Like compressor pedals, boost pedals tend to be slightly undersung compared to flashier, more obvious effects. When they’re at their best, they enhance what’s already working about your rig, simply making that more audible in the mix. Whether you’re preparing for a spotlight-stealing solo or just sweetening your tone, learn more about the various boost types to find your new secret weapon.
Why you would choose this one: A long history of appearances on pedalboards the world over makes this utility player a great option.
Without a doubt, the Micro Amp is one of the most ubiquitous boost pedals in the world. It’s dead simple and it works wonders. It’s not quite a mini pedal, but the smaller MXR box won’t take up much room on your board. The single knob controls the boost from zero to +26 dB.
The pickiest players will notice just a touch more top-end when turned on, but for the most part, this is extremely transparent. As just about every write-up of these mentions, one of the primary uses is as a pickup level matching device when switching between single coil and humbucking guitars. Definitely a bona fide gem.
MXR make two more extremely good options, both of which are more expensive. First is the Micro Amp +, which adds a bass and treble control if you do want tone shaping. The other is the MXR CAE Boost/Line Driver, which excels at low noise operation and offers +20db of boost. The safe (and least expensive) bet is the Micro Amp, though.
MXR also makes a mini Booster, which is modeled after the EP-3 preamp.
Boost type: Clean
Gain range: +26dB
True bypass?: No (hardwire bypass)
The ProGuitarShop demo will show you what this simple devices is all about.
Why you would choose this one: Quickly becoming a legend in the genre, this could provide the final touch to your tone quest.
Part of the trifecta of mini pedals from Xotic that includes the equally-excellent SP Compressor and SL Drive, the EP Booster has become a staple. Given that the humble booster isn’t the most glamorous effect, it’s nice that you can get a premium version in a small package so you don’t eat up space for other pedals.
Though it’s considered a clean boost, it isn’t completely transparent, derived as it is from the preamp in the Echoplex EP-3, which was known for its sweetening effect. Your tone will be just a little smoother with the EP on, but many use it as an always-on pedal, so you might pair this as your pre-drive boost with another pick from this list post-drive. Though it doesn’t boost the power internally like the Katana, you can use an 18 volt adapter for higher headroom. Internal dip switches allow for tone shaping with bass and treble boost options.
Xotic also make the heralded RC Booster, which puts the EQ knobs on the top and adds a Gain knob, an entirely separate second gain channel, and like the EP, can be run at 18 volts.
I have one of these for my second pedal chain and let me tell you, that’s quite a loud +20dB. I use it turned all the way down much of the time and it still gives an appropriate lift when needed.
Boost type: Clean
Gain range: +20dB
True bypass?: Yes
The Mastertheguitar demo is very long and detailed for this relatively simple unit.
Why you would choose this one: You have a need for both a clean boost and a mid boost at different times.
This beastly booster combines a very unique feature set that helps it stand out from the pack. Right away, it’s obvious that this is actually two boosters in one. On the left, it’s a classic clean boost with +20dB of gain. On the right, it’s a midrange boost.
The midrange side is controlled by a top-mounted frequency switch that allows you to choose which band of the EQ is boosted: Mids, High Mids, and Low Mids. This vastly increases the flexibility and gives you many options that could come in handy for pickup matching or for driving certain pedals or amps. They can’t be run together, which might be a drawback, though the automatic switching between them saves you some tap dancing.
An internal switch allows you to choose between buffered or true bypass operation to suit your needs. You can run it at 18 volts, but if you opt to use a 9 volt battery, an internal monitor will automatically switch it to true bypass mode when the battery gets weak. Finally, there’s the FX Link connector which will allow this to easily interface with remote switches.
For a little less, you could also opt for the Suhr Koko Reloaded, which is essentially version two. It adds +6 more dB, revoiced frequency selector, Mid Q which shapes the boosted midrange, and the mf(x) function that allows for smart selecting between the two boosters. It’s also in the smaller MXR-style enclosure. I like the unmistakable ease of use afforded by the two switches, but the Reloaded is definitely a step forward.
Why you would choose this one: A high-quality preamp with lots of gain meets active EQ for the ultimate tone shaping device.
If you’ve ever watched the EQ episode of That Pedal Show, you know how incredibly powerful an EQ pedal can be. They even recommend using a Boss GE-7 as the boost pedal. Not a bad suggestion; the Boss is a fine pedal. But if you want next-level EQ mixed in with your clean boost pedal, consider this offering from EarthQuaker.
The Treble, Mid, and Bass knobs are all active and allow for a boost or cut of +20dB. They’re interactive, too, so the range of the Treble and Bass move in concert with the positioning of the Mid. This makes it both incredibly flexible and more likely to render usable tones quickly.
As for the boosting capability, this circuit is based on high end stereo preamps, so you can increase the level up to five times the original input. Add in soft touch switching and top mounted jacks and you’ve got a fully modern, absurdly high-quality boost. You can run this at 18 volts, too.
EQD has another boost pedal, which is the one I use on my board: the Arrows. It’s a midrange preamp booster, designed to add a gain stage to dirt pedals. It tightens up the low end a bit too, which can prevent the lower frequencies from driving too early, thereby retaining punch.
Why you would choose this one: You’re using a lot of pedals and long cable runs and need a high-quality buffer to restore high-end.
While the usual preference for higher-end pedals is for true bypass, that overlooks the utility of a quality buffer. Once you’ve lined up several of your boutique true bypass pedals and run twenty feet of cord on either side of the board, you’ll probably notice some high-end roll off. If that’s the case, consider this useful boost from Wampler.
It’s equal parts boost and buffer, the latter of which is optionally switchable when the pedal is off using the side switch. When the pedal is engaged, it will be just the buffer when the gain knob is fully counter-clockwise. Turn it up to set your boost. Pretty simple, but an elegant solution to tone suck.
Why you would choose this one: A reasonably priced offering that includes EQ shaping abilities and three different boost modes.
Touching on the functionality of the Suhr and the EarthQuaker offerings, the Spark is an EQ-shaping clean boost. In addition to a healthy +26dB of gain, the Bass and Treble knobs are active and allow for boosting and cutting those frequencies.
The pedal’s character on the whole is dictated by the Fat/Clean/Mid switch that gives you access to all three types of boost, which in combination with the Gain knob, can easily mimic an overdrive pedal when pushing your tube amp. F
or the price, there’s an awful lot of functionality under the hood. It’s neither the most pristine clean nor the option with the most mojo, but it’s definitely a contender and is at home on many boards. It’s a very good offering worth your consideration.
Previously discussed in our cheap guitar pedals post, TC also offers the Spark Mini, which is a +20dB clean boost with an option for momentary mode. It’ll only set you back $50.
Boost type: Clean, Midrange, and Dirty
Gain range: +26dB
True bypass?: Yes
The Prymaxe demo will tell you everything you need to know.
Why you would choose this one: Simple, dirt cheap boost pedal from one of the industry standard setters.
Based on one of the first driver type pedals introduced in 1968, the LPB-1 forms one leg of a trio of boosting pedals from EHX. As the name implies, this is a linear or clean boost, meant to simply raise the volume of your guitar and in turn increase saturation at the amp.
Like the MXR above, this may add a touch of perceptible presence, but on the whole it’s very transparent. The nano enclosure keeps your board tidy, too.
The other two boosting offerings from the company are the Screaming Bird treble booster and The Mole bass booster. Despite its low rating, my anecdotal experience is that the Screaming Bird is the most popular of the three, though you’re probably not going to love it through a high-headroom Fenderish type amp most of the time.
Start with the LPB-1, but they’re cheap enough that you could get one of each and still be in the neighborhood of any of the others on this list cost-wise.
Why you would choose this one: Two outputs, extremely high gain range, and console-style clarity.
The Super Hard On is a sleeper classic of the booster genre. It’s designed to be extremely high-fidelity, modeled after 60s recording console inputs. The primary key to this is utlra-high input impedance, which can help restore the feel and output of vintage pickups that may have lost some of their magnetism over time.
It excels when plugged into a vintage amp in particular, but since it has two outputs, you can pair that vintage unit with any other amp in a wet/dry or stereo setup easily. The crackling when the Volume knob is adjusted is normal, just as it was on units of yesteryear. An outstanding, super-clean booster that can act as a clarifying preamp in a lot of setups.
If you need more boosting but can live without the dual outputs, consider the Super Duper 2-in-1.
Why you would choose this one: Compact signal restorer and boost pedal all from just one knob.
This offering from JHS is most comparable to the Wampler dB+ in that it provides a very high-quality buffer to enhance your signal through large pedalboards or long cable runs. Unlike the dB+, this function isn’t independent of the boost, but rather reliant on where you set the knob.
Up to 25 percent, you’re dialing in the buffer amount with a very slight boost that brings back some high-end if you’re noticing roll-off in your signal path. Between 25 and 75 percent, this is doing the job of a traditional clean booster, either for stepping out in front of a mix or driving more saturation. Above 75 percent, you’re driving the signal hard, perfect for breaking up tube amps.
The compact utility of this pedal is outstanding if that’s all you need. If you want more functionality, try their Clover Preamp/Boost, which faithfully recreates and improves upon the long-discontinued Boss FA-1 FET Amplifier.
Boost type: Clean, but may add perceptible high-end due to buffering in some setups
Why you would choose this one: You want to take advantage of one of the most iconic effects in music history without the price or fuss of a vintage unit.
In the 60s, Dallas Aribiter (or one of its many related names) – the same people who brough you the Fuzz Face we discussed on our best fuzz pedals post – released the Rangemaster, a treble booster intended to rectify the dark and muddy nature of humbuckers into British amplifiers. The most famous proponents of this setup are Brian May, Tony Iommi, and the guitarists of Judas Priest.
That vintage unit only boosted the treble frequencies and the gain range was set to max. This remake expands on the functionality considerably while still offering the magic sound of the original. The Boost knob works as it did on the original, driving about 10 dB of lift. To get the original Rangemaster’s sound, set the Range fully counter-clockwise and the Heat fully clockwise.
If this sound overly shrill or too dirty, dial up the Range to incorporate more boosted frequencies and dial back the Heat for lower saturation. In this way, it’s a multi-functional booster capable of just about everything other modern boosters can do, but with that faithful vintage sound still under the hood.
Boost type: Treble, but can do both Clean and Dirty thanks to Range and Heat knobs
When searching used stock on Reverb, you can find the original Rangemaster between $300 and $5,000 – or you can find a used Naga Viper for a decent chunk off of new.
Why you would choose this one: Switchable buffered bypass and three-band EQ makes this into an affordable tone-fixer as well as a boost.
Like the Tone Job and the Spark on this list, Fender have combined the boosting job with an EQ pedal. The combination of these allows for tone sculpting which can be more effective than just a straight boost, particularly into driving amps.
The boost itself is controlled with the Level knob. The rest of the controls are for the EQ, one each for Bass, Middle, and Treble. There’s also a Freq switch to change the frequencies the Middle knob controls from 400Hz to 800Hz.
There’s also an optional bypass buffer switchable with an external top toggle for rigs suffering from tone roll-off. As with the rest of the pedals in this range, you can turn off the LEDs in the knobs, if desired.
Why you would choose this one: Almost certainly the best boost value on the market.
All of the pedals in this series are a great value and well worth considering, especially the Big Spender we put on our cheap guitar pedals post. This boost pedal from that series is also a fantastic option at a fantastic price.
While the gain range isn’t declared, the feature set approaches that of units going for almost double the price on this list. It’s even cheaper than the Spark, which is already pretty inexpensive. Controls include Volume and a two-band EQ. In addition to the Treble and Bass knobs, which can cut or boost those frequencies, there’s an EQ switch to tighten up the low end, if desired.
This is a clean boost from zero to noon, but becomes a driving, dirtier boost at above noon. It sounds better than it should and it’s built better than you’d think. Excellent as a first booster, but it could become your last, too.
