Adding a boost to a Tubescreamer

[YouAre]

I built myself a nice tubescreamer with the BYOC pcb and i want to add a boost to it. I know how a certain boutique pedal maker adds boost to the pedal, but i want to add another boost pedal all together.

so you can say that its not a "fullclone" of the "real and original pedal" 

I want to add a boost that works well with the tubescreamer and won't overload it too much. Maybe something that'll add some sparkle to the signal. What are your suggestions for a simple boost?

So far i'm thinking, mosfet boost, miniboost, rangemaster boost, or the omega.

what other simple boosts can you guys suggest?

regards,
murad

[jlullo]

mosfet/mini/omega are all great boosts.  MarkM's ViagraTone is great as well.  THe rangemaster may be not what you're looking for, as it's a treble booster, and not a clean boost

[petemoore]

 
 this and that depend on the amp, your ears, and where, [before or after] the dist circuit the booster is added, A little mu amp grit [minibooster] is fun to play with, mosfet boost is big and clean...rangemaster can' sound cool in front, I haven't had lots of luck overdriving a RM.

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

I threw a DOD OD250 clone in together with an EH LPB2 (both fairly modified, though I didn't take note of the component changes I made in the booster, so I can't advise you exactly how I did it). I have the booster going into the overdrive. I have found that with the booster level turned right up it gives the overdrive a really raspy fuzz-like sound and it's a sound that I love! It also doesn't affect the volume of the pedal since it's going INTO the overdrive, it just fills it right out with awesomeness .

I think it could be one that is worth trying at least. I have been thinking of putting one into my Screamer

[ulysses]

fulltone doesnt add boost to the ts, he adds volume drop and calls it boost when the drop is bypassed.

do you want to build a pedal or add on to the ts circuit?

most boosts will be clean, not adding sparkle - depends how you define sparkle anyway.. treble?

maybe try a rangemaster will offer you some treble colouration.

cheers
ulysses

[momiel]

It's very important if you want to put he boost before or after the ts. Very important. What do you need it for?
I think, for example, that if you need a pre boost to have more gain for solos and licks, a treble booster is a good choice (think rangemaster or eh screaming bird/tree)

[96ecss]

Hi,

I built an 808 clone from the GGG layout and modified it. I use a Mini-Booster and a Mosfet Booster on my pedalboard and they both work with the 808. The Mosfet Boost is clean and won't change your tone much. It just makes it sound bigger, if that makes any sense. At least that's what I've been told by people who've played through my rig. The Mini-Boost WILL alter your tone, but in a good way like Jack Orman says. So, if you just want boost without altering your tone, go with the Mosfet Boost. It's the best sounding clean boost I've used and I've had a few good ones. If you want to add sparkle, try the Sparkle Boost from Dragonfly. I haven't built it yet, but I've heard great things about it.

Dave

[ubersam]

...The Mini-Boost WILL alter your tone, but in a good way like Jack Orman says...If you want to add sparkle, try the Sparkle Boost from Dragonfly...

The Mini and the Sparkle are two of my fav boosters. The Mini, however, I do not use so much to boost another pedal. I actually like it being boosted by a TS or an SD (as in, after the OD).

The Beginner Project (Gus Smalley Booster) is a pretty clean booster as well (up to a certain point). I used it after the TS in one of my builds. At certain settings, the booster acts more as a volume boost without much change to the TS' tone.

On a related note, there is a diagram for switching that reverses the order of the efx (OD>boost / boost>OD). I don't remember where I saw it, maybe geofex.

[YouAre]

dammit! i forgot to hit the "notify of new replies" button again!


but yeah, i'll be adding the boost most likely after to add the volume boost to the ts. I don't think i'd enjoy having more gain just careening into the pedal and mucking it up even more. I think i'm most interested in the Omega boost. That "range" control is REALLY interesting to me.

Can anyone compare the omega to the mosfet boost? And i mean functionality wise. Does the omega act as a buffer like the mosfet boost? and at the lowest setting on the master control, does it cut volume, or is it unity gain?

thanks guys!

fulltone doesnt add boost to the ts, he adds volume drop and calls it boost when the drop is bypassed.

by the way, i heard differently on the BYOC forums. One of the moderators wired up a mod that gives the boost.

and here's the thread http://board.buildyourownclone.com/viewtopic.php?t=3484&highlight=fulldrive

have fun with that bad boy

[96ecss]

I can't compare the Omega to the Mosfet Boost because I've never played through an Omega. Another ROG booster to try out would be the Tone Mender. I plan on building one some day.

Dave

[oldrocker]

I like the ROG Professor Tweed with the TS.  It would be cool to make that one pedal with a foot switch to take the Pro Tweed in and out.

[petemoore]

  fulltone doesnt add boost to the ts, he adds volume drop and calls it boost when the drop is bypassed.
  A fine solution, might be a great 'volume change only' type mod, of course if the amp responds by distorting more to the higher output it would'nt be just volume change.
  You might like the added grain and grind of a Minibooster.
  For this type of thing, a lot of perf, or a little breadoard can go a long way toward shortening the path to the tone you're after.
  Overgeneralized terms for single transistor types:
  Mosfet clean strong maybe glassy to smooth
  Jfet Smooth
  Bipolar 'standard'
  Ge...might be cool for the input..or troublesome..hard to say, it might sound harsh if you use it to boost the output.
  Mu Amp, adds a bit of smooth grind, lots of boost.
   

[Toney]

I think the quickest pathway for you would be to build  mosfet boost- simple quick build. You'll probably want one anyway, and play with the positioning.
Really if you want to get a quick idea of what to expect grab anything that can deliver a reasonable boost and muck around with it. EQ, BD-2, with the drive down.
Muck around!

[YouAre]

build reports!


ok, i rebuilt my mosfet boost, and have built a rangemaster.

mosfet, does add that crazy boost in volume/gain, does mostly what i want. but at higher gain settings, the gain can get a bit fat.

is there any mod for the mosfet boost to give it something similar the "range" control on the omega?


i'm building the omega once i get the parts in. does anyone know how the master control works? does it go from silent to fullgain, or from unity to fullgain?

[Toney]

Well you can easily add a master to the MFboost.
MarkM has an example in his gallery

[YouAre]

Well you can easily add a master to the MFboost.
MarkM has an example in his gallery

I've done that before, i meant to make a build report of that!

I added both the c5k gain pot, and the a100k master pot. The major drawback of the a100k master pot at the end is that you lose the unity gain buffer capabilities. I felt that it kind of loaded the circuit like a tone control.