Which boosters for driving MXR Dist+ with solid state amp?

Started by mattpocket, February 14, 2007, 10:54:04 AM

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mattpocket

I am using a solid state amp with a high output (seymour duncan invader) humbucker guitar and i am looking for a booster to drive my MXR Distortion plus and/or my amp. I will also be building a fuzz sooner or later too.

I play high treble melodic punk rock, so harshness is not an issue, but I dont want 100% treble, just something with a lot of top end.

I had previously decided on the LPB, but now I am unsure.

Any suggestions?

Matt
Built: LofoMofo, Dist+, Active AB Box, GGG 4 Channel Mixer, ROG Omega
On the Bench:Random Number Generator, ROG Multi-face, Speak & Spell
--------------------------------------------
My Pop-Punk Band - www.myspace.com/stashpocket

stutter

Boosters are really meant to be used with tube amps.Ive heard alot of bad things when you mix SS with booster pedals.Maybe a better option would be an eq pedal before the dist+??

mattpocket

I know they have traditionally been used to boost the signal to overdrive valve amps, but I thought you could also use them to drive a fuzz/distortion, etc that little bit harder.

Matt
Built: LofoMofo, Dist+, Active AB Box, GGG 4 Channel Mixer, ROG Omega
On the Bench:Random Number Generator, ROG Multi-face, Speak & Spell
--------------------------------------------
My Pop-Punk Band - www.myspace.com/stashpocket

Mark Hammer

ANY booster.  Note that if you simply change the 4k7 resistor in the Dist+ (the one in series with the gain pot) to 3k9, or 3k3, or even 2k7, you can increase the maximum gain (and distortion intensity) even more, without requiring a booster in front.  Stock, the unit has a max gain of x213.  With a 2k7 resistor, the max gain is x371.  The price you pay is much less bass at highest gain, unless you increase the value of the .047uf cap.  I'd recommend a value of .15uf to .22uf.

Note that this will do absolutely NOTHING for volume levels coming out of the Dist+, though, since the ceiling on that is dictated by the diodes, not by any gain or boosters preceding the pedal.  If you want more volume, then you need to raise the clipping threshold of the Dist+ via some diode changes.

jonathan perez

hell yeah, i used to do that back when i used solid state.

i always had a booster in front of my distortion unit...it WONT alter too much of your tone, at all. but most likely give you a good top end fizz, mid boost, or bottom cut, all + gain.


with my distortion plus, i had the DOD YJM in front of it....

with my ds-1, i had the....uh...DOD intergrated tube in front of it...damn fine pedal!


no longer the battle of midway...(i left that band)...

i hate signatures with gear lists/crap for sale....

i am a wah pervert...ask away...

Ronsonic


Build something like a one transistor treble booster and tweak the cap values to suit.

Not only does it scream like a whipped demon, it'll clean up nicely when you roll off the volume control of the guitar.

I'm building a semicommercial pedal that is not unlike that.

Ron
http://ronbalesfx.blogspot.com
My Blog of FX, Gear and Amp Services and DIY Info

petemoore

  Mosfet gain stage>DIST+.
  OS comp>DIST+.  [not even all that noisy...
  Mini-Booster [voiced accordingly]>DIST+.
  Fuzz Face Type Fuzz>DIST+ [even...takes tweeking.
  Shoot, Wah>DIST+...can be cranky.
  I'd mention Dist+>MiniBooster, perhaps it's better to slam the diodes by pre-boost than to boost the output when driving an SS head, [this keeps the signal compressed, flattens swing peaks] depends tho...might be worth a try, the MB can sound pretty good with the DIST+ cranked into it, volume controlled at the MB output.
Convention creates following, following creates convention.

Mark Hammer

Keep in mind that pushing the front end of a solid-state amp can result in a wide array of additional harmonic distortion from the amp, depending on the model.  As with ANY, and I mean ANY distortion, the harmonic content you feed something will set the additional harmonic content that second device produces.  It may well be that the "ideal" Dist+ for person X's solid state amp is something that has some more of the treble rolled off so as to not extract irritating fizz from the amp. 

In other words, up the value of the cap in parallel with the diodes (.0022uf-.0047uf), and stick a small cap (22pf-39pf) in parallel with the 1M feedback resistor.  That way, when you push the Dist+ itself, what it generates will be something that brings out the best (such as it is) in the amp.

mattpocket

Wow, thanks guys! I'm going to build another one of these now with all the mods!

Thanks!

Matt
Built: LofoMofo, Dist+, Active AB Box, GGG 4 Channel Mixer, ROG Omega
On the Bench:Random Number Generator, ROG Multi-face, Speak & Spell
--------------------------------------------
My Pop-Punk Band - www.myspace.com/stashpocket

mattpocket

Oh yeah, so would the LPB be a suitable booster for this application, and could it also be used with a valve amp if I ever upgrade.

Matt
Built: LofoMofo, Dist+, Active AB Box, GGG 4 Channel Mixer, ROG Omega
On the Bench:Random Number Generator, ROG Multi-face, Speak & Spell
--------------------------------------------
My Pop-Punk Band - www.myspace.com/stashpocket

rockgardenlove




GibsonGM

I use an LPB2 AFTER a Dist+ into my tube amp; sounds great.  This way I can leave it off for mellower tunes, and kick it for some crunch.  I never liked the sound of pushing a Dist+...the 741 is already being beaten pretty good in there, and the diodes are doing the rest.  If I wanted harder distortion, I'd find something else that provides it. 

Taking the Dist+ already-screaming, fully-distorted output and bumping it up seems to bring out the best in my amp.  Be aware that the LPB is a little midrangey, so you'll probably want to play around with caps and the like to find your tone.  And, it's unbuffered, so adding an opamp or transistor buffer in front of the ckt will improve its tonal qualities (I did this with an opamp, sounds nice :o

Since this is level boost and not additional clipping, it should be fine with a SS amp...pushing the front end of a dist. pedal sounds like kaka to me, esp. into a SS amp. 
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MXR Dist +, TS9/808, Easyvibe, Big Muff Pi, Blues Breaker, Guv'nor.  MOSFace, MOS Boost,  BJT boosts - LPB-2, buffers, Phuncgnosis, FF, Orange Sunshine & others, Bazz Fuss, Tonemender, Little Gem, Orange Squeezer, Ruby Tuby, filters, octaves, trems...

Ben N

Use a dual like a 4559 or 5532, and build a 1-box Micro-amp & Dist+ with 2 TBP footswitches. Not much harder than making the boost alone, and I think it would serve your needs fine (preserve high end without treble boost). If you want to get fancy, for a few more parts you could add something like the Stupidly Wonderful Tone Control to either or both.

Ben
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