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Pedals/Effects for solo boost?


steveoh

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I was curious what everyone uses to boost their solos up enough to cut through the mix. I play mostly rock/alternative tunes and run my guitar straight into a Carvin MTS3200 all-tube head. I typically just use the "crunch" channel for most stuff, but during solos I need something to give the sound a little more balls. I tried a Boss SD-1 (super overdrive)...it sounds great, but it didn't give me the level boost I was looking for. Thanx in advance...
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some wah pedals have a volume boost option.

i don't know of one specifically because my Mesa hasa volume boost option so I don't need it.

look on musicians friend for a volume pedal.

you can set your amp to a certain volume and set the pedal to boost the volume when activated.

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I generally play with my pickups set around 6-7. When I play a lead (through my Peavey Classic 100 Head and 4x12 + 2x12 cabs) I just turn the volume for whatever pickup I am going to use to 10. This adds volume and overdrive at once. The only effect I ever use is an occasional wah.

 

When recording, I can addother effects during mixdown to a master tape with my rack effect unit.

 

Karl

 

Set your amp so it sounds the way you like it with the guitar volumes set around 6-7, and give it a try.

Skynyrd fan forever!
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Originally posted by stray:

a good alternative is using a vintage rat pedal... the volume boost on those is UNREAL. just set it not to distort your sound and its great.

i concur-i bought one of the rats the day they came out and this is just one of the great things it does.
AMPSSOUNDBETTERLOUDER
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Originally posted by tazzola:

Another good option is using an equalizer. Boost the frequencies you want boosted, plus the overall volume boost. This is especially important for single coil guitars, as they are weaker in output than humbuckers generally. Didn't I mention this somewhere else? :D

I know a great guitarist who just uses an eq to boost his Marshall for solos. He sets it up for a mid boost (I'd center the bump at 750 Hz) and kicks it in when needed.
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Thanx for all the replies. I have a Rocktron rack mount effects processor which I think I've got configured to do what I want now. I had setup a program just for soloing, but the drop-out from rhythm program to solo program was annoying. This was why I asked the original question. By actually reading the manual (surprise, surprise) I found I could change the volume output from the processor via midi. So now I should be able to just hit a button and instant volume boost with no drop-out...hopefully.
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Originally posted by tazzola:

Another good option is using an equalizer. Boost the frequencies you want boosted, plus the overall volume boost. This is especially important for single coil guitars, as they are weaker in output than humbuckers generally. Didn't I mention this somewhere else? :D

Bingo!
Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
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Sorry, couldn't resist

 

Nigel: This is a top to a, you know, what we use on stage, but it's very...very special because if you can see...

Marty: Yeah...

Nigel: ...the numbers all go to eleven. Look...right across the board.

Marty: Ahh...oh, I see....

Nigel: Eleven...eleven...eleven....

Marty: and most of these amps go up to ten....

Nigel: Exactly.

Marty: Does that mean it's...louder? Is it any louder?

Nigel: Well, it's one louder, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most...most blokes, you know, will be playing at ten. You're on ten here...all the way up...all the way up....

Marty: Yeah....

Nigel: ...all the way up. You're on ten on your guitar...where can you go from there? Where?

Marty: I don't know....

Nigel: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is if we need that extra...push over the cliff...you know what we do?

Marty: Put it up to eleven.

Nigel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.

Marty: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top... number... and make that a little louder?

Nigel: These go to eleven.

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MXR distortion plus(go for old no-led version on Ebay.com you can found one)

Or for a pump fuzz go for a BIG MUFF electro-harmonix (on ebay the GREEN one is on sale for 40$ ) don't buy the new version !!! Costs too much and sound SHIT!!

bye

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  • 4 weeks later...
Originally posted by mzeger:

Marty: Why don't you just make ten louder and make ten be the top... number... and make that a little louder?

 

(pause)

 

Nigel: These go to eleven.

Sorry, that makes it funnier.

 

Carl Martin Boost is cool. EQ pedals are massively colored, but that can be cool as well. The new DOD 250 is basically not any different than the old, it has a certain sound to it.

 

Whatever one uses to boost it's going to either come from the philosophy of providing a clean boost/overdrive (Carl Martin) or a "colored" sound (eq pedals).

Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com

Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/

 

/ "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien

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  • 2 weeks later...
Volume knob on the guitar,,yea what a concept for a volume boost. Alot of players keep their guitar volume cranked and look for pedals for more volume and at the same time get more noise, etc. I keep my volume on my guitar on about 4 or 5 and get a nice sounding rhythm going or even to get a riff going, then when I go for my solo just roll the volume on the guitar to 10, maybe step on a wah pedal for added effect, problem solved. At least on stage it will be and should be out in the audience and if not your soundman will handle the rest.
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Originally posted by johndara:

Volume knob on the guitar,,yea what a concept for a volume boost. Alot of players keep their guitar volume cranked and look for pedals for more volume and at the same time get more noise, etc. I keep my volume on my guitar on about 4 or 5 and get a nice sounding rhythm going or even to get a riff going, then when I go for my solo just roll the volume on the guitar to 10, maybe step on a wah pedal for added effect, problem solved.

True, but if you play with high gain tones, like I do sometimes, this doesn't always work (esp in the Death Zone). In this case, an EQ pedal in the FX loop (preferably a series loop), or after the distortion pedal would work best.

 

I would agree with you, if the distorted tone you use could be cleaned up easily with the guitar's volume knob.

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How bout trying a Wah! with a Octave pedal? That's some pretty cool stuff. Otherwise Wah can do soem good stuff. But since you're alternative I'd go with a lotta overdrive. I don't know how but that's what I'd most likely do.
In Skynyrd We Trust
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I use a Tech 21 comptortion. The boost of the pedal is much more pronounced if I roll back the volume on my guitar. The lower you roll back the volume, the higher the boost of your effect. I keep my volume set at about 7. This also allows me to use the guitar itself to boost the signal during leads when I want to use the sound I have to solo. The guitar gives you a much cleaner signal during rythym parts as a result (which I personally prefer), so if you prefer a more overdriven sound, you can compensate for this by bringing the pre-gain up on your amp. I think this approach would work with just about any type of stomper.
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