Ideas for solo boost with UA pedal? (And why my GE7 after the UA pedals sound weird?)

[Tito83]

I have a GE7 and it was what I tried first, but for whatever reason it messes the tone pretty hard and it sounds very thin. Thought the UA was overloading the GE7, but no, dialed the UA to be the same level as the guitar direct and it just doesn't work.

Tried an MXR bass compressor and it worked.

Is my GE7 busted somehow? It works every other way just fine.

Specifically with the Dream I wish to use the footswitches for reverb/vibrato, so I want another pedal for the solo boost.

 

[dk_ace]

I have a GE7 and it was what I tried first, but for whatever reason it messes the tone pretty hard and it sounds very thin. Thought the UA was overloading the GE7, but no, dialed the UA to be the same level as the guitar direct and it just doesn't work.

Tried an MXR bass compressor and it worked.

Is my GE7 busted somehow? It works every other way just fine.

Specifically with the Dream I wish to use the footswitches for reverb/vibrato, so I want another pedal for the solo boost.

Sometimes one pedal’s output buffer and another pedals input just don’t jive. Try another buffered pedal between them just for kicks bypassed and see if it clears things up. You might not want to leave a pedal between them, but at least it can help you know if that the specific issue.

Just about anything could work if you want to replace the ge7. Last time I had a dedicated clean boost on a board it was a barber launch pad. I had zero complaints about it.

D

 

[Tito83]

Sometimes one pedal’s output buffer and another pedals input just don’t jive. Try another buffered pedal between them just for kicks bypassed and see if it clears things up. You might not want to leave a pedal between them, but at least it can help you know if that the specific issue.

Just about anything could work if you want to replace the ge7. Last time I had a dedicated clean boost on a board it was a barber launch pad. I had zero complaints about it.

D

I didn't think about another pedal between, will give that a try.

About the "don't jive", what would be the spec I should check in order to make sure it will work? I intend to use an EQ pedal for that, if I really need to get another one, I just want to make sure I get it right.

 

[dk_ace]

I didn't think about another pedal between, will give that a try.

About the "don't jive", what would be the spec I should check in order to make sure it will work? I intend to use an EQ pedal for that, if I really need to get another one, I just want to make sure I get it right.

Those specs sometimes aren’t published. As to exactly what to look for that will work, someone like Dan Steinhardt (gigrig and tps) could give a much better answer than I could. UA might be able to tell you what to look for as well.

D

 

[hunter]

UA pedals output up to +12db. The boss pedals are usually speced at -20 or -10db
You are overloading the input on the GE

What I do with the UA pedals is either use the preset/live to do one for rhythm/lead or any pedal after that with 2 volumes. Works quite well if for example you use the amp pedal with cab off and an OX Stomp after with 2 settings.

 

[Tito83]

UA pedals output up to +12db. The boss pedals are usually speced at -20 or -10db
You are overloading the input on the GE

What I do with the UA pedals is either use the preset/live to do one for rhythm/lead or any pedal after that with 2 volumes. Works quite well if for example you use the amp pedal with cab off and an OX Stomp after with 2 settings.

Even when matching the volume with the UA on and off?

 

[sashimi]

Any reason you don’t want to put the eq before the Dream?

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Any reason you don’t want to put the eq before the Dream?

Boost before amp sim = more input level going into the preamp, overdriving the signal. More distortion.

Boost after the amp sim = boosting the level of the sound without affecting the preamp gain. More volume.

 

[sashimi]

Yeah that makes sense. I guess I was just thinking of a boost as something that goes into the front of an amp. The Dream has very little headroom though so I can see wanting to boost after instead of before.

 

[Tito83]

Yeah that makes sense. I guess I was just thinking of a boost as something that goes into the front of an amp. The Dream has very little headroom though so I can see wanting to boost after instead of before.

It's not that it has low headroom, the volume works a little bit differently. 0 on the pedal is like 2 on the amp. It's the impression I have and also I have a vivid memory of an interview with James Santiago where he says exactly that, I just could never find it again

 

[hunter]

Even when matching the volume with the UA on and off?

That would probably put the out volume of the UA at a very low setting, but carefully matched level, in that case you should not have the overload in level. Only impedance would be different then, which should not be a big issue as the UA output impedance is comparable to any other guitar pedal afaik.