The basic premise of a boost pedal could fit on a bumper sticker: Whatever you feed it comes out louder at the other end. Well, the Tsakalis Molecular Boost certainly does that. But it does a lot more, and calling it a boost sells this compact, one-knob wonder short. The secret sauce lies in the four small DIP switches on the left side. With a quick flick of a switch or two, the Molecular Boost moves between four different EQ curves (treble boost, high-mid boost, mid boost, and an all-frequency boosted “clean” mode). The gain, meanwhile, ranges to +18 dB.
The secret sauce lies in the four small DIP switches on the left side. With a quick flick of a switch or two, the Molecular Boost moves between four different EQ curves (treble boost, high-mid boost, mid boost, and an all-frequency boosted “clean” mode). The gain, meanwhile, ranges to +18 dB.
Creeping past noon, you hear many additional overtones bubble to the surface.
The clean boost mode is rich and full of body, and creeping past noon, you hear many additional overtones bubble to the surface. The mid- and high-mid boost settings are punchy and bright. And though the high-mid setting was a little too thin for my particular setup (a Schroeder T-style and Fender Hot Rod Deville) it would probably be a great fit for dark humbuckers. The ability to control the gain via expression-pedal is a welcome bonus, as is the internal switch that enables you to select true bypass, or use the Molecular Boost as a buffer. The Molecular Boost may be mini, but its impressive capabilities are a big deal.
Test Gear: Schroeder Chopper TL, Fender Modern Player Jaguar, Fender Hot Rod DeVille
