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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Joe's Guitars, Amps and Gear → What's your boost?
Hey folks,
I am looking for an awesome boost pedal to push my Two Rock into thick, but transparent clean with a crispy top. I currently use a TC Spark Mini, which is a great boost, but lately it sounded too hi-fi. I am not looking for a crunch sound or any TS related circuits to boost the amp. I am more looking for dirty cleans.
What do you guys use for this purpose? Please share your experience. Thanks, friends :-)
Hey folks,
I am looking for an awesome boost pedal to push my Two Rock into thick, but transparent clean with a crispy top. I currently use a TC Spark Mini, which is a great boost, but lately it sounded too hi-fi. I am not looking for a crunch sound or any TS related circuits to boost the amp. I am more looking for dirty cleans.
What do you guys use for this purpose? Please share your experience. Thanks, friends :-)
I use an older BadBob which was is currently made by Analogman according to the original specs of the creator of the pedal Robbie Wallace (I think that was his name). It has a tiny bit of 'hair`added to the boost which makes it sound fantastic. I have always thought Fender blackface amps should have these soldered to the input jack. It is that good a boost pedal.
The other boost pedal is hardly worth mentioning because it is attached to a double pedal so is very expensive. It is the Analogman King of Tone. The boost side of that pedal is to die for. Absolutely the most beautiful sound I have ever heard while I really didn't like the overdrive sound.
Edited to add you fellow countryman Henrik Freischlader has a really simple pedal board with two boost pedals on it and his tone is killer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q2lDZ89lbg
Any chance you'll do an interview with him in English?
I can recommend 2 boosts/overdrives from personal experience. One of which is used by Matt Schofield to obtain that glorious tone from his Two Rock amp.
I am talking about the Free The Tone MS-SOV which is officially an overdrive pedal but can be used as a simple boost. The other pedal I use with the MS-SOV, and keep it on a lot of the time to dirty-up the clean tones of my Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb is the Okko Diablo Gain Plus. Again it is described a low-to-medium overdrive pedal but I keep the first gain quite low to provide a boost. I set the boost a little higher for extra drive when I need it. The MS-SOV stacked into the Okko gives a lovely thick tone without being heavily overdriven.
I am talking about the Free The Tone MS-SOV which is officially an overdrive pedal but can be used as a simple boost.
Ahhhh yes.... I forgot about this pedal and I have to tell you it is one of the only pedals I still want to own. Kind of costly to be sure but what an incredible sound! Jimi75 said he didn't want an overdrive style boost but you may have hit upon the only one that I bet he would be happy with. I believe I would use the overdrive part as well since it just seems to make a strat sound more 'straty'... 
My volume control
My volume control
Not working with a one channel amp that is mainly constructed for staying clean also with high volume, and to serve as a pedal platform. Worked great with my CS Les Paul into my JTM45, but playing smaller clubs mainly, the cranked amp caused some discussions with the FOMs ;/)
I am a distinct "volume pot rider", but with my set up I prefer an always on boost, also to get more out of my amp.
I can recommend 2 boosts/overdrives from personal experience. One of which is used by Matt Schofield to obtain that glorious tone from his Two Rock amp.
I am talking about the Free The Tone MS-SOV which is officially an overdrive pedal but can be used as a simple boost. The other pedal I use with the MS-SOV, and keep it on a lot of the time to dirty-up the clean tones of my Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb is the Okko Diablo Gain Plus. Again it is described a low-to-medium overdrive pedal but I keep the first gain quite low to provide a boost. I set the boost a little higher for extra drive when I need it. The MS-SOV stacked into the Okko gives a lovely thick tone without being heavily overdriven.
Thanks for your reply. I had the SOV-2, which is a wonderful pedal, no doubt. I just found it to be a little too muddy, so I've sold it. Your word make me rethink, though :-)
Jimi75 wrote:Hey folks,
I am looking for an awesome boost pedal to push my Two Rock into thick, but transparent clean with a crispy top. I currently use a TC Spark Mini, which is a great boost, but lately it sounded too hi-fi. I am not looking for a crunch sound or any TS related circuits to boost the amp. I am more looking for dirty cleans.
What do you guys use for this purpose? Please share your experience. Thanks, friends :-)
I use an older BadBob which was is currently made by Analogman according to the original specs of the creator of the pedal Robbie Wallace (I think that was his name). It has a tiny bit of 'hair`added to the boost which makes it sound fantastic. I have always thought Fender blackface amps should have these soldered to the input jack. It is that good a boost pedal.
The other boost pedal is hardly worth mentioning because it is attached to a double pedal so is very expensive. It is the Analogman King of Tone. The boost side of that pedal is to die for. Absolutely the most beautiful sound I have ever heard while I really didn't like the overdrive sound.
Edited to add you fellow countryman Henrik Freischlader has a really simple pedal board with two boost pedals on it and his tone is killer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q2lDZ89lbg
Any chance you'll do an interview with him in English?
There's a pedal called the Prince Of Tone which seems to be the boost side only. It sounds intriguing...
Keeley Katana seems to be a very popular choice ws well. Not tried one myself yet, but heard very good things.
I like my Xotic RC-Booster very much. I use it for pretty much exactly what you are talking about.
I have en electro harmonix glove o/d distortion pedal that is excellent and I use this alongside a cheap Behringher tube driver. Works really well. Definitely worth a try. 
Fulltone Fulldrive 2 - I've been using it for 12 years (into a Dr. Z MAZ 38, which is pretty clean). You can dial back the first stage to add just a bit of hair, although the second stage is always pretty thick.
There's a pedal called the Prince Of Tone which seems to be the boost side only. It sounds intriguing...
Yeah but I would do some research on that pedal. I have looked into it as well and there are as many 'haters' as there are 'lovers' of that pedal. I once asked Mike (Analogman) if he could just make the boost side of the King of Tone and he responded that he had a pedal called The Prince of Tone. Not what I was asking for and the reviews I read later really turned me off that pedal. The BadBob on the other hand is spectacular and has a LOT of boost and is not expensive.
Highly recommend the Scorpio Super Boost by Celestial Effects. I own two, one for each of my boards. One knob, and that is all you need. Original design, not a clone and sounds killer. I also own their Saggitarius Overdrive which has the boost and a great overdrive.
Anyone tried the Providence SOV-2?
If so, anyone compared it to the Free The Tone equivalent? Is the FOT one really worth £100 more?
Anyone tried the Providence SOV-2?
If so, anyone compared it to the Free The Tone equivalent? Is the FOT one really worth £100 more?
I've tried both. The FOT sounds more amp-like and organic.
I have the Carl Martin compressor doing the boost thing rather than a dedicated boost pedal. I got the idea after watching an Andy Timmons rig run down. It does the job beautifully.
I have the Carl Martin compressor doing the boost thing rather than a dedicated boost pedal. I got the idea after watching an Andy Timmons rig run down. It does the job beautifully.
Compressors are totally new ground for me - zero experience with them.
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