Spark

[KC]

Well, the Spark arrived, a few months after I ordered it on the $50 deal (full-size Spark, not the mini). My conclusion so far is that this is a pretty lovable little pedal, quite a bit like the Timmy in terms of function. You can dial up some gain or leave it clean, boost the signal or just dirt it up and pass through at the same level. Bass & treble controls are flexible & functional, though I'm not sure where they come in the signal path. I'm not sure I actually need it for anything -- it's not so clearly better than the Timmy to get it off my board, and so far the Fat and Mid settings aren't doing much for me. But further experimentation is called for.

 

[MatchlessMan]

I have the Spark Mini after my drive and compressor pedals. It’s not a ‘straight’ clean boost as it adds some sparkle (SPARK-le?) to the sound. How is yours with the EQ set flat?

 

[D_Malone]

As a clean boost it’s just as good as the Timmy IMO. If I want to add some grit I much prefer the Timmy.

 

[darkwaters]

Love mine. Yes, it does seem to add sparkle; almost as if it's giving your tone a spit polish. Great pedal for someone like me that doesn't really care much for OD gain, but want to push the front end of an amp to fatten it up. Don't use the Fat setting. Don't know what it's for. Strats I guess. Love the Mid setting. My only complaint is that a Mid knob would have been even better.

 

[65 Champ Amp]

You have to think of the 4 knob Spark as a very mild overdrive. The Mid and Fat settings change both the voicing and the amount of dirt available on the “Gain” knob.

The Clean setting is basically flat, and has the mildest drive of the three even when the Gain knob is maxed. Gain down with Volume up will come the closest to a Clean Boost.

If you’re a fan of the TS sound, the Mid setting does that.
If you’re looking for a transparent, very light OD, the Clean does that.
And, if you stack dirt pedals, you Must try running the Fat setting into another dirt pedal.

All these are based on single coils only. Humbuggers may react differently to the Spark.

 

[11 Gauge]

You have to think of the 4 knob Spark as a very mild overdrive. The Mid and Fat settings change both the voicing and the amount of dirt available on the “Gain” knob.

The Clean setting is basically flat, and has the mildest drive of the three even when the Gain knob is maxed. Gain down with Volume up will come the closest to a Clean Boost.

If you’re a fan of the TS sound, the Mid setting does that.
If you’re looking for a transparent, very light OD, the Clean does that.
And, if you stack dirt pedals, you Must try running the Fat setting into another dirt pedal.

All these are based on single coils only. Humbuggers may react differently to the Spark.

Under the hood, the Spark has clipping diodes, too, but they're configured in a way as to make their contribution minimal.

I just got my Spark a couple of weeks ago, just for grins, since it was on sale. I'm actually enjoying it on the mid setting with my Marshall Origin 20H - I can get that early AC/DC sound with it.

...To my ear though, the mid setting doesn't really sound like a TS, because it's not rolling off as much bass - HPF cutoff freq in the Spark is ~410 Hz, but is ~720 Hz with a TS - that's a bit more low end with the Spark, but not enough to make things sound loose or flubby (unless you set the bass too high).

If anything, I think I strongly prefer the Spark in the mid setting over something like the Xotic BB Pre, because the BB does have the same mid hump as a TS, and then adds in the Baxandall treble and bass controls (which are the same t&b controls as what the Spark has). Translation - the Spark seems to allow for more amp-like sounds for this reason, while the BB seems to just override the amp's EQ.

 

[ping-ping-clicka]

I own a Spark Pedal ( 4 nods ) It does it's job very well.
I have heard the whispering on the internet that it does the Dallas Range Master well enough.

 

[Cosmic Cowboy]

I heard it was supposed to be an 'EP Boost' but it didn't really sound like one and people love em for what they do.

I have one. At one point I had two. I ran one all the time and kept one in reserve to punch through for solos.

 

[uriah1]

I never did use the mid settting. One person said the fat was like
a crunchy 57 or marshall and the mid setting was like a top boost
or AC30 crunch? Brightens things up.

 

[smoothrecluse]

Mine just arrived too, but I haven’t played with it yet. Sweetwater had them for $50 bucks, and @Jakedog has the mini version on his small pedalboard, so I figured it’s at least worth the cost of a tank of gas.

 

[don]

Today I was fiddling with my Joyo American, British and AC Tone pedals thru my Princeton Reverb RI and decided to remove all of them and just try the Spark 4 knob - WOW - I like gain tone on all 3 of the toggle settings!

 

[cpage86]

Ugh...now I gotta get a 4 knob Spark to check out. I have eyeballed them several times, but never pulled the trigger. $59 now at Sweetwater, not bad.

 

[Brett Valentine]

Have the mini, just ordered the full sized one. . .

 

[Rattfink]

Got the 4 knob yesterday. So far it works best after the Muff and before my ODs. It’s a Swiss Army knife booster though.

 

[cyclopean]

I have a spark mini at the end of a longish pedal board. It does a lot to take the mumbles out of my tone.

 

[41144]

TC Spark Boost is a vastly underrated pedal imo and punches way above it's price tag.
Capable of so much more than than 'just' a boost.

Owned one for a few years now and despite, inevitably, going around several other more expensive Boost & OD pedals I always end up thinking . "Well that doesn't do anything the Spark cant do too"!