MXR Micro Amp before or after Boo tubescreamer?

Drew_TNBD

I felt like my tubescreamer was lacking something the other night at practice. I had the knobs where I normally do, but it wasn't as gainy or loud. I had it placed after my MXR Micro Amp.

Buffering problem perhaps?? Should I try reversing them, or something else?

ThePrettyDamned

I use a boost after my route 66. Not tried the other way, but it still sounds like a tubescreamer - just makes the tubescreamer sound louder.

randomhandclaps

If you want to use it for pure volume/gain boost on your amp I would definitely have the MXR after.  Before the TS means the TS is strangling the boost range on the MXR.

Drew_TNBD

Okay, cool. That makes sense, just wanted to double check. Thanks guys!

guitarfishbay

Yeah I'd do drives first, volume boosts afterwards.

Adji

Depends what you are after.
As a ridiculously simplified and general rule having the boost before the screamer is going to boost the input of the screamer and make its circuit react differently (as if you are stabbing it with extra hot pickups) and not have AS big an effect on the amp.

Having the screamer before the boost means that you retain the more classic screamer sound and getting the added benefit of a big boost afterwards to really kick the front end of your amp.

Adji

Adji said:

Depends what you are after.
As a ridiculously simplified and general rule having the boost before the screamer is going to boost the input of the screamer and make its circuit react differently (as if you are stabbing it with extra hot pickups) and not have AS big an effect on the amp.

Having the screamer before the boost means that you retain the more classic screamer sound and getting the added benefit of a big boost afterwards to really kick the front end of your amp.

Sorry to quote my own post, can't work out how to edit.

Sort of on topic, a lot of people struggle getting that singing violin fuzz tone. They have a screamer slamming the front end of a fuzz face. This is often harsh and very fuzzy. Try them the other way, have the fuzz face going into a screamer. The screamer will REALLY compress the fuzzes range and dynamics and get you much closer to THAT sound. Something simple that a lot of people overlook.

ICBM

Definitely after the TS - otherwise you're effectively just giving the TS more gain, which will make it even more muddy and compressed than they usually are . And obscuring the nice 'little extra' thing the MXR does to the amp.

For some reason TS-type pedals never seem to respond well to boosting in front, in my experience. They're great at driving other things though.

guitarfishbay

@Adji you edit via clicking on the cog to the top right of your post.

Adji

guitarfishbay said:

@Adji you edit via clicking on the cog to the top right of your post.

thanks mate.

mike_l

AS ICBM said, before the TS, you're effectively making the TS compress more, without getting anything other than extra compression. So you may as well put a compressor there....

I've always found the Microamp works really well in the amps FX loop, as a volume boost.

Drew_TNBD

Time to rewire the board then! .. er.. again!

mike_l

That's so unlike you Drew..........

randomhandclaps

Drew_fx said:

Time to rewire the board then! .. er.. again!

It'll be good practice for next month when you flog the lot.

Drew_TNBD

randomhandclaps said:

Drew_fx said:

Time to rewire the board then! .. er.. again!

It'll be good practice for next month when you flog the lot.

Asshole :P

Drew_TNBD

So I switched them around, sounds much better.