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I need a simple Bass Boost pedal

#21
A good clean boost pedal is also a real handy pedal to have on your board, somewhere near the front. Many useful applications, not the least of which is actually boosting your volume. It's also handy for pushing dirt pedals farther than they'd go alone, and more.
 
#24
I've been using a LPB-1 and have finally had it with it's coloration. In my experience it's very much like a tone knob rolled off about 20% or so. Loss of clarity. Which is fine for what I'm actually using it for, but I prefer more purity at the beginning of my signal chain.

So, I'm trying different affordable boost pedals. First up is the CheeseBlocks small wonder. Link Removed I think I got it for $50. It will be here monday and I'll chime back in with my reaction to it.
 
#25
walker rosewood said:
got a good schematic/parts list for that? I'm not at all "pedal building inclined" but I just made myself a dual tap tempo. It was fun and I'd like to make something else.
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One good place to look is AMZ: http://www.muzique.com/pcb.htm . They have premade pcbs that allow you to do multiple projects and experiment. Lot's of different boosters.
 
#27
One good place to look is AMZ: http://www.muzique.com/pcb.htm . They have premade pcbs that allow you to do multiple projects and experiment. Lot's of different boosters.
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Thanks for that, looks like some frustrating learning experiences in my future.

This seems like a good thread to ask, what's the difference between a signal booster and a signal buffer, like the Barge Concepts stuff?
 
#29
A buffer is basically a unity gain amplifier. i.e. An amplifier with no volume boost or volume loss. A booster, is a normal amplifier.

A buffer seems kinda silly, but has many uses. But the main use in effects is to provide a high impedance on the input and a low impedance on the output.

Or to protect one circuit from another. For example, the tuner out on many amps has a buffer so that plugging in the tuner does not affect the amp. For example no pops when it is plugged in.
 
#30
great thread and Id like to add a question if I may: Do most boosts color your sound at all or cause a drop in bass freqs? Ive never messed with one on bass before but am really thinking of picking up a Time Bomb Boost (DOD 250 clone). From the looks of it though, the Sparkle Drive may be up my ally with the blend, but if I dont really need it, then I suppose theres no reason to dish out all that money for one.
 
#31
Holy War said:
great thread and Id like to add a question if I may: Do most boosts color your sound at all or cause a drop in bass freqs? Ive never messed with one on bass before but am really thinking of picking up a Time Bomb Boost (DOD 250 clone). From the looks of it though, the Sparkle Drive may be up my ally with the blend, but if I dont really need it, then I suppose theres no reason to dish out all that money for one.
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While I have no experience the higher quality boosts are supposed to be more transparent, but you pay for quality. Check out bongo's review of the Creation Labs MK.4.23.

http://www.talkbass.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1492/cat/15
 
#32
I’ve got or have used an LPB-1 clone, Devi Dark boost, Stupid box, Taxi driver and a number of others including a fuzz that just boosts at low settings (the Arc Flash).
With the exception of the Arc Flash, they all did color the sound to some extent.

Anyway, I’d say for just a boost go with an eq and tweak it for transparency.

MM
 
#33
Holy War said:
great thread and Id like to add a question if I may: Do most boosts color your sound at all or cause a drop in bass freqs? Ive never messed with one on bass before but am really thinking of picking up a Time Bomb Boost (DOD 250 clone). From the looks of it though, the Sparkle Drive may be up my ally with the blend, but if I dont really need it, then I suppose theres no reason to dish out all that money for one.
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The DOD 250 uses diode clipping, so it will definitely colour the sound. I can't remember how clean it got if you remove the diodes.

Most preamp pedals can be used as clean boosts, the SansAmp being the big exception. The Tonebone also has a boost.
 
#37
stflbn said:
I've been using a LPB-1 and have finally had it with it's coloration. In my experience it's very much like a tone knob rolled off about 20% or so. Loss of clarity. Which is fine for what I'm actually using it for, but I prefer more purity at the beginning of my signal chain.

So, I'm trying different affordable boost pedals. First up is the CheeseBlocks small wonder. Link Removed I think I got it for $50. It will be here monday and I'll chime back in with my reaction to it.
Click to expand...


I got the CheeseBlocks Small Wonder in yesterday and tried it out last night. It worked flawlessly and I found no treble or bass loss with it. Just boost of everything I already had, which is what I wanted.


.
 
#38
warwick.hoy said:
The LPB-1 is cheap but from what I understand,...not completely transparent. It's still a pedal I'm interested in checking out and would probably be just fine for my non-audiophile ears and live applications.

There are a lot of boutique boosters out there that are TBP and hella spendy for what they are but are supposed to be quite good in build and sound quality; if you can justify the cost.

If you have an unused disto/OD pedal like a DS-1,...etc,...you can set the gain completely off, turn the level up and get a clean boost out of it. May not be completely transparent,...but is an easy solution.
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Teh EHX LPB-1 is awesome! And for $31 is quite a steal!
 
#39
odd and inexpensive solution....a while back my wife bought me a little behringer mic tube preamp for about 50 bucks. I used for its intended purpose for a bit then got curious about how it sounds with a bass or guitar. Long story short very effective clean boost and gives it that "tube tone". No on/off or bypass switch though so it may not be useful all the time. I don't need to turn it off so its not a problem for me. It's an option to consider if your like me and you might get shot if you feed the expensive pedal GAS.....
 
#40
stflbn said:
I got the CheeseBlocks Small Wonder in yesterday and tried it out last night. It worked flawlessly and I found no treble or bass loss with it. Just boost of everything I already had, which is what I wanted.


.
Click to expand...



How'd you get the small wonder? The site says they aren't shipping... Did you just contact them? I'm highly intrigued.....
 

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