Treble Boosters

[burntfrijoles]

I was reading about Treble boosters and watched a couple of YouTube videos.

It sounds like they primarily help tone with Marshalls and Vox but I was wondering if it would help take some of the muddy or wooly tone out of my Les Paul through a Fender.

Anyone use a treble booster?

 

[drmordo]

I have built a few boosters, both treble and otherwise.

It's less fun but more flexible to buy a stompbox eq. It will give you a treble booster (a la Brian May), a mid-boost (a la Van Halen and Tom Scholz) and a flat boost (a la... not really sure).

Lately I've been messing with a Boss GE-7 constantly and I don't miss my treble boosters at all.

 

[63 vibroverb]

I think it would work great on tweed and brownface Fender amps. Not sure how it would do on a blackface circuit though.

Love how a germanium rangemaster melds with a dark amp though.

 

[wildschwein]

Not so great in front of the cleaner Fenders in my experiences. It might work if you use it in front of a wooley sort of overdrive with a fender though. TBs function best cleaning up the bass plus providing some 'zizz' and push in front of darker or honkey amps.

 

[Killing Floor]

Amaterasu from Ground Control Audio and Silver Spur by WestCo are the favorites I’ve used with humbuckers. Just preference, no best. Silver Spur is closer to a classic Rangemaster.
There’s an HH style with the Amaterasu with treble boost engaged and without it in this video. Plus everyone loves Andy.

 

[Texicaster]

I run a Swart Atomic Boost which is germanium rangemaster based.

i currently have it in front of my Swart STR Tremolo but have used used to good effect with my Fender Champ and PRRI.

It's an always on pedal for me!

 

[northernguitar]

Awful in front of a clean amp. Best in front of heavy distortion. Acts like a woof shaver. Can’t get Iommi tones without it. An eq pedal does not have the same effect.

 

[4pickupguy]

If you are hitting an OD prior to your amp the entire equation changes. Into a clean BF amp would be a strident icepick to the forehead. However, pushing an OD into richer harmonic and gain territory would be killer. I have been gassing for a RM style pedal with some mid shaping. Money is the issue right now.

 

[kuch]

I was reading about Treble boosters and watched a couple of YouTube videos.

It sounds like they primarily help tone with Marshalls and Vox but I was wondering if it would help take some of the muddy or wooly tone out of my Les Paul through a Fender.

Anyone use a treble booster?

Would it be any different than using an equalizer pedal?

 

[burntfrijoles]

Would it be any different than using an equalizer pedal?

I think it adds some drive as well boosting frequencies.

It might work if you use it in front of a wooley sort of overdrive with a fender though.

Into a clean BF amp would be a strident icepick to the forehead. However, pushing an OD into richer harmonic and gain territory would be killer.

That makes sense. Place it in front of an OD into a Fender.

 

[63 vibroverb]

Would it be any different than using an equalizer pedal?

If you enjoy the way a germanium fuzz face cleans up and you ride your guitar volume a lot, I think you’d like the treble booster more.

If you’re just stepping on it with volume on 10 for a solo, then it might not matter as much.

 

[prakashananda]

I was reading about Treble boosters and watched a couple of YouTube videos.

It sounds like they primarily help tone with Marshalls and Vox but I was wondering if it would help take some of the muddy or wooly tone out of my Les Paul through a Fender.

Anyone use a treble booster?

In my opinion yes, that's exactly what it may do. Here's some things:
TB's are not all the same. Very different flavors and "feels".
Flavors can be specific like clones designed after the famous vintage ones and feels like new designs (more likely to be cleaner sounding and probably non germanium types). For lack of objective science, the older types feel more "organic" and warmer to me generally (like Analogman or Diaz if you can find those) but I love some newer boosts I've tried for example from Pigtronix (caveat actually haven't heard anything from them I don't like)
Generally, for me, your application is exactly what interests me as well. Yes, it is like a kind of EQ pedal but with a very specific profile and sound. It's like changing the character of your amp/guitar to something more focused, high/midrangey, less "woofy" and depending on what's next in your chain, next is a smoother more focused distortion/break up and, to me, often more interesting characteristics and harmonics.
I've found every piece of gear has a vibe and sometimes TB's can be very vibe and add a subtle something that wasn't even quite missing before but now you want it - some of it is tone and some of it is feel - I'll define that as the way the guitar now responds differently, especially with the older designs which are likely to add more color/compression/etc.

FWIW, I like using TB's for clean as well with a "woofy" sounding amp - to get that change of character there too. The extra brightness also helps keep things from getting duller (depending on your guitar) effectively adding versatility to your volume and tone controls especially when turning down, again providing additional useful tones.

Good luck!

 

[max_twang]

I have a Catalinbread Naga Viper on my board and I use Fender / Fender style amps.

The pedal works well on its own, but I mainly use it to boost other pedals for lead parts,
and it works great for that. Oh, and into a cranked AC-15 or AC-30 it's really nice

 

[BB]

I will (before I leave this earth) have to try a Naga Viper. Reading the OCD and other posts here, have me jonzen to try a few OD's stacked with the Naga.

 

[wildschwein]

This was a good thread from back in April of this year:

‘Lurn’ me about Range Master treble boosters!!

Well, like the title says basically. Last week‘s That Pedal Show on RM style treble boosters and my past couple of years with a Fuzz Face has me possibly exploring these. Maybe reduce the number of ODs on my board and see what I can get out of a Germanium or Silicon treble boost. What do you...

www.tdpri.com

 

[JesterR]

Naga Viper is a bit underrated pedal. Maybe, because TB fans do not see it as authentic pedal.
But it does that TB thing. But also has plenty of options.
For lower gain and Strats, I prefered to set a bit more body there. And for higher gain, I would go with classic TB setting.
And yes, TB is a lot more, then just a booster with rolled lowend.

 

[Robert Alger]

The Rooster from Jam Pedals is a nice germanium boost. Selectable High low and mid settings. Adds sparkle and beef. I love it with humbuckers into a fender.

 

[dlew919]

My favourite clean tone atm is a boss blues driver with the gain turned to about 10:00 into a tweed blues junior. That setting on the pedal might be worth examining for you

 

[uriah1]

I got one and returned it. Forgot what mfg. Not sure what I was looking for . Maybe a dynamic booster.
oh well..

 

[loopfinding]

They can help with fenders too, because fender circuits tend to be real tubby on the low end, and that’s why cranked fenders can often sound too woofy and people prefer other options for lead sounds.

They’re really intended to be used with an amp that’s being pushed/driven to cut the fat. They’ll work with anything in this use. The best way I find to use them is leave an amp at the edge of breakup, with a nice fat clean tone, and then use the treble booster to push the rest of the way, with the bass cut out. If you primarily (or only) use amp drive, you’re always having to balance the woof in the distorted tone against lack of fullness in clean tone, and the treble booster is basically the least invasive (vs an OD) way of solving this problem.

Still, you can use them on a fully distorted amp to get a clearer lead tone or nastier Iommi tone. Since you’re hitting the ceiling and the lows are taking up all the energy, you cut and suddenly the guitar sounds louder. It’s almost like an anti-boost, but it works.

You might struggle with some fenders and the OG rangemaster cut frequency, but something like the naga viper with adjustable cut or using an EQ pedal (if you don’t want the extra hair of the transistor) can help you dial it in better for fender use.