JStern
Joined: Mar 15, 2012
Posts: 105
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 01:43 PM
I recently purchased a Fender CIJ Jaguar that has Curtis Novak vintage wound pickups installed in it. The tone and feel of the guitar are fantastic, however, the pickups are not very hot (as to be expected from vintage wound pickups). Combined with the slight signal dip that comes from using a reverb unit, I find that I have to turn my Fender DRRI up to about 7 just for band practice, which makes me worry that this current combination cannot make it up to gig volumes.
I am thinking about adding a signal booster of some sort to my chain. Any ideas?
— The Techtonics reverb nation page
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arny
Joined: Aug 22, 2010
Posts: 614
Netherlands, Europe
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 03:09 PM
I had the same problem with my CIJ Jaguar and changing the pickups to vintage wound. After trying several boosters, I fell in love with the Seymore Duncan Pickup booster. It doesn't alter the tone (if you leave it neutral, you can switch to a humbucker mode too) and it has an enormous boost power. The pedal itself stays really clean but it lets my twin reverb roar, even at lower volumes, if needed.
A cheap option is the Electro Harmonix LPB1. Although it breaks up in the higher regions, but with a nice warm tube overdrive sound.
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zzero
Joined: Jul 09, 2010
Posts: 1153
Lillian Alabama
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 03:16 PM
 the lpb1 is what i use, the duncan is a way better unit but more expensive. get what you pay for!! 
— Enjoying the surf,sun and sand!!
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SlacktoneDave
Joined: Jul 01, 2006
Posts: 657
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 03:24 PM
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vibrolux
Joined: Jun 14, 2011
Posts: 27
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 03:52 PM
Those Seymour Duncan boosters are great. I've been using a JHS Banana Boost, which is a treble booster so it's not particularly transparent. It's a very nice pedal...just two knobs, a volume and tone. If the tone knob is completely counter-clockwise, it's very reminiscent of a Dallas Rangemaster. Turn the tone knob all the way clockwise and it sounds like an Electro Harmonix LPB-1. You can get a very nice blend between these two if you want. They sound fantastic on all of my Fender amps.
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JStern
Joined: Mar 15, 2012
Posts: 105
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 03:53 PM
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nedorama
Joined: Oct 10, 2009
Posts: 229
South Bay, CA
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 08:55 PM
I use a Keeley Katana with an Ibanez AD9 Analog Delay for slapback as my solo loop. Great transparent boost, but you can pull out the gain knob for more grit.
—
'65 Fender Tremolux, '74 Princeton; 77 Vibrolux Reverb; '81 Princeton Reverb
'65-66 Hilgen Basso Grande
Dr. Z MAZ 18 Jr. + 1x12 Cab
Various Telecasters and noise-making pedals
Farfisa Compact Duo
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RobbieReverb
Joined: Feb 28, 2006
Posts: 2391
San Jose, Ca.
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 09:07 PM
+1 on the Keeley Katana Boost. Pricey, but everything Keeley makes and/or mods is gold.
— Bob
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Aug 20 2012 02:12 AM
I use the MXR MicroAmp and love it. The other guitar player in our band also uses the LPB-1, which is a good booster at a nice price. I'd buy the MicroAmp again. Just my 2 cents...
— The Hicadoolas
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tubeswell
Joined: Sep 24, 2011
Posts: 1424
Wellington, NZ
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Posted on Aug 20 2012 02:38 AM
I use a home-brew rangemaster clone - which is a treble booster with a 'mojo' germanium transistor (Mullard OC44). Has a range of treble boost levels you can dial in, which helps the gat cut through the mix in a band situation. Here I'm using it with a strat and a little 18W PR clone - unmic'd
Surf Daddios
— He who dies with the most tubes... wins
Surf Daddies
Last edited: Aug 20, 2012 02:41:03
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clepak
Joined: Jun 11, 2006
Posts: 551
Liege (Belgium)
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Posted on Aug 20 2012 02:46 AM
We're 2 in the band playing with the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster. I also have a LPB-1 clone that works fine but the Seymour Duncan is more versatile (it has a 3-way switch to set your sound)
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normj
Joined: Apr 26, 2010
Posts: 882
central Indiana
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Posted on Aug 20 2012 03:45 AM
Hello,
I have a Seymour Duncan SFX-01 Pickup Booster pedal. That is probably a good fit for you.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/stompboxes/sfx01_pickup_bo/
The old Klon pedal you could use as a clean boost. Good luck on finding one of those. The Timmy pedal is a transparent overdrive. Makes a nice clean boost. But my SFX-01 is cheaper.
Talk to you later,
Norm
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Toneschaser
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Posts: 462
Ohio!
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Posted on Aug 20 2012 12:05 PM
Lately I have been favoring the Ascend boost by Heavy Electronics, drives my reverb tank real sweet. My all time fave is the Z.Vex SHO but I also have a Duncan and think it sounds fantastic.
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Las_Barracudas
Joined: Apr 24, 2011
Posts: 1087
Surf City, NC
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Posted on Aug 20 2012 12:11 PM
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davidphantomatic
Joined: Oct 12, 2008
Posts: 580
San Antone, TX
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Posted on Aug 21 2012 02:09 AM
As SlacktoneDave said, the More Louder is really awesome.
I like the Xotic EP boost a little bit more though, cause everything just sounds soooo much better with that running first.
I bought it as a boost, but now it's an always on pedal for me.
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Toneschaser
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Posts: 462
Ohio!
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Posted on Aug 21 2012 06:24 PM
I have a soft spot for boost pedals, here's my stash.
Boosters typically provide varying results depending primarily on the wattage of the amp you're plugging into. In the case of a Deluxe most of these will be capable of driving the thing into the metal zone if you crank them too much. Finding a happy medium between the pedal and amp is key.
As for these, here are my basic observations.
Top left is a Z.Vex SHO. I think this is still the best boost pedal available. It does color the tone a bit but the sound is sweet, natural and punchy!
To the right of that is my current fave, the Ascend by Heavy Electronics.
It's a very cool pedal that seems to drive my reverb tank better than the rest. Very clean with loads of headroom. It also has a bypassable tone control that give it more low end if desired.
The pink pedal is a Cusack More Louder, another great boost. This pedal achieves the best clean boost used with amps in the 40-100 watt range. It's capable of driving A Deluxe nicely at lower settings and the bypassable buffer is a nice feature.
The big utility box looking pedal to the left is a SHO clone by Dr. Balls Effects. A part by part replica sans the indicator lamp, this pedal sells for half the cost of the Z.Vex version and sounds identical.
Below it is the famed Duncan Pickup Booster, another great pedal at a great price. Sounds very organic and the eq switch is very useful. I don't believe they make these any more.
The black pedal is the MXR/CAE booster/Line Driver designed by Bob Bradshaw. This pedal is hands down the cleanest of the boost pedals I own. It maintains the original tone all the way up the dial. Another fairly inexpensive and bulletproof booster.
The orange pedal that looks like a Phase 90 is the Orange Droolius boost by Dr. Balls. It sounds like Link Wray in a box and it's one of my crutches live. A killer little box.
Under it is the BBE Boosta Grande. This one adds a thick sizzle to my lower wattage amps. It does change the tone a good bit but is very cool sounding regardless.
The silver box at the bottom is a Zinky Master Blaster. This one packs a moderate 9db of boost and plays real nice with my lower wattage amps. The tone control is a nice plus giving added variation.
Now regarding my comments the main thing to remember is what opinions are like! It's all subjective stuff.
Last edited: Aug 21, 2012 19:02:55
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JStern
Joined: Mar 15, 2012
Posts: 105
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted on Aug 21 2012 10:07 PM
ERay,
What a great collection! Thanks for the info, I had no idea there were so many different variations of boost available. I'm going to check out getting either the ascend or the black eye clean boost most likely.
— The Techtonics reverb nation page
Soundcloud page
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Ruhar
Joined: Jun 21, 2007
Posts: 3909
San Diego, CA
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Posted on Aug 22 2012 09:54 AM
I'm a huge fan of the Xotic RC Booster. That pedal was a real game changer for me.
— Ryan
The Secret Samurai Website
The Secret Samurai on Facebook
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kenposurf
Joined: Feb 23, 2007
Posts: 1650
Santa Rosa, CA
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Posted on Aug 22 2012 10:34 AM
Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive rules
— www.northofmalibu.com
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derekirving
Joined: Nov 03, 2011
Posts: 660
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Posted on Sep 05 2012 12:41 PM
Currently I'm using a Xotic EP booster, changes the tone a tad but in a good way. Kind of fills in the space between the treble and bass, though I would not consider it a MID boost but more of a tone fattener. Goes up to 20db and has internal dip switches for boosting bass freq, treble freq or more of a vintage (flat) setting. I also owned a Keeley Katana, this is a good one too, but while it's a clean boost it added some glassiness I did not care for. The EP Booster helps tame some of the bright frequencies. You can also use a TS9 tubescreamer for a boost(drive at zero, level maxed) but this certainly colors your tone more (on some amps eg. black/silverface fenders it's quite useful).
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