Finding the right boost pedal

TTBZ

May be a long post ahead with lots of cliche guitar terms so you have been warned haha. 

So, I've got an itch to try another boost pedal and I'd never really considered a treble/full range boost til I saw some videos of the Catalinbread Naga Viper (does full range through to treble boost) through a Fender and a Marshall and it sounded awesome to me. I'd always associated treble boost with tones I didn't like (Brian May and Tony Iommi) but it seemed to give the tone a really cool character. My first question is, do you really need a dark amp to get the best out of them? I'm currently using a Laney GH50L which isn't dark by any stretch of the imagination - with the resonance off its like a higher gain JCM800 with more low end and more lower mids than the marshally higher mids. Will it work with this setup or am I going to be left with a thin and brittle tone? 

What I want to achieve with a boost-  set my amp up for a mid gain crunch with less mids and high than I normally use, use that sound for quieter parts of songs like verses, then kick in the boost for choruses or bits I want to have more emphasis. More fatness, fullness, mids, saturation, 3D quality to the tone, harmonic content and all that bollocks. Basically a more button. My band is kind of stoner rock/grunge so imagine that kind of sound for the heavier bits. 

What I don't want - thin and brittle tone like Iommi etc as mentioned, bass cut, harsh ice pick high end.

I've tried the following - tubescreamer, too polite and bland sounding even with the gain up and cuts too much bass. Spark Boost - liked it on fat mode to start with but something grated with it eventually. Keeley rat - closest to what I want so far but I find the low end a bit too mushy and vague. Feels like a pedal. My LPB1 isn't bad but I find it best as a lead boost. Considered fuzzes but most sound like a bad distortion pedal to me and tend to work best with a clean amp.

Based on that will I be disappointed with a treble or full range booster and if so should I consider something along the lines of a Timmy, EP Booster, EQ (eqd tone job), anything else?

mike_l

What amp/guitar are you using, as that will have a huge impact on which pedals sound best.

My own lead boost of choice when I don't know what amp I'm using is the Boss SD-1. Cheap, reliable and works with just about any amp.

Other choices would be the MXR GT-OD, MXR Distortion3 or Nobels ODR-1.

TTBZ

It's a Gibson SG and GH50L. I'd looked at the SD1 and the price/boss build and switch do appeal but isn't it basically a tubescreamer ? It's not really a lead boost I'm after either (I use the lpb for that), more something for fleshing out rhythm and riffs. 

Tbh I can get fairly close to what i want with the footswitchable gain boost on my amp but I really prefer the feel of using a boost to drive the front end of the amp.

timmysoft

OCD or boss sd1w. 

TTBZ

Mm the SD1w on custom mode sounds like it might work. Either that or the BD2w, not sure which would work better for me. I like the idea of a relatively tried and tested Boss as I don't know if I can be arsed with the whole wormhole of booteek pedals.

ThePrettyDamned

I'm with @mike_l suggestions on this one. 

Although an sd1 is nearly a tubescreamer, it does have a slightly different character. You may find it cuts too much bass though. 

I'd opt for an Mxr dist iii if you don't like tubescreamers. Tons of volume boost on tap and you can dial in the pedal distortion as you need. Doesn't cut loads of bass. 

Dopesick

How aboot a Zvex Channel 2 Boost.

paulphoenix

check out the MI boost n buff for flexibility.

i have a V3 which is switchable between treble/mid/full(clean) boost and has separate volume and gain pots and a built in buffer.

the V4 has an extra switch to choose buffer or TB.

it runs off 9V but has an internal voltage doo hickey to give it 18 or 24V? 

it's quite orange though! 

hubobulous

Koko Boost. My favourite pedal and sounds like it would fit the bill

57Deluxe

/\ +1 I can even use mine without any preamp into powered or battery/unpowered PC /portable speakers and still get a usable tone/volume level for teaching with! Doesn't colour your tone either when using with your full rig. Best  £11.50 I ever spent!

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1I65sLXXXXXbXXpXXq6xXFXXX7/KOKKO-FBS2-Mini-Booster-Pedal-Portable-2-Band-EQ-Guitar-Effect-Pedal-High-Quality-Guitar-Parts.jpg

AND - has Glow-in-the-dark Dial markers!

hubobulous

Ah, I was referring to the Suhr Koko boost

Sassafras

Buy a 2nd hand Naga Viper or any other full range TB. You won't lose out if you decide you don't like it.
TBs are great and respond very well to your guitar's volume pot.

TTBZ

I'll have to keep an eye out but haven't seen many about 2nd hand at the minute. 

I said I wasn't going to look at fuzz pedals but I'm actually really intrigued by the DOD Carcosa as it apparently does fuzzy overdrive into a dirty amp really well without getting too muddy. And it's cheaper than most other options!

juansolo

Where in the UK are you. If you're in the north, we have a lot of that sort of thing that you could try until you found something that worked for you. I have a couple of suggestions, but recommending my own stuff is a bit off. So go Timmy for an OD style boost or an EP Booster if you just want more of everything.

clarkefan

GE-7, dial in any boost you want

kjdowd

+1 on the suhr koko boost. Old one with two switches allows you to go between full spectrum and mid boost. 

TTBZ

@juansolo I've seen your stuff before and it looks great, unfortunately I'm in the midlands otherwise I'd take you up on that offer.

The Suhr is a bit out of my price range unfortunately, should have stated it'd be about £100-ish.

simonk

Take a look at the Magnetic Effects Zola.

DannyP

I made the fuzzdog pedal parts Naga Viper clone called the Hot Snake and I find it pretty indispensable now. I love the control it gives you over the tone of the boost. It works great with fuzzes to get retro tones. Used in extreme settings, it can almost reach cocked wah kind of tones.

Great as a solo boost, or an 'always on'. Great when you need to cut through a band mix. Great when you need to tune your tone to the room you're gigging in.

Some of the adjectives you use to describe your target tones are not ones I'd necessarily associate with the NV - but if you can solder, I'd wholeheartedly recommend the fuzzdog Hot Snake as a cheaper way of checking it out. Even if it's not everything you're looking for, it's a very useful pedal.

vasselmeyer

I'm a bit surprised that you didnt get on with the TC Spark Boost. I always thought it didn't sound like anything other than the amp it's going through if you use the "clean" setting on the toggle.

TTBZ

@DannyP cool I didn't realise Fuzz Dogs did a Naga Viper clone i have a Fuzz War and lpb clone from them so I might check that out!

Edit - just had a look and bloody hell I didn't realise the circuit was so simple! That'll almost be as easy and as quick to build as the LPB1. And to think I was looking at paying £100+ for the C'bread version... My board is going to become attack of the clones at this rate.