Just Clean boost

garytelecastor · April 6th, 2008, 12:44 AM

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?

Filthy McNasty · April 6th, 2008, 08:37 AM

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

Big Lug · April 6th, 2008, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garytelecastor

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

Bad Bob.

Period.

'Nuff said.

Nub · April 6th, 2008, 10:28 AM

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

andrenighthound · April 6th, 2008, 12:37 PM

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.

garytelecastor · April 6th, 2008, 03:15 PM

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

tazzboy · April 6th, 2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garytelecastor

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

Well here is the MXR one

garytelecastor · April 6th, 2008, 04:06 PM

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.

RomanS · April 6th, 2008, 09:37 PM

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...

Axis29 · April 7th, 2008, 09:15 AM

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.

John Thigpen · April 7th, 2008, 10:35 AM

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

kp8 · April 7th, 2008, 11:23 AM

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).

FMA · April 7th, 2008, 11:30 AM

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

62_Inca_Esquire · April 7th, 2008, 11:42 AM

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.

Chito · April 7th, 2008, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FMA

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.

giogolf · April 7th, 2008, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FMA

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

rythmpyg · April 7th, 2008, 06:45 PM

+ another barber launch pad

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

stxrus · April 7th, 2008, 06:53 PM

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

Ethical · April 7th, 2008, 07:26 PM

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

garytelecastor · April 7th, 2008, 07:27 PM

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.

rythmpyg · April 7th, 2008, 07:44 PM

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

franchelB · April 7th, 2008, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garytelecastor

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.

Brick · April 7th, 2008, 09:03 PM

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.

tazzboy · April 7th, 2008, 11:36 PM

garytelecastor · April 7th, 2008, 11:52 PM

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?

April 6th, 2008, 12:44 AM	#1 (permalink)
garytelecastor Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,401 18 Photos	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? __________________ éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é Would you mind holding this bag while we go through the custom shop????? Redd Volkaert is a Jedi Knight at one with the Force!!!

April 6th, 2008, 12:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
andrenighthound Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bronx NY Age: 32 Posts: 230	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. __________________ "Blues in a doggy bag, is what I got to eat!" www.andreandthenighthounds.com

April 6th, 2008, 03:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
garytelecastor Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,401 18 Photos	Does anybody know anything about the MXR MC-401 or the Artifact 25 by Effector13? __________________ éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é Would you mind holding this bag while we go through the custom shop????? Redd Volkaert is a Jedi Knight at one with the Force!!!

April 6th, 2008, 04:06 PM	#8 (permalink)
garytelecastor Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,401 18 Photos	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. __________________ éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é Would you mind holding this bag while we go through the custom shop????? Redd Volkaert is a Jedi Knight at one with the Force!!!

April 6th, 2008, 09:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
RomanS Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vienna, Austria Age: 36 Posts: 2,699 14 Photos	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... __________________ http://www.pbase.com/romans http://www.myspace.com/romans212

April 6th, 2008, 08:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
Filthy McNasty Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: upstate N.Y. Age: 38 Posts: 670	I just recently picked up a Catalinbread Super Chili Picoso and I am very pleased with it.

April 6th, 2008, 10:28 AM	#4 (permalink)
Nub Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: SoCal Posts: 851	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

April 7th, 2008, 09:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
Axis29 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 40 Posts: 1,052 1 Photos	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. __________________ John F. TDPRI # 1764

April 7th, 2008, 10:35 AM	#11 (permalink)
John Thigpen Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2003 Location: Rock Hill, SC Age: 53 Posts: 182	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

April 7th, 2008, 11:23 AM	#12 (permalink)
kp8 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 2,738	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).

April 7th, 2008, 11:30 AM	#13 (permalink)
FMA Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 1,077	Lot's of good suggestions. Bang for buck, I like the BBE Boosta Grande. Lots of clean boost and very transparent and quiet...

April 7th, 2008, 11:42 AM	#14 (permalink)
62_Inca_Esquire Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 872	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.

April 7th, 2008, 06:45 PM	#17 (permalink)
rythmpyg TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: wi Age: 49 Posts: 23	+ another barber launch pad http://www.barberelectronics.com/LaunchPad.htm

April 7th, 2008, 06:53 PM	#18 (permalink)
stxrus Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2007 Location: St. Croix, USVI Age: 56 Posts: 625	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

April 7th, 2008, 07:26 PM	#19 (permalink)
Ethical Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Norfolk, UK Age: 52 Posts: 316 1 Photos	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 __________________ If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all

April 7th, 2008, 07:27 PM	#20 (permalink)
garytelecastor Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,401 18 Photos	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. __________________ éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é Would you mind holding this bag while we go through the custom shop????? Redd Volkaert is a Jedi Knight at one with the Force!!!

April 7th, 2008, 07:44 PM	#21 (permalink)
rythmpyg TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: wi Age: 49 Posts: 23	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

April 7th, 2008, 09:03 PM	#23 (permalink)
Brick Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Jose Age: 57 Posts: 781	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.

April 7th, 2008, 11:36 PM	#24 (permalink)
tazzboy Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2005 Location: Eugene, Oregon Age: 31 Posts: 2,872	Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster SFX-01 __________________ tazzboy Guitar: 1982 Gibson Les Paul Standard AMP: 59 Bassman Reissue. EFFECTS: 2 Boss TR-2 Tremolo, Boss CE-2 Chorus, and Boss DM-3 Echo Delay.

April 7th, 2008, 11:52 PM	#25 (permalink)
garytelecastor Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,401 18 Photos	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? __________________ éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é Would you mind holding this bag while we go through the custom shop????? Redd Volkaert is a Jedi Knight at one with the Force!!!

April 8th, 2008, 12:07 AM	#26 (permalink)
tazzboy Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2005 Location: Eugene, Oregon Age: 31 Posts: 2,872