Clean transparent boost

kswilson89

Can someone please suggest the cleanest of clean boosts? Ideally I'm looking for something that retains my original tone but just louder.

kennedydream1980

TC Spark Boost mini 

steamabacus

I use the MXR Microamp+ ('plus' version) for this - prefer it over my Xotic RC Booster (which is still a great pedal) for really clean, loud boost. The MXR just stays cleaner when louder.

I've used a hefty clean boost for many, many years as part of my more driven sounds (boost before drives), originally a one-knob boost built by a mate from a circuit in Ralph Deyner's The Guitar Handbook. When that gave up the ghost, it was the MXR that replaced it and the additional Bass and Treble controls are very effective if you need a slight tonal tweak (nowadays I cut a smidgeon of bass on the boost)

darcym

the bob burt boost is the ultimate clean boost - it is simply that, a volume boot, it's the best zero alteration just volume boost I've played, that doesn't mean it's the best boost, but in terms of zero change to your sound, bob burt boost just wipes the floor with others.

hubobulous

Suhr Koko or TC Spark

Beexter

Suhr Koko Reloaded or Spark Mini sound pretty neutral to me.

fastonebaz

Tc spark mini in the fx loop

Jonathanthomas83

There's something about the Klon circuit that just really smashes it for me. I have a RYRA Klone and it's gorgeous for that - if a little overkill, price-wise.

JMP220478

A good eq pedal - basically a boost with options ...  dial in exactly what you're after and gives flexibility across your rig ; changing backline etc  

BintyTwanger77

Dr Scientist The Cleanness. 

What's that? Do I have one for sale? Why yes! In the classifieds here.

stickyfiddle

I've used a handful:

MXR Micro Amp (slight mid-hump in a good way)
ZVex SHO (slightly flatter EQ but slightly gritty when you get above about 10 o'clock)
Alembic Stratoblaster preamp, via a cheap & v easy pedalparts kit (less mid humpy than the MXR and really really nice)

The Alembic circuit is my favourite. Completely clean, with just a hint of extra mid in the EQ which gives you a bit more presence without adding dirt

Gadget

Cornish NB

Kebabkid

I've got the Catalinbread Serrano Piccoso and it does just that up to a point and then you get break up, but by the time you actually get to that point, where things become Neil Young-ish, there's more than enough clean, unaltered tone boost for solos or a volume lift. Sadly, I don't think they make them anymore but they do come up used and mine was the mini version.  

I've had various boosts including the popular Xotic RC Boost (good for tone shaping), TC Spark, and Xotic EP Boost (still have that one and that pushes an amp or my OCD pedal) and I found that they do impart something that changes the tone but in most instances, and as a few people have said, they do it in a good way, hence, I have 2 different boosts on  my board for different applications.

A good, cheap one that I had and worked really well in the fx loop was the also discontinued Behringer Preamp/Booster PB100

 

Wazmeister

kennedydream1980 said:

TC Spark Boost mini 

the cheap and simple perfect answer. Great little pedal

VJIves

I loved the boost in the Dr Scientist reverb, and they've made it available separately as its own little unit. 

steer

Fuzz Dog's Epic boost does just what you want, if you don't mind doing a little soldering. 

crunchman

The MXR Microamp is good.  I'm not sure it has an absolutely flat eq but it sounds good.

The only thing to watch with it (or at least with older ones) is that they aren't bypassed properly and suck tone when off.  Not sure whether that has been fixed with newer ones.  I ended up getting rid of mine and building myself a clone with proper bypass.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Another vote here for a good quality EQ pedal. You can set it flat and boost without colouring your tone, but also have the flexibility to shape your boosted tone in any way you like. My Boss GE-7 was the best vfm £25 I've ever spent on guitar gear, though I'm sure other EQ pedals are also equally good.

EricTheWeary

crunchman said:

The MXR Microamp is good.  I'm not sure it has an absolutely flat eq but it sounds good.

The only thing to watch with it (or at least with older ones) is that they aren't bypassed properly and suck tone when off.  Not sure whether that has been fixed with newer ones.  I ended up getting rid of mine and building myself a clone with proper bypass.

Always think of that Peter Frampton rig run down where he has shedloads of expensive guitars, amps, rack gear, etc, and in the middle of a set up worth enough to buy a villa in Marseilles his always on pedal is an MXR Microamp. 

I think what I learned about clean boosts is that I didn't like them. If you just make everything louder it doesn't really happen as you imagine because you are changing relationships between gear and your ear just hears stuff differently when it's louder as well. The Fulltone one, the Xotic EP booster, etc, work better if you want less of an ear bleeding effect as they roll off the top end a bit. 

And, at the risk of being pilloried, there is a recent JHS vlog on clean boosts which might give you some ideas. 

AxeWieldingBastard

BintyTwanger77 said:

Dr Scientist The Cleanness. 

What's that? Do I have one for sale? Why yes! In the classifieds here.

Buy this man's The Cleanness. They're awesome clean/eq pedals, the gain control add's really nice warmth and compression too and it is totally clean (unlike a lot of the recomendations above which seem to be for overdrive pedals).

I use a Pettyjohn Lift pedal at the moment (the only reason i haven't bought Binty's Cleanness). Its great, just clean volume and a nice subtle eq, it has an internal voltage doubler to allow it to tun at 36v, so it's super high headroom. No clipping, clean sounds are lush.

viz

I use a couple of keeley mini katana boosts. They’re great.