zvex super hard on with bass

[ugly_bassplayer]

Is a Zvex super hard used in my signal chain going to damage my amp???
I heard these are used to make the amp work harder.
I wrote zack at zvex , he told me to use as little of it as possible as it could damage on the amp if boosted to much.

Is this true of other boost pedals such as MXR or xotic ........

Should I just use a EQ pedal set flat with more gain????

[FreaqyFrequency]

Originally Posted by ugly_bassplayer

Is a Zvex super hard used in my signal chain going to damage my amp???
I heard these are used to make the amp work harder.
I wrote zack at zvex , he told me to use as little of it as possible as it could damage on the amp if boosted to much.

Is this true of other boost pedals such as MXR or xotic ........

Should I just use a EQ pedal set flat with more gain????

All it does is push the amp's input section, so if you have a tube amp for instance, it pushes it into a clean overdrive at lower gain settings. It will not damage the amp/speakers unless if you turn the master volume up too much, and even then all that might do is blow the speakers, shouldn't blow the amp.

[smo]

Regarding the speakers - this will depend on the nature of the signal. Watch the speakers - if they're just about flying out of the cab, you might want to back down the volume.

AFAIK - the only damage you'll do to a tube amp with a large input volume is to cause premature wear to the tubes. But who cares if it sounds good. Guitar players do it all the time.

[rratajski]

I thought about this for a minute when our g****rist was selling his...
Then I realized that I baby my gear and that a Rick plus higher gain on the SVT will drive as much as I need for "cleans".

It might sound cool, but that's a big investment for a maybe and people suck nowadays for buying 'expensive' pedals, especially ZVex (*read non Wooly Mammoth). rosstanium had the darndest time selling that Octane...

[ugly_bassplayer]

It's a home made copy of the SHO, the real thing is it is WAY to expensive.

Exact same pedal, but alot cheaper.

[thudstaff23]

I've gone through the gammut (sp?) of Zvex pedals, and ended up getting rid of all of them due to the fact that I just couldn't control the volumes in any practical setting. By the time you actually level them off to a point where they won't be unruly in your signal chain, you have rendered them ineffective, especially for how much they cost.

The only person I've seen that was able to master the Zvex was J Mascis, which should come as no surprise, as he is a guitar God among mortals.

They will eat your tubes as well! As for speaker damage, I think you prett much know when you've hit your limit there : )

[dannybuoy]

If you just want a simple boost, sure, go build yourself a SHO - it's a simple circuit too. Also look at the Dirty Boots germanium boost. You won't risk damaging your amp unless you whack the gain up right up to silly levels; and this pedal is no more likley to hurt your amp than any other pedal with a volume boost.

What kind of amp are you using? Also, if you're likely to be stomping on and off the effect during a song, you may want to look at an overdrive pedal instead so you don't get the massive volume jump when using a boost pedal to push the amp.

[rratajski]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

Also, if you're likely to be stomping on and off the effect during a song, you may want to look at an overdrive pedal instead so you don't get the massive volume jump when using a boost pedal to push the amp.

See, that's my gripe w/ boosts...They BOOST! I don't ever want my signal to go past unity or a teeeeeeeny bit past unity w/ dirt, but then again, that's just how I roll w/ my band.

[MAMMOTHvolume]

you could just play on the edge of break up so its not a massive volume jump just more saturation