"Boost" for solos?

[warlok]

Riffmeister's EQ thread got me wondering something. Some say they use a boost pedal for solos and alot of you say that you use a EQ pedal. When you guys use a EQ pedal to "boost" for solos, are you boosting the output or gain, like to stand out more (louder)? Or are you using it to change the voicing to boost the mids higher and cut through the mix more? Do you use a pedal like the M108 that has gain and volume or like the M109 that is just an EQ with no gain or volume control?

[VitaminG]

I use an EQ in the loop, for a smidge more volume and some more mids to help cut through. Quite a few here, like jgcable & guitarsjb, use a Morley Little Alligator in the loop because you can set a minimum sound and treadle the pedal for your lead volume.

I do have a boost pedal on my board, but only to slam the input of the amp harder for a tighter overdrive. It doesn't increase the volume - unless I use it on my clean channel

[toxikdeth]

Use a clean boost or a volume pedal.

[Riffmeister]

The EQ I want now is totally for shaping the overall tone, but when I palyed out, i used an MXR micro amp that both boosted the gain and the volume a bit for leads. It was an awesome little thing

[markD]

i use a clean boost to give me a bit more gain, not volume. i am the only guitarist in the band, so cutting through is not that hard. if i WANT to cut through more i step on my vox wah and notch it like michael schenker does.

[DonP]

the M109 that is just an EQ with no gain or volume control?

Any active electronic device that take power is capable of having gain. As soon as you move one of those sliders above the flatline, you are introducing gain.

So what is you move all of the sliders up a notch? If the EQ is designed to overlap all frequencies, this should work as a volume boost.

What about a compressor for solos?

[tgreensl1]

i used to use a Keeley Katana boost in the effects loop at the end of the chain. Worked great. I sold it and now i use a Tc electronic Nova System, works better, doesnt cause feedback nearly as bad when i'm close

[darrellm]

Playing in a 2 guitar band, I've tried all sorts over the years and some pretty elaborate switching setups (Boogie pre-amps with Marshall heads etc), but I finally got sorted last year after 25 years of seeking this 'holy grail'.

A mate loves building guitar pedals and knocked up this clean boost pedal from a cct off the net, I put it into the effects loops of my Engl and it works a treat. If anything, it seems to slightly clean up the sound, the solos are really clear and cut above the other guitar. Sorry but can't remember which cct he used, but a clean boost in the effects loop (serial) is the way to go if you can (IMHO of course).

[Robert Hendrix]

This thread is of particular interest to me since I'm still looking for the right boost. I tried a BBE Boosta Grande, and it worked really well on the clean channel of my amp and it boosts my TS-9 very well. But if I'm using the High Gain side of my amp, there is no noticeable boost at all. I have, at times rocked my wah pedal wide open to cut through the mix, but since that changes the tone, it's not an ideal solution for me.

[straycat]

I use a Burris boost pedal.My buddy has it right now and won't give it back the bastard!!

[vondran]

I use an EQ (M108) in front of the amp to push the amp harder into saturation. On the clean amp channel it definitely increases the amp output volume, but I only use it on the dirty channel. I usually have the mids boosted a little, so I do use it with some tone shaping.