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  #1  
Old 07-22-2009, 10:57 PM
sleejay80 sleejay80 is offline
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Default Help! Acoustic Clean Boost Dilemma

I've been on a Electric-Acoustic clean boost pedal hunt for a long time, without sucess.

Basically I set my level according to my loudest tone: aggressive pick strums, so then I need a clean boost for finger arrpeggios/slappy style.

The closest I've come across are the Xotic RC Booster and Maxon GE601 Graphic Equalizer. Here are the pros/cons:



Xotic RC Booster:
Pros - boosts in a way that cuts thru the mix, mainly due to mid-rangyness.
Cons - colors/compresses too much, so the tone ends up a little boxy sounding.

Maxon GE601:
Pros - very clear clean boost, little to no tone coloration
Cons - even with generous amount of boost, seems the tone does not cut thru the mix.(I don't know why this is ) Especially with finger slappy style, often gets burried in the band mix.



So, does anyone know a clean boost pedal that:
1. adds little color/compression
2. and still makes your tone cut thru/punch thru the mix?
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Old 07-23-2009, 04:39 PM
TNO TNO is offline
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I like the RC Booster for electrics but doubt it would be clean enough for acoustic instruments. I'd look for a volume pedal that allows you to set the minimum and max volume levels. Saw Robin and Linda Williams last week and that's what he used to get over the band for solos.
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  #3  
Old 07-23-2009, 06:57 PM
sleejay80 sleejay80 is offline
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that's a good idea too!

any other options?
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  #4  
Old 07-23-2009, 07:37 PM
Acoustom Acoustom is offline
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Catalinbread Chile Picoso is a very good boost pedal. Adds just about nothing but volume to your existing tone. A little bit pricey though. Tom
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  #5  
Old 07-24-2009, 07:52 AM
Michael Watts Michael Watts is offline
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if you can get one then the ancient DOD bi-fet pre-amp is cool. Big boost and a tone control.

Other than that you may be looking at a custom build.

try http://www.jampedals.com this guy's the real thing!
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  #6  
Old 07-24-2009, 08:25 AM
Grenvilleter Grenvilleter is offline
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There is a relatively new line in foot pedals called
Mod Tone.
Apparently, they have been getting very good reviews.
They just recently released a pedal called "Clean Boost".
It has ability to give 25db of boost and also can attenuate signal level if desired.
It also has some tone shaping ability.
I have not tried them yet so I cannot verify or deny what is said about it's performance but it's certainly worth a look.

I currently use a D'addario (Dano) built pedal for exactly the same application you are looking for. It's called the "Fish & Chips" and provides 5 band eq for tone shaping although I tend to use it in a "flat" position.
It does the job for me atm.
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Old 07-26-2009, 11:18 PM
sleejay80 sleejay80 is offline
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Looks like the ModTone Clean Boost is a good choice, with boost/cut and tone control.

Thanks
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Old 07-26-2009, 11:53 PM
muscmp muscmp is offline
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sounds to me like you just need a volume pedal. that way you can boost it as you need it and still keep it clean. if you have the volume knob on the guitar all the way up at the time you are using the volume pedal, it should give it just a taste of coloration.
help this helps.
mikeB.
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Old 07-27-2009, 01:19 AM
sleejay80 sleejay80 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by muscmp View Post
sounds to me like you just need a volume pedal. that way you can boost it as you need it and still keep it clean. if you have the volume knob on the guitar all the way up at the time you are using the volume pedal, it should give it just a taste of coloration.
help this helps.
mikeB.
yeah, a volume pedal and/or passive volume box is a good recommendation,

but,

I heard it degrades your high end as you turn the volume down?
like on a electric guitar volume pot?

is this not true, just misinformation?
I've been wondering about this.
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Old 07-31-2009, 06:33 PM
muscmp muscmp is offline
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my volume pedal, an old d'armond, doesn't change the high end, but you may want to go to a big box store and try out different brand volume pedals to see what ones alter the sound and which just give a boost. it may depend upon where you have your guitar's volume knob also.
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  #11  
Old 12-09-2015, 11:17 AM
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Ed-in-Ohio Ed-in-Ohio is offline
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Resurrecting this old thread...

Anyone successfully using a clean boost pedal in their acoustic signal chain?

I'm thinking of adding one of these between a weak-signaled passive pickup and my Red-Eye. Now, even with a short cable, I have to crank the channel gain.

I want to use something that will play well with the high impedance of the passive pickup.

Thanks.
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  #12  
Old 12-09-2015, 11:42 AM
Laughingboy68 Laughingboy68 is offline
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I use a Way Huge Pork Loin. It is usually used as an overdrive, but it's ended up (quite successfully) on my acoustic board. It has a clean preamp blend that works really well as a clean boost. I just turn the overdrive down completely and use the volume and clean blend to provide a boost and a little preamp colour to cut through.

It works well for me. YMMV

Mike
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Old 12-09-2015, 11:58 AM
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I've tried a bunch of different clean boost pedals as my older playing background was mostly electric guitar. Having switched to all acoustic a few years back I needed something to boost my guitar for solo passages as well as quieter finger picking stuff.

Ended up using a modded Boss Ge-7 EQ pedal. It's worked the very best and I've been looking no further. A stock GE-7 would be fine but a little on the white noise side hence getting a modded one that is more quiet overall.

Works like a charm as you can cut or boost certain frequencies and also boost your overall volume just a bit.
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Old 12-09-2015, 02:07 PM
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I recently used the TC Electronic Spark Mini and it worked just fine for this. One knob...very simple, and pretty transparent. I've since bought a Fishman Platinum Pro EQ, which includes a booster function, so the Spark Mini is on Reverb for sale.
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  #15  
Old 12-09-2015, 02:39 PM
Graeme Graeme is offline
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I use a Carl Martin Hot Drive 'N Boost. Two pedals in one and only use the clean boost on the acoustic for solo's. Cuts through easily without changing the inherent tone of the guitar. Also has built in power supply so bags and bags of headroom. i rarely need to have it above 4 ( out of 10) and perfect for pickups like JJB/K&k
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