General gear question

I have an old 5 watt, all tube amp and I'm looking for some way to overdrive it - just a bit. My question is: will a clean boost do the trick ?
The actual OD pedals seem like they'd take it a bit too far, maybe to hard to dial in just the amount I'm looking for. Let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Mike

Clean boost is the way to go if you want overdrive from the amp (as opposed to amplifying an overdriven sound from the pedal). I've been experimenting with clean boost quite a bit lately. Some will let you EQ the signal a bit, some will EQ it in their own way, and a rare few will boost the signal without adding any EQ. I've been very impressed with Xotic's EP and AC Boosters, and also some early versions of Catalinbread's Super Chili Picoso and Barber's Launch Pad. The EP adds a bit of warmth (to my ears, at least), the AC had two-band EQ, and the other two are very transparent.

I hope this helps.

Ken

I agree with Ken. In addition to overdriving the amp, a clean boost will also double your volume.

In my youth I used an Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 to overdrive small Gibson, Fender and Alamo tube amps a lot. You can control distortion amounts using the amp volume as well as the clean boost volume.

WR

If you can, try a Diamond compressor with the volume up.
The compression can be subtle (optionally) and can help too. Can be off too.
Also has a very nice intuitive EQ.
Always get great valve happiness out of my homebrewed VibroChamp with the Diamond before it.
Can be run off anything from 9 to 24 volts, I believe, including internal battery.

You guys rock !
I'm thinking the xotic rs may be the thing, I've a bit more checking to do. I don't want to do the compresser yet, though it does confirm the idea.

Thanks all !

..just heard the hellecasters on my pandora at work .. gotta go look for that cd now ...

I'm thinking the xotic rs may be the thing, I've a bit more checking to do. I don't want to do the compresser yet, though it does confirm the idea.

The AC was my first experience with a clean boost. I was so impressed by what it did to my tone that I had to explore what others could do.

Xotic does have a version of the AC with a compressor built in. They also have a compressor (called the "SP") in the same line as the EP. They both have a small footprint, and side-by-side they take up about as much space a typical effect pedal. I've found that they work together very nicely, with the SP basically working as a limiter after the EP to smooth out any peaks.

Ken

Edited once to change "RC" to "AC".

Last edited by KenC on Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

If the amp inquestion is a blackface or silverface Champ or Vibrochamp, you will be amazed at how much more open and distorted one of these amps can get by removing the tone controls with a ground lift (either switchable or permanent). I've done this a couple of times in the past and have always liked the results. It takes a few seconds with a soldering iron.

The Xotic RC works great with single coils, it really brings out the goods. The effect is lost on humbuckers and high output single coil pickups though, it loses that presence or clarity.

You might like to check out the BYOC Overdrive 2. Lots of tone, boost and clipping options with that one. I got one pre-built and liked it so much I got another

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http://buildyourownclone.com/products/od2

I've corrected my post above. I meant to say that the AC was my first boost, not the RC. I've never tried an RC, but IMO the AC works wonderfully with MFDs. Most of my playing time with it has been with an SC-2, ASAT, or ASAT Classic (all very hot early examples). I've also used it a bit with a couple of SC-3s.

Ken

Well, I'm coming here with all my gear questions I've never done much with pedals, but I haven't been on stage since school.
The amp is a 57 Gibson with an 8" speaker .... smaller than you used to put in your cars, so it won't take too much abuse.

You guys have any opinions on the small Matchless amps ? I've heard some great tone from the stage rigs, so I'm thinking about these. Not many places around town to try them ... Willies might have one, on the right day.

-Thanks,
Mike

I wouldn't be concerned about using a boost pedal with your Gibson amp. The boost pedal will hit your pre-amp stage hard, and work its magic there. Any stress on the speaker would come from the volume (which normally happens farther into the amp's circuit) and to an extent any low frequencies you are feeding it.

My favorite amps to use a boost with are older Fenders with 8" or 10" speakers.

Ken

I have an old 5 watt, all tube amp and I'm looking for some way to overdrive it - just a bit. My question is: will a clean boost do the trick ?
The actual OD pedals seem like they'd take it a bit too far, maybe to hard to dial in just the amount I'm looking for. Let me know what you think.

For this sort of thing you could do a lot worse than any of the 100's of Klon Centaur "Klones" (I use an Arc Effects one). They do clean boost as good as anything else out there, and the drive comes on very, very gradually enabling you to get it just right.

This boost has been getting a lot of attention as of late: http://crazytubecircuits.com/magnifier. Good luck in your search!