Xotic EP-Booster

by Rhoy Pamparo on Jan.22, 2010, under Melodic Insights

Days after I said that I might not buy a single pedal in 2-years, I ate my very own words. Lucky that I had a disclaimer that the decision can change in a heartbeat … and it did!

Well, I just got an Xotic EP-Booster. It’s supposed to be just the pre-amp section of the legendary Echoplex. Rumor has it that the pre-amp is used by guitar legends such as Page, Van Halen and Johnson to make their tones sound spectacular… Well, I really couldn’t care less whether they used it or not as I have my own reasons for getting it. I need a boost pedal & I need it small. And this pedal pretty much fit the bill. To give you a bit of scale on how small this pedal is, here’s a picture I took shortly after receiving it:

EP-Booster's small footprint

It’s very small but this thing feels like a rock! Literally, it’s very heavy for a pedal this size. Don’t be deceived by the size, though. This thing is packed with TONE!

Here’s a demo by Pro Guitar Shop …

Does it work? Yes, it does boost my signal, almost transparently. I said “almost” because it does alter the tone ever so slightly in a good way. Try it out, you might like it, too!

:Guitar, pedals, Xotic

5 Comments for this entry

Larry
January 23rd, 2010 on 12:33 pm
I need details Rhoy!! Where are you putting it? Beginning of the chain to boost all the way through, or at the end to push your amp? AAARRGggghh!

Good score! Nothing like a smooth boost. I take it you are using it with the Tele?
Rhoy Pamparo
January 23rd, 2010 on 8:59 pm
Larry – haha! sorry, didn’t mean to keep you hangin’. I actually haven’t experimented much but for now, I put it right after the OD section before the modulation. I do want to keep the gain on my OD to be controlled by my guitar. And I want to slam the amp from the boost. Although I don’t want to boost the effected signal, hence, it is before the modulations … here’s an updated pic of the board:
Larry
January 24th, 2010 on 9:14 pm
okay, okay. I like it. I was actually using my Tim today to just ‘boost a clean’ signal with the Tele. I forget how strong humbuckers output is.
Very cool. I’m considering a ZVEX SHO, or a clone for something similiar to what you are running now… for those Tele days.
Karl
January 25th, 2010 on 2:57 pm
Very cool. I’m liking the current trend in smaller pedals. Hopefully the whole industry will move to that by the time I’m 50. I’d hate to be getting hip replacements and having the doctor ask, ‘Did you carry your pedalboard again?’ Props to Exotic.
Rhoy Pamparo
January 25th, 2010 on 4:27 pm
@Larry – I used to do that with my Sparkle Drive when I first got the Tele as I used an LP for about 4 years prior. Now, I am used to the level on the Tele

@Karl – lol @ Hip replacement! that is classic!