Boost vs. overdrive when used with tube amp for transparency

aja

If I want to preserve the overdrive tones my valve amp produces and maintain transparency (in terms of overdrive presence, bass character and general guitar tone), would a clean boost pedal be a better option than an overdrive pedal in order to obtain more overdrive from the amp? (and also make it easier to control the overdrive using guitar volume knobs?)

I must add that I don't quite understand the exact usage of a clean boost in this sense.

hmmmmmm :-\

MIKA-the-better-one

what amp do you run? or amps?

I used to boost my ac50 with a clean boost and it was great, just i had one sound and that was it...... but a good sound.......

there are certain pedals which give very nice transprent drive, and others which do not....

I would use a boost of i had an amp that just didnt get louder ☹

aja

MIKA the better one wrote: what amp do you run? or amps?

It is a theoretical/general question really, but it is aimed at more vintage style (minimalistic) circuits, like the blackstar artisan range, fender tweed/blackface, Vox AC30 etc etc...

AlanRatcliffe

Well a booster just increases the output of your guitar, kicking the amp a bit harder when needed. Especially with amps that only have a certain amount of gain on tap (read: vintage) when used with lower output guitars like Strats.

Transparency isn't always a good thing - in that case you might as well just set the amp for the maximum gain you will use and play your volume control. Plus with volume control, careful selection of treble bleed components means you can have the guitar stay the same, brighten up or darken slightly when you turn down - depending entirely on what you want.

IMO, the main issue with boost is your amp doesn't necessarily sound the same when driven a bit harder. Most boosters do have a little bit of an EQ curve to them which, if done properly (Lizard Legs Flying Dragon), helps you jump out of the mix for soloing without needing a radical volume boost. The right overdrive or distortion can do the same, plus add a little grit of it's own if needed, so can be more flexible.