Boost advice needed.

bobblehat

Hi All,

I could do with a bit of advice.

My current board in this order consists of :

TU-2

MXR DIstortion III

SD-1

Line 6 M5

LPB1

into a laney VC30-112  . Main guitar is a Telecaster.

I am struggling to get a solo/boosted tone I really like.With current set up I use the SD-1 to boost the MXR (on the clean channel) and use the LPB to boost the dirty channel on the amp.

I now thinking that I may be better using the the LPB1 first in the chain to boost the guitar signal.

What do you think?

I don't get chance to experiment with this outside band rehearsals and the rest of the band don't want to listen to me pissing about for 20 mins.So any advice much appreciated.

Ps Thanks to Mike L for recommending the Distortion III and anyone who recommended the M5 a few years back both great pedals.. 

ThePrettyDamned

Set the amp to drive to taste, and use the mxr and the sd1 to get more GAIN - as in more distortion.

For a solo boost, try the lpb in the loop. That way, you're taking the same distorted signal and just making it louder.

If this doesn't work, it's a toughie. But think as distortion first, volume later. The mxr has LOADS of volume boost available - so try running the sd1 first, then mxr with gain low, volume up (and the other way around to see what you prefer).

ICBM

+1. The very first thing I would do is to reverse the SD-1 and the Dist III. For stacking, overdrive into distortion (more midrange/compressed into more scooped/limited) works much better than the other way round usually, unless you deliberately want a chaotic squashed sort of tone. If you do that you may not need an extra boost since the SD-1 has the ability to boost volume even when it's followed by a distortion - counterintuitive I know, but try it!

I would leave the LPB-1 where it is if you're using it to add gain to the amp's dirty channel rather than volume to either channel.

mike_l

I'd use the SD-1 as a boost, and the D3 as an alternative to your amps drive channel.

 

So guitar-tuner-SD1-D3-M5-Amp

If you can beg/borrow/steal/acquire an MXR Microamp, put it in the amps loop as a volume boost.

Also, if you can try a Bad Monkey, they work really well as a boost in front of a dirty amp.

DONT put a drive pedal in the amp's FX loop as it can cause damage. (I'm not familiar with the LPB1).

 

And I'm pleased you enjoy the D3, I got mine untried from Hartnolls, and absolutely love it.

ThePrettyDamned

mike_l said:

I'd use the SD-1 as a boost, and the D3 as an alternative to your amps drive channel.

 

So guitar-tuner-SD1-D3-M5-Amp

If you can beg/borrow/steal/acquire an MXR Microamp, put it in the amps loop as a volume boost.

Also, if you can try a Bad Monkey, they work really well as a boost in front of a dirty amp.

DONT put a drive pedal in the amp's FX loop as it can cause damage. (I'm not familiar with the LPB1).

 

And I'm pleased you enjoy the D3, I got mine untried from Hartnolls, and absolutely love it.

Good point, LPB-1 might not work in the loop... BUT an EQ pedal, such as the MXR 10 band or the Boss one, do.  Or the MXR Micro amp.  These can sit in the loop and boost the overall volume (EQ would be my first choice). 

not_the_dj

The LPB-1 and Micro Amp are pretty similar

ThePrettyDamned

not_the_dj said:

The LPB-1 and Micro Amp are pretty similar

Coolio - so prolly fine in the loop?

bobblehat

Thanks for all the replies , will give it a go tomorrow.

ICBM

not_the_dj said:

The LPB-1 and Micro Amp are pretty similar

They're not even remotely similar. The LPB-1 is a single-transistor gain stage with a following volume control, the MXR is an op-amp circuit with variable gain.

OK, in practice they're both slightly dirty-sounding boosts (although different types of dirty), but the way they work and interact with what comes before or after them is totally different.

I would put the MXR in a loop, but probably not the LPB. It's unlikely to do any harm but it probably won't sound that good.

not_the_dj

Oh ok. I certainly didn't know what's going in inside the box. I've had both and used them the same way as a solo boost with similar results.

bobblehat

Set up like this yesterday and it sounded great:

LPB

SD1

DIII

M5

LPB sounded great both with the distortion III and pushing the drive channel on the amp..

Thanks