BSM RG Treble Booster
The BSM RG Rory Gallagher tribute model is basically a BSM HS-Custom, modified to nail Rory Gallaghers signature tone, known from his famous recordings like "Big Guns" or "Lonesome Highway". Compared to the HS-Custom, the RG Rory Gallagher tribute model offers more gain for a more punchy sound with a good crunch. The RG Rory Gallagher tribute model, includes the same volume control, like Blackmore's modification on his treble booster. When dialed about halfway, you will achieve Gallaghers sound from his early records like "Deuce", "Live in Europe" and "Against The Grain". If you use a guitar with PAF style humbuckers, reduce the guitar's volume from 10 to 7 and set the PRA's volume to 50% to get this earthy, rough early/mid 70's R&B sound from the "Faces" (Ron Wood on guitar and Rod Stewart's vocals).
Almost all British rock guitarists using single coil pickup guitars used a germanium Treble Booster from the late 60's to the mid 70's. By the end of the seventies, the Treble Booster was replaced by a new circuit from Japan, the so called Tube Screamer and other similar overdrive circuits. These were based on the old Treble Boosters and therefore had a very similar frequency response. The germanium boosters on the other hand, sadly fell into oblivion despite their unique and inimitable sound. The RG Rory Gallagher tribute Treble Booster has been specifically designed for single coil pickups with a relatively low coil inductance, such as pickups in Fender, Rickenbacker, Burns or Vox guitars. On these pickups, the RG Rory Gallagher tribute model produces (with the volume control of the guitar turned up to the max) a fat, biting and penetrating lead sound, without any shrill characteristics. By lowering the guitar's volume control, many shades of crunch can be easily dialed in. Another thing to consider is that when a guitar amp's volume is turned up (reaching saturation), the power amp normally begins to mute the highs, which results in a duller sound. At an amp's full tilt, the RG Rory Gallagher tribute Treble Booster allows a more transparent tone (covering the entire frequency range) to shine through. The presence control on the amp need only be minimally used (if at all). When vintage amps are used (such as the Fender Deluxe, Fender Bassman, Vox AC30, Plexi Marshall 100w or Marshall Major) it is amazing what effect the use of a good treble booster has. It is also of interest to note, that Rory Gallagher played a standard Fender Strat into the “normal” channel at a VOX AC30 "top-boost" amp. The only stompbox he used, was his treble booster. After he used a Rangemaster for some time, he switched to the rare Hawk booster.
The Treble Booster is inserted between guitar and amplifier, not into the FX loop. The magical tone is achieved by the interaction between guitar pickup, treble booster and amplifier. The unit is powered by a 9V battery with a current consumption of approx. 280 uA. The average output level is 10dBm, the maximum output voltage when the strings are struck really hard is 7V max. Note: The positive pole of the battery is ground!
