The Spark Booster is the latest addition to TC Electronic’s compact pedal series.
Based on TC Electronic’s legendary Booster + Line Driver & Distortion stompbox, the Spark Booster features 26 dB of boost, an active EQ consisting of a Bass knob and a Treble knob that provide precise tonal shaping for an extended range of lows and top-end shimmer, a Gain knob that serves up saturation and compression, and a mini-toggle switch offering three settings for Fat, Clean and Mid-Boost. The Spark Booster is also true bypass for purists who demand tonal integrity.
The Spark Booster is an excellent tool whether left on to compliment your existing tone or to highlight solo sections or rhythm parts. The Bass and Treble knobs work harmoniously to cut and boost those frequencies without sounding woofy or harsh.
There is a center indent on all the knobs so you know where you’re at, and the Gain knob is great for adding compression (before 12 o’clock) or breakup (after 12 o’clock). The three tonal options on the mini-toggle add spot-on flexibility. Fat adds a great deal of heft, and Mid adds a sharpness that allows solos to really slice through.
Personally, I had it set to Clean, which really balances the overall tone and allows for the tonal shaping to come from the knobs without affecting the base tone. For a boost, it’s my new go-to. I just added it to one of my main pedal boards.
Paul Riario on Paul Riario:I try very hard to remain under the radar, despite being on camera as gear editor at Guitar World, but in this age of social media, it was only a matter of time before it had to come to this. So with that, I will make my blog painless and a quick and easy read so you can get on to more important things like practicing guitar and sweep picking, or if you’re like me, getting tiger blood transfusions and figuring out how to be Olivia Wilde’s boy toy. I will use this blog to inform you of things I find cool; like new gear I’m playing through and what I’m watching, reading or listening to at any given moment. So feel free to ask me anything that’s gear related — or if you have a problem with your girlfriend, ya know, life lesson stuff, I’m pretty good at that too — and I’ll do my best to answer or address it here.
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Paul Riario has been the tech/gear editor and online video presence for Guitar World for over 25 years. Paul is one of the few gear editors who has actually played and owned nearly all the original gear that most guitarists wax poetically about, and has survived this long by knowing every useless musical tidbit of classic rock, new wave, hair metal, grunge, and alternative genres. When Paul is not riding his road bike at any given moment, he remains a working musician, playing in two bands called SuperTrans Am and Radio Nashville.
