Don't Make This Common Boost Pedal Mistake!

If you've watched any of our previous videos, you know that we are huge fans of understanding (and experimenting) with your pedalboard signal chain!

The position of your boost pedal is no different. A lot of guitar players will put their boost pedal on their board in the spot they think is best, but not actually test out where they like it best. Beginning, Middle or End (maybe not the end, but as you'll see, it's worth a try!).

Don't make this common mistake of assuming your boost pedal should go in one particular spot without trying it for yourself. As they say, assuming makes.... boost pedals work less well.

Video
00:00 - Intro
1:30 - 3 Boost Positions
3:36 - Audio examples of common boost positions
4:14 - Explaining what's happening
5:28 - What happens when you 'break the rules' with your boost
5:54 - Audio example of boost last
6:26 - Outro

[tonymirabelli]

Omg! Waking up in the middle of the night wondering about your signal chain…I thought I was alone! Lol

[danmayes]

Like the graphics with the music,
Easy to conceptualize.

[JaredSingletonATL]

I've done all 3 and surprisingly, the boost at the end was shockingly awesome. It kind of made everything from my dirt to my modulation sound incredible

[dude_crush_]

I like boost at the end. It hits the front end of your amp a lot harder, making your signal way louder and you get really nice break-up. Great for leads

[Souldoubtrocks]

For me, boost after gain but before effects. Run the volume pedal through the expression loop on my vertex boost.

[carminelombardi]

I liked the boost at the end better, it seems to allow more transients and clarity through while boosting at the same time.

[BartoszBakVG]

Great job, grat video. I have amp with fx loop. I use clean boost in the very end of signal chain in fx loop just for overall volume boost. In these combination you get only volume boost of all your rig without additional overdrive from Amp preamp or more distorted modulation fx. Remember, the best sound is what you like most or is most usefull :)

[davidsummerville]

It is something to always consider and keep your attitude flexible. Great info, thanks.

[kylecravens]

Early on as a guitarist, I used a Fulltone Fatboost at the end of chain to drive the signal and always got compliments on my tone - might have to try this again!

[freeman]

So glad I found this video. I'm building my first board. Many effects. I'm using my tuner up front for the input buffer and was thinking about the TC boost at the very end for the output buffer. Two birds with one stone. I think your option 3 sounds best. So this will perfectly suit my needs. Thanks so much.

[RandyFricke]

Well done video. Very clear.

As for me I run a boost at both the beginning of the chain and at the end. This works well because the front end boost is one with bass, treble, gain, and level controls. This mainly functions as a boost for the thinner sounding lower output of single coil pickups like on a Strat or P90s.

The boost at the end is purely for boosting the overall level of the signal. A lead or solo boost if you will. The end boost is a one knob clean boost.

The last pedal in the chain is an always on reverb. Since it's an always on pedal I can adjust it to play nice with the solo boost just in front of it and since it's an always on it functions as a buffer if you're running long cables from your pedal board to your amp.

I have a Moorer Baby Bomb mounted on my board so I don't worry about needing a buffer since cables of 17.8 feet will be clear without high-end loss from capacitance. (Yes. They have it figured down to the .8 of an inch...)

Good strummin' ya'll.

[prettyruude]

This video was so clear and answered all my questions of not more, thanks guys!!

[joetoe]

This is excellent. You covered an issue I’ve been wondering about for a while and I’ve never understood why it is “unconventional“ to put a boost (which I interpret as a volume boost, not a gain boost, although I realize I may be in a minority) at the end of the signal chain. Thank you for illustrating the difference and I do need to listen again to catch the tonal differences between the latter two options. Great presentation!

[magnroll]

Thanks for the video! For me, Wah > Light Gain OD (gain boost) > Med-High Gain OD > Noise Gate > Phaser > Delay > Clean Boost (overall volume boost). I feel like running too many Boost/OD pedals before modulation/time-based effects would clip them

[helldeirch]

I use boost first in the chain since I don't really use it to have more volume on sections of songs, I use it to have a hotter signal into overdrives since I use passive pickups

[SteveMavronis]

I used to have my clean boost after my overdrive before modulation effects. Now I have it before my overdrive and I’m finally getting that saturated tube bloom tone that I’ve always wanted with that holy grail overdrive character. I had even used it in my effects loop to act as a preamp master volume but now I have a volume knob pedal there instead.

[leandrorsantos]

I use one boost before distortions, choosing between a slightly clean boost and a slightly clean trebble boost, and an EQ pedal as a boost for solos, raising mid and upper mid frequencies, right after my modulation

[nuthinbutlove]

Thanks for the comparison. It really makes a difference hearing them back to back and just sitting back listening.
I've been using it after my drive and thinking i needed to add a distortion pedal but I'm going to try putting it before my drive to see how much difference it makes, if any.
Great video!

[looneyinkproductions-eduard]

On my board it's: boost - overdrive - boost. The first boost is Spark Mini, (always on). Then come the overdrive and the second boost, the big brother Spark, for that extra volume kick (for one can never trust the soundman ...)

[johnfrewin]

I’ve just returned from a rehearsal where I finally gave in and took off a couple of favourite pedals and replaced them both with a boost ( or very nearly, i.e. an od with barely any gain set), our set is all original rock/country and so the gain stage for my lead guitar is several shades of clean / edge of breakup. For the Pedal nerds out there my signal chain is ( numbers are loops in a gig rig qm6) 1; fuzz face ( rarely used, but put it first & roll the guitar volume off its sparkling clean boost, roll up the volume & hello instant rock lead) 2; Boss DD7 just a slap and mild compression from the EHX soul preacher, I call this country mode 3; Keeley D&M Drive ( dual drive with tube screamer like boost into higher gain OD side)4; EHX soul food ( running low ish gain - like a gritty boost) 5; TC Spark boost, pure clean level up only, no gain boosting here at all, and I run my amps pretty clean 6; tuner (& humdinger to split for the dry amp, a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue)then I have just a Keeley Caverns (delay&reverb)and Harmonious Monk (trem/harmonic trem) to the wet amp( v140 super duchess by Victory uk) so as you can see I use boost throughout my gain stage, and it looks like overkill, but the flexibility it gives me to shape my tone and push it forward or back in the mix myself, with my foot, is really making a difference, I’m finding I have to fight the guitar less ( unless I feel like it) and the combinations are really working for me, love the show by the way👍🎸🇬🇧