Clean boost for guitar (or bass)

Posted on July 28, 2010 by jeroen

This is a transparent, clean guitar booster for solo’s and other times when you
need a couple of extra dB’s. No ’boutique’ or other mojo-bullshit here, just a
simple volume boost!

You can also use it to get some more gain out of an amp or distortion pedal. The
circuit is a very common amplifier circuit built around a TL071-opamp. Other
opamps can be used as well, but the TL071 is cheap and produces very little
noise.

The ‘Boost’-knob controls the amount of boost, but can also attenuate the signal
so you can use it as a sort of pre-settable volume knob.

Here’s the schematic:

Notes:

 The maximum gain of this circuit is about 10 dB. If you need more (which
I doubt), increase R2 (or decrease R1).  The gain A = 20*log(1+(R2/R1))
 Rp is optional, it’s a pulldown-resistor to avoid ‘switch-popping’ when
the effect is turned on.
 The circuit also acts as a buffer since it has a high input impedance
(about 1 MOhm). This will give you more overall ‘clarity’ (high frequencies)
when you’re using long cables.
 The booster is preferably used at the very end of the effect chain, just
before the signal goes into the amp-input (or FX-return when using your
amp’s effect loop).
Update: andre has provided a PCB layout for the booster:

 
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25 Responses to Clean boost for guitar (or bass)

1. mike says:
July 29, 2010 at 01:19

Thanks! I am going to build a bass boost for my fender using this schematic!
Reply

2. erick says:
April 18, 2011 at 23:12

i build this preamp with 14 db and have a brutal gain the best preamp
Reply

o Mark says:
January 16, 2012 at 08:00

Erik, what changes dod you make to obtain 14dB?

 jeroen says:
January 16, 2012 at 17:15

Hi,
You can use the formula: 20*log(1+(R2/R1)).
If you keep R1 10k, and change R2 to 47k, the gain will be about 15 dB 
Reply

 Mark says:
January 18, 2012 at 12:27

Thank you! 15dB is what I was looking for!

3. Mark says:
January 18, 2012 at 12:29
 “If you keep R1 10k, and change R2 to 47k, the gain will be about 15 dB”

Just re-read your post above:

Do you mean keep R1 100K (not 10K) and change R2 to 47K?

o Jeroen says:
January 18, 2012 at 13:37

Sorry,
R1 should stay 100k
R2 should be changed to 470k

So there were two errors in my previous post 

Then the gain will be 20*log(1+(470/100)) = 15,11 dB

4. Paul says:
April 14, 2012 at 04:31

This circuit is similar to the BBE Boosta Grande which also uses the TL071
opamp. But the Boosta Grande rolls off the highs as the volume is turned up.
Does this circuit do the same thing? If so, can a component be substituted to
stop the high freq rolloff?
Reply

5. Filip says:
May 5, 2012 at 02:36

This is the best booster and sound’s amazing but i have a serious “pop” when i
turn “ON/OFF”!I already put 1M pulldown resistor from effect input to ground,
but it’s same!Please help me
Reply

o Arthur says:
 December 4, 2012 at 15:37

Try adding an output pulldown resistor

6. Paul says:
May 11, 2012 at 18:29

This preamp sounds GREAT!   Since I built this for bass I changed C1 to a
4.7uF metal film cap to let more bass through. I also changed UI to a LT1351
and the pot to a 25K log taper. More than enough gain for bass
Reply

7. Burak says:
May 23, 2012 at 17:37

i’ll go and make it now, thank you very much.

8. gogiche says:
May 25, 2012 at 16:55

Hello,
Can you please send me the dimensions of the PCB so that I can have best fit 

p.s. Sorry about the stupid question I’m just a hobby’st.

9. gogiche says:
May 27, 2012 at 01:35

OK I got it…I made it and I have a small problem…Im having a serious buzz
when the pot is from 0- 6 o’clock then the buzz is disappearing…Any help?
Reply

o Ds says:
August 6, 2012 at 05:18

Change ur potentiometer… or variable resistor (1okohm on the picture)

10. larry says:
August 1, 2012 at 16:29

where should i add diodes to make this into a distortion?

11. joe says:
August 3, 2012 at 18:59

this thing sounds good, i built one and put a couple diodes at the end and get
good distortion. how can i wire 2 of these in series to boost the sound from the
distortion one in front of a clean one?
Reply

12. Filip says:
August 24, 2012 at 03:22

This is the best booster and sound’s amazing but i have a serious “pop” when i
turn “ON/OFF”!I already put 1M pulldown resistor from effect input to ground,
but it’s same!Please help me because it sound’s killer for me!
Reply

13. Carlos Aires says:

Thanks from Brazil!

14. Allan Belt says:

Hello, greetings from Peru.. awesome booster .. just one advice.. if you want to
mod it for 15dB output have to change only R2 to 470K on the schematics .. but
on Layout you have to change R5 to 470K not R2 . Thanks Folks.
Reply
15. Leon says:
September 20, 2012 at 21:33

Jeroen thanks for sharing it, now is one of my favorite boosters, pretty clean,
I’m running it at 12v for more headroom, works great.
Reply

16. Dave says:
November 9, 2012 at 06:15

I have just built one of these and used a NE5534 and changed R1 to 4K7 and R2
to 47K and it sounds great but what I would like to know, is there a way of
cutting the highs by changing any of the components rather than having to add
a tone control? Cheers.
Reply

o Paul says:
April 5, 2013 at 18:37

you can add a cap between 10uF output and the 10K pot. wire the other end of
the cap to ground. start at maybe 500pf and work your way up until you find the
cap that gives you the rolloff you want
Reply

17. johnny says:
December 6, 2012 at 13:43

hello guys
i’ve built the booster but i got a serious problem with it
when I plug everything in,I get a lot of hiss and the signal is amplified only a
bit;where could the problem be?
Reply

18. MadMatt says:
May 25, 2013 at 12:58

What components control the frequencies for amplyfying?