Treble booster with solid state amps

[LEMONed_Z]

I am looking to get a treble booster to stack with my catalinbread DLS. There's many opinions on various forums that treble boosters only shines with tube amps but not much emphasis on the experience with solid state amps. I am using a Roland Jazz Chorus and likely my jam/gigs will all provide solidstate amps.

Any treble boosters users got any input?

 

[subversion]

the treble booster isn't one exclusive to amps; if you have it in hand, you might wanna hear how it reacts with SS amps. this device/ effect is also used at the end of the FX chain to rev the treble end back up after much loss in the mix. in a guitar-treble boost-amp set up, your guitar might need the treble booster to reinforce its lack of clarity, not your amp.

 

[edgie]

I have an Analogman Beano boost that I run thru my DLS and it sounds great. So much so that I actually prefer it over my Retroman Sybil fuzz face. With that setting, you can control get your clean(not shimmery clean as what a good fuzz face can do though) to all-out dirt with the guitar's volume pot and by changing pickups. It's very touch sensitive.

But if you are using single coils, better get TBs with variable voicing switches like the Beano( I set mine with the heavy mids voicing) and Plum Crazy Squawk. Haven't tried the Squawk yet but it seems to be a very promising TB.

Since the DLS is an amp simulator, as long as you're running it with enough gain, your roland jazz chorus will just act as a PA system if set very clean. But just like most type of fuzzes(with the exception of tonebenders and big muffs), it will sound shrill, thin and spikey if you take out the DLS out. Treble boosters needs at least a tube amp(or a simulator of) to sound full.

BTW, which TB are you planning to get?

 

[LEMONed_Z]

I am using my Jazz Chorus set v clean. With the DLS, I feel that it's kinda dark so I am thinking of stacking a TB with it. I am planning to use the TB with the amp alone set to clean. I am looking at the throbak stRANGE Master or Analogman Beano boost.

 

[edgie]

I am using my Jazz Chorus set v clean. With the DLS, I feel that it's kinda dark so I am thinking of stacking a TB with it. I am planning to use the TB with the amp alone set to clean. I am looking at the throbak stRANGE Master or Analogman Beano boost.

What kind of tone are you after anyway? With the Beano>DLS, the Beano will definitely open up the DLS as it would add in grit(hi mids) and more sustain. To me, with the switch at mid setting(toggle switch up), it sounds like a tubescreamer on steroids with a bit of cocked wah mixed in. A good example would be the vids at analogman.com. There's a vid there of a band doing an outdoor gig. That's pretty much how mine sounds with the DLS at rock mode.

As for the TB>clean amp, it would sound exactly the same as the vid with the fender amp. It certainly is not my cup of tea but YMMV.

 

[LEMONed_Z]

Edgie: Your description on the Beano into the DLS is exactly what I was looking for. I was just wondering what's the deal with most TB users saying that solid state amps don't get much love from using a TB, so was wondering if I can get some input here.

Edgie what kinda amps you've tried with the Beano>DLS?

 

[jop]

hi u might want to go down to TYMC, and test the RC booster with the DLS and one of the solid state amp they had.

 

[LEMONed_Z]

? the RC booster is not a treble booster.

 

[edgie]

Edgie: Your description on the Beano into the DLS is exactly what I was looking for. I was just wondering what's the deal with most TB users saying that solid state amps don't get much love from using a TB, so was wondering if I can get some input here.

Edgie what kinda amps you've tried with the Beano>DLS?

I think it's because of how solid-state feels. They don't have that sag or spongy feel that tubes have and treble boosters will feel stiff into them. Not sure how it would go if the solid state amp has amp emulators on board. The DLS as you may know, was really built with the intention of pedal stacking so that becomes the "tube amp" in my pedal chain and usually the amps at gigs are solid state so i just set them to their flattest and cleanest and let the DLS do the do its thing.

As for the amps I tried that combo with, my own THD flexi-50 and when I bought it at blackwood, their Roland jc-120. I have yet to use them together in a gig. Also, just in case you'll interested, running a wah into that combo is no problem at all, it won't be shrill or anything negative. Pretty much like how a fuzz face would take a buffered wah.

 

[LEMONed_Z]

Hmm I guess I just have to try it out myself. Time to do online shipping.

 

[jop]

? the RC booster is not a treble booster.

it has high and bass eq to shape what kind of boost u want?

 

[edgie]

it has high and bass eq to shape what kind of boost u want?

Bro, treble boosters actually give out hi mids instead of the type of treble we find in EQs that it's a misnomerthat TBs are called as such. We're talking about boost which gives out something liked a cocked wah sound with a bit of fuzz thrown in. It's like Brian May's sound. Or if you don't know him yet, do check out Rory Gallagher to hear the nuances of a great treble booster(he used the Dallas Rangemaster, the granddaddy of all TBs).

 

[jop]

Bro, treble boosters actually give out hi mids instead of the type of treble we find in EQs that it's a misnomerthat TBs are called as such. We're talking about boost which gives out something liked a cocked wah sound with a bit of fuzz thrown in. It's like Brian May's sound. Or if you don't know him yet, do check out Rory Gallagher to hear the nuances of a great treble booster(he used the Dallas Rangemaster, the granddaddy of all TBs).

oh ok, thks for the information, learned something new too. geez the naming is really misleading ...