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Hi. I am looking for some advice in regards to three pedals.
- Fulltone Fat Boost 3
- TC Electronic Spark Booster
- MXR Micro Amp +
So, I am looking for something that will give a little boost, obviously. I hope it to be touch sensitive, i.e. responsive when I hit the strings harder. There can be a bit of grit, but I have absolutely no need for overdrive.
I selected these three because of their EQ (the fact that there is one, and also that it is much simpler than a parametric eq). How good are they at tone shaping?
I'd also like to know which one will be the most transparent when it is disengaged.
Which one would you recommend and why? Thank you!
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04-11-2014 04:54 PM
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I can speak for the Spark - one of the best tone shapers EVER. Great utility pedal, and easier the deal with than a graphic EQ. The grit it adds (if wanted) is nice. I was getting some cool old-school jump blues sound (thick with a little grit), and the sound of the guitar and amp always came through- it never "threw a blanket over" anything.
That being said, I sold it when I got the Rockett Blue Note- it can't have the mids the Spark does, but for what I was using the spark for (hollowbodies), I didn;t need the mids, and I thought the Blue Note was EVEN BETTER at retaining the tone of the guitar an amp, and I liked the grit better as well.
Spark is alot cheaper tho.
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In my experience - if you play trough clean amps these pedals will not provide that. They're good eqs and good for a fat boost but terrible at slightly overdriven sounds.
My favorite is the rc booster (mine is a slightly modded clone). I find the center frequencies of the eq much better than the ones on the spark.
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Thank you, ruger9 and jorgemg1984.
Jorgemg1984, could you please tell us if and how the middle frequencies of a standard RC would be much better than the Spark? And what about the Fulltone and MXR? Thank you.
I don't know if it matters at this point of the conversation, but all my guitars have single coil pups: P-90, DeArmond FHC, or McCarty unit. And I play through clean amps, indeed. JazzKat, Henriksen JazzAmp 12, and a custom made tube amp based on the clean channel of a blackface Deluxe Reverb voiced for jazz tones.
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Oh, one more thing: I haven't had the chance to play through any of these pedals, and the only videos that I find are pretty much useless because they are all made with rock in mind (too much overdrive/distortion for my needs + with a Strat or a Les Paul).
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I only tried the MXR without the eq... never tried the Fulltone which might work better for light OD sounds.
As for the RC vs Spark they have very different center freqs and I find the ones on the RC much better for guitar... just an aural experience. It works well as an eq for the Henriksen... never tried it with a DR or a Jazzkat.
If you're happy with your amp's core sounds (this means eq's work properly) I would just focus on pedals that do light gain well... for that I think a RAT or a TS with more bass work much better than any of the mentioned pedals here.
But one man's opinion... wait for more, it's wise.
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Can you point out a clip of your desired sound?
Originally Posted by Eddie Lang
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the rc booster is ever so slightly colored, at least to my ear. you forget that its on when its on, but you'll notice a difference if you look for it. negligible on stage, probably. not the best at adding grit to a clean amp, but it'll shove another pedal around ok. pairs up well with an ss amp, as jorge points out, i liked mine set up as an "instant jazz" sound in front of my roland jc77.
the most transparent boost i've heard so far is the mad professor ruby red booster. i can make it sound exactly the same, but with a little grit behind it when i hit it harder. a lot of gain on tap but i don't like that sound with my amp. sometimes i wish it was a little colored to smooth things out. also has a selectable buffer/true bypass, which is nice. not much of an eq section, though.
i find that these days, after going through 10 or so boosts/ods, the best boost/overdrive are the volume and gain knobs on the amp. make them louder. its awesome, trust me.
then just play softer. your pedals will sound better, too.
what are you asking of the eq section? do you need something drastically different, or a little fluffing here and there? some pedals have an inherent curve/boost to them that you might find pleasing.
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I owned a Fat Boost 3 for a while. I liked the tone of it but the EQ controls weren't that great. I also had a TC Spark Mini Booster (not the bigger version you're talking about), which doesn't have EQ controls.
A while back, someone built me a AMZ Mosfet booster and I loved it. It was neutral yet didn't loose any bottom end. There are a lot of boosts based of this circuit, like the one I have now which is the Catalinbread Super Chili Picoso. Though they don't have much if any EQ control which it seems you're after.
I also have a Catalinbread Formula 5F6, which has a 3 band eq and can be used clean (with the gain down) or as an overdrive. It's worth a look for many things: boosting, overdrive, tweed amp in a box foundation, etc. I really love it.
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Thanks for the replies so far.
The 5F6 really does look interesting. Too bad the only retailer in Canada is half a continent away... Somebody local has a used Wampler Tweed '57 for sale on Kijiji. I wonder if it'd be similar. Any thoughts?
The RC is tempting too. I didn't think any local store carried them and that is why it was not on my initial list. After visiting the Xotic website, I learned about a store, right here in town, which I didn't know about, and they are a Xotic retailer. I'll have to go and bring an amp and a guitar, unless they have a good return policy, and then I can try it at home with various combinations.
To answer some of your questions, I want the EQ function to be able to shape the tone when I want. Not necessary much and not all the time, because I like what I have in most situations, but sometimes, a little something different would be good.
One sound I'd like to get (yeah, me and many others!) is the rich tone Burrell and Green got from Van Gelder's tweed Deluxe (although I am sure a good part of that sound came as much from the mixing board as it came from the amp).
Another one, but I don't know if any stompbox can give it to me, is a bit what can be heard in the following clips. We're getting into EH-150 territory here, but I don't want to get another amp right now. I'd need to move a few things to get the real thing, and again, it's not for all the time... Hopefully a pedal with EQ and drive could give it to me. Much cheaper and lighter than an extra amp!
Susie Arioli featuring Jordan Officer - If Dreams Come True
Nat King Cole - Better Be By Yourself (Oscar Moore)
Slam Stewart Trio - Oh Me, Oh My, Oh Gosh! (John Collins, only four bars from 46 sec.)
Pete Brown - Bellevue For You (Al Casey on guitar)
Hot Club Of Cowtown - Stardust (solo at 2:43)
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Hi Richard.
The RC and the Spark will NOT give you that grit. For those sounds I would look for a Tweed based pedal like the Wampler you mentioned (I believe there are others)... if you also want an eq I think there are better options than the Spark and the RC. Oh and a single-coil or a p90 is a must too
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RC Booster can be used to effectively hit the front end of a tube amp that is set just below overdriving and its has a useful EQ controls. It is not as others have said a totally transparent boost. In terms of transparent boosts the Lizard Leg Flying Dragon is totally transparent to my ears. It however, has no EQ.
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Why is it not transparent? With the eq flat and zero gain I don't hear any major changes (except changes related with volume changes which happen with all pedals)
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It's an excellent question that I don't have the answer to.
It is ever slight. The sound is just a "touch" compressed or veiled compared to no amp. When I use the Flying Dragon or Cochrane Tim pedal, I don't find this. Despite this small artifact, the RC is one of my favorites because of it's EQ.
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Yeah you might be right... but with the gain on zero it's very small. Mine is a clone with better components and OPA2134 opamps, that helps with fidelity too. Yeah the EQ is perfect!
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Ok I know what you want because I chase that sound as well. It's bold for me to say so but I actually have it. It took a long time and many pedals….MANY pedals.
If I were to suggest just one pedal it would be hands down The Valve Job by our friend and tone guru Mr Fuchs.
Disclaimer: If your approach is to demand that a pedal will not change your tone when you engage it then you are in for some disappointments. Most of them will do this to a degree.
The easy way around this is not to think like that.
With Burrell and Benson and Jordan Officer and all the other clips you posted the overdrive is always on. It's not something you kick in and out. It's on the chords (listen it's especially on the chords).
You simply play with it all the time….always engaged. It gets more overdrive when you hit harder….just like an amp.
Listen to the way Jordan Officer is playing with it…….hitting real soft then digging in. It becomes part of the instrument.
The Fuchs will do that…….and is designed to do that. But leave it on and build your sound around it.
The Catalinbread 5F6 is a fabulous pedal. My number 2 choice……depending on the day. Same deal, leave it in and build your tone around it.
Tone shaping…….My opinion only. I like to have something after all the pedals. A general tone shaper.
There are a number of pedals to do this. I like the Giggity because it goes where other pedals don't. Crispy highs and lower mids aplenty….if you want them.
Or an Ethos will give you some fender goodness.
I'm a bit overkill with all this but it works for me. Good luck on the journey.
My current setup for the GB and KB slight OD tone. (I don't need the Compressor any more)
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The RC Booster is excellent. Used one for years. But my favorite clean boost is Paul Cochrane's TIM. In no small part to the voicing, design of the EQ. So many other pedals can do what you want (Rockett Blue Note is one for sure), but nothing has challenged the TIM for me.
I did hear the MXR micro amp one night, guy in a blues club playing a cranked Ampeg Gemini I. At least with that amp, in that application, it was impressive. Never heard a Gemini I sound that way on its own.
MD
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Eddie:
For those tones, DEFINITELY the Spark Booster. Most powerful EQ of the bunch. And IDK why some people are saying the Spark won't give you grit- it most certainly will- this is how I used it.
The only reason I sold it was because I got the Blue Note (which is a better pedal for my solidbodies and blues playing...altho it works wonderfully with my hollowbodies too)...and I get that tone right from my amp now that I have a Supersonic 22. But for that high-end muted, slightly-gritty, lots-of-mids thing, Spark will get it done.
Ideally, a CC pickup and on OLD amp (like an old Epi or Gibson) will get it done, but we're talking modern rigs here
Last edited by ruger9; 04-12-2014 at 07:48 AM.
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Ruger how are you using the Spark? With an Henriksen or a Mambo I could never got a decent sounding OD.
I would like to try a Timmy but passive eq is nor for me...
Phil, nice board!!
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Now that I see you're after those Grant Green and Kenny Burrel type of tones. I strongly recommend you checking out the Formula 5F6. You can order them from online outlets that have good return policies like Buy Electric Guitars | Effect Pedals | Amplifiers for Sale, Pro Guitar Shop: Guitars, Fender Guitars, Amplifiers Effects Pedals Accessories, etc. Originally Posted by Eddie Lang
I don't believe the Wampler Tweed '57 has quite as much clean tones in it that the Formula 5F6 does. Also, don't confuse the 5F6 with Catalinbread Formula #5, which has virtually no clean tones at all. The Formula #5 goes after a cranked, distorted tweed deluxe and not its clean tones. The Tweed '57 is more versatile but still has cranked, distorted tweed as one of its main goals. The 5F6 in it's stock, low gain mode (it does have an internal switch to go from low to higher gain, which I've never even tried) stays surprisingly clean at low to mid gain settings and reacts well to picking and your guitar's volume knob changes. Even with the gain 1/2 - 3/4 up, it's only a little crunchy. Basically it allows you to start from clean and dial in the amount of grit you want, which gets me close to those Green/Burrell tones.
I agree about a tweed pedal, but rather the Formula 5F6 IMHO! But I do agree the Barber Barb EQ is worth a look for the OP too. Along those lines would be a Tech 21 Blonde too, especially a new one where you can toggle the speaker sim in it. Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
The RC and the Spark will NOT give you that grit. For those sounds I would look for a Tweed based pedal like the Wampler you mentioned (I believe there are others)... if you also want an eq I think there are better options than the Spark and the RC. Oh and a single-coil or a p90 is a must tooLast edited by monkmiles; 04-12-2014 at 08:23 AM.
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Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
I don't remember the exact settings I used, but I did simply turn up the gain knob to add a little grit. I wouldn't call it an OD pedal, more like it sounds like you've turned the amp up, like you're pushing the tubes harder- that's the kind of grit it sounds like, not like a full-blown OD pedal.
Into a PRRI (which, being a BF, has not enough mids and too many lows and highs for me), it sort of... "brownfaced" it... more mids, less piercing highs, attenuated lows so the hollowbody didn't get too boomy, and a touch of grit. With the SS22, I don't need it, I can get that tone from either channel of this amp- it has a wonderful EQ section.
I really needed something with my Grestch- as it's a Hot Rod, it has no tone control, so any high end attenuating had to be donw at the amp (the PRRI was simply too bright) or with a pedal. That is the main reason I bought the Spark in the first place.
Worked great with my tele also for that old-school tone.Last edited by ruger9; 04-12-2014 at 08:26 AM.
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@hallpass the barbeq in tweed mode with a good reverb pedal into an henriksen is amazing... for me I would just need a rat and that would work great. But 3 pedals seems too much for the job
@ruger - I never tried the spark into a 15w tube amp which might explain our different experiences Thanks for the info!
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i can hear it. its negligible, but i can hear it. wouldn't stop me from using or recommending it, however. if it bugs at gigging volumes, you probably have bigger issues than that. Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
aside from the many solid recommendations, many of which i think could work, two cheap(ish) solutions i haven't yet seen:
-an ep booster, possibly in front of whatever pedals you are already using.
-a tube screamer type pedal. with the gain and and level up, it adds a little grit and shifts the mids just so in a pleasing, useful way. if you have a particularly knobby one, even better for eq (a modded bad monkey worked great for this, but many could work).
the methodology should be the same no matter what you use. you'll need to be loud enough to hear the differences that your right hand is making, especially with the p90s. you'll have to give it a little love to get that grit and back off for the cleaner parts.
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I'm sure the wampler 57 will do what you want. Another alternative is the Lovepedal tweed twin.
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I run a music store that has all of the pedals in this thread mentioned and have tried all of them. I am a huge fan of the RC Booster and the Catalinbread stuff. I think the RC is perfect for the touch of grit old school jazz tone. Just run the pedal loud and turn your amp down. I use it as an always on pedal.
The Catalinbread is great but there isn't much of a range of clean tones in it. It get's dirty a lot quicker than the RC. The RC allows you to really dial in the grit to match your pickups. You might find yourself running it with the gain all the way up.
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