All user reviews for the Seymour Duncan SFX-01 Pickup Booster

This is the first Seymore Duncan Pickup Booster, the SFX-1 Pickup Booster. I have one as the first thing my guitar plugs into to take advantage of the pickup enhancement mode. The signal then goes into a Decibel Eleven Loop Expander that has a Buffer, then a Digitech RP-12, Digitech RP-1, then into another Seymour Duncan SFX-1 Pickup Booster with the toggle switch set to zero to drive my pedalboards signal 9dB's up with out altering my tone .
I run both SD SFX-1's at 12 volts to get more out of them, instead of 9 volts, fed from my Decibel Eleven Hot Stone Deluxe for the cleanest sound possible.
There is only one chicken head knob for raising the volume / gain boost , 6dB's to a whopping 25dB's.
You can use it to add girth and gain to your overdrive, distortion or fuzz foot pedals, make your tubes sizzle harder when you go past 10 o'clock or just use it for pickup enhancement.
The switch is 1,0 or 2.
# 1 will give single coils a hot rodded P90ish kick but still retain the Classic Strat Quack.

# 0 will only give you only un altered boost that is dictated by the gain knob and # 2 will give your single coil pickups the drive of a medium drive of 12k ohms pickup or maybe 13k ohms.
If you love to drive your humbuckers slightly harder, use mode 1, unaltered w/ boost use mode 0 or if you want to make your passive humbucker pickup have the drive of a pickup ranging 18k ohms to 23k ohms, use mode #2.
The older Seymour Duncan Pickup Boosters, like the SFX-1, boost range goes from 6dB's to 25dB's, while the current version goes from 0db's with pickup enhancement mode and up to 25dB's of with or with out pickup enhancement .

I tried the newer ones, but I like the sounds of the older SFX-1 Pickup Boosters much better. They seem to hit the two tubes of my Digitech 2112 SGS and the tubes in my two VHT Valvulators 1's, like an extra tube before going into two Crate Power Blocks.

If you get any version of the Pickup Boosters, get two , one as the first thing your guitar plugs into, to enjoy the pickup enhancement. And the second one to drive your signal hotter to you rack and or amps .

You may not need to get new pickups, this unique Booster, will illiminate the need of more aggressive sounding pickups.

This is the small red box pedal but out by Seymour Duncan. What does it do? It boosts your signal anywhere from 6 db up to 25 db of clean, flat signal.



I bought it as sort of an impulse buy to try out in the studio. I paid $80 with free shipping from Sweetwater's website.



It is a no nonsense pedal. No extra EQ or drive buttons. So I really enjoy the simplicity.



None at all. If you crank it up you will get some added noise, but hey what can you expect, if there is noise in your signal this pedal will amplify it.

The resonance control does not really do a whole lot for me. It is supposed to make a single coil pickup sound more like a humbucker. I do not hear much of a difference, maybe that is just my ears.

Well built. Knob is solid and this pedal can take a few good stomps.

A great option to consider if you do not feel like taking your guitar apart and putting new pickups in. Maybe you play a vintage guitar and are looking for just a little more juice to send to your amp.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This was S/D's first foray into the stomp box market and it has been a unqualified hit. Note to fuzz/distortion/overdrive addicts. THIS IS NOT A FUZZ BOX. It's a nice little metal box with the holy trio of a knob a switch and button. Comes in a pleasing blood red color and feels like it was built to military specs for rugged, macho construction.



I've played in bands for 25 years and played for 30 years or better. Yup. I'm old!! I've recorded and toured and put an instrumental CD to #2 on the Amazon indie charts: Project Twelve(34). I currently play in two classic rock bands in western PA. My musical tastes run from Zep/NIN/The Police/Jeff Beck/TOOL/Aerosmith. I own a Gibson Les Paul Classic, Gibson Gothic Explorer, ESP K500, Fernandes LE-1, Fender Strat, couple of Yamaha electrics etc. Amps are Marshall, Fender, Gallien Krueger, Hughes and Kettner and Tech 21

Picked this up at the now defunct Music Go Round in Pittsburgh. It costed me a whole $65.00 and that's all I have to say about that.

Here's what it does and it does these things well: It provides a clean boost of anywhere from 6 to 25 db complements of a big ol chicken head knob. It also has a little dip switch that colors your tone slightly. Or not. In the (1)position, it gives a single coil a bit of a vintage humbucker sound. I use fairly high output humbuckers and use this setting when kicking up leads. For me it adds a little Billy Gibbons tasting boost/compression. The (0)position is just a boost with no coloration. The (2) setting gives a little more of a higher gain humbucking tone all of the settings are quite useful and musical as long as know what you're getting into. According to Seymour, the unit was designed with single coil players in mind. I'm not often in that group but have still found this feller to be muy useful. The unit can be operated via battery or by 9 volt adaptor. The SFX-01 has a nice bright status light so you know when it's on. Good call there! Unit is small and the jacks are well made.

What's not to like. Just know that if you have noisy pickups, or are prone to feedback issues, 25db of boost will only compound these..... in spades.

High quality all around. Could be used as a self defense weapon.

Assaults the preamp section of an amp like a mother! Colors your sound in a musical way. Good tool for live players.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

- What are the effects or types of effects available?

As its name suggests, is a booster (6 25 dB) with a slecteur 3 positions: 0 neutral, 1 a bump in the 2-3 kHz and 2 a bump in the 3-5 kHz.

- What technology is used? (Analog, numrique, lamp ...)

Analog. The bypass is really transparent!

- What is the connection? (Audio / MIDI)

1 in and 1 out for guitar.

UTILIZATION

- The configuration gnrale Is it easy?

There's a look at the pictures of the craft.

- The manual is clear and sufficient? ...

There is no real need ...

SOUND QUALITY

The sound of the guitar is respect then is amplified. It's simple and effective. It will amplify a clear or advance an amp (lamp preferences) of a crunch for its further solos.
I use it especially with my Start, the booster just before I placed VTWIN Mesa. I RULES VTWIN the crunch for a lightweight booster and allows me to balance the sauce when I need it. The three positions are quite subtle but still effective even, I am using the 1st position.
With the Les Paul, I find a less convincing, but the Les Paul did she need a booster?
Finally, it works well with trs single coil pickups.

OVERALL OPINION

Obviously, 90 euros new, it's really not given! Berhinger released a booster for under 30 euros, makes one wonder ... I think we pay particular brand ... but the quality is there! So I do not regret the purchase of as much as I use it all the time (rhythm - solo - rhythm - solo - rhythm - solo - etc ...

While the effects provides:
- A classical boost (very effective)
- A function that transforms a simple micro vintage humbucker
- A function that transforms a simple micro wholesale powerful humbucker

UTILIZATION

Super easy to use, intuitive.
Not need the manual.

SOUND QUALITY

I use a Start with a US Std Peawey Classic 50.
Attack or the effect is the amp he attacks a Tube Screamer Overdrive.
The three effects are effective: the booster and the two positions Humbucker!

OVERALL OPINION

So basically, it's a real pedal (I mean very solid and heavy, it stays on the ground, even holding out the jack).
For use very simple, a boost that goes from 6 to 25 db, and two positions for "humbucker like" Vintage and "Fat."

So for the boost, but it's pretty transparent so powerful that it colors the sound a bit, but my Strat US std was not disfigured so far, it gave her body and peps. Be careful not to boost too much, it's really powerful. Beyond 16 dB, it is already too much ... (Except for a clean tube cruncher eventually, I for my part that takes care of a TS9).

For the position Vintage Humbucker is bluffing. It is a well round, slightly grassouille but more importantly, very clean.

For the position Humbucker Fat: it hard at all, it is very powerful and heavy and always clean. I even had fun playing thrash metal and repeating with my Start ... all speechless! ! ! In short very convincing too.

In short, for now, after testing direct repeat, I love. I really like.
Strongly as I try, quiet at home and to fully exploit and hack.

This effect works well as a "booster" micro guitar, as if the output level of the micro lev silent and more adaptable, and not as a simple standard prampli or effect. A priori nothing spectacular ... a stepfather can even superfluous trs!?
Well no, it's an accessory trs pro, which will compress some lgrement frquences rglages in 3: 1 = type vintage humbucker, 0 = neutral (but not quite, because lgre of compression) humbucker and 2 = more fat and round.

UTILIZATION

One branch is clicked, a tiny slecteur 3 positions, a volume boost: Gnial! there are tired of gas plants. Musicos must be the foremost instrumentalists, not hackers Game Boy! (It's an old speaker, you guessed it ...)

SOUND QUALITY

Whatever the instrument sounds you get more consistent, rounder, more "professional". A Lespaul, a contributing little. A stratovolcano, we will lose some brightness in the high end - all of what dpend research. On TV, a rounded Fawn gniale the neck pickup, making the guitar much more versatile. Cort on a "Yort Town" (3 / 4 box of jazz) that possde a good basis but with a few weaklings microphones is carrment MAGIC: jazz big sound guaranteed, even and especially branch directly on a console with a little magnto rverb.

More thundering again, the circuits are so quiet for a gal at the bottom booster fan 10 times less than if we increase the gain of the console (Yamaha AW1600)!

OVERALL OPINION

I use the booster for 4 years - 100 euros for effects but not spectacular amliorent DEFINITIONS sound, a stepfather is expensive ... it's also what gives it its charm.

A Boost Analog everything that is most standard, except that the cleavage of specific micro-harmonics "single coil", which allows for a sound close enough to a "humbucker" with a single coil .

UTILIZATION

At the RAS use: you can not imagine a more simple (in the words of the first review for this pedal: just look at the picture and you have all "got it"!)

SOUND QUALITY

This effect is especially useful for "calibrating" the output level of a guitar, let me explain:
for those who have a habit of accurate "amplification" and its setting, and especially for those who use a pedal effect or more effects on-line and who are accustomed to a specific answer in relation to their setting, there One very important thing: get back the same "RECORD" REGARDLESS OF THE GUITAR THAT BRANCH.
The "RECORD" (audio response) is linked to output level microphones guitar, this pedal can compensate for a loss of output level when switching from a guitar equipped with "humbuckers" guitar with a "simple windings ", so that the amplification and effects" meet "the same way to these different types of guitars without losing the sound quality of guitar-tell.

IN BRIEF: you play on your "Les Paul" and your wah is "crunch" your "twin" as a patient, you take your "Strato", you are the branches, and everything becomes "skinny". 2 SOLUTIONS: you redo all the settings (amp, pedals, etc ...) so that it will resume BIG, or you plug a "BOOSTER" and you take over the head.

OVERALL OPINION

Very good pedal, a bit expensive, perhaps because of the small "trick" in addition to allowing her to imitate a "humbucker" with a "single coil". But for sure, it works to death.

Small red metal boiboite 9v battery powered, so it's nice to report: autonomy seems limitless!
Connections: In, Out. (And 9v)

UTILIZATION

In use, of course, super simple, it turns knob. You know get the sound of your hi-fi? Yes? So you know how to use this thing ...
I bought it on the advice of a salesman (never do that! Just kidding) to give a little more than meets the saturation of a JCM900 with a telecaster. It fulfills this role very well.

SOUND QUALITY

The effect is very effective, the sound is significantly increased even before you push the knob thoroughly.
The small dedicated switch is used to simulate the sound of humbucker, I'm not thrilled with this system, but I have not purchased it. However, when not in use, I appreciate the transparency of the object.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for more than two years, at least three hours a week, and I never changed the battery!?!
Price level, these little animals are rarely given, but given the appearance, it should last a long time, all metal, solid construction ... I think we will not have to buy often, and it is the cheapest I found when I discuss it ...

This little machine friendly and fits perfectly solid boost.

Booster, analog, and 1in 1out, between a power supply and a battery, sturdy construction ... It is not life grand?

UTILIZATION

Config limit of the impossible ...

SOUND QUALITY

Indeed super efficient, it is plugged into the amp direct (in this case we add the just the distortion to make things worse), or branch in the loop of the amp (the volume is increased ). on the other hand attention! If the branch line, increases the distortion ONLY channel distortion of the amp, and increases the volume on the clean channel ... attention to surprise, it hurts to oareilles ...

It makes great with any type of scraper (single or double boby swimming), and it's transparent desire, what a wonderful world ...
For cons, I personally see the difference with the lil switch according to different positions, and for that I drop a little note, jpense that it should be a little bit harder ...

OVERALL OPINION

2 years since I use it, it's great this pedal (like the Lawrence Ruquier tl), it works great and it is rather style in red ...
The price is CHRE but given the quality of the thing, close your eyes.
I would do without this choice hsiter.

Edit: For those who understand it, such as that described me, the representation of LR in this comment would not the second degree of homophobia, or racism (although I do not see).
Voila.

I am totally in love with my Strat, and I'm struggling because I don't always feel like bringing a Les Paul to my gigs (it's temperamental). I really think that this pedal is my saving grace. Basically, the main draw of this feature, besides functioning as a standard gain boost, is that it has settings that will allow your single coil pickups to function more as a humbucker. This is amazing. It's an analog effect, it isn't rackable and it has true bypass. There are no computer or midi functions, just a standard 1/4" input and output.

UTILIZATION

This is a really easy function. There is a switch with three settings. The top setting changes the sound of your pickups (which are presumably single-coil) to a tone that resembles more of a vintage-style humbucker (think the classic p-90). The bottom setting does a similar thing but makes it sound more like a newer, super-high gain humbucker. The middle setting allows the pedal to function simply as a gain boost. The knob controls the amount of gain boost added on all settings.

SOUND QUALITY

I use this primarily with Strats and Teles (ones that have the traditional single-coils in them). I like the sound best with Fender amps too. The pedal basically functions as a pre-amp, and does color the signal a lot, but that's the idea behind it. It does it in a good way all around. The thing is no joke, it really does allow your pickups to work like humbuckers, and the fact that it distinguishes between the vintage and newer styles is awesome. The gain boost on all settings is also phenomenal, it adds more volume and a serious raw power to the sound that absolutely kills.

OVERALL OPINION

I really liked the fact that this pedal can improve the functionality of my Strat and Tele. The price is also amazing for how useful the pedal is. I can only recommend this people who sometimes need more raw power from their single-coils. It's certainly easier than buying another guitar.

The Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster SFX-01 is a pedal designed for electric guitar and is an analog based pedal.  It has standard 1/4 inch connections and can be powered by a 9 volt power supply.  The pedal will work in tandem with your pick ups and has the power to transform the sound of a single coil to more of a humbucker and vise versa, which is definitely pretty cool.  This isn't a rackable piece of gear as it is a stomp box and does have true bypass.

UTILIZATION

Using the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster SFX-01 isn't hard at all as it only took me a few minutes to understand everything going on with the pedal.  It only has a few different parameters to play with as it has a large knob for gain and a switch for resonance that will change your sound pretty drastically depending the way that you set it.  The manual for this is pretty helpful if you aren't exactly sure how this can help your pedal and the best ways for it to work in tandem with your electric guitar.


SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality of the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster SFX-01 isn't anything crazy, but I like using it because it can instantly give me a fatter sound if I only have single coil pick ups on my guitar and want more of a humbucker sound.  You need to have this pedal at the beginning of your chain if you want the resonance to work, so always remember to have it there.  I use the pedal with a Fender Strat and a '76 Fender Twin Reverb and it comes in very handy when I don't have access or time to change to my Gibson SG.  A very good sounding pedal that is very convenient.


OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster SFX-01 for about a year and it has become a main stay in my pedal chain.  It is unique and gives me something that no other pedals will really give as other pick up boosters and EQs just don't have the same effect that this does.  I was a bit skeptical a first because Seymour Duncan doesn't usually make pedals and definitely isn't exactly known for them, but this has turned out to be a good thing because they have used their expertise in making pick ups and transformed that into a great pedal.  This isn't too expensive of a pedal and is definitely worth looking into if you are interested in changing the sounds that your pick ups can provide for you.

(Originally written by charlou la fouine/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
Analog booster with one input and one output. Battery or PSU operation, sturdy construction... Life's nice, isn't it?

UTILIZATION

Virtually impossible setup...

SOUND QUALITY

Very effective effect either directly connected to an amp (in which case it only increases the distortion to spice the sound), or inserted in an amp's FX loop (to increase the volume). But watch out! If you connect it directly you'll increase the distortion ONLY with the amp's lead channel, and it will increase the volume of the clean channel... so watch out for your ears...

Great results with all kinds of guitars (single coils or humbuckers): the sound is transparent... What a wonderful world...

I can't hear any difference when I change the switch position, so I'll give it a lower mark. I believe the sound differences should be more obvious...

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using it for two years and it's an awesome pedal. It works good and looks good with its red housing...

It's expensive but the price is ok considering the sound quality.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.

(Originally written by Gratt'oche/translated from Audiofanzine FR)

Small pedal with metallic housing and 9-volt battery operation (virtually unlimited battery life)!
Connections: 1 input, 1 output and power supply connector.

UTILIZATION

Very easy to use, just turn the knob. Do you know how to increase the volume of your hi-fi system? Yes? Then you can also use this pedal...
The shop assistant recommended it to me to increase the distortion deepness of a JCM900 played with a Telecaster. It's exactly the right pedal for this.

SOUND QUALITY

The effect is very effective, that is, the sound is considerably increased even when you don't turn the knob all the way.
The small switch activates a humbucker simulation... The result is not convincing but I didn't buy the pedal for this reason. I like the sound transparency of the pedal when it's turned off.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using for over two years now. It works at least three hours per week and I have never changed the battery!?!
The price is quite high but the pedal seems durable with its metal housing and rugged construction... I don't think I'll have to buy it regularly and it's the cheapest I found...

This compact and robust pedal certainly does a good job as a booster.