Explain (Clean boost) To me...?

[sistine35]

I hear alot of discussion of people puting overdrive pedals in front of there amps for a clean boost. To me putting anything IN FRONT of our beast seems ludacris. However im sure theres some method to this madness so if somone would please inform me of it then please respond.

I am an anal tone freak so this is really going to assist me.


I have a 3 ch dual rec. I love my tone and have it pretty much locked in. However my clean channel is lacking so this is why I am intersted in the term CLEAN BOOST. That is exactly what my clean tone does. Gets lost in the mix. While my orange and red just take no prisoners.

 

[ytse_jam]

"Clean Boost" is a word used to indicate a signal booster to put in front of your amp, and its function is to make your guitar signal bigger and stronger, but without adding overdrive/distortion, hence that name. So, generally speaking, a clean boost is not a booster just for the clean channel. In your case I would pay attention to the EQ controls, play with them until you find out a good but most important cutting tone. Warmer and rounder tones are wonderful when playing alone, but with the band they will get lost in the mix, as you said. I think a clean boost for your clean channel would be useful only if it adds some flavour to your tone, if not it will only raise the volume level and this is a thing you can do with your amp.

 

[Joshusama]

Good clean boosts have a very high input impedance that doesn't allow any current to flow from the pickup of your guitar, meaning that your pickups lose none of their magnetism (i.e. tone, responsiveness). It ends up translating to a more playable, cleaner clean. The difference is especially obvious if you're running a longer cable or a playing on a vintage guitar with old pickups. Toh-n.

 

[JPIndustrie]

I always thought a clean boost is actually for gain purposes? Not for 'boosting' the clean channel volume level.

I dont know, I thought a clean boost was just meant to overpower the Preamp section, effectively increasing and smoothing out the gain for an overall more authoritive and clearer distortion tone.

 

[Joshusama]

Yup, they do that too. Some, like the Zvex Super-Duper will amplify into obivion...but that's not the best part when talking about bettering your tone. It's all about the effect the high input impedance. At unity gain, a good clean boost actually clarifies the basal tone, rendering a sound that's theoretically what you would get if your pickups were brand new and wired directly into the amp's input. Not exactly, but you get the point. If you take a Super-Duper or Keeley boost, for example, you will notice a sharpening of the sound even when you're not "boosting". For a said tone-freak, this is the greatest attribute of these pedals. Toh-n.

 

[dstefani]

Picked up a Keeley 'Katana' pre-amp clean boost.

It is THE most transparent thing I've ever put in front of any amp.

I love this thing!!!

- dstefani