Catalinbread Varioboost Preamp Pedal

One of our most-requested legacy reissues has arrived! The VariOboost is one of our oldest pedals, with a lineage that nearly reaches the beginning of our timeline. The original delivered 12 decibels of boost or cut at a user-selectable frequency from 70Hz to 1.4KHz, with some additional gain piled on top for a truly stellar boosting experience. This device was loved by players of all stripes, from jazz players looking to tame highs in a surgical way to death metal guys looking to annihilate the midrange without sacrificing volume. We’ve captured the spirit of the original, with an additional control we call Pre. This new control introduces a clipping circuit before the frequency boost with plenty of gain of its own. Together with the Post knob, you can dial in everything from ultra-clean boost by cranking Post and rolling back Pre, to a very convincing overdrive by turning the knobs the opposite way. You can also give a stubborn amp a shove into the red by running both knobs at whichever level you like. Whether you’re a clean or dirty boost person, we’ve got you covered. Come experience the best of both worlds with some extra emphasis right where you need it.

Controls

Level

After dialing in the Frequency, use this control to boost or cut the selected frequency by 12dB. This control is equipped with a center-detent potentiometer; just click it to noon and the frequency is flat; this means that nothing is boosted or cut regardless of Freq position.

Post

This is the volume control for the unit. The output volume is dramatically increased right before it to give you plenty of clean gain when the Pre knob is minimized

Freq

This control is part of the original VariOboost circuit, and Freq and Level work in tandem. Freq selects a frequency between 70Hz and 1.4KHz, which is then cut or boosted by the Level control.

Pre

This knob introduces more gain into the signal path and is configured with some high-threshold soft clipping parts. When the knob is all the way down, the path is unaffected and adds some tasteful enhancement all the way through some gentle but established soft clipping. This has the added effect of pushing the post-EQ op-amp into even more breakup.

Power Supply

The VariOboost accepts a center-negative DC power supply from 9 to 18 volts