AMZ Mini-Booster as an onboard preamp/booster?

[neil411]

Hi,

Ok, I have built just about all the pedals I could ever want (13, plus I modded most of the "retail" pedals I already owned. Now I need a new project

I have a couple of guitars with lower output single coil pickups. I would like to add an onboard pre-amp/booster to do two things:

1. Increase the output to increase volume at one setting, and
2. Also have a little more to drive a tube amp for a little crunch at a higher setting.

Both of these guitars are DIY, so I am not afraid of a little routing and drilling to add the board, battery, pot and a mini-switch.

I have built a couple of circuits - Tillman's preamp, LPB-1, and the Stratoblaster. None of them really seemed to do what I wanted. They cleaned up the signal, but they don't seem to add much in the way of output. Should they increase the output, should I hear an increase in volume?

I was thinking of trying the AMZ Mini Booster next. Will that circuit increase the volume without distorting, say with the pot set at 50%?

I'm looking for a way to give these guitars a little boost from a switch on the guitar, without having to step on a pedal, or turn up the volume on the amp, and then be able to turn that boost off with that switch.

Am I on a wild goose chase?

Thanks,

[snoof]

you should def be hearing a boost when engaging the LPB, stratoblaster, etc.  something isn't right.  The minibooster is not a clean crkt, it has grit to it at all times unless modded.

[neil411]

Thanks Snoof,

I will take a look at the boosts I have and see if I can find what I am doing wrong.

[neil411]

So I took out the LPB-1 and figured out what I was doing wrong. I connected the input and output jack negatives together. Doh.

When I connected them to the ground side of the PCB, it worked great. Just want I wanted.

Both of the low-output guitars get CRANKED with the level knob up. And it completely changes the sound I get with those two guitars through a pedal. Especially nice through the Distortion +. I have the volume knob halfway on the guitar with the the, and the level and gain on the Dist + both at about 50%. Gives me a nice rhythm crunch - then I hit the switch and BAM - vicious high gain distortion, and all the volume I need.

Thanks Snoof for making me look at those circuits again.

[snoof]

No prob, glad you got it worked out .  Another booster option besides the LPB(as it is a bit colored in it's sound),  is the stratoblaster or Tillman(with a 5457 instead of J201).  Those are a bit more neutral sounding IMHO.