Please recommend a simple boost

[DJ Bebop]

My passive bass puts out lower output, I'm just wanting a little boost to get a little more volume out of my Mesa subway head. Basically i just need a little more to drive the gain stage a bit ,so I don't need to turn it up as much to get volume..I'm not talking about crazy boost just a little..
Please recommend a bass guitar boost pedal that's no frills, quiet and under 100 bucks.
?

What Mesa Subway head?
Are you trying for just more volume or drive/breakup?

I have a Carvin bass with model H50N double-stacked humbucking pickups that are very weak without the internal preamp engaged. Yet I run the bass without the internal preamp into my Subway WD 800 and I can get the amp/bass loud enough.

Just turn up the gain and master?

 

[Keyser Soze]

https://www.broughtonaudio.com/product-page/bba

 

[Steve Cooke]

For cheap? I have a Behringer Bass EQ I don't use. But with all the sliders even, just set a little higher, I think it would do what you want. I often thought of using it in the opposite direction, for an occasional quieter setting.

Behringer BEQ700 Bass EQ ???

 

[mikewalker]

LPB-1

Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 Nano Linear Power Booster

 

[Jeff Hughes]

TC Spark is a cool little pedal, but to me all boosted frequencies are not appreciated equally.

The Subway D800 with a passive bass, to me, only opens up and really gets cooking at or past 12 on the input gain.

Additionally, I used an EWS Bass Mid Control pedal for a long time for volume and mid boost. Last year I replaced it with the JHS Haunting mids pedal which sounds way better to me. A little pricey for volume and mid boost, but well worth it. Looks cool too.

 

[HelpImaRock]

TC Spark is a cool little pedal, but to me all boosted frequencies are not appreciated equally.

The Subway D800 with a passive bass, to me, only opens up and really gets cooking at or past 12 on the input gain.

Additionally, I used an EWS Bass Mid Control pedal for a long time for volume and mid boost. Last year I replaced it with the JHS Haunting mids pedal which sounds way better to me. A little pricey for volume and mid boost, but well worth it. Looks cool too.

Do you feel like your mids have been sufficiently haunted by the ghosts of guitar forums past?

 

[Geri O]

You came in here with a very simple request, asking for a specific type of pedal to solve a problem that you have.

Since this is TalkBass, I have decided to completely discredit any intelligence you may have, and instead suggest something completely different since I think that I know better than you as to what you need.

Get a new bass.

Get a new amp.

Get a tort pickguard.

Change your strings.

Don't play a bass that costs less than $3000.

Change your cables.

Put handles and rollers on your cabinet.

Sell your amp and request a Right of First Refusal.

Fire the drummer.

The amp is clearly a drama queen. Just walk away and find another amp. It's what a real man would do.

The bass is clearly a needy attention whore. Just walk away and find another bass. It's what a real man would do.

Stop wearing cargo shorts when you play.

Get into a pointless argument with another TalkBass poster over symantics.

Change your diet and add more carrots.

Well….

You nailed it….

 

[Blue Moose]

Another vote for the TC Spark. I have the mini and the full size, prefer the latter for the added EQ / drive control and ability to run on battery power when needed. Just got the full size and gigged with it this weekend, very happy with it. Definitely in your budget range.

 

[Geri O]

TC Spark is a cool little pedal, but to me all boosted frequencies are not appreciated equally.

I use the Mini-Spark, but only as a boost to bring the level of my passive bass up to the level of my active bass when both are used with my amp (WD-800) and my DI. I switch in the Mini-Spark when needed and out when not. I have plenty of gain on the amp.

I haven’t noticed any irregularities when using the boost of the Mini-Spark, but I don’t need to set the control above 9-9:30. Just my personal experience, not intending to discount your experience.

 

[Auspuff]

My passive bass puts out lower output, I'm just wanting a little boost to get a little more volume out of my Mesa subway head. Basically i just need a little more to drive the gain stage a bit ,so I don't need to turn it up as much to get volume..I'm not talking about crazy boost just a little..
Please recommend a bass guitar boost pedal that's no frills, quiet and under 100 bucks.
?

Excellent, useful Boost circuitry, and you get a Chorus along with it.

 

[groovaholic]

I'm just wanting a little boost to get a little more volume out of my Mesa subway head. Basically i just need a little more to drive the gain stage a bit ,so I don't need to turn it up as much to get volume.

The comments are a bit scattered since OP said two contradictory things here - does he need more volume, or more gain?

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

Sell your amp and request a Right of First Refusal.

 

[_Tay_]

My passive bass puts out lower output, I'm just wanting a little boost to get a little more volume out of my Mesa subway head. Basically i just need a little more to drive the gain stage a bit ,so I don't need to turn it up as much to get volume..I'm not talking about crazy boost just a little..
Please recommend a bass guitar boost pedal that's no frills, quiet and under 100 bucks.
?

Hotone Tuner. About 20 smackers and it boosts volume too. Unity is about 4.5 out of 10. Plus it is a tuner so extra functionality! No tone suck or anything

 

[Geri O]

The comments are a bit scattered since OP said two contradictory things here - does he need more volume, or more gain?

He asked about a boost pedal for his bass. I didn’t try to predict what he really needs, as are a lot of the comments.

 

[BAG]

I got a Fender Engager Boost for the same reason and it is very good.
I use four very different basses two of which are similar in volume, one much quieter and one much louder.
I wanted to be able to simply hit a switch when changing basses so as to avoid playing around with the amp once it's set for a room. The Engager Boost is not that cheap though (I got it for a good price second hand).

In saying that, I recently got a Zoom B3n and it works better for me as I can set up a single switch with EQ and volume to suit each bass. I'm now getting the best sound I've ever had out of my basses.

 

[KidAmnesia]

No it's not maxed, it's fine I just need a little boost. Plenty of speaker.

I might be wrong, but Gain knobs are essentially an attenuator; dimmed they let all the signal go through to the preamp, and you lower the input volume as you turn it down.

You'd be boosting your signal and then attenuating it with your gain to get the same results as turning your gain a little higher. Or is there any specific disadvantage you see in running the gain a bit higher?

 

[wintremute]

Semantics. I choose a pointless argument over spelling instead.

I was using the British spelling.

 

[Slough Feg Bass]

I use a Markbass mini boost and it does the job just fine, and it is mini, so fits easily enough. I never use the tone knob on it, it's a super scooped sound I don't like, but it is an extra feature should you ever need it. And for $100 usd, it is quiet and has lots of headroom.

 

[funkmaster p]

If you want something that's on all the time, get an EMG PA2 preamp booster, with the no switch option. You can install this under your pickguard. Invalid Link Removed

It has a trimpot so that you can set the gain how you like it, then leave it alone. I've got one I can sell, of you're interested. I put it in my P bass so that the output would match the level of my G&L L1000.

 

[Wfrance3]

I like my becos compressor. The makeup gain is a great clean boost. I add a tad bit of compression, but it’s mostly just there for the boost. It’s over your budget, but it’s a 2 for 1 so thought I’d mention it.