NPD: TC Electronics Spark Booster

[Tom Karol]

All I wanted to do was slightly boost and fatten my signal for soloing in a jazz context with my Eastman AR403ce, as I hate fiddling with the Guitar's volume and tone knobs in the middle of a song. I set the guitar and amp for a good chordal sound and then dialed in just a slight bit of extra level and girth for soloing. It works exactly as I had hoped it would without adding any noise or unwanted coloration. 9V battery or AC adapter operation and only $75. I set the Gain at 9 O'clock, the Level at 11 O'clock, and the Bass and Treble both at Noon, with the switch in the Mid (slight mid boost) position. Here's a generic pic:

[vinnyv1k]

That looks like a sweet pedal for playing straight through a PA system without a amp. I was looking for something like that.

[Tom Karol]

Actually Vinny, I use a Carl Martin Rock Bug for that application; it works well:
Rock Bug | carl

[jads57]

I owned that same pedal as well as the Xotic RC Boost. I found the RC a bit more transparent and pleasing overall. Try one if you get a chance.

[ruger9]

The Spark Boost is a great EQ-able boost. I prefer it to the RC, altho that's also a good one. The RC "felt' different to me for some reason. Hard to explain.

IDK if I'd use it to go straight into the PA, but now that I think about it, if you're talking about just amplifying an archtop, that might work... provided you're not hoping to get the sound of a guitar amplifier out of it, because it doesn't do that. The amplifier colors the tone (in a good way), the Spark will be a much more "hifi" and "straight" sound... it won't sound or feel like an amp, despite having a powerful EQ.

[TedBPhx]

I have one. Really like the Mid boost setting with my Strat through a ToneMaster Twin.