boost or volume pedal for acoustic guitar

[EVT]

Hi,

I'm looking for a boost or volume pedal to use on acoustic guitar. I don't want it to alter the tone, I just want it to get louder. I strum and fingerpick, and when I fingerpick it isn't as loud as when I'm strumming. So while I'm playing a song, I would like to just hit the boost right before I fingerpick. There are a lot of boost pedals for electric guitars, but I don't know if they would work well with an acoustic.

thanks,

evt

[Realfi]

I've been experimenting with some potential solutions to the same issues.

The volume pedal idea may work but depends on what's coming out of your guitar and the volume pedal itself with regard to impedance, level etc. I recently tried using an Ernie Ball volume pedal after my passive LB6 before my para DI but it affected the tone really badly. When I get the chance I'll organise to try one in the Para's loop with a Y cable to see if that works better.

As far as the clean booster option I've found an Xotic RC Booster is transparent enough to use on acoustic guitar & with it's versatile EQ you're able to tweak things quite nicely.

[guitarpkr67]

I have one of the old DOD BiFet preamp pedals. I'll give it a try and let you know how it works. I've been meaning to try it with my acoustic anyways.

[Realfi]

Originally Posted by guitarpkr67

I have one of the old DOD BiFet preamp pedals. I'll give it a try and let you know how it works. I've been meaning to try it with my acoustic anyways.

I have a feeling that when they came out they were actually intended for acoustic use...or that the brochure at least mentioned them being useful for boosting piezo style pickups.

I have some recollection of that from when I used to sell them anyhow.

[StoneWheels]

Originally Posted by Realfi

I've been experimenting with some potential solutions to the same issues.

The volume pedal idea may work but depends on what's coming out of your guitar and the volume pedal itself with regard to impedance, level etc. I recently tried using an Ernie Ball volume pedal after my passive LB6 before my para DI but it affected the tone really badly. When I get the chance I'll organise to try one in the Para's loop with a Y cable to see if that works better.

As far as the clean booster option I've found an Xotic RC Booster is transparent enough to use on acoustic guitar & with it's versatile EQ you're able to tweak things quite nicely.

y cable = problem solved

[muddyshoes]

and agree that pre-amp is the way to go. i like analog pedals, no digital. a comp/sustainer should work fine. i like my old rat distortion with slide, the dist. just gently nudged,

[erksin]

I can tell you an MXR Micro Amp in front of the ParaDI sounds awful...

[EVT]

What about an acoustic sansamp? If I have it off, and then just turn it on when I want to fingerpick, but I would think it would also change the tone of the guitar though.

I ran into the Barber Launch pad
http://www.barberelectronics.com/LaunchPad.htm which looks interesting, and the BBE Boosta Grande
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item-...1_292_584.html

But I think these pedals are made for electric guitars, I don't know if they would work well with acoustics.

hmmm... Any other suggestions?

thanks,

evt

[Den]

Take a look at the Zoom A2 or A2.1u (which includes a pedal that can be set to control volume). Either of these will do exactly what you describe without altering your tone ... and can do much, much more to improve it or add effects if you choose.

I have a patch set up with a boost as well as some with slight delay, chorus, etc. The pedal I usually set to control volume. There's also a surisingly good tuner and feedback suppressor included as well a lot of other useful features.

[EVT]

Hi,

I don't know about this particular one, but I don't really like mulit-effect pedals. I'm not into the sounds I've heard out of them in the past. And, I just want that one thing (volume). In the past I've had a couple of multieffects, and I don't like when you switch through different sounds in them, certain sounds will blast your ears when you turn it on.

I'm not shooting it down, cause I really don't know this particular one and haven't tried a multieffect for acoustic, but on electric I wasn't into them. Digital kind of harsh sound, brittle (on ones I've heard and tried).

It looks cool though. I just don't want to change my guitar's sound at all. I just want a boost of volume.

evt

[Den]

I understand your aprehensions about multi-effects ... many of us have experienced the same thing in the past. However, if this unit caused a harsh, brittle tone, I certianly wouldn't have recommended it. The ADA conversion and sampling on this unit are in another league from past multis. The main point is that for the $$$, it's an excellent solution that will do exactly what you want ... and can do much more if you choose.

I have never even considered something like this in the past, but on another forum I found pro-sound guys who do lots of live acoustic work raving about it. I tried one from a dealer offering a 60-day money back guarantee and was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked.

Forget that it's a multieffect for a minute, and see if it works for what you're looking to do ... you might be surprised as well. Good luck.

[msp]

i use a sansamp para driver di as a boost and an goodrich ldr2 potless volume ped for my acoustic shows

i have a friend who uses a klon as a boost for his taylor guitar

for me a boost in volume only causes feedback issues so i usually barely boost the volume and reshape the eq for a more nasal type quality for solo'n it cuts through better for me but obviously sounds less natural (but thats ok for solo'n)

[bayner]

I used to play a Taylor with a thinline under-saddle pick-up and had the same exact issue you have. My solution, which has worked well in all live applications for the last couple of months, was to purchase a Boss EQ-20

http://www.bosscorp.co.jp/products/en/EQ-20/

I play acoustic frequently in a 4-piece band and 2-piece acoustic act. I play many leads acoustically also and especially in the band setting, needed that extra something to get me a little louder (and most often over my drummer) when hitting a lead. The Boss EQ-20 is a graphic equalizer, but has a manual and memory mode. The only affect it has on sound is what you do with it to equalize your sound. So you can strum with a memory setting to your preference which is stored digitally. Then, when you need to pick or solo, you can press on the manual setting which will take you to the current setting you have your EQ set to (manually). You get your boost by adjusting the level in the manual setting a bit higher than where you stored it in your saved setting. It cost me about $130 from a local music shop and I think you can find them pretty common on the web right now for about the same. If you want unadulterated sound, the benefit of an EQ, the ability to access two EQ settings instaniously, and the benefit of a level increase (or boost) at the press of a foot switch, this is a perfect box. And strangely enough, I don't think Boss had acoustic guitars in mind when they created this pedal. Weird.. go look at the web site and you'll seee no mention of it being used in this application, but it fits the bill perfectly. I have heard they discontinued it, but not sure I believe that. But I won't sell mine just in case.

I am currently still looking for other Boost/Eq/clarifying options because I just purchased a Martin OMC with a blend pick-up and I seemed to have some issues with my mids in my leads last weekend playing with the band. Granted I have only used it once, so I have a lot of homework to do before I make any judgements. I can't believe the difference between a Martin and Taylor. Both great guitars, but an entirely different sound to work with. Good Luck and hope this helps you.

[tedzepplin]

I use this:
http://www.pick-uptheworld.com/preamps.htm


The PUTW Power Plug:
Our most popular pre-amp for guitars and instruments with endpin type output jacks. This small box is roughly the size of two nine-volt batteries side by side, and plugs directly into the output jack of the instrument. Hand wired from the highest quality discrete components, this is one of the quietest and least colored pre-amps available at any cost. A handy volume control on the top of the box allows one to turn down the volume, mute the output, and change instruments or take a break without pops, hum, or noise. There is a small gain trim control on the bottom of the box that allows the pre-amp to be fine tuned to work with any pickup or application. For people using dual pickups, a Stereo/Mono switch on the side of the box allows the ring channel of the pre-amp to pass through the box unaffected, or to be summed to the tip channel prior to entering the pre-amp circuit. There are two redundant power switches, one on the volume knob, and the other on the output jack. Battery life is 600 hours, and a nine-volt alkaline is included.

[tonedaddy]

Originally Posted by tedzepplin

I use this:
http://www.pick-uptheworld.com/preamps.htm

Thanks for this recommendation!
Some cool products, and nice prices, too.