Cosmo Valdemar Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 In our current set there are a couple of songs that require me to take the solo, but sadly at the moment it they aren't cutting through too well - is there such a pedal available that will give me a volume boost without changing the tone? Cheap and cheerful will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 [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... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceBass3901 Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 EHX LPB-1 maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plunkrock Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 [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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 [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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Sent you a message ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbandit599 Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Boss EQ or similar imho. You may not think you want the eq, but a volume boost may well need a bass cut to avoid too much boom. Handy to drop a few mids back in too if you are running a scooped sound normally, may mean less volume boost required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Dod BiFET Preamp. Great bit of kit - but now only available used. Look on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Don't be silly ... whoever used the volume controls on a bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1976fenderhead Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Standard volume = Maximum volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Behringer BDI21 would do that. Useful bit of kit to have kicking around, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) [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 July 25, 2014 by ahpook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 [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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plunkrock Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 I'm not sure I would ever have thought of using the volume on the bass. I think I have a problem, damn pedals! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grissle Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1406330008' post='2510781'] +1 for this. Standard practice, I'd have thought; a no-brainer. [/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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 [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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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