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Cheap volume boost needed!


Cosmo Valdemar
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Define "cheap".

Pretty much any pre-amp pedal will do that if the EQ is set flat, just boost either the Gain or the Volume to the desired level.

Come to that, most FX pedals with a Level control will do it too. Set the FX itself to be neutral and turn up the Level.

My favourite work-around is the classic Boss LS-2 pedal. Run a patch cable from Channel A Output straight to Channel A Input (i.e. no actual pedal in the Channel A loop) and you have a very controllable boost pedal.

Experiment with the pedals you already own, but which you are not currently using. You may be surprised ...

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[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1406293785' post='2510286']
Define "cheap".

Pretty much any pre-amp pedal will do that if the EQ is set flat, just boost either the Gain or the Volume to the desired level.

Come to that, most FX pedals with a Level control will do it too. Set the FX itself to be neutral and turn up the Level.

My favourite work-around is the classic Boss LS-2 pedal. Run a patch cable from Channel A Output straight to Channel A Input (i.e. no actual pedal in the Channel A loop) and you have a very controllable boost pedal.

Experiment with the pedals you already own, but which you are not currently using. You may be surprised ...
[/quote]

Cheap... I dunno, less than £50? In my head I'm thinking of just an on/off pedal with a volume knob. I get your point about pre-amp pedals and the like but that seems slightly like overkill as I only need the occasional volume boost, all the other goodies would be going to waste...

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If your budget is £50 or under, maybe a Boss bass EQ would be good, has the level control but if you're soloing you might want to do a bit of EQ tweaking too! They pop up here pretty regularly around £40/45.

Otherwise, as mentioned above, the LPB-1 is a good simple boost :)

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[quote name='BruceBass3901' timestamp='1406295946' post='2510317']
EHX LPB-1 maybe?
[/quote]

Now that looks good! Bit worried that the blurb continually refers to overdrive, hopefully it can be used simply a a volume boost...
GAK also suggested the Behringer PB 100 - even cheaper - but the tone knobs look like unnecessary extras.

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[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1406298036' post='2510347']
Now that looks good! Bit worried that the blurb continually refers to overdrive, hopefully it can be used simply a a volume boost...
GAK also suggested the Behringer PB 100 - even cheaper - but the tone knobs look like unnecessary extras.
[/quote]

I used to have the PB-100... it worked beautifully and it's dirt cheap.

I bet the EHX will work just as well, but it's probably better made. I'd be tempted to get that one, it's only a little more expensive than the Behringer,if you don't care about the extra tone control.
BUT, I'd really be tempted about an EQ pedal: it's a lot more versatile, should you ever want to have a switchable EQ change.

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[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1406298036' post='2510347']
Now that looks good! Bit worried that the blurb continually refers to overdrive, hopefully it can be used simply a a volume boost...
GAK also suggested the Behringer PB 100 - even cheaper - but the tone knobs look like unnecessary extras.
[/quote]

How much the LPB-1 overdrives is really down the to slight variations in component values in a given unit. I've modded mine to reduce the propensity to overdrive, but bear in mind it's not a terribly flat boost.

I'd try and get hold of a 2nd hand MXR MicroAmp, it does roll off slightly below ~12Hz but I reckon only the cetacean members of the audience would mind :)

For those who are interested there's a detailed analysis on the Electrosmash site [url="http://www.electrosmash.com/mxr-microamp"]here[/url]

Edited by ahpook
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[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1406303136' post='2510431']
Can't get cheaper than setting the volume tone at max on your bass for the "boost" and roll it back for the standard volume.
[/quote]

+1 for this. Standard practice, I'd have thought; a no-brainer. :mellow:

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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1406330008' post='2510781']


+1 for this. Standard practice, I'd have thought; a no-brainer. :mellow:
[/quote]

Won't be very accurate live though and will probably end up in much twisting of knobs to get back to where I was before. Faffing about is the technical term I think.

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[quote name='Grissle' timestamp='1406370125' post='2510944']
Rolling back the volume also changes the loading on the pickups and reduces the treble a bit. So if your liking your top end a lot a pedal might work better.
[/quote]

This.
Anyway as luck would have it I stumbled upon a used lpb1 (cheers Dude!) So I'll let you know how I get on. Cheers for all the suggestions.

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