Hey guys,
I finally got an amp (Morgan AC20 deluxe) that I love the dirty sounds on and I think that dirt pedals seem to take away from the sound of the amp when trying to push it harder. Until I tried a Thunderpuss I built, which Just seems to push the amp without a lot of color and extra...stuff. The amp sounds like an AC30 being pushed. I love all the chime and clarity, but when I put any dirt in front of it, it loses a lot of the chime and clarity. (klon, Zen, TS808, etc) So I'm thinking a transparent boost might be better for me.
I built the Thunderpuss for a friend and just happened to gig with it on my bored a couple of times.
The time has come to give it to him, so I need to build myself a boost.
So Is there a better boost than the Thunderpuss for me?
I like that it is one knob. (but doesn't have to be limited to that)
The most important thing is I just want it to push my amp without adding anything extra (color, treble, etc).
What do you guys think on a transparent boost project?
Have you tried the Fatpants? Really simple build and sounds awesome. Transparent and can kick your amp to the next level.
I haven't tried anything except the Thunderpuss :o
It's almost impossible to beat a MOSFET as a single device. They're almost electronically perfect audio devices: The can produce over 20 db before distorting [edit: Actually, I think it's closer to ~15db before you get any distortion ... but over 20 before it's noticeable], have as much output as a high-gain BJT, have the input impedance of a FET and the lowest output impedance (so far as I know) of any common parts we use (lower than most op amps and BJTs and certainly much lower than a FET). The MOSFET booster does have a little bit of distortion when you start exceeding the power rails, because while it amplifies to 35db, you can't possibly exceed 27dB with only 9v of power.
There are other projects out there that are more sophisticated. The absolute best, completely clean, uncolored booster I'm aware of is Merlin Blencowe's Glass Blower.
http://valvewizard.co.uk/glassblower.html
Haberdasher could etch you the board. This thing has incredible headroom, and if I had an amp that got dirty I'd have soldered one up long ago.
The Fatpants has a full range mode, but it's not nearly the kick in the teeth that the MOSFET booster is.
Another option is to make a Kingslayer. Yes, it's "colored" in that it has a tone control, and you say you don't want the gain knob, but if your amp is dirty, having some control over the treble before distortion is important. (Many modern dirt pedals, by the way, do this somewhat backwards ... they cut treble after the harmonics are created, and reduce the harmonics, rather than cutting the treble before the distortion and ensuring that the harmonics are created more from the fundamental than the overtones. That would result in more pleasing/less harsh distortion overall AND it would more closely mimic what a tube amp does; after all, amps don't put the tone stack after the power tubes. I get that many overdrives are meant to push an amp, but there are certainly more than a few that are made to sound like an amp on their own that do it backwards. Including at least one of my designs. :-\)
I'll second that a Kingslayer might actually fit the bill really nicely for this. I say from experience - I had Morgan 30/800 serial number 3 for a couple of years, and it did very well with this pedal. The top end on that particular amp got a little piercing when it was really pushed, and the added tone control helped balance it out with the unboosted tone.
Cool, thanks guys.
I have a Kingslayer at home that I have haven't tried with this amp yet, I will give it a go!
Kingslayer (or Klon) really kicks a dirty amp in the nuts, although it does impart a slight flavoring of the tone. Most like it, but others complain that it is too compressed. I personally love it.
Like Jon i'm a big fan of the various MOSFET boosters, the SHO (&double) and the AMZ MOSFET Booster. The AMZ works well with lighter, thinner sounding guitars as it seems to offer up some body where the SHO has some sparkle to it. Although not current Madbean offerings i believe they were both available at one time so there might be docs around still. Simple boost are usually simple, low parts count circuits perfect for a quick breadboard audition.
dave
OK, after some searching around now see the Thunderpuss = AMZ Mosfet Booster, so the SHO would be... ?
Quote from: davent on August 28, 2013, 08:04:37 PMthe SHO would be... ?
the slambox (http://madbeanpedals.com/projects/Slambox/docs/Slambox_ver.4.pdf)
I say stick with the wonderfully perfect and simple AMZ Mosfet/Thunderpuss.
Quote from: fish22 on August 28, 2013, 06:11:23 PM
...I built the Thunderpuss for a friend and just happened to gig with it on my bored a couple of times.
The time has come to give it to him, so I need to build myself a boost.
So Is there a better boost than the Thunderpuss for me?...
This is cool, i actually share your experience. The first pedal i sold was to a musician friend, basically happy with his pure amplified sound (Marshall) but who were looking for "just some boost". He "had tried everything boxed" but was not satisfied. I let him try the AMZ MOSFET boost / Thunderpuss, and he sorta fell off his chair in positive chock. He absolutely love it. I think it is the only stompbox he actually use.
So.. maybe there are a better pure clean boost out there, but im not sure its worth the effort searching. Thunderpuss is da shit :)
I like Rej's "SuperFET" boost more than the Thunderpuss... has a slightly harder sound to it, I dunno.
While the Fatpants is very nice and musical, it is not "transparent", it does have a sound of its own. The Thunderpuss and Bacon Bits and Slambox would be better for not changing your tone.
However, you play an AC30-ish amp. So a Rangemaster would be perfect for driving that amp hard. It's not transparent either, but works wonders for that kind of amp.
This is going to make me sound like an idiot but it won't be the first time so here goes.
Can someone explain to me why you would want to 'slam the input of a tune amp'. Surely if you want your guitar louder you just turn the amp up? I've played guitar for years but my knowledge of sonics and amp mechanics is pitiful.
I don't mean to hijack the thread but it just seemed like a good place to ask.
My understanding is that the intention is to make the input signal louder than what the preamp is designed to deal with -- causing distortion in the preamp valves.
Hey Fish,
Vox AC30CC2X owner here. If retaining that tone while boosting it is what you are looking for, the Madbean Slambox (SHO) does it for me. The Fat Pants was a little duller sounding to me through my AC30. For a little more dirt I like the Blues Breaker type circuits (King of Tone, Prince of Tone and Morning Glory). My Timmy does pretty well while keeping it mostly transparent also. Across a fair share of AC30 users Tube Screamer circuits are not seen as a good match due to the mid hump EQ.
Check out the Buy/Sell section of the forum for some of the older Madbean projects as well as Haberdasher can etch up some of the extra projects for you.
Thanks for the many great reply guys!
Lots of good info!
double post... my bad
Quote from: stevewire on August 29, 2013, 12:12:47 PM
Hey Fish,
Vox AC30CC2X owner here. If retaining that tone while boosting it is what you are looking for, the Madbean Slambox (SHO) does it for me. The Fat Pants was a little duller sounding to me through my AC30. For a little more dirt I like the Blues Breaker type circuits (King of Tone, Prince of Tone and Morning Glory). My Timmy does pretty well while keeping it mostly transparent also. Across a fair share of AC30 users Tube Screamer circuits are not seen as a good match due to the mid hump EQ.
Check out the Buy/Sell section of the forum for some of the older Madbean projects as well as Haberdasher can etch up some of the extra projects for you.
Thanks man!
I might try a SHO and another Thunderpuss and see what I like. Maybe a 2-in-1!
Quote from: Guybrush on August 29, 2013, 09:01:14 AM
This is going to make me sound like an idiot but it won't be the first time so here goes.
Can someone explain to me why you would want to 'slam the input of a tune amp'. Surely if you want your guitar louder you just turn the amp up? I've played guitar for years but my knowledge of sonics and amp mechanics is pitiful.
I don't mean to hijack the thread but it just seemed like a good place to ask.
It is also important to recognize that a booster into the preamp often does not translate into more volume but increased gain (compression and harmonics) depending on the amp/circuit
I'm going to agree with Jon. I built the glass blower and its very nice. By far the most powerful boost. Be careful sub transistors. They do their magic.