How do you "boost"?

[VENTGtr]

Curious as to everyone's choice in boost when they go to a lead section.

Not necessarily where the amp has a separate "boost" or a "lead" channel. Thinking more outboard gear. A compressor, a clean boost, EQ ped, etc.

What have you found works, what doesn't, why (Sounds good but is
too noisy, etc.)? Have a coupl'a things in my chain for just this purpose,
depending on the part, but have been considering other options.

What I have now are:

ElectroHarmonix Nano. A clean boost. If you place it after a pedal, or,
apparently, in the FX Loop, it does a good enough job. Can adjust "Gain"
but that's really just the volume. Is definitely a clean boost, but if you
want a bit more of anything, have to look elsewhere.

Boss DS-1. I keep the Distortion level down and set the tone to wherever
works. Does the job well enough, but it's still a Distortion pedal so can add
a bit of noise. Also have a Boss OD that works well enough, but can be
just a little muddier than I'd like.

[orangekick]

I do it one of two ways. I have an MI Audio Blues Pro pedal that has the gain down and the level cranked. That's the one that I hit most of the times for leads that just need a bit "more." When I need more as well as more level, I hit my Dice Works Muff Diver on the clean channel. It's a clone of the Big Muff that David Gilmour used for most of the 70's.

[mjb]

i use a tube screamer ts-2 but my main axe is clapton strat and the bottom tone knob is a 25db gain. i roll that puppy on for leads and she just zings. all i need for what i do. i've gotton so used to this guitar that i'm just not happy playing my standard strats. rolling the tone knob up is almost like having a humbucker when you want it. the bassman w/ 4 10s doesn't hurt either.

[VENTGtr]

You guys familiar with either the Fulltone FB2 or MXR MC-402.

Used a Fulltone of some sort at one point and liked it but not sure
how well it'd work with the current setup.

Having a boost in the volume or tone knobs would be pretty cool. Was
just talking about that option.

[onegunguitar]

My ENGL Fireball has 2 master volumes when using the footswitch,works fantastic. Kick in Master B and the lead volume sounds even sweeter because the tubes are getting pushed even harder.

[Banned]

Daxman turned me on to this one - an EQ pedal in the effects loop is GREAT for boosting leads.

You use the level to add volume (a few DBs go a long way) and can tailor the EQ curve any way you want. Not so useful if you need to get more gain, unless you get that MXR 10-band with the gain slider.

[lonewolf]

The Boss GT-10 has 2 preamp paths and 2 control footswitches per program. My 4 basic programs are acoustic, clean, crunch and metal that use the "A" preamp channel. I assign the "A-B" preamp switch to control pedal 2 and have an appropriate preamp "B" solo sound and volume for each program.

The control pedal 1 activates an effect for A and another for B.

My Koch Studiotone and Twintone amps have footswitchable channels for solo.

[JackANSI]

I don't think I've ever brought it out, but on bass I use an EQ. The Boss PQ-3B 3-band parametric. I usually: +3 to +5db of mid-mid-high, +3db of highs, drop the lows a tad (this depends on the room). Then level to 1 o'clock (12 is 0, its a -/+ knob based on unity).

Boss stopped making that pedal as far as i know... I don't know why.

I seem to have a thing for parametric EQ's... They rock any other type IMO. Speaking of...

[orangekick]

I'm considering getting an EQ pedal to put in the loop. There have been times where I could just use louder, not louder and different.

[VENTGtr]

There have been times where I could just use louder, not louder and different.

OK,

Then you'd love the little ElectroHarmonix Nano. And it can definitely get louder.

[tonefight]

I have a fulltone FD2 ( not sure what the FB2 is ) It is a distortion with boost, I love the sound of this pedal but the boost disappointed me, it gives a distortion boost but no volume boost. I've been using the electroharmonix boost pedal as my volume boost.
Fulltone pedals are good quality good sounding stuff though.

[tonefight]

Just went on sweetwaters website ( highly recomend them by the way, will never go back to musicians friend ) Looks like the FB-2 could be your answer if you wanna add some drive and volume to your leads. The rough thing is you never know how things are gonna act with other pedals.
Also i had more luck with my electroharmonix before the fulltone, when I had it after it was very sensitive and before its more adjustable.

[BloodyFingers]

Volume pedal

[orangekick]

Volume pedal

You have a volume pedal that boosts? What kind is it?

[Killjingle]

I wont waste another dime on a volume pedal. I tried 3 different ones yrs ago. It doesnt work for heavily saturated guitar.

I been also thinking about an EQ. Looking at my pedal config the other day; nothing I own has any boost. I do use my compressor sustainer for leads cause I love how it squeezes the tone, but its def not enough. A small boost would be beneficial.

Have u tried one yet OKick?

[onegunguitar]

I wont waste another dime on a volume pedal. I tried 3 different ones yrs ago. It doesnt work for heavily saturated guitar.

I been also thinking about an EQ. Looking at my pedal config the other day; nothing I own has any boost. I do use my compressor sustainer for leads cause I love how it squeezes the tone, but its def not enough. A small boost would be beneficial.

Have u tried one yet OKick?

You won't get a whole lot of boost from an eq. pedal in front of the amp,it'll shape the tone of the pickups and give you a little bit of gain. In the loop is a different story,it'll give you all kinds of volume boost.

[orangekick]

I know a bunch of people who use an EQ in the loop for a boost. The good thing about doing that is that you can shape the tone of the boost to whatever works best for your mix. I actually plan on trying this soon just for kicks.

[CMOR]

As stupid as it may sound, I have a setting that I programmed into my Zoom processor that is just a volume boost. On a scale of 1-30, regular volume is around 20-22. With no effects, I set the volume for around 26(depending on the room). It also makes it easy to get intentional feedback if I so desire.

I'm actually in the process of buying Moondoggy's Mesa M-2000 which has 2 independent channels and the mix option. All I'll have to do is set one channel a little louder, but like Orangekick said louder but different.

Not bad for bass volume issues.

[stratobastard27]

I've got the Line 6 PodXT live, and it has 4 switches per channel. Amp model on/off, dist pedal, modulation pedal, delay pedal. The amp switch, can be overridden to always have the amp model on (which I want) and then that pedal can be used as a compressor. So I set it to +3dB and no ratio. I have this available on all my patches. works great for me.

[metalchurch]

Daxman turned me on to this one - an EQ pedal in the effects loop is GREAT for boosting leads.

You use the level to add volume (a few DBs go a long way) and can tailor the EQ curve any way you want. Not so useful if you need to get more gain, unless you get that MXR 10-band with the gain slider.

I used an old DOD FX-40, but I got rid of that a long time ago.
Now I'm searching for the best method to boost my signal w/out adding gain or changing my tone.

I'm wondering if I should go that route or get a volume pedal or some other signal boost.

I'm currently using the voicing switch on my Poweramp ("A" is vintage, and "B" is Modern/High Gain) it's ok, but I'm finding that I like the "B" voicing better for rhythms, so that leaves me with no extra 'boost'...

One of my guitars have an EMG PA-2 preamp (toggle), it works great, but that's the only one equipped like that.

I'm wondering if I can mount that PA-2 in-line so that I can utilize it for all of my guitars. Time consuming, but do-able...

Like I said, I'm thinking about an EQ like the GE-7 w/ a flat EQ curve, just wondering who else uses this method and what to look out for.

[lonewolf]

Now I'm searching for the best method to boost my signal w/out adding gain or changing my tone.

Get a clean boost and put it in the FX loop. It might push your power tubes a little harder, but you'll get the volume boost you want without much, if any, change in tone.

A clean boost in front of the preamp pushes the preamp tubes even more and makes a hot preamp even hotter without much increase in volume. That's why it doesn't work very well.

You can do the same with an EQ set flat. You may find that you want to tweak your solo tone with the EQ, too.

[onegunguitar]

EQ in the loop Joe,will work fine for what ya want.

[JackANSI]

When looking for boost I prefer turbos.. some people are addicted to the whine of a supercharger, I prefer the banshee-like scream of a turbo..

So I usually use something from Mitsubishi, like the 'big' 16G for the WRX, which keeps the low-end torque below 2500rpm, but really hammers hard with good boost around 3000rpm. Right now, with the cold air out there, its proving difficult to actually use much beyond 11psi. The clutch in the WRX is only rated for 315ftlbs and its starting to slip a bit at peak torque.

In the Conquest, I like the 20G for road/autocross/drift and the 25G for drag/dyno queen duties. The 20G spools a little slow for autocross, but on courses with any kind of decent straight, you can make up tons of time. If you can keep the back end of the car behind you, of course.

[metalchurch]

..You may find that you want to tweak your solo tone with the EQ, too.

That's what I'm thinkin, cause the tone that I'm trying to achieve isn't gonna happen using my rhythm sound/EQ.
I'll have to check and see if my Engl preamp has an fx loop or not, I can't remember...It almost has to.

Thanks for the help Scott and Jeff.

...Maybe I'll try Rob's approach and try to find a rackmounted intercooler to keep things cooled off.

[lonewolf]

..You may find that you want to tweak your solo tone with the EQ, too.

I'll have to check and see if my Engl preamp has an fx loop or not, I can't remember...It almost has to.

Even if it doesn't have an FX loop, the connection between the preamp and the power amp is the same location as an FX loop. you can just connect the EQ or boost there.