Passive boosters

RVA

RVA

Ambassador
This idea really has my interest. I am it sure what took me so long as I have a passive boost in my Tom Anderson Drop Top and love it. Here are some from 2 different companies

Villex

Passive Rotary Booster
This unique product is truly passive, yet it offers true boost of three different frequencies at various boost levels. The booster features a rotary switch with 4 positions. These are pass-trhough and three boost levels at 3, 5 and 7 db. The graph on the right shows boost profile obtained with Fender Stratocaster.
booster.jpg

Passive Mid Range Booster
Internal
GMB/B booster is for internal installation and gives guitar guitar and bass players the flexibility of choosing the location and type of switch which is the best for the guitar. A push-pull switch can be used to keep the guitar appearance intact.
gmbb.jpg
Jack
No soldering required, and no need to even look at a wiring scheme. In fact, there is no wiring scheme. Unscrew the standard Strat jack, cut the wires from the Strat jack, insert them into the screw terminal connectors of the booster jack, tighten the screws up and screw the booster jack into its place. Installation takes two minutes and doesn't require any experience in working with guitars!
booster_back.JPG

Here are a set of similar, and slightly less expensive products from Rothstein Guitars
detente.jpg
  • Improve you tone with this simple passive addition. This is a special combination of capacitors, resistors along with an inductor to produce a really useful enhancement to any guitar or bass without requiring active electronics.
  • Great substitution for the 2nd tone control on your Strat!
  • As you turn the knob down from 5 to 0 this control pulls the midrange frequencies out while leaving the high and low frequencies intact. When set approximately between 2 and 3 I find this to really emphasize the signature "Mark Knopfleresque" bell like strat tones when using a clean tone. Some people report the tone to have an almost "acoustic" like quality. When you turn the control from 5 to 10 you get a slightly thicker sound wtih a bit more of a midrangy honk to it. The control is neutral in the 5 spot.
  • Designed for use with guitars and basses equipped with single coil pickups. It will also work with humbuckers, however the effect of the control from 5 to 10 is not as dramatic since humbuckers are already thick sounding.
  • Comes professionally wired on a brand new 500K custom taper split shaft pot with a center detent made exclusively for Rothstein Guitars by CTS corporation. The part number for the pot is RG500D (RG is for Rothstein Guitars) and the word "detent" is stamped across the sides. You won't find a pot like this anywhere else! Summary of custom features:
    CUSTOM TAPER: After much R&D we found the perfect taper for this mod which is a hybrid between audio and linear taper
    CENTER DETENT: Due to the overwhelming request by customers the pots has a detent at 5.
  • A couple of other manufacturers sell these, but as far as I know we are the only one selling them with genuine Sprague Orange Drop capacitors which are among the most highly regarded capacitors in the industry.
  • Includes detailed instructions.
  • Very simple to install (soldering iron required).

I will take pics of the cavity of my Tom Anderson to see how it is wired.
 
Last edited:
Get ready for a headache - here is the inside of my Drop Top. Suffice it to say that I had read Tom Anderson used a Villex, and it looks like he uses something that is at least similar. There is a lot going on here since it is a H-S-H woth a 5 way and a 3-way mini toggle with 3 functions, but the green box is the booster.

20171103_220005.jpg
 
Last edited:
The primary component in those is a small transformer. From reading elsewhere the Villex seems to be most effective when going directly to an amp. The effectiveness is less when going into pedals.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RVA
smitty_p said:
The primary component in those is a small transformer. From reading elsewhere the Villex seems to be most effective when going directly to an amp. The effectiveness is less when going into pedals.
Click to expand...
I did not notice tha with the Tom Anderson, so maybe they are different or maybe I need to pay closer attention. That said, whatever that is, I like.
 
RVA said:
I did not notice tha with the Tom Anderson, so maybe they are different or maybe I need to pay closer attention. That said, whatever that is, I like.
Click to expand...

I was referring to the Villex. It's inside the little case. On the Rothstein mod it's that little blue thing in your pics. I don't know what's going on with the Tom Anderson.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RVA
smitty_p said:
I was referring to the Villex. It's inside the little case. On the Rothstein mod it's that little blue thing in your pics. I don't know what's going on with the Tom Anderson.
Click to expand...
I read he uses the Villex, but who knows (it is not labeled). Even if he does, it could be to custom spec. It is encased hardware like the Villex.
 
Something isn't making sense to me here. I've simulated the response of a normal Gibson setup, and that with the booster above fitted. The booster seems to introduce a huge midrange scoop.

upload_2017-11-4_21-5-15.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: RVA
DonP said:
Something isn't making sense to me here. I've simulated the response of a normal Gibson setup, and that with the booster above fitted. The booster seems to introduce a huge midrange scoop.

View attachment 9337
Click to expand...
Some, who seem to know more than me, have described it as a boost/cut, this way:

There should be a Torres website in the UK. They sell those pre-wired. There are several things to consider before using one. First, there is no "flat" response position on the pot. Torres claims that "5 is flat", but the device has no zero load position. Second, the "boost" doesn't boost. It is merely another treble roll-off with a resistor to retain a bit more low-to-mid signal, while the small-value cap rolls off only the very highest frequencies. I bought one years ago, because I'd read about it, and wanted to see how to achieve a "boost without batteries". Well, you can't do it, and neither can Torres.

dual_mid.gif
 
Last edited:
And they aren't cheap. Best deal I can find in the States is from Digikey at $10.52 Digikey part no. 237-1787-ND
 
DonP said:
That will do nicely!
Click to expand...
Don, is the pot necessary? Might it be better to just wire this with a on-off-on mini toggle with cut/off/boost similar to how it is on the push/pull above, but without the pot? It is sold that way above and mimics the Tom Anderson application of this device (assuming they are the same). Thanks.
 
20171103_220005-jpg.9328


YOu cant understand "non adjustable" pick ups---- yet THIS RATS NEST MAKES SENSE??????

I need a drink and a sledge hammer -----in that order------- WOWSERS ---- how the--- what the---- where the--- er

ugh
 
eSGEe said:
20171103_220005-jpg.9328


YOu cant understand "non adjustable" pick ups---- yet THIS RATS NEST MAKES SENSE??????

I need a drink and a sledge hammer -----in that order------- WOWSERS ---- how the--- what the---- where the--- er

ugh
Click to expand...
This is the upper echelon of adjustability - it ain't easy getting there! Of course, that is not my work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top