eq as a booster because when it the volume on the pedal was turned up real high, it didn't sound to good, to much treble that couldn't be controlled, and it lost the amps natural sound. when i turn up the sensitivity on the launch pad, it sounds like i'm turning up the volume on the amp and that just what i wanted.

I've always just used a boss GE7, plus you have the option to mess with the tones on the graphic if you want. Some are a bit noisy, but I gather there are easy mods you can do to help that.

Rick J

Least colored high gain boost I have experienced is the ZVex Super Hard-On. I believe he essentially copies the gain stage of a recording board with somethng like 60dB of gain (he claims output can be 8 volts P-P; that's a lot). I know mine will boost from a little bit to way waaaay too much.

So clean, I have used with my acoustic to bost for solos and the difference between strumming and finger picking, and you could not tell the difference except for volume.

Clean clean boost.

I think this boost is fantastic and really transparent. I leave mine on all the time as a line driver with the gain all the way down, but doing clean boost it's also great. Unless you CRANK it (like at the end of the video) in real world conditions, with a clean to mildly overdriven amp, it doesn't break up a whole lot in the first 1/2 of it's range. There's a TON of boost there.

I almost don't want to post for fear of sounding like a 'stuck record' but really, my Virtual sound Route66 has a great clean boost on the comp side of the pedal, i'm not actually sure about the new version2 but the one ihave (previous model) gives a real nice 'uncoloured' boost that can make a solo stand out or kick a tube amp into the 'gritty' zone.

As for "bang for buck" it must be right up there, it's my only pedal i take if i am playing a gig where amps are provided, it does dirty, compressed or clean so as long as i have a little 'verb i'm a happy camper.

i use either a Duncan Pickup booster or MXR micro amp. itried and liked the Boosta Grande but it's just too damn big for my pedal board! i wonder why they have to make them so damn big?? any hoo i think my fav so far is the Micro Amp. haven't tried the EH Nano yet. looks like it's up my alley! all i need is on/off and volume knob. simple...like me!

oh yeah....something i don't like about the PUP booster is the chicken head knob! my foo hits it everytime i step on it and knoks the setting off! i pull those things off!

Keeley Katana!! If you pull the knob out on the side, it'll give more grind but with it in, Extremely clean, just more of your own guitar sound.

I own a boss compressor and the level knob can give you quite a boost. If you don't mind the the compression at the same time. You can back off the compression though and it's almost like it's not there.

Gary

a friend of mine uses a Visual Sounds Volume Pedal, it can be turned to an active volume for quite a bit of boost. works well for him...

I use a Duncan Pickup Booster. It is pure clean boost (with the option of the resonance switching which I don't really use).