Best Boost Pedal

[Rex Rocker]

Most of the time, it's the Ibanez TS808. Honestly, it may not be the best in every scenario, epecially with so many well-designed alternatives nowadays, but it's really what everything is compared to. Nothing quite nails the creamy mid voicing and the raspy voicing to the clipping.

However, I also really like the MXR Wylde Overdrive. Pretty much an SD-1 perfected for amps that are too tubby for the 808.

 

[Purpleibby]

Koko Boost V1

 

[Jimty]

Maxon OD808X for my JMP and Friedman Buxom Boost for my Stiletto. The other amps have as much gain and get as tight as I want them to be without boosting (Mark IV, VH4, MCII build from Headfirst).

 

[PDC]

For an amp that I absolutely love the sound of and want as transparent a push as possible, the one-knob TC Spark Mini. For an amp that can get a bit tubby down low that I want to tighten up, the TS-Mini.

 

[BIGKAHUNA]

For whatever reason I have never really got along with boost pedals. I've tried a few but...pulled out my FJA Mods boost I got back in 2008 or so and tried it with the XTC and that is it for me. It just takes what the amp is doing an ascends it to another level without a bunch of hiss or noise. Clean boost? I have no idea, but I like it. For shits and giggles I ordered that Silver Pony kit from BYOC for a project....will see how that goes. If nothing else it'll be fun.

 

[MusicIsLife]

Ibanez Tube King (US Version). Basically a Butler Tube Driver, but with an active EQ. I max the output, bump the mids a little, slight bit of bass cut, and then turn up the gain to the first notch where it's no longer perfectly clean, so just barely a hint of grit.

 

[hopkinWFG]

As always the classic maxon od808 for the slight edge without coloring ya tone

 

[M@tt C]

Friedman Buxom boost, with the Koko boost if I wanna boost just mids.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Not trying to hijack the thread but I need a distortion pedal. I’m covered with boosts. Would that tc pre scratch my itch? I had a suhr riot reloaded but it just didn’t do it for me.

 

[cobrahead1030]

I've found many of the popular ones work well in the right context. I run boosts with my deliverance, 5150, mark V, & badlander anywhere from clean to screaming lead or chug city.

• I've got a Browne Carbon (blues breaker) that's great for adding just a little compression & hair to clean to mid gain sounds.
• J Rockett Archer (klon) is pretty versatile, it works well slamming a driven amp with the volume or cranking the drive into a cleaner sound.
• Griffin Analog Boris (ds1) adds a great nasty grind & tightens up low end on higher gain sounds
• Suhr Koko is a good transparent boost for high gain applications, I like using the low-mid boost sparingly
• OD808 (tubescreamer) I actually don't usually love for rhythm sounds, but used it as a lead boost playing live for the longest time. Lots of volume, just a little bit of drive, and tone knob dialed back so my lead sound would darken up a bit.
• Nobels mini (ODR1) I just got recently, I actually find it similar in feel to a tubescreamer, but less mid hump and low end roll off. It can be a bit woofy sounding on the lows, I like it with a Strat/tele.

 

[TheGreatGreen]

Not trying to hijack the thread but I need a distortion pedal. I’m covered with boosts. Would that tc pre scratch my itch? I had a suhr riot reloaded but it just didn’t do it for me.

The TC Pre is not a distortion pedal, it's entirely an EQ pedal.

(it's excellent though and I'd still recommend one even if you have a bunch of other boosts already)

 

[Soundstorm]

Boss SD-1
Pepers Dirty Tree
J. Rockett Archer (silver)

I have a lot of boost pedals. Like a LOT. I can cover any tone I'm after between these three.

 

[JackBootedThug]

The TC Pre is not a distortion pedal, it's entirely an EQ pedal.

(it's excellent though and I'd still recommend one even if you have a bunch of other boosts already)

Ohhh had no idea…thanks!

 

[psychodave]

Koko Boost V1
View attachment 296015

Looks like you modded that flanger for 18v?

 

[Purpleibby]

Looks like you modded that flanger for 18v?

Yes indeed, good eye....was originally a 70's AC powered one....I gave it a fresh sprague atom cap while I was there....I need to give the Reticon SAD1024A a new socket but it's working great so I didn't F with it.

 

[Classic]

The SD1 or similar derivatives are what I use. I’ve never gelled with a TS.

 

[shar-vell Dan]

Like saying "whats your favorite vagina and why ?"
If i could only have one it'd be my modified RAT with original Motorola can type LM308 op amp.
It just never fails to deliver.

 

[harddriver]

VFE standout for modern tones.

Original V1 Timmy for almost everything else.

Peper's Dirty Tree for honorable mention.

I totally agree with Dave about the VFE standout. It depends on the tones you are going for and what amp you are using them with.

VFE standout....Makes my Splawn modded Marshall sound and respond more like my Randall RG100ES PQ3/MXR 6band setup(modern tones)

SRB OD808plus.....Classic rock and hard rock tones it has two modes OD808 and SD-1. Great pedal..no longer made

Maxon OD808 reissue....great pedal into Marshalls or Mesa Dual recto's as a clean boost set dirt to taste

Boss SD-1.....great classic rock hard rock pedal into mostly Marshalls as a clean boost set dirt to taste

Rat 85 whiteface or reissue or Rat standard pedals.....great for using as a boost to get that Nuno tone into Marshalls

I also like Furman PQ3, PQ4, Boss Ge7 and MXR 6band EQ's for cutting low end, boosting mids, cutting extreme highs.

 

[psychodave]

Like saying "whats your favorite vagina and why ?"

I like them all, but there are one or two that outperformed all of the others.

 

[RedB4Black]

Original 2 button Suhr Koko boost
Wizard Leopard

Why...becasue of the dozens I've tried, these two sound the best.