Solo boost for a single channel amp

[jgcable]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

Originally posted by speed monkey:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jgcable:
But if I am using the gain of the amp wouldn't the fulltone just add another stage of gain and not boost the volume at all?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Actually - not at all. If you use it in the "comp cut" mode with the volume knob pulled out - set the gain flat, all you get is clean volume boost, no gain added whatsoever...and you get an enormous amount of volume if needed.

Steve E </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Steve, If the above was true, why wouldn't my Boss GE7 pedal or my DOD 250 preamp work as a boost? They both don't.

[Ralph E.]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

Originally posted by Chuckracer:
... and if its a two guitar band, the soloist is lost in the mix.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Very good point I didn't think of. He has always been the only guitarist.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

hey man, all you need is an old ibanez TS-9 tubescreamer on the way in.

~JW

[Hotrod]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

Hitting the frontend of a gained out amp with ANYTHING will NOT increase your volume enough to make a solo cut through in a live situation.
You need a drastic volume boost. Loop and preamp (or cut, actually) is the only way to go.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Shouldn't the GE-7 do that? He'd be increasing the level, not the gain which is what he wants. Leave the frequncies neutral and just boost the level.

[BigDaddyD]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

How would a preamp in the loop make an amp louder if the power amp stage is already maxed? I think the thing here is that this amp will simply never do what John wants. If the power amp is not dimed, then dime it and use a volume pedal. Other wise, try to back the gain down to 7 and use any of the pedals above as a boost. I do that with my Rivera. I turn the gain down and use either a Fulldrive 2, a TC Booster or a modded DS-2 to boost.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

the ts-9 will not only boost the signal but will reshape the eq to a big mid hump - cuts right through every time.

best solo button in a pedal availible.

[speed monkey]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

[/QUOTE]Steve, If the above was true, why wouldn't my Boss GE7 pedal or my DOD 250 preamp work as a boost? They both don't.[/QUOTE]

Because unlike the two pedals you mentioned - the Fulltone is an actual two stage pedal (2 channel...) designed to give a true clean only boost with no gain added as well as a boost option that you can add gain through...

For example - when I had my Bogner Shiva, I used the Fulltone for volume boost rather than the onboard "boost" function of the Shiva because that did in fact add saturation that was not needed....it works...

If you can, find a local dealer and take your amp down and check it out.

Steve E

[BigDaddyD]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

I almost always use the clean boost on my Fulltone. I very rarely use the gain boost or the overdrive.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

Hotrod and Dreamland, if the amp is running with the gain dimed, which it is in John's case, hitting the front end with more signal, wether its a clean boost or a Ts9 will not make the amp louder. It will only make it distort more. It CANNOT make it louder. The preamp is already distorting...there is nowhere else for it to go.

The power amp section is not wide open though. Running a slight transparent boost there WILL make the amp louder for solo boosts. Good luck finding something that won't squish the tone, though. Here's a hint: A volume pedal will kill the tone.
I've been down this road, around the block, have the shirt. Maybe Pete could step in here and explain why hitting the front of an already distorting amp cannot increase volume. It cannot happen!

John, the very best way to achive this is with a second footswitchable master volume. It really works as a cut that gets switched out, but the end result is the same. Transparent and adjustable.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

just use the amp like you want to with the good amp distortion and get a ts-9. all this other stuff in not gonna let you use the amp the way you want to. your problem is simple, you need a solo boost, and thats what the tube screamers are for. forget distortion pedals and effects boards, and all that. keep it simple. guitar - ts9 - amp -speakers. the original solo boost.

~JW

[442w30]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

Yup, the Mig is running clean, mesa for addding grit. I think you're going to need to put something between the pre and power amps (effects loop) but from the description of the SD booster, it sounds like a clean boost, even though they are calling it gain.

[BigDaddyD]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

The power amp section is not wide open though. Running a slight transparent boost there WILL make the amp louder for solo boosts. Good luck finding something that won't squish the tone, though. Here's a hint: A volume pedal will kill the tone.
I've been down this road, around the block, have the shirt. Maybe Pete could step in here and explain why hitting the front of an already distorting amp cannot increase volume. It cannot happen! [/QB]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You are forgeting that nothing will make JG perfectly happy. This amp was not designed to do what he wants. Therefore, he can only get "close" IF the power amp isn't dimed, he could certainly get close with a volume pedal or a volume pedal and some type of boost. it has been done for decades. What he really needs is a mutli channel amp that will let him get the sounds he wants via a footswitch. Makes me wonder why he is selling the PV. This particular soldaon was made for a different market. It happens to be similiar to what I am looking for, but I am ok with its shortcomings because I have other amps for different sounds...as does John. You simply can't get every sound of of a one channel tube amp, but you can get many great ones by altering the volume of the guitar, using a boost, and a volume pedal. I do think the switchable master volume is also a cool way to go about it and I know some people who use that as well. That would be cool if JG wants to go through the hassle of modding the amp, but even then he might not be completely satisfied with the tone.

[toejam]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

Or get a Dunlop High Gain Volume Pedal. Those things don't mess with your tone, and can be used either in front of the amp or in the effects loop.

[charvelguy]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

Which means modding the amp... oh well, buy a Rivera with the boost built in.

Chuck has a point, if the gain is already flat out, there is no more headroom except in the power amp section so all the preamp is going to do is get pushed harder..no significant discernable difference save for noise and more distortion/gain, just squeezing the signal more.

I have an onboard boost for active circuit of 12db on some of my Fenders..(which I rarely use) I can hear the volume difference when that kicks in, as well as noise and gain etc, but there is a volume difference. They say they difference betwen a 50 watter and a hundred watter is only 3 DB, both are loud flat out but you figure the hundred is going to be kickin more wind behind ya.

If you run this into a switchable attenuator, I would think that could suffice.

[ June 03, 2004, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: charvelguy ]

[BigDaddyD]

Re: Solo boost for a single channel amp

It is funny that you should mention the boost on the Riveras. That boost is so loud that they offer a variable boost mod, because some people find it unusable as is. I know I don't use it on mine, because of that and have thought about have the boost mod done.