whats a treble booster

[Rick31797]

What does a treble booster do?

Rick

[iggs]

It's a clean booster designed to boost high (treble) frequencies more then mid and bass. It won't add any clipping on it's own unless cranked all the way and is used to overdrive the input of a tube amp to add saturation.
As it boosts highs the most, it works well with darker sounding guitars / amps, it may be a bit too much with Tele's and Strats.

The most famous of all was the Rangemaster which wasn't even a pedal, but was designed to sit on top of the amp and had an on/off switch.

There are tons of clones of Rangemaster out there and some other pedals that perform the same function but are not necesarily a Rangemaster clone.

http://www.analogman.com/beano.htm
http://www.phoenixcustomelectronics.com/pix.html (Ranger and Tonemaster pedals)
http://www.hartmanelectronicstore.com/product.sc?categoryId=10&productId=16
http://www.retroman-music.com/beano.htm

[Greenbacker]

Yeah. I guess the idea is that when a tube amp gets turned up, some of the highs and lows are compressed out of the signal. (This is why a tubescreamer sounds the way it does... it is simulating just that.) A true treble booster boosts the high frequencies the most and therefore the high frequencies get louder and distort first. This was made to compromise for the dark amps in the 60's. If you play a barre chord through say a cranked JTM, then the lower strings will really overpower the highs. The treble booster was made to sort of even this while thing out and this is why they typically only sound good into an amp that is already driving. Your typical treble booster has a level knob and as you turn it up, your amp distorts more but so does the internal transistor. This is not a clean pedal. They typically are supplied with a germanium or silicon transistor (Like a Mullard OC44, found in many higher-end models) which gives the pedal a sort of nice fuzzy feel.

Listen to some guitars who used treble boosters a lot and you should be able to understand it a little better. Brian may used a modded rangemster circuit (originally germanium and then switched to silicon) and of course clapton and Iommi. Iommi's was more of a mid booster though...

If you're looking to try one, I would recommend starting with one with a variable switch so you can try different sorts of tones. If you try a straight rangemaster clone then you might be disappointed. They cut the bottom a LOT (which they are suposed to do). Might I recommend something like the Divided by 13 Dyna-Ranger (Love mine, have my switch in the 4th position to keep some girth in there, found the 5th too much) or the Keeley Java Boost.

[mhammer]

Read this: http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/Rangemaster/drm.htm

[iggs]

Read this: http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/Rangemaster/drm.htm

Cool ... thanks for that ... I might have to build me one!

:rockon2:

[Greenbacker]

There's a couple of reasonably priced ones in the forum right now! The HBE Germania is priced as entry level (he's got it for $65 shipped. Great price!) and JRoberts' BSM is about the best true Rangemaster clone you'll find. I once had a BSM HSC and I'm kicking myself for selling it off. Awesome stuff!

[mhammer]

I've built a couple and they're dead easy to make. The first one I made was scooped up by the owner of a local vintage shop who still has it on his pedalboard. I describhe it to folks as "instant Beano" (the euphemism for THAT John Mayall album that first rubbed Clapton in our faces). Unfortunately, I haven't had much luck replicating that first one. Somewhere in my bin of germanium transistors is something as good as the one I used for my first attempt, but I haven't found it yet.

All of this is to say that if you do attempt it, send away for a tested tranny that meets the requisite specs, instead of scrounging around.

[Rick31797]

Thanks for all the great information.. to make one, where can you get the parts>>

I just may try this, then i can call it my own>>:-)

ricj

[dwagar]

I'm in the process of making one right now too. You can pick up all the parts locally, except for the germanium transistor. I picked up a couple of Mullard CV7003s (the milspec version of the OC44) off of Ebay, they were something like $10 or $20 each. Or you can go to a place like Small Bear electronics and see if they have any available.

[mhammer]

Steve Daniels at Small Bear has been doing this for a number of years, and strives to provide hobbyists and DIY pedal builders with exactly the stuff they need because that's how HE started out. There are other dependable trustworthy sources, but folks find that Steve takes care of international customers extremely well (i.e., no surprise broker fees and such).

[hollowbody]

Where in the Toronto area could I find all the parts? I know Gordon Baker Rd. has a lot of electronics stores, but is there one specifically? The reason I ask is that I cannot purchase from the web because I don't have a credit card (had some debt issues in the past :mad:), so it would be most convenient for me to pick up the necessary parts locally.

I'm in the process of making one right now too. You can pick up all the parts locally, except for the germanium transistor. I picked up a couple of Mullard CV7003s (the milspec version of the OC44) off of Ebay, they were something like $10 or $20 each. Or you can go to a place like Small Bear electronics and see if they have any available.

[mhammer]

Germanium transistors are tricky to come by just about anywhere. I have a stack (and I mean several hundred of various types), and would be happy to pick a suitable one out for you and just mail it to you but I'm kind of backed up with other stuff for the next little while, so you'd have to be VERY patient, or cross your fingers and hope a random selection nets you a good one purely by accident (not bloody likely, because deliberate search hasn't worked very well for me so far)). Alternatively, if you put out a request over at the diy stompbox forum for anyone in the golden triangle (or even anywhere else in Canada) who might have more immediate access to trannys in their parts bin with known characteristics they might be able to do you a favour.

Still, give Creatron and Honson down on College Street a shout or Active Surplus on Queen St. a shout and see if they carry any germanium trannies. Constantin Necrosov works at Active Surplus and also builds pedals. He would know exactly what you're looking for. If you speak to him, say hi for me.

[LowWatt]

Where in the Toronto area could I find all the parts? I know Gordon Baker Rd. has a lot of electronics stores, but is there one specifically? The reason I ask is that I cannot purchase from the web because I don't have a credit card (had some debt issues in the past :mad:), so it would be most convenient for me to pick up the necessary parts locally.

Everything except the germanium transistor and a case should be available at Honson Computers on the south side of College st, just west of Spadina.

[hollowbody]

Sounds good. I actually spoke to Constantin a while back about a Flying Pan clone to see if he thought he could pull one off. I'll mosey down there on the weekend maybe. Thanks for the heads up!

Still, give Creatron and Honson down on College Street a shout or Active Surplus on Queen St. a shout and see if they carry any germanium trannies. Constantin Necrosov works at Active Surplus and also builds pedals. He would know exactly what you're looking for. If you speak to him, say hi for me.