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Boosting amps, but...

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amps boosting
4K views 28 replies 21 participants last post by  Kagami 
#1 ·
Trying to get away from that ubiquitous OD808/TS808 sound.

I mean I'm trying to get away from the whole "TS-boosted SLO circuit valve amp" thing anyway (5150, Rectos etc), since it's a hangover from my "metuhl!" days, born of sheer lack of experimentation since that time, and I feel like the boost is a big part of that.

I'm going to be joining Mr S fairly soon on a "let's go crank some amps and try shit out" day up at his rehearsal space, and I want to get some suggestions.

I still want tight, focused, high gain hard rock, but I'm just trying to get something a little more... "even", shall we say. Full spectrum. Especially since I'm using L500XL's these days, which are very even EQ-wise, but with an extended and open high end. Tubescreamer type circuits in conjunction with that can result in an overly-metallic attack. I like that sound and response, but I don't want it to dominate the tone. Sure I can adjust the pedal/amp, but still, I'm just not interested in that surgically tight metal tone where the OD/TS takes out a lot of the body and bottom end, so am looking to explore something a little more full bodied and natural sounding.

I'm going to experiment with using an EQ as a boost a la Dimebag. Frowny face slammed straight into the front end (I'm also borrowing a solid state Randall to try out, so I should be right in that territory, even though I'll be attempting to use it in a not-quite-as-heavy context)

I'll also have a Marshall JVM410H, Sunn model T, Triple Rec, maybe some other stuff... I'll try boosted, unboosted, distortion pedals into clean channels, all that shit, just to see if I can get away from that comfort zone and hit on something equally as good, but acheived in a different way.

I just wanted to see what other people have used in this context, to get a tight high gain tone that isn't overly metallic, smooth distortion, even EQ, doesn't colour the amp a whole deal, just slams the front end and makes it more saturated.

EDIT: Am I just describing a clean boost? Isn't that literally what I need? :lol:
 
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#2 ·
I've actually never used a boost...moved overseas and switched to modelers before I ever learned about doing it. But...in the axefx there are some BBElectronics modes of various boosts. Some are super clean and some have a bit of grit.

Here's an example...the little write up sounds about like what you're talking about.
http://www.bbesound.com/products/stomp-boxes/Boosta-Grande_BG-20.aspx

Also....diezel amps might be a good thing to check out.
 
#4 ·
That's not the way you are using your TS boost already?
Yes, but even when you're not using any drive from an OD, it's still adding that EQ curve to the front end of your tone. That upper mid hump, while useful in certain applications, is there by default, no matter how you use the pedal.

I may still end up using a standard OD when all's said and done and I have my experimentation day. It's only slamming the front end of the amp after all, and isn't a massive part of the tone. I just wanted to experiment and get there via another route. Perhaps it will turn out to be the amp type that makes a bigger difference and get me closer to what I'm looking for, but I have a feeling it's a bit of everything so thought I'd start with the pedal.
 
#5 ·
sounds to me like you actually just want a small amount of transparent compression and not a boost at all. i'd test a compressor in front of the amp and in the effects loop.

you could try both a compressor and a boost but from what i'm reading it sounds like you just want a (VERY SMALL) amount of compression.
 
#10 ·
sounds to me like you actually just want a small amount of transparent compression and not a boost at all. i'd test a compressor in front of the amp and in the effects loop.

you could try both a compressor and a boost but from what i'm reading it sounds like you just want a (VERY SMALL) amount of compression.
I was just about to suggest the same thing! I was actually about to try this myself, as I'm putting together a portable board to take to rehearsals, and want something as a solo boost in there. Believe it or not, I used to get good results doing this with a Behringer Dynacomp clone...
 
#6 ·
To follow what others have said, I actually use my OD as a compressor. The level/volume is set near unity, and the drive is up a bit. Truthfully I get plenty of gain from my amps, and I just use the OD as a compressor if the song I'm playing has some nice palm mutes, and I want them to CHUNK instead of chonk :lol:
 
#11 ·
Seen this happen a load of times before to other players, you are going to go through a bunch of other boosts, including a 3 month period where you swear the Suhr Kokoboost is the greatest invention in history, before coming back to the OD808. Throw a Mesa Grid Slammer somewhere in the process. MXR OD obviously. Etc. etc.

FWIW, I say either OD808 or no boost. I don't use a boost these days after religiously using one forever, but the OD808 just works.

Also, IMO a lot of the OD808s negative qualities are really prominent when you use them with V30s because some of the V30s less positive qualities and some of the OD808s less positive qualities align and emphasize each other.

If you are using an EQ (10 band presumably?) anyways, why not just try it in the loop (or even in front) cutting the mid frequencies both v30s and OD808s tend to emphasize.

Also, FWIW, I'm also into replacing ODs with Exciters to juice or sizzle up a signal. Depends on guitar and the rest of the signal chain of course, but you can really add something extra with a judiciously excited signal.

As far as Distortion -> Clean Channel on a good amp. Don't listen to what snobs say, that can sound as good as a native high gain channel. Easily. I say go for experimenting with that. Most people don't try it with nice amps and cabs and just equate the sound of a distortion box into a clean channel with cheap low end shit.

It's not as popular in more Andy Sneap-y styles of metal, but I know loads of players with huge boards running their distortion sounds into clean channels. It's not as common as in hyper produced Melo-death, but in terms of other underground styles of metal in North America, loads of people don't use their amps gain channel for their gain sound.
 
#13 ·
You're looking for a filter pedal. A tubescreamer cuts lows, boosts mids, gives a knob for high end response, and allows you to control the saturation of the amp with the gain boost.

A filter pedal like the VFE Focus gives you a knob to control low end cut, high end cut, and a clean boost. Nolly was very clever in presenting that idea to that designer.

Another pedal to check out is the Suhr KoKo Boost. That pedal fucking rips and lets you shape how wide the mid-range filter is with the "Mid Q" knob.
 
#15 ·
Grab a Rat, a big muff and a blues driver and see what you can cook up.

I'm not sure a micro amp will be the ticket, but slamming the front of end of something cranked and mid gain with one is a ton of fun :lol: so try that too.
 
#22 ·


This happened yesterday.

Using an EQ as a boost with a frowny face curve is the tits. Works especially well with solid state amps. It's much more subtle and less intrusive to the amps inherent tone than a mid-boost OD.

Will knock together a quick vid (we were having far too much fun to do anything even remotely professional) and start a thread in the next few days.

It was fun, but more importantly, quite eye-opening...
 
#26 ·
That was probably my favourite amp there, if I'm honest...



We slaved the Sunn Model T into the Recto, into the Marshall full stack and the Orange cab, and the Ampeg SVT 8x10.

Thanks to this they're now having to make a second season of Chernobyl.
 
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