Treble booster
A treble booster is an effects unit used by guitarists to alter the sound of their guitars.
Popularized by guitarists such as Tony Iommi,[1] Ritchie Blackmore, Rory Gallagher, Brian May, Marc Bolan[2] and Andy Scott,[3] treble boosters have been used to overdrive amplifiers (mostly dark sounding, British tube models such as Marshall Bluesbreakers and Vox AC30s) in order to create a more distorted yet focused sound. They came up in the mid-1960s. By the 1980s they had become obsolete. Guitarists used overdrive pedals instead, in a similar fashion. In recent years treble boosters have gained some popularity again.
Players sometimes prefer using a treble booster with a tube amplifier that is already moderately overdriven. Treble boosters typically cut some low end and amplify the signal, thus creating a "tighter" sound with more treble or high midrange emphasis.
Electronically, this can be accomplished by using a simple high pass filter, realized by an RC circuit, in front of a common emitter amplifier.
There have been several different types of treble boosters made.
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[edit] Dallas Rangemaster
One of the most important early examples is the Dallas Rangemaster, which was widely used in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Hard to find today, the Rangemaster sound is still sought after, and many clones based on its extremely simple circuit have been made commercially and by hobbyists. Unlike most of today's clones, the original Rangemaster was not a pedal, but a box meant to be placed on top of the amplifier. The circuit makes use of a single OC71 or OC44 germanium transistor. One can hear the Rangemaster in many Queen songs, a good example being Procession from Queen's second album, Queen II.[citation needed] Tony Iommi is another Rangemaster user, and can be heard using one modified by a roadie on many Black Sabbath recordings.[1]
An alleged early user of the Rangemaster was Eric Clapton, who supposedly used one around the time of John Mayall's Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton album, in combination with a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard and a Marshall Bluesbreaker.[4] Guitar experts, though, do not all believe that he used one.[5]
[edit] Hornby Skewes
Just like the Dallas Rangemaster, the Hornby Skewes treble booster was a desktop unit.
While early Hornby Skewes Treble Booster units used a germanium transistor, the later, better known version features a silicon transistor. Rumours about a JFET version may source from a misread part number.[6]
It's prominently featured on Jethro Tull's Aqualung album.[7]
Hornby Skewes also made a bass booster[8] and a treble and bass booster, the Hornby Selectatone T.B.2.[9]
[edit] Vox
Vox made a variety of boosters that were meant to be plugged directly into amps or guitars, including the model V806 Treble Booster.[10] Roger McGuinn installed one into his Rickenbacker guitar in the 1960s.[11]
[edit] Electro-Harmonix
Electro-Harmonix used to make treble boosters in two different enclosures. The Screaming Bird was a plug-in device,[12] whereas the Screaming Tree was a foot-pedal.[13] The circuits were supposedly identical. In 2009 the pedal was reissued, bearing the Screaming Bird name.[14]
[edit] Colorsound Power Boost
The Colorsound Power Boost is a treble and bass booster that runs on 18 volts, using two nine-volt batteries. David Gilmour used this orange coloured unit, but is often misunderstood to have used an Orange brand Treble Booster.[15] Other notable users include Gary Moore[16]
There is also a 9V version, called the Colorsound Overdriver. Jeff Beck is known to have used both versions during the 1970s.[17][18]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Tony Iommi on Early Black Sabbath: 'People Were Very Frightened of Us'. Gibson.com. Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ aNaLoG.MaN Vintage Guitar Effects. Analogman.com. Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ Lawrence, Robb (2008). The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy: 1915-1963. Hal Leonard. pp. 248–49. ISBN 9780634048616. http://books.google.com/books?id=NqIgLrXaA6QC&pg=PA248.
- ^ Myth Busters Stomp School Edition. Premier Guitar. Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ www.dawksound.com – Hornby Skewes Treble Booster JFET. Dawkmods.proboards.com. Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ http://www.martinbarre.com/gear.htm, Martin Barre writing about his gear
- ^ Hornby Skewes Bass Booster | DiscoFreq's Effects Database. Effectsdatabase.com (11 September 2007). Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ Hornby T.B. 2. Selectatone | DiscoFreq's Effects Database. Effectsdatabase.com (29 January 2009). Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ Vox V806 Treble Booster | DiscoFreq's Effects Database. Effectsdatabase.com (20 June 2006). Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ Roger McGuinn: Rickenbackers, Martins & Byrds. Premier Guitar. Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ Electro-Harmonix Screaming Bird | DiscoFreq's Effects Database. Effectsdatabase.com (17 February 2006). Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ Electro-Harmonix Screaming Tree | DiscoFreq's Effects Database. Effectsdatabase.com (6 November 2005). Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ System Offline. Ehx.com. Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ The Buyer’s Gear Guide : Boosters. Gilmourish (5 October 2008). Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ Prown, Pete; Lisa Sharken (2003). Gear Secrets of the Guitar Legends: How to Sound Like Your Favorite Players. Hal Leonard. pp. 9–10. ISBN 9780879307516. http://books.google.com/books?id=vqQjuzPrqIwC&pg=PA10.
- ^ Jeff Beck interview about how he gets his sounds. YouTube (18 July 2009). Retrieved on 7 September 2011.
- ^ Jeff Beck performing with a Colorsound Power Boost in 1972. YouTube (06 April 2009). Retrieved on 11 February 2012.
