boosting a tube amp?

[a_nxiety]

hey guys i've been looking into boosting my engl thunder 50 in some way. It has a lot of gain but sometimes when i want to play extreme gain down tuned stuff is just doesn't quite cut it. what do you suggest? i was thinking either a boss SD-1 (i hear using this is common) or maybe like the duncan clean boost.

[Racerx2k]

Digitech Bad Monkey. Cheap as hell, quite transparent, and does the job, wonderfully. How can you go wrong?

[microdmitry]

Get a modded SD-1 off *bay. Or get a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive. Sparkle drive is basically level boost and overdrive rolled into one and you can dial in the proportion between the two.

[toshiro]

Stay away from clean boosts(like that duncan pickup booster) for metal rhythm tones, the mid hump and bass cut most overdrives have are things you want to get that tight boosted high gain tone. A TS9/808/etc would be my first choice.

[microdmitry]

If you're going for a TS9 - get a TS9DX. It's $9 more but it's several pedals (including TS9) rolled into one.

[waylay00]

I'd get a BB Preamp or a Keeley-modded TS9DX.

[sleepyone]

Looking for the same kind of booster/driver...what do you think of a Fulltone OCD??? Would it be any good?

[Eggy]

Again, I'd second the TS9 or 808 they'll definatly do the job you're looking for.

[a_nxiety]

hey guys how is the ibanez ts-7 for a boost? i seen one cheap as hell locally, prolly don't sound the best on their own but decent for boost pedal?

[screamndemon69]

You will get hell-a-sustain using a TS-9 (or some other clean boost pedal) but it won't give you that extreme distortion you're looking for, if I'm reading your post correctly.

Too keep down on the noise factor, I'd opt for a distortion pedal that gives you the over-the-top distortion you crave. I use a Radial Tone Bone Hot British that has a lovely glow of a real tube that works great for me.

[Darin]

Originally Posted by waylay00

I'd get a BB Preamp or a Keeley-modded TS9DX.

A agree about the BB Preamp. Also consider a BD-2 Blues Driver. With the gain rolled way back, it grits up a clean channel just enough.

[toshiro]

Originally Posted by screamndemon69

You will get hell-a-sustain using a TS-9 (or some other clean boost pedal) but it won't give you that extreme distortion you're looking for, if I'm reading your post correctly.

Too keep down on the noise factor, I'd opt for a distortion pedal that gives you the over-the-top distortion you crave. I use a Radial Tone Bone Hot British that has a lovely glow of a real tube that works great for me.

The stock "modern metal tone" now-a-days is a high gain amp with the gain turned down a little and boosted with a TS9(or equivalent). I'd say it will get him exactly what he wants.

[CustomAxeMan]

This may sound weird to some, but I use a Zoom 505 multi-effects module (compact and dirt-cheap) plugged into the low gain input of my Marshall Mk2 Master Model 100w Lead. I use the regular distortion set at about 80% with a little compression and noise reduction (built-in) and it gives me a helluva good sound for playing metal. The Zoom I find, is very versatile and I've experimented with it a lot (been playing with it for the past 10 years) and I can pretty much match any bands sound with it, from blues to rock to punk and all styles of metal. It has all the effects, but except for a little chorus during leads, I use it mainly for it's distortion. It's cheaper and sounds better than any Boss or Digitech (DOD) I've tried. I've also used it with solid-state amps and had great tones with it.

[lespauled]

I use my EQ pedal. I just up the output signal. That way, I can get whatever EQ'd sound out of it. I use trial and error until I find EXACTLY what I am looking for.

[nickcoumbe]

Blackstar HT-Dual