Best clean boost DIY ?

[davent]

I've built the AMZ Mosfet Booster, SHO and a Rangemaster with switchable input caps. My fav would probably be the SHO depending on the day, the amp or guitar being used. The Rangemaster colours the sound most but still fun and very useful. On the breadboard at the moment are an AMZ Microboost. a Microamp and another Rangemaster with an Easy Face tone control which blends between a 2n & 20n cap. That one will be making it into a box soon i hope. Another on the to be breadboarded list is Run Off Groove's- Omega, a two transistor boost but using a Mosfet and a JFET.

All the circuits are simple and low in parts count, my suggestion would be to break out the breadboard and try them out with your guitars and amps see what sounds best to your ears. It's a lot of fun and i'm sure you'll end up needing to build more then just one of the circuits.

dave

[rsalinger]

A friend of mine SWEARS by this...

Simple. One knob. One tube... well, half a tube.

[selloutrr]

A friend of mine SWEARS by this...

Simple. One knob. One tube... well, half a tube.

do you know what PT is used?

[Cliff Schecht]

A friend of mine SWEARS by this...

Simple. One knob. One tube... well, half a tube.

Why not parallel the 12AX7 halves and get lower noise, more drive capability and potentially the same gain?

[selloutrr]

This circuit is going to really very on color based on which tube you use. have a nice selection on hand to voice with.

[ampgeek]

I have built a couple of General Guitar Gadget's Improved Trem kits including the "boost only" option.

It is, hands down, the cleanest most transparent boost that I have ever experienced when in "boost only" mode. The trem function is also very useable. So....a true "two-fer" with this very reasonably priced, easy to build kits.

http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/com ... egory_id=7

Cheers,
Dave O.

[Andy Le Blanc]

How about a simple tube project...

Be modest, say... A single 6c4, zero bias

It'd be wicked primitive, the gain figures are presented at 5% harmonic distortion.
It will color, but a simple class A gain stage would be fun with a vol. and bypass.

[Cliff Schecht]

So why not just design a simple single-rail opamp boost? I could design you something that is almost completely flat (within +/-1dB) from 16 Hz to 16 kHz using a handful of parts. Heck, if you got some free op amp samples from TI this would cost you a few caps and resistors. As far as transparency goes, this would add as little to the sound as physically possible (additional noise aside). The issue with something so linear is that linearity doesn't necessarily give the best audio response. The human ear is a finicky device that operates under some very non-linear principles. What you need to aim for is something that allows you to tailor the frequency response you are after. Perhaps a 10 band EQ (with gain of course) would suit you better than a simple single-knob wonderbox.

I think the problem you're experiencing is how the pickup/cable frequency response is affected by adding any form of high impedance to low impedance converter (i.e. pretty much any audio gain stage worth a hoot). Adding a buffer in the signal will typically give you a brighter sound because you are rolling off so much less of the highs through the cable (i.e. the cable is being driven properly). You may want to take this into consideration and look for something with a tone control that you like. Again an EQ may work well for you here.

[tubeswell]

I like boost pedals on tweed amps and presently use an old hotcake but this Baja Black Toast is on my to-do list

http://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2752

[rsalinger]

A friend of mine SWEARS by this...

Simple. One knob. One tube... well, half a tube.

do you know what PT is used?

"Antique Electronic Supply sells a 250-0-250@40mA PT with a 2A 6.3v winding for $20. Part# P-T995."

Cheers,
Rob