Quote:
Originally Posted by LesPaulopolis
Boosts are essential to my rig since keeping the gain down is key to nicely articulated, distorted chords.
I was using a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive ($129 new). Pretty sure it's a TS808 clone. This pedal is nice because it also has a "clean" blend knob which (you guessed it) blends the pedal tone with the non-effected clean tone. You can crank the clean and use it as a straight up volume boost too.
Well, the SD works great for boosting cleans/mildly distorted amps, but when I needed that extra sustain and body for heavily distorted solos it just wasn't cutting it. There wasn't enough "oomph."
Now I'm using a BOSS GE-7 (boosting mids and gain ever so slightly) as a solo booster. The EQ works great! Each channel gets an even (or proportional is one channel is set louder than the other) boost and a bit more bite+gain.
The SD is left "on" at all times these days (in place of the formerly "always on" EQ). Ideally, I'll get another EQ (MXR 10-band?) to leave permanently "on" as well. Then the rig should have versatility to the max!
Finally, I also use a chorus pedal if in need of "one more notch" of lead power.
So yeah, in all, EQ pedals are great boosters! A nice feature is that you can really dial in those frequencies you want for "your" solo tone. Also, you could attenuate frequencies (for your rhythm tone) and turn it OFF for solos (restoring the full frequency spectrum).
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Right on LP. Great info man. Glad to meet another player who isn't put off by these kinds of pedal. Really when done right there isn't much to be bothered about other than a little extra cost of a few pedals. I enjoy a small pedal board. We don't need to go crazy on buying a bunch of pedals. Just a couple in the tool kit.
Besides, threads like this can help others purchase the right one for them by narrowing down the search. Course it might give pedal gas too he he. No, not here. Lot of the guys here emphasize how they are able to get plenty of amp saturation and don't need pedals. That's cool.
This threads about using them and getting different kinds of saturation. More gain isn't the goal alot of the time. Textures are.
When I was gigging I used an EQ pedal in the loop as a boost for solos too. Great way to get it out there and be able to adjust frequencies cause dat tone changes with more volume.
I've used eq's in the front too to get more tailored saturation. I don't anymore cause I have other pedals I like better and are good as is.
My Marshall's loop is having issues so I'll figure something else out. I can get FJA to put a foot switchable boost on it. Getting that solo out in a band mix is crucial to "my" enjoyment. Who wants to rely on the sound guy to get it right.
I use to love when the band was at practice and I'd step on the EQ pedal for boost, I would have it bumped way up. I'm laughing thinking about the looks on their faces. Usually stopped the song dead in its tracks when I unleashed the monster solo. It was painful!
Anyways...I have more pedals to tell about but I'll do it later. Great to hear from you guys.
