Booster pedals for guitar solos

[Moonstone]

Hi everyone,
I'm a happy owner of an Orange OR15
I have a band, we play 60's/70's rock, and I need a pedal booster to boost my volume during guitar solos. I'm a purist, so I don't really like pedals, except a wah wah.

So, I'm a newbie who need advice, I've seen the new Pickup Booster from Seymour Duncan and I really like it. Is it good? Works well with Oranges and a Gibson SG?

Finally, a curiosity, exist a boost pedal that can give more headroom?

[Boy_Narf]

Welcome!

Xotic RC Booster, EP Booster <-- very popular options.
Timmy, Tim
Fulltone OCD
Wampler Euphoria <-- personal favorite.
ZVex SHO
Keely Katana
TC Spark <-- praised around here.
MXR Micro Amp <-- also receives much praise.
Any EQ pedal <-- a frequently overlooked option.

[jesperbc]

Electro-Harmonix Soul Food. It's dirt cheap, but it delivers both volume and/or dirt for all you boosting needs, and if you like it as a clean boost, get another for lead boost, 'cause it's just so damn cheap. I love mine.

[Les Paul Lover]

I have a.clone of the Zvex Sho that I.like very much.

For your 2nd question, no, you can't increase the headroom of 15w amp.

You could try to reamp it, bit if you do go that far, you probably.don't have the right amp - you'd need a 30 or 50W amp.

[StinkMitten]

Love my Spark Mini and in front of a Crybaby it can get pretty awesome.

[Ronnie Robinson]

Hello, cheap and easily available second hand the MXR Micro Amp... Works really well with Orange amps. I also use and really like the fulltone OCD

[fiveightandten]

I use the Seymour Duncan Pickup booster. I'm also a pedal hater. It's the only thing that made me happy for a solo boost. I'll talk your ear off about it, no worries there.

The pickup booster is completely transparent. It adds 100% clean gain, with no coloration from the pedal. The only tonal change you will hear is the change of the amp responding to a hotter input source. That type of change is noticeable after about 8dB or so of boost, as i've noticed with most amps. Obviously the voicing switch will change the sound if you don't have it in the bypassed mode. It's supposed to make a single coil sound like a humbucker. Personally, I want my single coils to sound like single coils. When I want a humbucker, I pick up a Les Paul. So I always keep the voicing switch in the middle (no alteration).

They made 2 different versions. If I recall, one has a minimum boost of 6dB, and one has a 3dB minimum. I sought out the 3dB minimum model. If you get one, i'd suggest you do the same. It just has more flexibility. If you just want a subtle boost, you can't go lower than 6dB with that version. I usually find myself dialing in between 8dB and 12dB of boost. It depends on the guitar, and the song. I use it to boost my gain level notably, as opposed to just volume. So those are somewhat extreme settings. For just a volume boost, 3db to 7dB or so works just fine without really changing the breakup level very much. But it depends on the amp, and how much gain you dial in.

This is a very simple pedal that just plain does what it's supposed to do. I find it extremely useful, and it does things that I can't do with my volume knob. It allows a very wide range of gain. Bear in mind that if you're already playing fully saturated, it's not really going to boost *volume*. If you play with low or moderate amounts of gain, it will kick both volume and breakup up, depending on the amount of boost you dial in.

FYI, they tell you to put the pedal first in your chain, even before your tuner. It absolutely has to be used that way. I've tried it after my tuner, and it didn't sound good that way. It has to be connected directly to your guitar to work properly...the first thing in the chain.

Hope that helps. I highly recommend it.


-Nick

[Moonstone]

Thanks! Now I'll take a look to all those pedals. Also I forgot to say that I love semplicity, true bypass and possibly a transparent boost. Let's see if I find something that I like...

[S&m freddy]

If you just want a volume hike try a clean boost last in the loop. You can get a massive volume hike this way without compressing the front end. I use a Nobels Pre-1 pedal for this....as it has a remote footswitch jack.....but any graphic or clean boost pedal should work.

[Moonstone]

If you just want a volume hike try a clean boost last in the loop. You can get a massive volume hike this way without compressing the front end. I use a Nobels Pre-1 pedal for this....as it has a remote footswitch jack.....but any graphic or clean boost pedal should work.

Well, I prefer more volume, than more volume + gain. Have you got some names of clean booster?

[Foef]

If you just want a volume hike try a clean boost last in the loop. You can get a massive volume hike this way without compressing the front end. I use a Nobels Pre-1 pedal for this....as it has a remote footswitch jack.....but any graphic or clean boost pedal should work.

Well, I prefer more volume, than more volume + gain. Have you got some names of clean booster?

Loads of clean boosters available. The forementioned Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster, Z-Vex Super Hard On, Xotic EP Booster, MXR Micro Amp, Fulltone Fat Boost and whatever else is available. Just check Youtube clips and soak up all the info. You'll be amazed by what's outthere.

[Les Paul Lover]

If you just want a volume hike try a clean boost last in the loop. You can get a massive volume hike this way without compressing the front end. I use a Nobels Pre-1 pedal for this....as it has a remote footswitch jack.....but any graphic or clean boost pedal should work.

Well, I prefer more volume, than more volume + gain. Have you got some names of clean booster?

Most of those mentioned are clean booster.

MXR Micro Amp
ZVex SHO
Any EQ pedal

But even an OD pedal can ake a fantastic boost - just keep the gain / drive low and the volume high.

The only thing to bear in mind is that the boost is done by transistor, and when maxed they do distort - though wen you want that much boost, you probably are after that extra distortion.

The Zvex SHO (Super Hard On), is totally transparent. very good. I like it a lot.

[Wendigo]

Love my Spark Mini and in front of a Crybaby it can get pretty awesome.

I just had to log in to thumbs up you name, man!

There was a girl band from Surrey, B.C. named Stinkmit once.

[Moon]

I run a Mooer Pure Boost as the last pedal in my effects loop. Fantastic little pedal for the price. Turn the gain down and the volume up and you get a clean volume hike or gain up and volume down for a little extra grit...plus everything in between.

[Man1ak]

+1 for the Mooer Pure Boost. Very clean and can cover anything from colourless to plenty of colours with Bass and Treble controls. I would be careful with placing a booster in the FX loop. If you are already running your amp flat out you may damage it. If you leave some space on the volume knob and you are mindful about the boost volume you should be ok.