Are all boosts built the same ?

[Dyllheaven88]

Currently running a boost into my amp for some added gain , but curious to try some other ones or if it’s even worth it ? To my knowledge mists boosts are just the amount of db”s pushing the gain stage ? But not sure if all are built the same or if others add more gain In different ways ?

 

[stephen sawall]

They can be very different. As different as different fuzz, distortions or overdrives.

I like the boost side of a Fulltone Fulldrive 3 and KHDK No.2. They definitely sound different. Different EQ.

A lot of overdrive and distortion pedals can be used as a boost. People that use a Tube Screamer with the gain low and the output high are using it as a boost.

What one are you using ?

 

[rsm]

Also, don't discount EQ pedals as a boost. I have a Source Audio EQ2 I use as a boost/toneshaper with single channel amps, or a giving another tone to an amp channel.

The MXR 10-band eq has both volume and gain controls.

 

[TheGreatGreen]

I mean they're all similar in that most of them raise the level of your guitar and most of them usually roll off low end from the guitar.

Within that relatively narrow set of constraints though, they can be fairly different. The components that generate overdrive can be quite different, the controls that change different parts of what's going on can do very different things, the amount of boost and filtering characteristics can be quite different, etc.

So yeah there's plenty of reason to prefer any given boost over another, but within the realm of boosts, they're all reaching for a similar kind of thing.

The other side of the coin however is the 4 billion tubescreamer and SD-1 clones out there flooding the market that actually are basically identical to all the other ones.

 

[Exo-metal]

I'd like to know what sets the Timmy apart from some boosts. A lot of people like that one.

 

[braintheory]

I mean they're all similar in that most of them raise the level of your guitar and most of them usually roll off low end from the guitar.

Within that relatively narrow set of constraints though, they can be fairly different. The components that generate overdrive can be quite different, the controls that change different parts of what's going on can do very different things, the amount of boost and filtering characteristics can be quite different, etc.

So yeah there's plenty of reason to prefer any given boost over another, but within the realm of boosts, they're all reaching for a similar kind of thing.

The other side of the coin however is the 4 billion tubescreamer and SD-1 clones out there flooding the market that actually are basically identical to all the other ones.

A good amount of boosts can also add low end and make the core sound looser (like a Thorpy Heavy Water), but metal guys don't generally choose them, but they can be great for other stuff

Also, pretty different characteristics with silicone vs germanium diodes or Klon's that use both

 

[ZEN Amps]

Currently running a boost into my amp for some added gain , but curious to try some other ones or if it’s even worth it ? To my knowledge mists boosts are just the amount of db”s pushing the gain stage ? But not sure if all are built the same or if others add more gain In different ways ?

No, they vary quite a bit.

If you're looking at an alternative, it's best to try and figure out what your current pedal (or overall tone) is lacking - and then go looking for another option. It's very easy to just buy more and more stuff blindly otherwise. Speaking on behalf of a friend who's made this mistake many, many times.