Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Lew on October 02, 2009, 04:58:58 PM

Title: Best booster?
Post by: Lew on October 02, 2009, 04:58:58 PM
Yo, I want to tighten up the gain side of my Elmwood and get it more focused when it has the dirt on + it could use a bit more gain. Nollys BB preamp worked well but I wonder if anyone has a cheaper option than spending 170quid! I don't fancy any pos Boss either though!
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: Stevepage on October 02, 2009, 05:01:25 PM
Digitech Bad Monkey. Surposed to be a very good reliable pedal.

MXR Custom shop OD or Zakk Wylde pedal. Apparently they share a very similar circuit.

Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: Will on October 02, 2009, 05:04:09 PM
The MXR GT-OD, ZW - OD and CAE - OD all sound very different IMO.
CAE is a bit fuzzy
GT is a bit compressed
Can't quite remember what I disliked about the ZW now... but I really hated it, and it kept breaking
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: Twinfan on October 02, 2009, 05:08:34 PM
Depends how you want to add the gain.  Do you want the pedal to do it and do some EQ-ing?  Any Tubescreamer-type would be the obvious example here.  Bad Monkey or ToneRider would be your cheaper options.

If you want to push the valves into more gain instead, I've tried quite a few boosters and the Rothwell F1 Boost is the best I've tried.
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: Denim n Leather on October 02, 2009, 05:25:37 PM
If you're looking to tighten up the tone you already have, there are three pedals that will do that nicely:

1. A Klon Centaur

2. Lizard Legs Flying Dragon.

(http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq33/Phantom_Isle/fd2.jpg)

3. Hermida Zen Drive

(http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/qq33/Phantom_Isle/Zendrivemp.jpg)


They are priced at both ends of the price spectrum, and are by no means the same pedal, sonically, but they apply the same basic principle -- your tone, just more of it.

(waits for slew of posts contradicting this  ...)
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: mikey5 on October 02, 2009, 05:55:39 PM
I use the Mi Audio Blues Boy Deluxe. It is decent. Man if you have an amp as kick @ss as an elmwood you should run a decent boost into it. Like a BB Preamp. I have to say that is my absolute favorite.
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: Lew on October 02, 2009, 06:57:51 PM
Ta for the fast replies! I'll go read up on all the suggestions. Bad Monkey, really? I wont buy anything with Zakk Wylde written it, shallow I know!

TF - I don't really know, I don't want it to sound like I'm standing on a dirt box.
D@L - basically yea + some more gain would be good.

The amp sounds great it just needs more focus and tightening up + a little more gain for heavy riffing. It's perfect as is for classic rock but I've got a couple of heavier projects coming up. I only have the gain at 70% ish on the second chan, if I ride the gain too much on the amp it loses alot of the definition that makes it sound so good.

You're probably right Mikey but I really don't fancy spending 170 (plus postage!). I'm looking out for used stuff too.
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: d1dsj on October 02, 2009, 09:20:57 PM
I used either C.A. line driver or an MXR Micro amp to push the pre amp, both worked well for me without a huge cost. They are both essentially the same pedal I believe. 
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: dave_mc on October 02, 2009, 09:46:22 PM
the centaur is badass as D&L rightly said, but if you don't want to pay £170 for a BB preamp you probably don't want to pay £300 for the klon... :lol:

I must look into that lizard legs one, never heard of them before. :)

Depending on how much tightening you want, an od might be better than a plain booster? would definitely be worth trying both, anyway, just to be certain.
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: Plexi Ken on October 02, 2009, 09:49:04 PM
EHX LPB-1 best value booster there is, if you don't like it, you've not lost much  :)
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: camf on October 02, 2009, 10:02:24 PM
I hear what you say about POS Boss, but I put a modded GE7 in my effects loop and pulled DOWN the sliders for chord work and then switch it off for lead... works like a total charm. Gives great tone and no noise. Just a suggestion.
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: tomjackson on October 03, 2009, 10:00:33 AM
I'm awaiting an MI Audio Boost and Buff, they are meant to be very nice but I can't say for sure because after 3 weeks I'm still waiting!

Here's a clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9UjlXkgZQQ

Should get it next week so will post a review / clips
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: HTH AMPS on October 03, 2009, 03:46:07 PM
from what's been described, a pedal that actually rolls off some bass end when engaged is gonna be best to keep the OD tight.  you really don't need to spend a fotune here, a simple SD-1 will do fine.
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: juansolo on October 04, 2009, 09:59:23 AM
EHX LPB-1 best value booster there is, if you don't like it, you've not lost much  :)

I reckon anyone with rudimentary soldering skills could knock one up for a fiver or so.
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: gwEm on October 04, 2009, 10:53:06 AM
from what's been described, a pedal that actually rolls off some bass end when engaged is gonna be best to keep the OD tight.  you really don't need to spend a fotune here, a simple SD-1 will do fine.

+1

i also like modded ge-7
Title: Re: Best booster?
Post by: Lew on October 04, 2009, 02:06:21 PM
Ta again  8)