Who here prefer a Treb Boost of an OD ?

[SirJackdeFuzz]

I have a Java Boost that i love.

Any other folks here that prefer what a Treb Boost do to your amp, as apposed to an OD ?

If my old (and now sold) Blues Jr. sounded like THIS (link below) on it's own, i would have NEVER EVER sold it !

https://robertkeeley.com/products/keeley-pedals/java-boost/ <---bottom clip of the three.

So, if you do, what else is out there in the Treb Boost World ?

What do you have ?
Feel free to post pics of you Treb Boost.

 

[nosuch]

Hm, IMHO a cranked up Bjr. with the fat switch engaged can sound like this on it's own ...

 

[Matty D]

I've been happily TS9-free for years, one of the best moves I ever made. Working the guitar's volume knob when plugged into a germanium treble booster opens up continuous tonal variablility.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Hm, IMHO a cranked up Bjr. with the fat switch engaged can sound like this on it's own ...

Then you are more of a man than i am


. . . mine never sounded like that

I really do not miss mine (in it's stock form anyways)

Now, a Blues Jr with Greenback and Java Boost, mmmmmm . . .

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

I've been happily TS9-free for years, one of the best moves I ever made. Working the guitar's volume knob when plugged into a germanium treble booster opens up continuous tonal variablility.

Like your style :!:

 

[jkrischan]

Maritime treb boost into fender tweed works for me!

 

[nosuch]

. . . mine never sounded like that

Did you crank it - master all the way up?
;-)

 

[11 Gauge]

Treble booster is cool IF it works for your given rig.

It's very crude and super old technology (was not even originally created for its current use!), so you are very much at the mercy of what guitar you are using, what amp you are using, at what point the amp breaks up, at what point the speakers break up, and obviously - what volume the amp is set to.

A treble booster is very restricted in what it does. The amp does the heavy lifting. If the amp comes up short, the treble booster will be insufficient.

Just like a TS assassinates the bass and treble from your guitar signal, a treble booster is also "bandpass specific." If using an obsolete component like a germanium transistor, its severe lack of headroom is what causes this "effect processing" - you get distortion in a narrow range of frequencies because the transistor is incapable of giving you anything more.

So if a treble booster works - all fine and good. If it doesn't, that is why there are so many options, and OD development didn't end with the treble booster (it didn't begin with it as its application was not what was intended either, though).

...Along with being rig-specific/amp volume-specific, the "classic" treble booster - if one insists on it - has a PNP transistor in a positive ground box. This means you can't use external power along with other pedals on a pedalboard. All good and fine if you don't mind doinking with batteries, but a little bit clunky for the utility-based gigger who relies on a board. An NPN transistor is a possibility, but purists would call it "wrong." A silicon transistor is better still, and can be config'ed to sound 1:1 with a germie IMO. It will then not suffer from hiss, gain leakage, or changes in performance from temperature changes. You bias it once and you're done. But again, the purists will scoff. That's fine - they won't know what they are missing out on.

IF you want something that IMO is more of what the evolution of the treble booster possibly should have been, it's worth investigating something like the May Queen IMO:

http://www.runoffgroove.com/mayqueen.html

...this assumes that you are TRULY using "treble boost technology for OD." It also relieves you of any dependence on your amp for the most part - it will work with clean amps, or simply ones that don't have to do the "heavy lifting," like if you were using a Rangemaster or clone of it.

An alternative May Queen vero layout:

(link removed)

...I found a thread on another site how someone tweaked the May Queen to give a Rory Gallagher type of sound, but can't locate it at the moment. Needless to say, this little box is versatile, IMO.

Just another option for those with flexible considerations...

 

[waparker4]

11G have you built the rog omega? J/c

 

[FilthyFur74]

Treble booster is cool IF it works for your given rig. It's very crude and super old technology (was not even originally created for its current use!), so you are very much at the mercy of what guitar you are using, what amp you are using, at what point the amp breaks up, at what point the speakers break up, and obviously - what volume the amp is set to. A treble booster is very restricted in what it does. The amp does the heavy lifting. If the amp comes up short, the treble booster will be insufficient. Just like a TS assassinates the bass and treble from your guitar signal, a treble booster is also "bandpass specific." If using an obsolete component like a germanium transistor, its severe lack of headroom is what causes this "effect processing" - you get distortion in a narrow range of frequencies because the transistor is incapable of giving you anything more. So if a treble booster works - all fine and good. If it doesn't, that is why there are so many options, and OD development didn't end with the treble booster (it didn't begin with it as its application was not what was intended either, though). ...Along with being rig-specific/amp volume-specific, the "classic" treble booster - if one insists on it - has a PNP transistor in a positive ground box. This means you can't use external power along with other pedals on a pedalboard. All good and fine if you don't mind doinking with batteries, but a little bit clunky for the utility-based gigger who relies on a board. An NPN transistor is a possibility, but purists would call it "wrong." A silicon transistor is better still, and can be config'ed to sound 1:1 with a germie IMO. It will then not suffer from hiss, gain leakage, or changes in performance from temperature changes. You bias it once and you're done. But again, the purists will scoff. That's fine - they won't know what they are missing out on. IF you want something that IMO is more of what the evolution of the treble booster possibly should have been, it's worth investigating something like the May Queen IMO: http://www.runoffgroove.com/mayqueen.html ...this assumes that you are TRULY using "treble boost technology for OD." It also relieves you of any dependence on your amp for the most part - it will work with clean amps, or simply ones that don't have to do the "heavy lifting," like if you were using a Rangemaster or clone of it. An alternative May Queen vero layout: (link removed) ...I found a thread on another site how someone tweaked the May Queen to give a Rory Gallagher type of sound, but can't locate it at the moment. Needless to say, this little box is versatile, IMO. Just another option for those with flexible considerations...

I just received a germanium treble booster today and I can't for the life of me dial in a nice sustaining violin like lead tone. Maybe I'm having the problems mentioned above and it's not compatible with my rig. I've played through my Swart STR Tweed on the edge of breakup and also tried after my OD pedal. Just not digging it.

 

[artdecade]

Push your Swart into breakup - then hit it with the Treble Boost. Control the volume from your guitar.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Did you crank it - master all the way up?
;-)

OH yes . . . gain and master.

I played with the idea of getting a diff speaker.

Emi Swamp Thang
GWS 55Hz Reaper
UK made Greenback

. . . hell i even thought of trying a Jensen Blackbird. (not cheap)

So instead of trying all of them, i sold the amp, and got a Bassman

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Thanks for the killer info 11 Gauge.

 

[FilthyFur74]

Push your Swart into breakup - then hit it with the Treble Boost. Control the volume from your guitar.

Tried that and it's still not turning me on. Either I'm doing something wrong or the Swart just doesn't like this kind of boost. You win some you lose some as they say.

 

[artdecade]

That's odd... Doesn't Swart sell his own Treble Boost now? I haven't used a Swart in a long time, but I remember it liking my Rangemaster clone...

 

[FilthyFur74]

He does and I considered getting his atomic boost before this one. It could be the pedal itself. When I max the boost dial it's hissy as hell. This is the first germanium boost I've owned so I'm not sure really what I'm looking for.

 

[artdecade]

He does and I considered getting his atomic boost before this one. It could be the pedal itself. When I max the boost dial it's hissy as hell. This is the first germanium boost I've owned so I'm not sure really what I'm looking for.

They are bit noisier by nature... but if it is not biased right, it could be worse than normal. Of course, they were designed with cranked Vox amps in mind, so its possible the hiss wasn't noticed when you were playing at max volumes. Regretfully, I have never played an AC-30 set to full blast.

 

[devnulljp]

Rangemaster -> AC30
No need for anything else really (except a guitar of some sort of course

 

[xjazzy]

I always wandered what a treble booster sounded like. I have an AC15/18W inspired amp so I found a Hartman germanium for a nice price and gave it a try.
The only way I can make it sound good is on the Marshall 18W inspired channel and using humbuckers.
Not exactly my kind of sound and I don't use buckers that much but I decided to keep the pedal cause one I may need it.

 

[11 Gauge]

11G have you built the rog omega? J/c

Wow! How did I miss that one? It's kind of the opposite of the configuration of the Peppermill, and I LOVE that one.

jFET or mosFET - they both really enhance the tube-like harmonics.

The best thing about the May Queen, P-mill, and Omega is that you get the old school vibe without that horrid hiss from those obsolete old germanium transistors. Yuck!