5150 III - Need Recommendation

[4406cuda]

What pedal do you suggest to use for leads on the blue channel?

I want a boost in volume, increased sustain, increased gain, but I want the sound to stay thick. I do not want it to thin out and get buzzy and shrill.

 

[Oblivion DC]

My goto boost has been the Maxon od808 for years now. It will definitely give you that mid hump but thin and shrill is not something I'd worry about. If you know someone that has one just borrow it for the afternoon and see if you like it.

 

[Bishop5150]

If you want a volume boost a TC Spark Mini Boost works great in the loop.

 

[4406cuda]

Looking for that than a volume boost. Looking for added sustain, gain, and thickness/girth.

Thanks for the suggestions. Please keep them coming.

 

[XSSIVE]

If you just want a boost in volume, saturation and gain the Xotic EP Booster is perfect for that. I use a Way Huge Green Rhino with my EVH 50w on CH2 so I can purposely dial in a bit of a mid push and dial in the bass cut or boost the way I want it along with adding saturation to the sound. I just got done a/b-ing my Rhino and my friends EP Booster just two minutes ago and the EP does exactly what you want all with one knob. If you want more flexibility the Green Rhino will do that too by leaving the drive low, volume to taste, tone at noon or so and then dialing in the bass and mids with the other two knobs. A regular screamer or screamer based pedal without bass and mid knobs will automatically cut bass and push mids leaving you with no control over them.

 

[4406cuda]

If you just want a boost in volume, saturation and gain the Xotic EP Booster is perfect for that. I use a Way Huge Green Rhino with my EVH 50w on CH2 so I can purposely dial in a bit of a mid push and dial in the bass cut or boost the way I want it along with adding saturation to the sound. I just got done a/b-ing my Rhino and my friends EP Booster just two minutes ago and the EP does exactly what you want all with one knob. If you want more flexibility the Green Rhino will do that too by leaving the drive low, volume to taste, tone at noon or so and then dialing in the bass and mids with the other two knobs. A regular screamer or screamer based pedal without bass and mid knobs will automatically cut bass and push mids leaving you with no control over them.

I was thinking the EP Booster might be the way to go. I was hoping someone here had tried it with the 5150 III

Thanks!

 

[Racerxrated]

Try one of the new Boss pedals...OD1X really works well to boost my Jubilee. Doesn't suck low end and is transparent as hell. Has low/high dials so easy to keep or add girth. Very quiet too.

 

[XSSIVE]

I was thinking the EP Booster might be the way to go. I was hoping someone here had tried it with the 5150 III

Thanks!

No problem, I was curious so I borrowed a friends today so you were in luck I just tested it minutes before your post. For what you want the EP, TC Spark, MXR Micro Amp, CAE Boost/Line driver, keeley Katana or other simple one knob clean boosts will be the best choice to keep the character of the amp but just give you more and hit it harder. Once you get into typical 3 and 4 knob overdrives they can be used as clean-ish boosts with their gain rolled down and level up but they'll always impart a bit of their character on the amp too, which can be good, but not what you're after.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

cmatmods signa. My other guitarist uses his on the blue channel...sounds good, super fat overdrive...a lot of low end.

 

[mniel8195]

koko boost. I sold mind simply because I'm going the axe fx II route.

 

[Soulstealer]

If you want a volume boost a TC Spark Mini Boost works great in the loop.

That's what I'm using, too. Great boost pedal.....you can really set it to whatever you need. I have it on clean boost with the gain cranked and bass up slightly. Gives my solos just the right push. It's way more than just a volume boost. The toggle is mid/clean/fat, and you have Gain, Bass and Treble knobs. It's way better than an EP Booster, and just as good if not better than my previous fav, the Fulltone Fat Boost.

 

[4406cuda]

If you want a volume boost a TC Spark Mini Boost works great in the loop.

That's what I'm using, too. Great boost pedal.....you can really set it to whatever you need. I have it on clean boost with the gain cranked and bass up slightly. Gives my solos just the right push. It's way more than just a volume boost. The toggle is mid/clean/fat, and you have Gain, Bass and Treble knobs. It's way better than an EP Booster, and just as good if not better than my previous fav, the Fulltone Fat Boost.

Soulstealer, it sounds like you have the full size park booster. I will have to check out some demo vids on that and the mini version. I have always been a fan of anything TC

 

[Lampshade1973]

I love the mini spark but right now Im using the soul food...adds a great dynamic over the distortion...(posted in the other thread)....

 

[Soulstealer]

If you want a volume boost a TC Spark Mini Boost works great in the loop.

That's what I'm using, too. Great boost pedal.....you can really set it to whatever you need. I have it on clean boost with the gain cranked and bass up slightly. Gives my solos just the right push. It's way more than just a volume boost. The toggle is mid/clean/fat, and you have Gain, Bass and Treble knobs. It's way better than an EP Booster, and just as good if not better than my previous fav, the Fulltone Fat Boost.

Soulstealer, it sounds like you have the full size park booster. I will have to check out some demo vids on that and the mini version. I have always been a fan of anything TC

Oh, yeah, forgot there were two versions. Yeah, I have the full size with all the bells and whistles. I think it was $92 shipped new on eBay, a good deal.

My board is 4/5ths TC-Spark, Ditto x2, Flashback and HOF (plus Wampler Dual Fusion). They all rock.

 

[the rossness]

Mad Professor sweet honey or EHX soul Food

 

[madrigal77]

Why not just try an eq in the loop?

 

[Bishop5150]

I tried a bunch of different boosts at my local shop on a 5153 combo they had on the floor. I tried the MXR CAE Boost/ Line Driver, TC Spark Mini, MXR Echoplex Pre, Xotic EP Boost and a Clinch FX Ep Pre. I bought the Clinch FX, MXR CAE Boost/ Line Driver, Echoplex pre and the TC Spark mini. I'm using the MXR Echoplex preamp pedal with my 50 watt at practice just cause I liked what it did to the tone. Really fattened it up. And the other 3 I'm using with my gigging rig on the blue channel of my standard 100 watters and Stealth. The Clinch Fx to give the blue channel a little extra overall gain that we've all complained about wanting on the blue channel and it just fattens up the sound. The CAE Boost/Line Driver for extra gain on my leads and the TC Spark mini in the loop for volume boost. In my experience any Echoplex type preamp pedal sounds great on the blue channel. Fattens it up. Sounds great on my stealth as well. The Spark mini boost has a cool little feature that when you hold down the button it engages allowing you to boost a little fill riff and then release it. You can of course also click the button and engage it like normal.

 

[gtrplr71]

If you just want a boost in volume, saturation and gain the Xotic EP Booster is perfect for that. I use a Way Huge Green Rhino with my EVH 50w on CH2 so I can purposely dial in a bit of a mid push and dial in the bass cut or boost the way I want it along with adding saturation to the sound. I just got done a/b-ing my Rhino and my friends EP Booster just two minutes ago and the EP does exactly what you want all with one knob. If you want more flexibility the Green Rhino will do that too by leaving the drive low, volume to taste, tone at noon or so and then dialing in the bass and mids with the other two knobs. A regular screamer or screamer based pedal without bass and mid knobs will automatically cut bass and push mids leaving you with no control over them.

Very well put sir, this is what I do.

 

[Soulstealer]

I'm telling you, the full size TC Spark does the work of three pedals in one. Want the TS mid bump/bass cut? You've got it. Want a clean volume boost? You've got it. Want added saturation and gain like the EP? It's there. I've owned and used those pedals as boosts in the past. The Spark is a bargain for what it does compared to those.

 

[stompboxfreak72]

Mesa Boogie Flux Drive


I own every drive pedal know man and nothing plays nicer with the blue channel than the Mesa. Liquid Mark series lead tone. Im going to be able to liquidate most of my pedal collection thanks to the Mesa.