What pedal do you prefer for a pre-preamp boost?

[Sunbane]

They have a mini spark pedal which does almost the same exact thing for less. I heard that little guy is amazing. Well worth the asking full retail price and then some.
Dude hear me out I know money can be tight and buying things like this might hurt a bit up front for your own personal reasons but I suggest spending the money as you'll own it for years or a lifetime. Why give up a few bucks and lose tone when you can have something like this that's pure and clean? It so worth it. If I didn't love mine I would give you a good deal on it but sorry my friend I'll be keeping this one forever unless I find something better.

I hear ya, I'll be sure to check the mini spark out as well.

[mantis]

Cool man Rock on

[Newc]

Yeah, good point. Well, I'm going into an Orange Dark Terror head and I set the gain at 12-1 o' clock, so I just need enough push take a Duncan Custom from "You've Got Another Thing Coming" to "Cowboys From Hell". I don't use this amp for cleans. So, I'm looking for a clean boost. So far I've been using a cheapo distortion with the distortion rolled off, but it is coloring the sound in an undesirable way, so I'm looking for something else.

The OCD and the TC Spark look really tempting, but both cost quite a bit. If I can find a good budget alternative I'm probably going that route.

I have no experience with that amp. Do you get more gain if you increase the knob higher or does it reach a point where nothing's really increasing, or does it just degenerate into buzzy shit beyond that point? If it can get the gain level you want, maybe you just need to roll the volume knob down for rhythms?

[VitaminG]

Yeah, good point. Well, I'm going into an Orange Dark Terror head and I set the gain at 12-1 o' clock, so I just need enough push take a Duncan Custom from "You've Got Another Thing Coming" to "Cowboys From Hell". I don't use this amp for cleans. So, I'm looking for a clean boost. So far I've been using a cheapo distortion with the distortion rolled off, but it is coloring the sound in an undesirable way, so I'm looking for something else.

The OCD and the TC Spark look really tempting, but both cost quite a bit. If I can find a good budget alternative I'm probably going that route.

if you want a decent boost on the cheap, check out the Bad Monkey. It's a TS-type pedal but with better EQ. Turn the gain down & the volume up for a clean boost, bring the gain back up to taste

[Sunbane]

I have no experience with that amp. Do you get more gain if you increase the knob higher or does it reach a point where nothing's really increasing, or does it just degenerate into buzzy shit beyond that point? If it can get the gain level you want, maybe you just need to roll the volume knob down for rhythms?

It turns into fuzzy shit when I turn the gain up over 1 o' clock, regardless of what guitar I'm using. It's an inherent trait of the Dark Terror, so there's nothing I can do about it. But it seems that the harder I push the preamp, the better it sounds, and I can leave the gain knob at "moderate but usable". I love the sound, except that the Behringer pedal I go through adds a harsh quality that I can't dial away completely.

[Nightbat]

Did anybody ever complain about Jimmy Page's tone in the 70's? Maybe, but their complaints would have been drowned out by the roar of sold out crowds at Madison Square Gardens.

So, what you are basically saying is:
To counter being bad at playing guitar, start playing in big crowds?

[Kisonen]

Digitech Bad Monkey is good cheap pedal for boosting.

[jspeed]

Digitech Bad Monkey is good cheap pedal for boosting.

+1

The individual low & high tone controls are a very nice option; sounds pretty clean too..

[Axewielder]

So, what you are basically saying is:
To counter being bad at playing guitar, start playing in big crowds?

The most important attribute of any live sound system is that it is powerful enough to drown out audience complaints. Add to that list bar owners. When I'm playing live, I'm totally immersed in my own creative universe. Personally I find it quite disruptive and hostile to the creative process when some jackass bar owner is yelling "hey hey guys I need you turn it down a bit". You know? So in my universe I don't want to hear that. And really bass and drums too, those nimrods are always in some other universe playing some completely different song. So in that case I need to be backed up by a powerful amp that can overwhelm the house system when needed. I realize this isn't ideal, but nobody has complained yet.

[Nightbat]

The most important attribute of any live sound system is that it is powerful enough to drown out audience complaints.
[........]
I realize this isn't ideal, but nobody has complained yet.

[VitaminG]

The most important attribute of any live sound system is that it is powerful enough to drown out audience complaints. Add to that list bar owners. When I'm playing live, I'm totally immersed in my own creative universe. Personally I find it quite disruptive and hostile to the creative process when some jackass bar owner is yelling "hey hey guys I need you turn it down a bit". You know? So in my universe I don't want to hear that. And really bass and drums too, those nimrods are always in some other universe playing some completely different song. So in that case I need to be backed up by a powerful amp that can overwhelm the house system when needed. I realize this isn't ideal, but nobody has complained yet.

sensei

[Hellbat]

Bad Monkey is a great budget choice. Boss SD-1 is a good budget option too and you can find used ones everywhere.

TC Spark is a great choice at the mod level.

[Sunbane]

I will investigate the Bad Monkey as well.
Although I must say that the TC Mini Spark is quite competitively priced and looking really good.

[Kisonen]

TC Mini Spark has only one knob which makes it kinda limited. Mooer Pure Boost could be cool too.

[toejam]

I will investigate the Bad Monkey as well.

I've not tried the Digitech Bad Monkey, but I do have the old DOD Juice Box that is really awesome. It's the pedal that eventually turned into the Bad Monkey.

The old yellow DOD FX50B Overdrive Plus is also a great pedal.