Onboard PU booster

[The Rossness]

Anyone ever install a pickup booster like an EMG PA2? Was there a noticable difference in gain and tone?

would either of these have the same results-

http://www.guitarfetish.com/quotClaptonquot-style-mid-boost-circuit-Drive-your-amp_p_194.html

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Onboard-Multi-Distortion-Circuit-Hot-Rodded-tone_p_570.html

[DonP]

Back in the day, I used to make my own.

My feeling is, you can either have a foot pedal, or a boost in a guitar.

With a foot pedal, you can change it out fairly easily.

Not so easy with a boost, so choose carefully. Ask yourself why you are doing this. and remember, batteries add weight to a guitar. I have a Fusion with an 18v EMG setup that should be much lighter than it is.

For what I have currently installed, I have the EMG SPC boost in one axe. It adds something different. I also have a 92 RR1 with I guess is a JE-1200. It sounds like Stryper

[Newc]

I've used the AfterBurner, and yeah, there's a really noticeable difference. I ran it on about 3 with the stock EMG HZ3s and thought it sounded good for distortions, but was too harsh for cleans.

[Axewielder]

I'm in the middle of a project to rewire one of my Jackson Strats with an Afterburner. In addition to boosting the signal, these circuits are also converting your pickups from passive to active. This causes a really major change in tone. I think it is still considered an active signal when it is disengaged, but I'm not 100% sure about that. The Jackson JE-1200 demonstrats how significant this is. A J-200 sounds kind of blah when wired up passively, but behind a JE-1200 in pseudo-active mode it sounds more open and lively (even with the mids rolled off). I'm really a fan of this sound in my Model 4.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I think I'd rather use a pedal, if I wanted something to boost/drive the amp. I used it with an EMG 85. It didn't really change the tone, just boosted the output. Adds a fair amount of noise, too.

[DrDestruction]

Yeah. Using a booster pedal would be an easier way to go. There's no routering out wood on your axe or major soldering to do AND you can take it out of the loop much easier if you don't want it.

I use Seymour Duncan's booster pedal (oddly enough called "Pickup Booster") for all my pickup boosting needs. It's quiet and doesn't add any noise or distortion for the most part- just up to a 25dB boost in signal... just the thing for when you're running long cables from your guitar to your amp.

[jdr94]

i had the pa2 and its adjustable. in one guitar i had it set at like 2. just enough to get a lil more. some people have em cranked simply for some super feedback manipulation. i think it really depends on what you're lookin for. thing is, it only boosts. so tone adjustments will be needed whether its at the tone knob or eq section of your amp. best at the tone knob, but then if you gotta move your tone knob and flick the switch the point of having it is defeated. now youre tap dancing with your hands instead of your feet and in most cases both. thats just my experience.

i must say that the reason i got it was to be able to kill boost during clean,crunch parts, but activate it when on red/solo channel, but it seemed to somewhat thin the sound as well as boost it. does that make sense. you gotta be right on that line for it to remain a nice even clean boost. too little and it does almost nothing, too much and it gets a lil buzzy sounding when distorted

[jgcable]

I prefer pedals. If you don't like it, just get another one. Once you modify your guitar you are stuck with it. Also.. you are limited to how much electronics you can stuff into your guitar.
Personally.. I never liked any onboard guitar preamp or booster system.

[micha]

I got the JE1000 gainboost installed on some of my guitars.
It's cool if you plug into someone elses amp (your buddys cheap guest-amp for example ) and still get a decent amount of gain out of it without having to take a lot of equipment with you.
They make your harmonics scream! On the other hand it's been a while since I used any distortion pedals or something like that...
Now what sucks is that it's not easy to make your guitar sound clean anymore. But I can live with that.
And there's always the option to install some knob or switch to shut it down if you don't mind some extra controls on your axe....

But anyway, I like mine and the batteries last a whole lot of time.

[Grandturk]

I've used the EMG Afterburner and the Jackson electronics. Don't really like them myself. But then, I also don't believe you need a pedal with a high gain amp, either. Call me crazy.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Naw, dude, naw. You gotta push the front end with a boost to get the brutal chugga-chugga tone brah.

[Grandturk]

I thought that's what 6 preamp tubes are for...

[bratfink]

I got a JE-1200 and it's awsome, The tone it makes combined with the old J80C's is brutal yet clear. By far my favourite guitar!

Infact I am trying to replicate the sound in my other guitars so I am watching this post with great interest.... I have posted about this sort of thing before but I haven't really got a good consensus of opinion on what's out there.

http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/108873-New-JE-1000!!!

By the way, I didn't buy the JE-1000 he was advertising since I couldn't get any satisfactory answers to my questions I emailed him. I don't know if it his english that lacks or his integrity but it didn't fill me with confidence to drop $60 on him.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

The SPC can be used with an EMG humbucker (or a passive pickup IIRC) if you want to add lots of noise to your signal chain right from the guitar, instead of with a pedal.

I'm already picking up AM radio with mine so I don't think I need it.