Pedal Build for Nelskie....

[Nelskie]

Just a question, does the mid-boost do kind of the Tube Screamer thing?

Thanks marnold. Your question is a good one, warranting a trip into my studio to find out firsthand.

The answer to your question is effectively yes and no. The Triboost can, in fact, cop a bit of that "mid-rangey" Tube Screamer flavor in the germanium mode. Bear in mind, however, that its vibe is different from the TS's - this being due to the differences in the circuit design: the Triboost uses a European-made germanium transistor more common to vintage pedal designs; the Tube Screamer uses a modern op amp (operational amplifier).

The Triboost's toggle switch (*again, for the germanium setting only) acts kind of like the Tube Screamer's "tone" control knob, allowing you to place emphasis on a specific frequency range (full, treble, and mid). A Tube Screamer's tone control, on the other hand, allows you to sweep through the entire frequency range. The Triboost's frequency adjustments are fixed (full, mid, treble), but sound really good thanks to a toneful circuit design. Both pedals have a common "level" control, which regulates the strength / intensity of the signal going into the amp. The TS also has a gain knob, allowing for yet another layer of harmonic density.

The Triboost and TS will both work effectively in "front-loading" a tube amp - i.e. driving the pre-amp section into a state of natural saturation (*I think that's how the pro's term it) - which in turn creates that smooth, delicious over-driven tone guitar players know and love. The Triboost shines in this capacity, as its three circuit options offer three distinctly different flavors of tone (five if you're counting the two additional settings on the germanium mode); the TS has but one - albeit a very good one.

It'd be hard for me to say whether I'd go for one over the other - if that's were you were going with your question. For me - life is good because I have both. What I like about the Triboost over the TS is that it has more of a vintage feel to it. Being that you're using it to boost the signal, you hear more of the natural tone of the guitar / amp you are running it through. The TS can be set to do somewhat the same thing, but I don't think the tonal result is quite the same. To me, it has a more agressive feel to it - if that makes any sense.

Anyways - that'll do it for my little "cameo" here at FN. Here's wishing all of you good playing.

[SuperSwede]

Anyways - that'll do it for my little "cameo" here at FN. Here's wishing all of you good playing.

Dont be a stranger Nelskie!

Good luck with the pedal

[oldguy]

Dont be a stranger Nelskie!

Good luck with the pedal

+100!
And thanks for the review, quite thorough, and informative.

[duhvoodooman***]

Just a couple of follow-up comments to Nelskie's thorough & informative posts:

Those of you familiar with the Dallas Rangemaster know that it was not just a booster, but more specifically a treble booster. Clapton and many other notable English guitarists of that time used it to raise the treble output of their naturally rather dark sounding Marshall amps. But these were also non-master volume amps, so the boost helped to push them into overdrive and give that quintessential "Beano" tone so many of us love. I remember the first time I heard that album, being just floored by Clapton's tone and thinking "Man, I've never heard a guitar sound like that!"

That said, the original Rangemaster was tonally pretty much a one-trick pony, and the EQ voicing toggle switch on the Triboost adds a lot more flexibility, as Nelsk points out. I rarely use the "treble" mode myself, because I don't play through dark sounding amps. But I use the "mid" and (especially) "full" EQ settings quite a bit.

But like Nelskie, my favorite of the three boost modes is the Linear. This is a simple bipolar NPN silicon transistor (2N5088) boost based upon the Electro Harmonix Linear Power Booster circuit that's been around since 1968. There's a reason why the "classics" stay around for years and years while the pretenders come and go. As simple as this boost circuit is, it sounds great. The "linear" description is apt, because it just seems to give you more of everything. Not just more volume--the signal picks up a fullness that I assume must reflect an increase in harmonics and overall tonal complexity. All I can tell you is that it sounds great, and seems to work its greatest magic on the bass end of the signal. Nelskie used the phrase "tight & articulate", and I can't describe it any better.

No kidding, if you're only going to have one boost pedal, this is the one to have--whether you build it yourself, buy it from me, or from someone else.