Clean Boost

Bridgehouse

I'm looking for a clean boost for a specific purpose:

The mag pickup in my fretless is now pretty much balanced output wise with the piezo - the pickup is hidden under the fretboard and so a little way beneath the height you would normally set it under the strings. Through the new preamp onboard it's perfect - gives a nice midrange blend with the piezo (which is what it's meant for)

However, this new preamp has a push pull volume pot with passive/active

The sound in passive mode is def. different and, well, usable in a good way. It's really rather quiet tho..

So, I'd like a small clean boost that won't colour the sound and has a super low SNR so it won't add too much gain hiss.

Thoughts?

NorthernStomps

Have a look at the Magnetic Effects Zola Boost. 

No noise, just a huge boost to your signal when you need it. Looks the business too!

jonnygreentrees

X Vex Super Hardon

Bridgehouse

NorthernStomps said:

Have a look at the Magnetic Effects Zola Boost. 

No noise, just a huge boost to your signal when you need it. Looks the business too!

Does the treb/bass controls on it colour the sound at all? 

Bridgehouse

jonnygreentrees said:

X Vex Super Hardon

Interesting.. 60 times the signal?! Does it keep the signal reasonably clean? I don't mind a bit  of drive in my bass

NorthernStomps

No you can just set them flat if you want (cant remember if that's at noon or all the way down off the top of my head). Theyre just there if you want them. Buffer is switchable too. Real nice.

Bridgehouse

NorthernStomps said:

No you can just set them flat if you want (cant remember if that's at noon or all the way down off the top of my head). Theyre just there if you want them. Buffer is switchable too. Real nice.

Looks like an option for sure! Need to gather up suggestions and check out reviews. As it's bass I'm less finicky about overall sound

jonnygreentrees

Bridgehouse said:

jonnygreentrees said:

X Vex Super Hardon

Interesting.. 60 times the signal?! Does it keep the signal reasonably clean? I don't mind a bit  of drive in my bass

Yep loads of boost, keeps in clean, adds a certain sparkle

Bridgehouse

jonnygreentrees said:

Bridgehouse said:

jonnygreentrees said:

X Vex Super Hardon

Interesting.. 60 times the signal?! Does it keep the signal reasonably clean? I don't mind a bit  of drive in my bass

Yep loads of boost, keeps in clean, adds a certain sparkle

Ta! That's two choices I hadn't considered so far - brill!

fastonebaz

Tc mini spark super clean no hiss recommended

fastonebaz

Especially when placed in the fx loop

Bridgehouse

fastonebaz said:

Tc mini spark super clean no hiss recommended

Yes I'd looked at those - they are pretty cheap as well...

Bridgehouse

fastonebaz said:

Especially when placed in the fx loop

Interestingly, this will sit in-between my tuner and preamp/DI - effectively I will turn off the preamp, and the boost will up the signal and then go straight out of the DI on the preamp as a clean signal to FOH..

impmann

Electro Harmonix LPB1 boost.

Cheap as chips, very simple circuit (its the same as the old early 1970s Arbiter booster) and quiet. I made a clone of my old Arbiter one some years ago to save on wear and tear, then realised I could have just bought the EHX one for £30 or so.

steamabacus

I don't personally have experience of their boosters (just the Love Squeeze compressor) but Rothwell Audio have a background in high-end hifi and a deserved reputation for low noise circuits. I'd take a look at the Atomic Booster or possibly the F1 Booster.

Bridgehouse

steamabacus said:

I don't personally have experience of their boosters (just the Love Squeeze compressor) but Rothwell Audio have a background in high-end hifi and a deserved reputation for low noise circuits. I'd take a look at the Atomic Booster or possibly the F1 Booster.

Ta - I’ve heard of the atomic booster before

clarkefan

Bridgehouse said:

fastonebaz said:

Tc mini spark super clean no hiss recommended

Yes I'd looked at those - they are pretty cheap as well...

Guitars4you have had these at good prices recently,  I bought one for 40 quid about a month ago, they've been lower more recently as well.  Great boost.

Bridgehouse

@guitars4you - you got a cheap clean boost hanging around as per above?