The Wylie Boost gets its name from the guy who made the booster that inspired me to start building myself. The Rangemaster that Wylie Gelber (bassist of the band Dawes) built in a repurposed enclosure with a vintage meter on top is used extensively by bandmate Taylor Goldsmith.
The Wylie Jr. Boost is a Germanium transistor boost, (in the tradition of the original Rangemaster), but with my own circuit topology. Powered by the mysterious black "top-hat" germanium transistor, the Wylie incorporates an additional control for gain.
What distinguishes the Jr. from the larger pedals is that due to it's smaller size, the tone control is eliminated from the Jr., giving it a more trebley voice over all.
To add a little vintage flavor, the circuit is built on turret board similar to early hand-wired tube amps. But unlike a lot of early Germanium powered pedals, this one runs off a standard tip-negative power supply.
The Germanium transistor has a unique sound. It's a boost, but it is by no means clean---unless you want it to be. Due to the circuit's low input impedance, it is very responsive to guitar volume control. Rolling back the guitar volume will clean up the signal and add a little sparkle. Controls are as follows:
Volume controls the overall output of the signal. It is recommended to use the Boost with the volume at 12:00 or beyond for best sound quality.
Gain is a unique control to this booster. this control slowly adds a bit of output, but it's main function is to add some grit. Rolling up the gain will allow a little more bass into the signal as well as adding some unique break-up.
For best results, the Wylie Boost should be the first thing your guitar is plugged into, before any buffers or other pedals. It needs to interact directly with the guitar pickups.
Features:
-Housed in a repurposed enclosure.
-Japanese built top of the line DeMont Smooth-Click stomp switch
-Acid etched name plates and logo
-Solid Aluminum knobs with acid etched labels
-Vintage meter whose needle indicates volume level when the pedal is engaged
-All metal jacks
-Tip negative power
-Rugged turret board construction, completely hand-wired
-Wrought Iron Satisfaction Guarantee
