Boost for ac30 options

danban

I'm torn between a few pedals, I managed to try a tc spark boost however I haven't been able to get my hands on an ocd or a rat to compare so need some help deciding. I use a Gibson les Paul traditional if that's any help?

Based in Peterbrough

ICBM

Rat, if you're looking for a dirty boost rather than clean.

Just sold my '74 AC30 to a friend who has a wide variety of boosts, fuzzes and dirt pedals and he reckons the Rat is the winner - it blends with the sound of the amp perfectly. He uses a Les Paul Custom.

TheCount

Rat is nice as ICBM said, treble booster is my fave into top boost channel. What channel are you looking to boost?

danban

The amp I'm looking to boost is a Vox ac30 c2 in cream with creambacks, I was thinking of using the top boost channel and set to clean on the edge of breakup and use the boost to push into gain territory.

Dodge

Rats do work well with the top boost channel, but its not that subtle as a booster. As a drive/distortion pedal its excellent. For a clean boost to overdrive, the Hotcake is second to none. The Soul Food is also quite good at lower gain settings.

For something old school, a Rangemaster clone also works wonders but obviously colours your sound rather a lot.

stickyfiddle

Rat. Brilliant thing used in precisely the situation you describe.

Hotcake is also very good. 

impmann

It depends what sort of sound and at what sort of volume.

Rat can sound great if you want a fuzz/distortion tone. But with 'buckers you might not need that.

Hot Cake is fantastic with Vox amps - I'm sure I read somewhere that he designed the circuit with that amp in mind. The warmth counteracts the brightness of the top boost channel for a smooth tone.

For me though, I like treble boosters with AC30s - I use the normal channel and then run the booster into that. Turn the volume on your guitar down for a lovely chimey clean sound and then wind it up for a crunch and then into a screaming lead sound. Ok not high gain levels of saturation, but can cover a wide range of situations. Learn to use the tone controls in conjunction with this and you will get even more flavours out of the amp. Bear in mind that you may have the amp set more trebly than you'd use normally and attenuate that from the guitar.

AC30s are still one of my personal fave amps. :-)

Guitarse

I use a Rat into an AC30 top boost with a Les Paul. It's perfect for me!

danban

Something along the lines of this

danban

Great suggestions so far guys, I'd prefer warm fat overdrives without sounding fizzy kinda like the song I posted above.

stickyfiddle

A Hotcake will  *NAIL* that sound.

danban

Excellent will have to find somewhere that has one I can try, don't know what it is about this album but the guitar sounds are incredible!

TheCount

I reckon a RAT will do all right at that tone too. Hotcakes are harder to find and more $$ but are supposed to be the nuts with an AC though I've not got one.

Wouldn't go for treble booster for that tone, too vintage sounding.

.

if you go for hotcake there are 2 versions, original and bluesberry, not sure of the difference, might want to check

impmann

Hotcakes can be configured internally into Bluesberry or Original via a couple of dip switches... well, the modern three knob ones can be anyway.

meltedbuzzbox

impmann said:

Hotcakes can be configured internally into Bluesberry or Original via a couple of dip switches... well, the modern three knob ones can be anyway.

Or you can use a double hotcake. 

I have one for sale :-D

impmann

Oh yes, so you have... (actually the very pedal he has for sale has been in my 'studio' for the last few weeks - its awesome - I didn't want to give it back, but I can't justify another Hotcake!!).