Let's nerd out on clean boosts.

[hillerheilman]

I know it’s not exactly a “clean “ boost, but has anybody here tried the Laney Tony Iommi boost? I’m considering it for the boost slot on my pedalboard. It could be really neat since I also use a significantly lower tuning, but I’m not sure how versatile it actually is.

If I like it, I might make one myself. I can't stand the idea of giving money to JHS.

Can you clarify why you don’t like JHS?
I’ve ran across quite a bit of hate for them while researching pedals but I can’t quite understand it.

[HarlowTheFish]

I know it’s not exactly a “clean “ boost, but has anybody here tried the Laney Tony Iommi boost? I’m considering it for the boost slot on my pedalboard. It could be really neat since I also use a significantly lower tuning, but I’m not sure how versatile it actually is.

I've messed with one as a boost into a dirty amp, and it was pretty great. Kinda the opposite of something like the Horizon Devices Precision Drive (though that one's more drive than clean boost), because it's big and fat and awesome. Stays pretty controllable and doesn't get boomy, but in Drop C (what I was using at the time) it sounded huge into a Friedman.

If I like it, I might make one myself. I can't stand the idea of giving money to JHS.

Can you clarify why you don’t like JHS?
I’ve ran across quite a bit of hate for them while researching pedals but I can’t quite understand it.

IIRC JHS has ripped off a bunch of indie designers/builders for stuff, which didn't go over well, but they're big enough that nothing ever came of it.

As far as clean boosts, I've been really digging the clean boost on my Analog Drive. It's got 3-band EQ with sweepable mids, which is nice, and it's more of a console pre-kinda thing, so it gets a bit compressy and ratty when you run the gain all the way up. I've been running it basically full-tilt into a crunchy amp, and with the treble bleed I stuck in my Mustang, I get a ton of flexibility from really bright and distorted with tone & vol all the way up, to really mellow and woody with both rolled down, and everything in between.

[Shadoweclipse13]

If I like it, I might make one myself. I can't stand the idea of giving money to JHS.

Can you clarify why you don’t like JHS?
I’ve ran across quite a bit of hate for them while researching pedals but I can’t quite understand it.

A few reasons. HarlowTheFish is right that they've been known to rip off a few people before. I don't like that, but in a culture of guitar pedals where everything is a copy or an evolution of some circuit, that doesn't bother me so much. I think Josh Scott comes off as a pretentious douche, but more than that, a few years back they were associated with a fairly well-known church group that was fomenting hate-speech. If I remember correctly, someone called Mr. Scott on that, and he claims to have broken ties, but I don't honestly believe that.

[MrJagsquire]

I really like my Xotic EP clean boost: One knob (and some internal DIP switch settings that I've left as standard), just does 'something' to the sound I really like. I actually use mine in my loop to boost for solos, but I might have to rethink that as I like it on all the time.

I also have a 4 knob EC Spark which does do a nice job too (with extra switched options for 'fat' and 'mid' ).

Beyond those I stray into MXR Timmy with a small amount of gain (so it sounds clean when I play softly or turn back the guitar volume a touch), similar for my Wampler Tumnus, though that adds more of a colouration to the sound as is typical for a Klon style pedal (a higher than Tubescreamer mid push).

I particularly like my Jaguar on the neck pick up through the Xotic and also with the Timmy. I just put a set of '65 Pure Vintage pickups in it to replace the standard Player Jaguar single coil neck/humbucker bridge pickups and it has much more useful sounds for me now.

[ElephantDNA]

If I like it, I might make one myself. I can't stand the idea of giving money to JHS.

Can you clarify why you don’t like JHS?
I’ve ran across quite a bit of hate for them while researching pedals but I can’t quite understand it.

A few reasons. HarlowTheFish is right that they've been known to rip off a few people before. I don't like that, but in a culture of guitar pedals where everything is a copy or an evolution of some circuit, that doesn't bother me so much. I think Josh Scott comes off as a pretentious douche, but more than that, a few years back they were associated with a fairly well-known church group that was fomenting hate-speech. If I remember correctly, someone called Mr. Scott on that, and he claims to have broken ties, but I don't honestly believe that.

Not really going to defend him. And I've never bought or owned any of his stuff. But I think part of it is just the personality type of these pedal builders and/or youtube music gear guys. A lot of them kinda fall into this where they can come across really bad to people for whatever reason. I think it's just an uberdork profession where they aren't always the most cultured individuals, though I guess that sounds a bit condescending as well. I will say he has also kind of been a part of the "it's a tube screamer but it's $300" trend we've been seeing that I think we all agree is not a great trend.

[Dr Tony Balls]

The absolute best sound ever is a Rangemaster slamming a tube amp into breakup. Prove me wrong.

My personal brand of said unit:

[Shadoweclipse13]

The absolute best sound ever is a Rangemaster slamming a tube amp into breakup. Prove me wrong.

My personal brand of said unit:

I definitely agree that treble boosters are the shit, but the ones I've used aren't really a clean booster. Does yours do a clean boost? That would be awesome!!

[Dr Tony Balls]

Nah they arent perfectly clean. For that I find it hard to beat a solid and simple MOSFET boost.

[HarlowTheFish]

Nah they arent perfectly clean. For that I find it hard to beat a solid and simple MOSFET boost.

Honestly perfectly clean is kinda overrated -- drive stuff a little so it's a touch compressy and the harmonics pop, but not so much that it's noticeably distorting. Sounds way more alive and richer that way, ala McLaughlin playing with Miles Davis, or (for some more extreme examples that are really pushing the definition of "clean") Charlie Christian, and Rabea Massad from Toska.

[Jonesie]

I've always loved the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster. You can find them dirt cheap used, and in the "0" setting it's a completely flat boost, which is exactly what I want. The "1" and "2" settings add a bit of mids if you want that. More gain than you'll ever need too.

[ElephantDNA]

I've always loved the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster. You can find them dirt cheap used, and in the "0" setting it's a completely flat boost, which is exactly what I want. The "1" and "2" settings add a bit of mids if you want that. More gain than you'll ever need too.

Was not familiar with this one. Seems pretty cool.

[marqueemoon]

I really wish boost builders would chill on the “more than you’ll ever need” thing. Makes it tough to fine tune anything subtle.

Being able to drop below unity gain is nice too.

[Nick and the Noise]

I've always loved the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster. You can find them dirt cheap used, and in the "0" setting it's a completely flat boost, which is exactly what I want. The "1" and "2" settings add a bit of mids if you want that. More gain than you'll ever need too.

This one's great and the tone setting sounds very natural because it's a passive circuit. It loads the guitar like a regular guitar pot, making it part of the complete guitar circuit. Downsides are it has to be first in the path and the 3 settings are too few...

[del]

MXR Micro Amp.
It's so very simple to use: one knob that, when turned clockwise, makes your signal louder.

[Shadoweclipse13]

MXR Micro Amp.
It's so very simple to use: one knob that, when turned clockwise, makes your signal louder.

I wonder how awesome it would be to make a pedal with both the MXR Micro Amp and a Boss FA-1 inside, where you could switch between the two...