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Post by scorpiodog on Jul 14, 2014 10:27:56 GMT
Hi Guys. Has anybody any experience with boost pedals?
Let me explain what I'm trying to do. With my duo, Men In Black, I play a Martin HD28 with K&K mini pickup through a very clean setting on a Bose L1 Model 2 pa system using the Bose Tone match as a mixer. The whole point is to get a very Martin like sound, although I do roll off the mid and trebles and boost the bass and add a bit of reverb (I know this sounds like a contradiction, but it does achieve what I'm after).
I used to play a different guitar with a pre amp, and I found that this had a much greater dynamic range than the Martin with the K&K. Sadly, it didn't sound like a Martin, which, luckily, my Martin does.
The problem is when playing with a plectrum, I am happy with the relative volume, but when I fingerpick, my guitar disappears behind the singing and the other guitar.
So I'm looking for a way to boost the volume on demand without altering the signal any other way. (the guitar has no on board controls).
I can do an internet search (I have already) and there are several products on the market that look like they would do, but has anybody here actually used one, and if so what?
Alternatively, if anybody has a different solution what is it?
Thanks for your help, Guys.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Jul 14, 2014 11:23:33 GMT
The Boss eq pedal (GE-7 I think it is) has a volume ("level") slider (+ and -) in addition to its 7 bands of eq. The footswitch on the pedal can be used to switch between i) straight through the pedal with no alteration to the signal and ii) whatever volume boost you wish for your fingerpicking - plus any eq changes you might wish to make as well - you could leave the eq sliders flat of course, but you might find esp a bit more treble emphasis useful. www.stringsdirect.co.uk/effects-recording-c6/eq-pedal-c137/boss-ge7-7-band-graphic-equalizer-p3060 I quite like these little things, and always carry one with me as a spare preamp. I have used it in the way you wish to with no problems, though excessive boost/cut does introduce a bit more noise. I use it regularly with my octave mandolin as well as K&K preamp just to get some different mid frequencies out as it can sound a bit honky otherwise. Keith
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Jul 14, 2014 12:24:49 GMT
The problem is when playing with a plectrum, I am happy with the relative volume, but when I fingerpick, my guitar disappears behind the singing and the other guitar. Fingerpicking is for smartalecs... strum away, Paul, strum away
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Post by scripsit on Jul 14, 2014 13:23:01 GMT
The great majority of acoustic guitar preamps have a 'gain' control as part of the EQ adjustment available. The Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre I use certainly does, and it includes a 'boost' footswitch if you need to go crazy with acoustic leads. So, this would do what you want. I've got an onboard volume control as part of the Fishman pickup and microphone setup on my guitars, so I set the gain and leave it, and don't use the 'boost' switch.
But, if you include another acoustic guitar preamp in your signal chain, of any sort, you would have the ability to preset a useful (higher) gain when you turn it on. Most modern preamps have very low self noise and can be set to be reasonably transparent.
Far simpler, there are volume pedals sold for electric guitar. They usually look a bit like wah wah pedals. I used to use one in electric band days when we couldn't crank the back line properly in small places, to cheat with volume for solos. They're cheap, and I would imagine would fit impedance wise between your existing preamp and the PA.
Kym
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Post by 007 on Jul 14, 2014 14:30:11 GMT
Hi Guys. Has anybody any experience with boost pedals? L The problem is when playing with a plectrum, I am happy with the relative volume, but when I fingerpick, my guitar disappears behind the singing and the other guitar. Sack the other guitar Simples
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Post by scorpiodog on Jul 14, 2014 14:35:32 GMT
Hi Guys. Has anybody any experience with boost pedals? L The problem is when playing with a plectrum, I am happy with the relative volume, but when I fingerpick, my guitar disappears behind the singing and the other guitar. Sack the other guitar Simples Charles will be angry with you, Paul. You won't like that.
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Post by scorpiodog on Jul 14, 2014 14:37:53 GMT
Kym, Keith thanks for your input. I'll look into both of these solutions.
Leo, Paul. :irony: Thank you for your valuable contributions as well.
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Post by mandovark on Jul 17, 2014 10:22:39 GMT
Just to throw another option into the mix. I use an Orchid acoustic preamp, which clamps onto a mic stand and so avoids the problem of having to fiddle with a preamp on the floor. Controls are basic Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, with a mute switch for silent tuning. In my experience, it doesn't do anything to alter your tone unless you want it to. The volume control makes it easy to get a nice boost for fingerpicking. If there's a lot going on in the mix, I sometimes use a small treble boost to help the guitar to cut through a little more (this is also helpful if you play slide).
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minorkey
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Post by minorkey on Aug 19, 2014 21:49:46 GMT
I have a marshall blues breaker 2 pedal. I bought it thinking it was a reverb/fx pedal but all it does is boost the signal. Bit disappointing really for my strat. Might be ok for an acoustic tho
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2014 8:15:47 GMT
Sorry, no experience with any pedals- I have a similar problem when I am playing in church, but I have my Headway preamp mounted on a mic stand and simply turn the volume up and down.
But...another solution is an A/ B switch, which I think are generally reasonably priced. If you have a spare channel on your Bose, then all you do is connect A to one channel, B to another but at a slightly higher volume, and Bob's your uncle!!
Robbie
p.s if are clever you could probably even make one of those yourself !!!
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Post by scorpiodog on Aug 20, 2014 9:33:42 GMT
But...another solution is an A/ B switch, which I think are generally reasonably priced. If you have a spare channel on your Bose, then all you do is connect A to one channel, B to another but at a slightly higher volume, and Bob's your uncle!! Robbie p.s if are clever you could probably even make one of those yourself !!! I'm not clever, but Charles, my oppo, is. Trouble with an A/B switch is, we don't have a spare channel on the Tonematch. We could use a different mixer, but we like the clean Bose signal and its simplicity in use. The final solution we've come up with is to create a new "scene" on the Tonematch but it's remembering to alter it in the relevant songs (and, more to the point, altering it back again!) that's now the problem. I do have a cheap multipedal, and I'm now thinking of trying it out just as a volume control provided the signal isn't distorted. If it works, I'll just buy a better volume pedal and use that (which is, I think, Larry's solution - so thanks for that). Bloody electricity just complicates stuff. I'd so much rather stick with pure acoustic guitar. But it doesn't work in pubs any more. (sigh)
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Post by andyhowell on Aug 20, 2014 14:27:29 GMT
I also use. Pre Amp (Headway) mounted on a mic stand. I find it very useful to have the controls to hand.
In he past - when playing ina duo with a noisy mandolin/mandola player I have used a volume pedal in the way that was suggested. Not only did this give me a little boost on fingerstyle solos but it was also used (more often really) as an on off switch. I'm not sure about whether this did introduce any extra noise into the circuit but I was only using its boost for a few bars.
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Post by dawkins on Sept 20, 2014 20:01:58 GMT
I use an LR Baggs Venue DI.
Apart from superb and flexible EQ it has a dedicted boost switch and you can set the amount of boost applied.
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