What 'boost' & Why ?

[Tone Slinger]

I like a boost, but looked for ways to NOT have to use one, due to various 'side effects' of using them.With my 12xxx (took out the cascade) I'm finding the need to 'use' again .

Anyways, here's what I've found along the way, concerning the boosts I've used,

1) Ibanez tube Screamer- I used one (ts-10) from '87 into the early '90's. Great to tighten and crunch up any amp, BUT, it shaves off low and hi end (low and High bandpass filter circuit). That was the 'side effect' that ruined the 'open' quality to the sound I was searching for.Other 'varients' (Boss Od's for ex.)were even worse imo.

2) Voodoo Lab Overdriver (DOD 250 varient)- I cranked the volume to exceed the amp sound when it was disengaged. Made my single coils sound like REAL good hb'ers(I was a strat purist for most of the '90's). Started to use hb'ers again,and this pedal didnt match as well. It is still a viable pedal, when used with single coil pu's though.

3) MXR Distortion + (script)- After my swith back to a hb'er,I was looking for a similar sound as my VoodooLab Overdrive pedal,BUT, with less fatness and a hair more crunch.This old Script D+ was the ticket. Alas, still a graininess to the tone I wasnt really wanting (side effect)
4) Blue Mxr 6 band eq- this pedal is warm, but noisy. You have to 'change' the tone of your amp significantly to aquire a boost (no 'master' level slider). The feel of the amp is also affected, imo, ruining the note seperation and open dynamic (side effect of using )
5) Boss GE-10- Now this is what an eq for a guitar should be. Very transparent and runs at 18v, which alleviates the 'boxy' type attribute of 9 volt. You can boost without much 'side effect' (fhn lopes bought mine, I was running a 'Mod5' circuit and wasnt using it anymore,wish I'd had more forsight ).
6) Boss Ge-7 (1986 Japan)- This box is bad assed.It runs at 9 volt so it doesnt quite have the headroominess of the GE-10,BUT, it is a hair more tight and focused, which is a plus and a minus, depending on how you look at it. I set the sliders basically straight across (neutral) with the level goosed a bit (ala Efraser style) Great,natural boost.

I've used hordes of other boxes, but these are the ones I used most.

Whats everyone elses 'boost box' tales ?

[stef]

On the last gig I was using an original blue mxr 6 band box - EQ settings: small frown curve (something like "mini" EVH settings) with the 3.2K slider also upped just a little.
The amp: 1978 marshall SL: 12000 lead spec from the metro-wiki section w/ a PPIMV
PPIMV on 7-8 on the dial, 4-6db attenuated
CC pickup - Kne hard ash azusa

I think that with a quad of crunchy EL34's there will be no need for a boost in front (I'm using EH6ca7's)
I also have a 10 band 18volts mxr EQ - but prefer the old blue one
I remember that this blue mxr was really noisy but it isn't anymore , maybe it's the 1 year old 9v battery , but it sounds reall good!

[Did J]

Hi TS,
IMHO the power supply section is the key to obtain a good 'boost' effect, like amps for instance. So I use something like a Klon Centaur clone, with a power supply section simplified to a split rail structure. This retains much of the voltage spread of the Klon. The goal is to obtain a slighty larger amount of headroom. And it works great for my simple rig:
HB's -> Boost -> 2203 PPIMV -> 1960A W/ G12H

Not the same story with a 1987... or Strat's

Et voilà! Hope I was explicit

[Haze13]

For my JCM800 I use moded sd-1 to ts-808 specs, with hi-fi audio grade components and true bypass. If it's not enough I use moded dod250 (only 1 uf cap instead of 10uf after op-amp) and there is more gain then one can possibly need.
Fet's in the TS-10 suck the tone very much! That why true bypass sounds better and not for "clean", not bufferd output when effect is Off.
All these overdrives that you have all around are versions of this Tube Screamer. There are other different designs but they cost too much and to use them as a boost is not wise and expencive. There is OCEAN of information how to modify your BOSS SD-1/TS808/TS9/TS10 to what you need.
Nothing is Impossible:

[Tone Slinger]

You are right, there are LOTS of simple 'upgrade' mods that can be done to these pedals. The older versions are easier to work with because they use the larger resistors and capacitors and diodes,etc. The newer production runs in many of these classics use the milispec TINY components that are very hard to deal with. I dont even see how the boards were populated on these in the first place .

For a modern take on the Tube Screamer, I actually like my 'Bad Monkey'. It isnt quite as warm and murky as my other Tube Screamers, but it actually out permorms them overall. It has the ability to 'blend' to the amp better than the others. Here again, I'm sure its tone could be improved, but these micro components are hard to work with.

[Haze13]

Bad Monkey? By Digitech? It's SMD and digital... Those pedals can't sound at all. You can do as I did. Find some old-second hand sd-1 and mod it... It's the same PCB as other tube screamers. Via Ebay, you can buy every thing you need.
For the IC go for lm4562na. Signal path caps Wima FK2 and wima MKP. 1uf caps - wima MKP. 10uf - Elna Silmic II or similar.
1% metal films for voltage, bias and signal path.

[Tone Slinger]

SMD, whats that ?

Yeah, I need some older SD-1's to tinker with. Taiwanese ones are still out there for not too much.

[harddriver]

For a boost overdrive pedal, after going through vintage OD-1, SD-1's, OD-1 modern clones, maxon od808, the best built featured od808 tubescreamer type pedal out there is being built by SRB pedals which I have owned since 2007 or 2008.

His SRB 808 plus models have a three way clipping type switch that allows you to choose SD-1 mode(assymetrical clipping), clean boost mode and 808 mode(symetrical clipping). With any of these modes he took the extreme mid peak of the original 808 and tamed it down some and also increased the bass response of the pedal without being woofy. Unlike a regular SD-1 or 808 that chops off your bass response. There is also a bass boost switch in them if you want more bass response for you strat guys. Also his pedals offer either 25% more gain or Twice the gain of the original Tubescreamer circuit.

Granted the new Maxon od808 doesn't chop off your bass like the ibanez tubescreamers do and I did like that pedal but the SRB has everything I need or want in an 808 pedal period. He also does custom two into one pedals and such.

Check them out I think the aren't spoken enough about for the quality and tone. There are a couple of good YT clips out there as well.

[Haze13]

If you like Od808 by maxon... mod Sd-1 to TS808 specs, but instead of 0.022uf and 0.1uf - use 1uf, instead of 10uf in the output use 4.7uf, and between 2 halves of op-amp, there is 1k resistor, add to this one 1uf cap in series and you'll have the od808! Maxon is using dual op-amp in this pedal for in/out buffers. TS/Sd - transistors.

[Haze13]

Ups... No 1uf cap with resistor in series, my mistake:) But 220 ohm resistor instead of 100 ohm on the output, before 4.7uf - must be there.

[AJW]

I use a Maxon OD808, and I think it's great. I liked it so much I bought an Analogman modded TS9, but I think I like the stock Maxon better. It is also much cheaper!

[Tone Slinger]

Maxon seems to be a great company

[stef]

IMO all Tube Screamer circuits change the tone and feel of plexi amps much more than any EQ box or clean boost (FET)... Screamers are good for Lynch and 80's hair-metal tones, but no good for old EVH-hard rock sound.
I've tried both ibanez 808 and maxon 80 in front of a 12000 spec...