How many boosters have you tried to select your favorite one?

[separanets]

Hi,

 

I have tried quite a few boosters to crank low/moddle gain tube amps. Here's my list.

 

Owned

Boss Metalzone MT-2 (not a booster actually, sold

Boss SD-2 Dual Overdrive (sold)

H&K Tube Factor

Digitech Bad Monkey (sold)

Dunlop MXR Distortion+ M104 (sold)

Dunlop Microamp M133 (sold)

Boss DS-1 (MIC, Sold)

Proco Turbo Rat (sold)

Maxon ROD 881 (sold)

Maxon ROD 880 (sold)

 

Still own

Digitech Tone Driver (as good as a tube screamer,but the battery is run out too quickly )

Digitech Hod Rod

ProCo Rat Small Box 84'

ProCo Big Box Reissue

ProCo DeuceTone Rat

Marshall Guv'nor GV-2 (just for fun)

Maxon OD9

Maxon OD808

Maxon OD820

Maxon DS830

 

 

So what I like is

1) DeuceTone Rat in the Clean mode.

2) Small Box Rat 84'

3) Maxon OD808

4) Maxon OD9

 

What I didn't like was all that I sold, plus Marshall GV-2 and Digitech Hot Rod.

 

 

So my favorite one is the Clean Rat in the DeuceTone. Hope they will issue it as a separate pedal.

 

What I want to try is:

Hao Rust Booster (have you ever owned one?)

Xotic BB/RC/AC

FullTone OCD/FullDrive-2

Dunlup MXR Distortion III

Dunlop ZW44

DOD JYM 308

 

Finally, I think I need not an overdrive but moslty a booster, clean and maybe slightly overdriven.

 

What did/do you use, what else coukd you recommend out of my list?

 

Thanks.

[IRG]

Yeah, you've tried a lot of OD boosters, and seems like you have some good ones, so I would try a treble booster, or booster of another flavor. I just got a BBE Freq Boost, which is a copy of a Rangemast treble booster. By itself it's ok, you might be disappointed if you stopped there. But use it with an overdriven amp, or better yet in conjunction with an OD pedal and you will be surprised by the clarity, fullness and better tone you receive. I am really impressed especially with HB guitars. It doesn't cut bass, but it doesn't boost it either, it pushes the upper midrange and treble range instead. When I turn it off, it makes my sound almost flat.

 

There are a lot of options out there. I went with the BBE because I could buy it locally, and I liked the guy who sold it to me. There are more boutique options, and some very expensive ones too. Doubt they are much better but who knows. This is an option you might like a lot, especially if you are generally happy with the OD tones you have now, a treble will just make them better.

[Jerseyboy62]

I have two specific boost pedals that perform different functions

 

1) Analogman Sun Lion (Beano Boost) The boost side of the Sun Lion is a Dallas Rangemaster Clone treble booster. Analogman added a low/mid/high toggle to the mix which changes the tone color nicely for different boost needs. It is not a clean boost, it really grits up the tone. Think of its namesake the Blues Breaker w/ Clapton "Beano" Album. Also known for use by Rory Gallagher, Tony Iommi and Brian May to name a few.

 

Clips from Analogman site are here: http://www.analogman.com/beano.htm

 

2) HAO Rust Booster is a true clean boost that has an OD function when the boost knob is dialed beyond 3:00. The OD produced is very much that of the 60'-70's Ampeg crunch.

 

The other dirt in my arsenal is listed in my sig as well. Each also produces a different effect.

1) Sun Lion, Sun Face Fuzz NKT side is a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face clone.

2) HAO Rust Driver is OD Marshall Plexi Clone

3) Music Box Happy Cat- Rat Distortion Clone

[bennintexas]

sex drive

[JSutter]

kron

[Northstar]

The Retroman Beano is a good place to start also for a treble booster. It's another of those so-called Dallas Rangemaster clones and it's a pretty good one too.

[separanets]

Thank you guys that's really interesting!

 

Jerseyboy62 Hao Rust Driver is on its way to me, and thank you for mentioning about your Rust Booster and the Bwano boost, I totally forgot about it.

 

On the other hand, for some reason or other I didn't like the dunlop MXR Microamp; it wasn't that agressive or punchy or so.

[EDS1275]

beano boost....the guitar volume controll interation is fantastic

[pbone]

Fulltone Fat Boost 2. It's nice. Really does a FAT boost.

[NappyDugOut]

What I use/used for Boost..........

Keeley Sparkle Drive

Keeley TS-9(2nd favorite)

Keeley BD-2

Keeley DS-1(yes DS-1)

BBE Green Screamer

BBE Freq Boost

Keeley 2knob Compressor

Stealth Mod GE-7(3rd favorite)

Pearl Compressor

Wasabi overdrive

HBE Power Screamer(Favorite)

[separanets]

What do you think of these two booster I've just been offered?

 

Seymour Duncan SFX-01 Pickup Booster ($80 used, mint)

Xotic RC booster ($160, used, some dents on both sides)

[fuzzface71]

I actually use my Voodoo Labs Super Fuzz as a booster and an extra gain stage for solos with my overdrive (MJM Blues Devil)

 

The MXR Micro Amp is a great stand alone booster.

[IRG]

ANyone have two boosters on their board? I have a treble booster now, and almost think after using it a short time that it provides almost too much treble, but for some things it's great. So something like the Fulltone Fat Boost 2 which can boost bass also seems appealing, especially with SC guitars. So is having two boosters a bad idea?