What is a Boost Pedal?

If you need a tool that increases your volume without coloring your tone, you should get a boost pedal.

The boost pedal is a guitar effect designed to increase the instrument’s signal strength without altering its tone. These effect pedals are ideal for musicians who need a pedal that boosts their volume during parts of their performance, or to push an amplifier to its sweet spot for an overdriven tone.

Most boost pedals usually have a single control knob for the level, allowing the guitarist to dial in the amount of volume boost they need. However, some boost pedals have parameters for tone, EQ, and gain, allowing musicians to shape their tone further with the effect engaged.

History of Boost Pedals

The history of the boost pedal dates back to the 1960s. During this time, musicians sought ways to achieve greater volume and clarity during performances. This led to the creation of the first boost pedals.

Boost pedal pioneers like the Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster and Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 offered musicians a simple yet game-changing solution to increase signal strength. These pedals were also crucial in rock and roll’s evolution as they were employed in pushing tube amplifiers into natural overdrive, which became the genre’s signature guitar tone.

Over the decades, boost pedals have been refined with new technology to make them more versatile and essential, ensuring musicians have an invaluable tool that elevates their sonic landscape.

Who uses Boost Pedals?

The versatility of boost pedals is evident in the diverse array of musicians utilizing them. It spans various musical genres and all skill levels.

Legendary guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, and David Gilmour have famously incorporated boost pedals into their performance rigs. They use it to elevate their volumes while adding clarity and depth during their solos. Metal artists like Zakk Wylde also use boost pedals to push their high-gain amplifiers harder.

Even acoustic artists, including James Taylor, employ boost pedals to maintain vibrant and articulate performances in the studio and on tour. From adored professionals to aspiring amateurs, boost pedals are mainstays in pedalboards to guarantee a refined and exceptional guitar tone.

Why You Need a Boost Pedal

A boost pedal in your arsenal ensures you have an indispensable tool for creating and playing music. The clean volume increase it provides guarantees your riffs and solos cut through the mix without coloring your instrument’s tone.

Should you need to bump up your volume while playing rhythm, you can employ a boost effect pedal to get the right amount of loudness. You can even add extra character to your sound by engaging this guitar pedal to drive your amp harder for its naturally warm and gritty overdriven tones.

Utilizing a boost pedal for studio recordings and live performances ensures that your guitar playing stands out without sacrificing your signature tonal landscape.

Where to Buy Boost Pedals

Here at DeathCloud, we offer a huge selection of boost pedals from today’s best guitar pedal companies. Our catalog includes anything from simple, one-knob to heavily tweakable boost effect pedals, guaranteeing you’ll find the one that fits your pedalboard best.

Buy your new boost pedal today!