boosting amps

[white buffalo]

i'm fairly new to the high gain amp world, yet to get my first one (hoping for an slo soon), so bare with me if this is a stupid question...

when people talk about "boosting" their amps (boosted marshall, for example), what exactly does that entail?

i had a buddy over recently who told me it could be as simple as just running a tube screamer with gain all the way down, level all the way up and tone set to taste... he said it does a good job tightening the amp up at high volumes. but i always thought "boosting" meant adding gain or volume somehow.

is this tube screamer method pretty standard when it comes to boosting? and is boosting actually more about tightening a sound up rather than gaining it up?

 

[MetalHeadMike]

While everyone's different and utilizes boosts in there own way, your last sentence sums up the essence of boosting in relation to high gain amps.

I boost with a Tube screamer with drive@ 0 to 9 o 'clock depending on the amp and level at 9 o' clock. Just tightens the low end and adds attack. Many scoff at using a pedal out front of a high dollar tube amp and that's their prerogative, however I'm shameless I guess and use whatever tools it takes to get the tone/feel I'm after regardless of the amp.

 

[rstites]

Boosting does get you more gain/distortion, but mostly from the amp. When you turn the gain of the pedal down and the volume up, the pedal mostly acts as a big volume boost. That higher volume hits the front end of the amplifier hard, which causes it to have more gain/distortion.

Going to high output pickups over vintage output pickups is a step in the same direction. Those higher output pickups don't produce any distortion, but they do push the front end of the amplifier harder, which causes more distortion. In fact EMGs (and other high active pickups) have even more output, which primarily acts to hit the amp really hard causing more distortion.

Having said all of that, the traditional pedals used for this do roll off some low end, which is what helps to "tighten" the sound. You have to cut some bass for high gain early and then add it back in with the EQ after the gain.

 

[mchn13]

Boosting is a taste kinda thing. With vintage amps I use all the volume, and some of the gain. With high gain amps, I use it primarily as a filter; ala, level at noonish, and dirt: off. Just cuts lows and tightens things up.....

 

[riffermadness]

As said above,boosting is a taste thing.When I use whichever boost pedal I am going to use I run it into effects loop of my EVH 5150-3 head and use it as a 'Always on" pedal,seems to bring out more of the amps natural frequencies and gets rid of some of the sterile sounds. I usually just have the pedals volume at about 1 o'clock,gain 12 o'clock or less bass-treble to taste. I always use either one of my boost pedals when I play,the amp just sounds so much better to me..In your case you will have to decide what kind of sound(s) you are after and find whichever pedal works best for what you need,and experiment.

 

[sleewell2]

I run my ts gain on zero, volume maxed.

 

[mchn13]

As said above,boosting is a taste thing.When I use whichever boost pedal I am going to use I run it into effects loop of my EVH 5150-3 head and use it as a 'Always on" pedal,seems to bring out more of the amps natural frequencies and gets rid of some of the sterile sounds. I usually just have the pedals volume at about 1 o'clock,gain 12 o'clock or less bass-treble to taste. I always use either one of my boost pedals when I play,the amp just sounds so much better to me..In your case you will have to decide what kind of sound(s) you are after and find whichever pedal works best for what you need,and experiment.

I’d like to see a video of that. I’ve never run a boost in the loop, and curious as to what that does?

 

[lespaul6]

Agree with everything above... some amps I like a boost with and others I"m good without one. I dont use them for gain even though I get a little gain and compression out of it. Look at how malmsteen does it, he get the gain from the amp, uses low output pickups, and a boost to just throw it over the top.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A86jJLqZzXM&t=150s

I dont know why I cant post a youtube vid anymore?

 

[thrashinbatman]

It'd probably act more like a volume boost, of course with the EQ an OD adds as well as any new distortion if you turned that knob up.

I more often than not run a TS9 into the front of the amp. It has nothing to do with the quality of the amp or the amount of gain, the EQ curve a TS9 imparts tightens up the tone and adds a mean-ass grind to any amp. I keep my Savage 120 at 12 o clock, then run a TS9 in the common configuration. It adds a bite and aggression that's awesome and can't be attained just by turning up the amp gain.

 

[psychodave]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

 

[hammered]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

I boost pretty much the same way you do depending on the pedal. Gain up just a little bit and volume around 2-3 o’clock

 

[LP Freak]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

I boost pretty much the same way you do depending on the pedal. Gain up just a little bit and volume around 2-3 o’clock

Me too

 

[paulyc]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

I boost pretty much the same way you do depending on the pedal. Gain up just a little bit and volume around 2-3 o’clock

Me too

Me three

 

[Racerxrated]

I like to boost, but I find that turning the volume know all the way up isn’t as nice as having it up 3/4 of the way and using a little bit of the “gain or drive” knob to add in a little more.

I boost pretty much the same way you do depending on the pedal. Gain up just a little bit and volume around 2-3 o’clock

Me too

Me three

....Aaand me 4. I usually run the gain down on the amp quite a bit and start from there, moving the gain up until it's right for my ears. I love a boost with everything...low or high gain.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

It'd probably act more like a volume boost, of course with the EQ an OD adds as well as any new distortion if you turned that knob up.

I more often than not run a TS9 into the front of the amp. It has nothing to do with the quality of the amp or the amount of gain, the EQ curve a TS9 imparts tightens up the tone and adds a mean-ass grind to any amp. I keep my Savage 120 at 12 o clock, then run a TS9 in the common configuration. It adds a bite and aggression that's awesome and can't be attained just by turning up the amp gain.

The Savage 120 is the only amp I've ever owned that I preferred without a Ts9 out front.

 

[maddnotez]

Buy one and check it out. I personally love to use them.

I don't really need one but I prefer one. IMO the Maxon 808 is the standard. Get one of those and go from there. It can be a rabbit hole. I have had 10 at one time and still have 4 of them. Lol

They all bring their own flavor but I need to decide on one. That is my only warning, can be easy to get sucked in to buying every boost you can find.

 

[white buffalo]

Buy one and check it out. I personally love to use them.

I don't really need one but I prefer one. IMO the Maxon 808 is the standard. Get one of those and go from there. It can be a rabbit hole. I have had 10 at one time and still have 4 of them. Lol

They all bring their own flavor but I need to decide on one. That is my only warning, can be easy to get sucked in to buying every boost you can find.

You've had 10 808's at once?! Wow that's a whole new level of gear psychopathy- and I thought I was bad haha! Even four is a lot.
I have one of those 80's TS-10's, would that be any good? Also receiving an SD-9 today which I'm excited for, but I guess that's a different circuit.
I will look into the Maxon 808's.

 

[maddnotez]

Buy one and check it out. I personally love to use them.

I don't really need one but I prefer one. IMO the Maxon 808 is the standard. Get one of those and go from there. It can be a rabbit hole. I have had 10 at one time and still have 4 of them. Lol

They all bring their own flavor but I need to decide on one. That is my only warning, can be easy to get sucked in to buying every boost you can find.

You've had 10 808's at once?! Wow that's a whole new level of gear psychopathy- and I thought I was bad haha! Even four is a lot.
I have one of those 80's TS-10's, would that be any good? Also receiving an SD-9 today which I'm excited for, but I guess that's a different circuit.
I will look into the Maxon 808's.

No just boosts in general weather it be an overdrive, clean boost, blues breaker circuit or whatever else.

And yeah the TS-10 is a tube screamer, hook it up and see if you like it.

Not sure if it was already mentioned here but typically a Tube Screamer pedal will cut some lows and boost some mids. I prefer something more transparent that just adds a little but more of what I have.

For those pedals and for the tones I like (brutal metal) The Koko Boost, Keeley D&M and Buxom Boost are 3 that I still have and can't decide on. I feel I am favoring the Keeley.

Also a side note, if you have an FX loop it is really worth trying a graphic EQ in the loop.

IMO a TS does tighten up the amp. When I did use the Maxon I liked the drive very low or off, the volume 1:00 - 3:00 and the tone bumped up just a hair. There is no golden rule IMO, everyone's amp/cab/speakers/guitar etc etc will play a difference.

 

[anomaly]

Every player should have at least one boost around... they are killer for tightening up a rather loose sounding amp like a rectifier. Then it sounds like gold.

 

[Crunchtime]

Buy one and check it out. I personally love to use them.

I don't really need one but I prefer one. IMO the Maxon 808 is the standard. Get one of those and go from there. It can be a rabbit hole. I have had 10 at one time and still have 4 of them. Lol

They all bring their own flavor but I need to decide on one. That is my only warning, can be easy to get sucked in to buying every boost you can find.

You've had 10 808's at once?! Wow that's a whole new level of gear psychopathy- and I thought I was bad haha! Even four is a lot.
I have one of those 80's TS-10's, would that be any good? Also receiving an SD-9 today which I'm excited for, but I guess that's a different circuit.
I will look into the Maxon 808's.

No just boosts in general weather it be an overdrive, clean boost, blues breaker circuit or whatever else.

And yeah the TS-10 is a tube screamer, hook it up and see if you like it.

Not sure if it was already mentioned here but typically a Tube Screamer pedal will cut some lows and boost some mids. I prefer something more transparent that just adds a little but more of what I have.

For those pedals and for the tones I like (brutal metal) The Koko Boost, Keeley D&M and Buxom Boost are 3 that I still have and can't decide on. I feel I am favoring the Keeley.

Also a side note, if you have an FX loop it is really worth trying a graphic EQ in the loop.

IMO a TS does tighten up the amp. When I did use the Maxon I liked the drive very low or off, the volume 1:00 - 3:00 and the tone bumped up just a hair. There is no golden rule IMO, everyone's amp/cab/speakers/guitar etc etc will play a difference.

I could be wrong but I recall hearing that ts10 was basically same circuit as a Maxon 808. I've never tried the ts10 but love my Maxon 808.

Also recently got a VFE Standout. Excellent boost. One of the best ever, IMO.