Clean boost for an acoustic guitar?

[KenL]

I need a simple pedal to provide clean boost when it's time for a solo.

Back in my electric days, I used a Barber Tone Press between my Strat and my amp. I need the same sort of thing now between my acoustic (with a K&K) guitar and my Genz Benz Shenandoah amplifier.

Can't try my Tone Press because I sold it. Not sure if it would work with passive pups anyway. Have tried a couple of "gas pedal" type things but didn't like them; they added too much "something" to the tone, and I could never get the volume right. Seems like they could do 0% or 120% but nothing in between.

Anybody got one they like?

Thanks.

[benderman57]

I've tried a lot of different things over the years and settled on a simple Boss GE7 EQ pedal. You can tailor the sound when you do bump for a solo to maybe roll out a tiny bit of bass so your solo will jump out a little without boosting too much. This works really well and a lot of pros do this same thing like Zac Brown who takes acoustic solo's in a big band setting.

The one I have is modded to make it a little more white noise quiet.

Very happy with this simple but very functional solo boost.

[51 Relic]

The way I do this is to use a volume pedal . Turn the amp up to solo level and then just pull back the volume pedal for normal use . I just just feel it gives you more variation in levels whilst playing ie strumming to fingerpicking to solo . I use the Morley Volume Pedal with a minimum level control

[Woodstock School Of Music]

Agreed the GE7 works really good for boost. Mine is stock and a little noisy but nothing that's noticeable in a live environment. One of these days I may do the mod

[alnico5]

http://saturnworkspedals.com/product/clean-boost-pedal/

[lschwart]

I happily used a GE-7 for a boost for several years. Now I use the boost on my Radial PZ-Pre. But I still keep the GE-7 for back up and have occasionally brought it out for other duties and for a boost when I've had to run more than the two guitars the PZ-Pre handles. Solid simple pedal.

L.

[otavio]

Boost=be heard=stand out on the mix=eq with some boost and some cut=GE7 with Mod(for a cleaner signal)

[GGinMP]

Originally Posted by 51 Relic

The way I do this is to use a volume pedal . Turn the amp up to solo level and then just pull back the volume pedal for normal use . I just just feel it gives you more variation in levels whilst playing ie strumming to fingerpicking to solo . I use the Morley Volume Pedal with a minimum level control

A friend uses a TC Electronic Spark Mini Booster for his dobro, but I'm in the (Ernie Ball MVP) volume pedal camp.

[KenL]

Gentlemen, these are great suggestions, thanks very much. I will look into each of them.

How does one go about modding the Boss GE7? Do you send it off to some guy somewhere who does this?

[Uncle Pauhana]

As you may have noticed, there are many fans of the Red-Eye preamp/boost/DI on this forum.

But if you don't need the Red-Eye's DI, and effects loop, and can supply external power (i.e., no battery), there is a new product, the Bright-Eye, that should give you outstanding adjustable boost.
http://www.fire-eye.com/brighteye

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[doublescale1]

for a good mini sized clean boost pedal that just gives you more of what you already got, Cusack "More Louder" very neutral, does not add any emphasized part of the tone spectrum, just more louder, and did I mention it's small too.

[joeguam]

I also use the GE-7 for a boost, and I use it stock out of the box from Boss. I purchased the mod for it but never needed to install it because the GE-7 boost is only engaged when sound is playing, so you can't hear the noise over everything else.

I won't use any other pedal for boost because it gives the ability to cut the higher frequencies for ukulele solos to prevent it from sounding like plastic tone.

[RockerDuck]

I use the Boss GE-7 and I do not get any noise that people talk about mods for. Mine is stock and quiet.

[Irish Pennant]

A couple pedals I have to will give a controllable boost is the MXR Ten Band EQ. It has a volume and gain setting on sliders. The second is the Zoom A3 pedal, it has a boost button.

[Vancebo]

Another vote of confidence for the Fire Eye products. I have the Red Eye. Do yourself a favor and put it in your signal chain. It will just sound better. It truly is a magic box.