Boost That Tightens + Grinds: Go

It's funny how people's tastes are so different. I've had several Klones over the years and just never really cared for them. I had the Chiron and it was a well-built pedal, but the last Klone I'll buy. I just don't dig that tone 🤷‍♂️

I currently have a Strymon Sunset, Jackson Audio Broken Arrow and an Atomic Tone Triptych Twin on my board with a Jackson Audio Golden Boy on the way. They all bring something different. If I was looking for something that tightens really well and gives you that grind, it would be the Peper's Dirty Tree. I recently sold mine because it made my amps TOO tight. Sounded amazing with a looser amp, but all the amps I have left are tight already.
 
MatrixClaw said:
It's funny how people's tastes are so different. I've had several Klones over the years and just never really cared for them. I had the Chiron and it was a well-built pedal, but the last Klone I'll buy. I just don't dig that tone 🤷‍♂️

I currently have a Strymon Sunset, Jackson Audio Broken Arrow and an Atomic Tone Triptych Twin on my board with a Jackson Audio Golden Boy on the way. They all bring something different. If I was looking for something that tightens really well and gives you that grind, it would be the Peper's Dirty Tree. I recently sold mine because it made my amps TOO tight. Sounded amazing with a looser amp, but all the amps I have left are tight already.
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Also everyone runs them differently. Mine always go in front of an already breathing amp, always have the output and tone way up and gain almost off.
 
tallcoolone said:
Also everyone runs them differently. Mine always go in front of an already breathing amp, always have the output and tone way up and gain almost off.
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Yep, this is how I always use them for high gain.

Lately, I've been using my board for a lot more and have actually been exploring the range of an OD pedal. I didn't realize how much gain some of them have. Since I only have dual function pedals on my board now, I can easily get to metal levels of gain through a clean channel if I want to. I always just thought ODs were for blues and tightening up a metal amp, but they can cover so much more.
 
MatrixClaw said:
Yep, this is how I always use them for high gain.

Lately, I've been using my board for a lot more and have actually been exploring the range of an OD pedal. I didn't realize how much gain some of them have. Since I only have dual function pedals on my board now, I can easily get to metal levels of gain through a clean channel if I want to. I always just thought ODs were for blues and tightening up a metal amp, but they can cover so much more.
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I have had my eyes on that Strymon Sunset….
 
Junk Yard Dog said:
I'm not a boost/OD expert, so seeking suggestions for a transparent boost that tightens an amp, has some EQ flexibility onboard (more than a Tone control), and is pretty quiet. I like a lot of the ones I have, but always tinkering. I'm still learning the differences b/t OD and boosts.

I believe most OD's will color the tone a bit, so maybe I'm not a TS or OD type. I like a bit of grit/grind added, but retains the tone of the amp, and want the capability to tighten the amp.

I play Splawn QR/Comp and GZ Hellion. Hellion doesn't need tightening as much and I play hard rock (AIC, Tool) to some metal ala Pantera, 'Tallica, Sepultura. I usually set my gain between 10:00 - 1:00 and let the boost do it's thing. I don't love overly compressed feeling from boosts. I sometimes find they can 'mush' the tone, or maybe that's what the OD's are doing.

Current favorites are the big TC Spark Boost and new-to-me Griffin Chiron, which I love. I never tried a Klon clone until the Chrion and it's become one of my fave pedals ever. Yes, it and the TC Spark in mid-boost (toggle down) do color the tone a bit, but I can eq more treble to make up for it, at least to my ears.

I'm always looking to try new things and looking for something that:

1) has little to no tone coloration; or, you can tailor in/out the 'mid-bump' of some of the TS-style ODs.
2) keeps the tone very clear; no mush

I'll post likes/dislikes below of what I currently have and tried.

Currently Have
  • Airis Savage Drive V2: cool pedal & features. Played it again last week, but something wasn't working for me. Maybe too much TS color & was bit noisy.
  • Xotic RC Boost: Very good pedal, but didn't love it. Something was missing between the Gain & Volume interaction/options for me.
  • MXR CBMOD: Really liked it at first and still ldo, but when I compared it to my Chiron, it didn't push my amps as well and had that TS color to it I could not dial out. I found myself wanting to dial back the 'color' and add highs to make it a bit clearer.
  • SD 805: I like this one, especially with the B, M, T eq, but when I compare it to the Chiron, it's not as powerful in the way I like it hitting the front end. But the EQ is great about dialing in and out the 'color' of a TS pedal.
  • TC Spark Boost (big one:) I tend to run this one in mid-boost mode (toggle down), but back off the bass and increase the treble to add some clarity to the mid-bump 'mush/coloration'. Or, I run it in Clean boost (toggle middle), Volume at 1:00, Gain at 11:00, bass at 8:00 and treble maxed.
  • Griffin Analog Chiron: my new favorite of all. I don't know the specs, but I think this is a Klon clone (correct me if I'm wrong). It just has more 'power/beef'; it pushes the amps and sounds fuller, more 3D than all my others. I keep tinkering with the 3 knobs. It's just the right amount of clarity under higher gain with the treble knob and tightens up pretty well. I wouldn't mind some more functionality out of it, but it's a great pedal overall.
Owned Previously
  • Keely SD-1: was good, but moved it on a few years ago. Can't quite recall loving it.
  • Friedman Buxom Boost: recall really liking it, but found it a bit noisier than my other boosts, so moved it on. i would try this one again. yes, I can use my Zuul, but prefer not to.
Want to Try
  • Timmy V2 or V3
  • Wampler Tumnus Deluxe
  • SA Zio
  • Revv Tilt
Thanks for any ideas if you made it this far.
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I own a Splawn Quick Rod 100 and when I want to tighten it up i use either my Suhr Koko Boost or my Rockbox Boiling Point "The old handmade swirl painted one". Every guitar player that heard my amp using either of this is amazed of how good it sounds. I also own the RC Booster but I only use it to add a little more of what's already there, for melodic solos. It's not very good for tightening things up.
 
I've really been liking my PRS Horsemeat..,it has allowed me to get sounds out of my Bad Cat Hot Cat that I really didn't think possible.
 
Generally if you want to hear more of your amp than the pedal then you need to use more of your amp than the pedal. Put the pedal's level just above unity and in most cases you'll hear less coloration.

Some pedals have an aggressive EQ curve and may not work for you, but take what you currently own and try running the gain off and the level set just above unity. Then turn the gain up on your amp and probably the bass down a little.
 
mchn13 said:
maxon 808x. It has a lot of output so i use it with the level at 1:00, but it colors less than most ts types imo and seems to blend with the amp more. Ifeel the same about the grind pedal, but only on rectos and now my uber.
I love boosts, but also like them to sound more like an extension of the amp. Notable mention is the mxr badass od. Its very versatile.
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How would you compare this pedal to the original od808, which I got?
 
I was disappointed when I got an 808x, just sounded like a tubescreamer but brighter. Not the same as just turning the tone knob up, but as if the high cut is at a higher frequency.

When pedalpcb traced one, that confirmed it, only real difference between it and a standard tubescreamer is slight change to tone knob circuit and the low pass before the tone knob, raising the cutoff frequency of both.

See build docs here for schematic
https://www.pedalpcb.com/product/pcb602/
 
mentoneman said:
have any of you tried the archer rockaway or harby pedals?
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got to play the 3 harby pedals (BMF, Noble tone, Centauri) through a hot rod deluxe and the archer rockaway through a Mark VII this week.

the rockaway would be the most useful of the bunch boosting a high gain amp. pretty wuiet and with the eq sliders the sky is the limit. the source audio eq2 is also a cool one i had a chance to hear with a synergy rack.
 
mnemonic said:
I was disappointed when I got an 808x, just sounded like a tubescreamer but brighter. Not the same as just turning the tone knob up, but as if the high cut is at a higher frequency.

When pedalpcb traced one, that confirmed it, only real difference between it and a standard tubescreamer is slight change to tone knob circuit and the low pass before the tone knob, raising the cutoff frequency of both.

See build docs here for schematic
https://www.pedalpcb.com/product/pcb602/
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I built clones of the 808x and the Fortin modded 808 at the same time, and I MUCH prefer the Fortin one. It is what I expected. Super aggressive.
 
Shask said:
I built clones of the 808x and the Fortin modded 808 at the same time, and I MUCH prefer the Fortin one. It is what I expected. Super aggressive.
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I also built the fortin 808 and it is really good sounding. It’s a simple mod to do to a stock tubescreamer but a good sounding one and not one I’ve seen before.
 
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