Boosters

[theunknown]

Hi guys.

I have 2 distortion pedals and an overdrive pedal. In general means, usually people put the overdrive before the main drive to give a nice think stacked sound or a pre-boost for the next drive like pushing a tube amp into overdrive. problem is when using it as a solo booster, overdrives tend to not give much of a volume boost, as opposed to putting after the main drive (which also colours the tone much). Now i use my equalizer for the volume boost.

Is there a way to get that gain boost and volume boost while still retaining the sound i get when i put the booster (OD) before the main drive (Dist)? If i put Dist then OD, it sounds like shit.

 

[Whitestrat]

Is there a way to get that gain boost and volume boost while still retaining the sound i get when i put the booster (OD) before the main drive (Dist)? If i put Dist then OD, it sounds like shit.

That's why they make SPECIFIC clean boost pedals, you know?:mrgreen:

 

[edgie]

Depending on the amount of volume or gain that you want to push your main drive with, you can choose between a catalinbread chili picoso or a lizard leg effects flying dragon. I do have the flying dragon and it's always on during gigs unless I use a fuzz pedal. These pedals also greatly benefit your clean tone.

 

[theunknown]

whitestrat: haha yeah i know. but ok lets say for example i love how a DS1 pairs up with a TS9. usually the TS9 goes first right? but thing is even a volume full for the TS9 as a booster, i dont get that much of a volume boost. i want that tone for lead, but i want it LOUDER (without the need to turn volume knob, or step on another booster or have a volume pedal etc).

edgie: i understand that the chili picoso and the flying dragon are transparent, no? this is i dont want transparent boosters (i know most people want them), its just i like how my current setup reacts. ok lets say my booster is a TS type pedal, that tone when matched with my main drive, but more volume boost.

or isit like the norm that a TS type pedal or any pre-boosters dont give much volume boost as post boosters?

thanks for the replies bros.

 

[ShredCow]

this is i dont want transparent boosters (i know most people want them), its just i like how my current setup reacts. ok lets say my booster is a TS type pedal, that tone when matched with my main drive, but more volume boost.

Actually, you WANT a transparent (btw, the super chili picoso isn't transparent) clean boost AFTER your dirt boxes... if you want to achieve what you just said.

If you want to have a volume boost when you engage your TS - then lower the gain of your boxes after the TS.

 

[edgie]

From what i understand now, you want the combination of your TS9 and distortion but louder?
I don't think the TS9 no matter where you place it can do both a volume and gain boost that will suit your perceived great tone from those two pedals. Coz if you put it at the front, it will add gain to your dist pedal but the overall volume control will still be dependent on your dist pedal.

If you put it after then what you are having is like a distorted sound feeding an overdriven sound which i suspect could be a fizzy sound, the signal being overly saturated at the expense of clarity.

IMO, it's either you get a volume pedal or a clean boost to raise the volume up and down then treat the ts9 + dist as one unit.

 

[xklusivly4u]

check out MXR custom audio overdrive/Boost pedal.
I read in one of Slash's interview that he is using it.

 

[theunknown]

Shredcow: yeah im beginning to realise that the lower the gain on the later pedal, the more the TS allows volume increase. transparent boost? yes that actually the point of this thread. haha. take the DS1 n TS9 example yeah. DS1 for rhythm, TS9 for solo boost, i would NOT wanna step on another transparent clean boost. i've my pickup change, TS9 and delay to activate already. haha.

edgie: yes i agree about the tone. TS then DS, more dirt and nice stack sound. DS then TS, sounds muddy and fizzy.

thats the point of this thread bros. i wanna make do without the need of my EQ pedal for a further clean volume boost after my drives. thats why i was hoping that my TS can give me that much needed volume boost (plus doing its job for gain boost) one step = gain, mid n volume boost.

BUT i learnt something new i didnt realise earlier *facepalm*. lesser gain on latter drive allows the earlier drive to give more volume boost. thanks Shredcow!

PS: actually im using a G2 boutique hand made in thailand distortion (like crunchbox but more saturation n gain but darker sounding) and a biyang OD-7 (a TS type pedal), not a TS9 and DS1.

 

[edgie]

What you can also do is install a volume pot in your guitar that has a wide sweep(for my style of playing, the normal CTS pots are fine), set it at 5 or 6 then set your clean tone from there. At 7-8, if your main dirt is dynamic enough(DLS, Screwdriver and even the Danelectro TO-1 OD come to mind). Then at 9-10 that would be your lead tone. That would insure that your clean tone is not that far off from your dirt tone.

But of course if let's say you are using a strat like me, even at 10, you may not find the gain to be enough, then that's the time you push it further with another OD or clean boost which you put before your main OD. Riding the volume pot is a lot of fun.: )

 

[theunknown]

edgie: thanks for the idea bro. but usually i need all the gain from my pickups even for my rhythm playing, and lower the vol when i need some cleaner sound, like a softer part of a song. u can say my main drive is like a crunchbox with more gain in tap.

now now, thats quite some things to handle to go on for a solo. i usually change pickup, on my OD and my delay. adding the vol knob on guitar, thats quite alot of work. but sure, recently i learn to utilise my guitar knobs more.

my aim now is just having to press one pedal to give me that gain, mids and volume, like TS, just more volume. haha. efficiency is the key. make full use of what i have.

anyways, having to use a guitar(les paul) with dedicated vol knobs for each pickup is sure a plus!

 

[boyl]

there is another solution, which is to use a master switch or something like that. this requires you to still have the clean boost, but, they will all be activated using 1 button (much like a footswitch).

but this requires even more money,

 

[ShredCow]

my aim now is just having to press one pedal to give me that gain, mids and volume, like TS, just more volume. haha. efficiency is the key. make full use of what i have.

Difficult to get all in that one package. I can think of quite a few pedals that will handle volume & EQ but gain? That's tough. Chances are, if you put an overdrive after your main dirt boxes, you'll find the tone altered in more ways than you'd like it to be - as you have tried with your TS.

I don't see a way to minimize tap-dancing honestly. You want more gain and say, a slight cut in the low end + midrange emphasis = a TS before your main drive... but that's usually not going to give you the overall volume boost you want. Yeah, sure, lower the gain on the main drive... but isn't that a compromise on tone?

So I still see an additional clean booster, placed post drive, to get the job done.

 

[Godspeed64]

Agree with Shredcow.. If you want to minimize the tapdancing, get dedicated loopers so that you can activate whatever you want for your solos..

 

[theunknown]

thanks boyl, shredcow and godspeed64 for your replies.

boyl: i think are called loopers. haha yeah have enquired with tymc about it.

shredcow: aha! so i guess it's just now attainable with the separate post drive clean boost yeah? haha. i have an eq pedal for that currently. just looking to see if anyone have any ideas on how i can make do without it.

godspeed64: yeah i have had loopers in mind. but wasnt really sure on how it goes on use. im not sure if i have to make a separate thread on the topic of loopers but i'll just ask here anyway.

everyone: i guess shredcow has explain about how my problem cannot be solved the way i want it and godspeed64 has recommended loopers.

question: i understand that in loopers, each loop has its send and return jacks, no? but what if i want lets say 3 loops, but my each of my pedals need to be in 2 or more loops.

example:
loop 1 - overdrive A, delay, eq (solo boost)
loop 2 - overdrive A n distortion (stacked drive rhythm)
loop 3 - eq n delay (solo boost after rhythm in loop 2)

is this possible? or is there some kind of looper that i just plug every pedal in then program each patch activates which pedals?

 

[edgie]

To those who know more about on what i will suggest, please correct me if i'm wrong. Given your need to just step on one button and get the tone that you just described but yet you need each of your pedal in every loop, I think you are asking for a MIDI switcher like the Tech 21. I don't think that with ordinary loopers, your problem can be solved.

 

[ShredCow]

is this possible? or is there some kind of looper that i just plug every pedal in then program each patch activates which pedals?

Possible as per something along the lines of what Edgie recommended.

It's incredibly pricey though.

 

[superpotato_30]

theunknown: Bro look into this overdrive pedal called the Okko Twin Sonic. Study it and you will find it very interesting. Its a gain + volume boost in a single pedal. Dudelove owns one and you can inquire about it. I cant really remember how the circuitry is explained but mind you these things are not cheap. ( Boutique made in germany pedal. waddya expect. )

 

[dudelove]

yeah its the only pedal i know, that with a hit on just one switch, you can get BOTH a gain boost, and volume boost.

if you dont want the volume boost, fine roll down the more knob. if you dont want gain, but want the volume, roll down the push knob.

really expensive though.. 269euro if i rmb properly.

oh i forgot to mention, the boost section can be used independantly. meaning, you can use it to boost other pedals also. its really quite killer..

 

[theunknown]

superpotato and dudelove: hi bros thanks for ur inputs. sadly (or otherwise) i quite happy with my current setup, just having that vol boost things (it's not a problem actually, just finding some possibilities). though i'll still look into the pedal mentioned.

edgie and shredcow: yeah i know those things. they are digital, not analog like those i see at TYMC, right? like u poke it everything u have. just program this patch does what and what. and yeah i guess those are very pricey and well given my current setup, i dont see it as something so worth it to get. i see people using that when they have like racks of effects and many amps to choose. my current setup? nahhh.

thanks all for ur inputs.

i conclude that:
- with my current setup, more volume boost is only possible by lowering the gain on the later drive, with the expense of the tone i desire or add a clean volume boost later in the chain, which i currently have in my EQ.
- loopers can be used to program pedals to activate to make it convenient for me not to do tap dancing.
- there are pedals that give a gain and volume boost like dudelove n superpotato has mentioned.

 

[ShredCow]

- there are pedals that give a gain and volume boost like dudelove n superpotato has mentioned.

Note that these pedals are actually 2-in-ones. The boost is placed after the gain section... so you get your volume boost.

Another example is the Zvex Box of Rock.

There are pedals that have a boost BEFORE the gain section... I think the Satchurator is like that... but same rules, if you have a lot of gain to begin with, the boost just adds more gain and not much volume. Lower the main gain and you'll have more volume boost.