Black Ice Enterprises ships battery-free Boost and Distort modules

February 19, 2024 · 2 sources

Black Ice Enterprises announced the introduction of the Black Ice Boost and Black Ice Distort, and both are now shipping, according to Bass Musician Magazine and Premier Guitar, which published the announcement on February 19, 2024¹². Both are described as small, battery-free devices that can be installed in a guitar or bass¹².

The Boost offers two selectable stages of up to 7 dB of boost, broadly concentrated in the midrange frequencies to add humbucker-like qualities to Strat, Tele and other single-coil pickups¹². It can be installed with several wiring options, including a "stealth" install using a single push-pull pot, and a dual-switch option for selecting between two boost levels¹². Used with the Distort, a second push-pull pot or switch can select a clean or distorted boost¹². The module is approximately 2/3 the size of a 9-volt battery and installs in most instruments with no routing or permanent modifications required, and the tone remains unaffected when the boost is bypassed¹². It is not recommended for high-output humbuckers and other dark-sounding pickups¹².

The Distort is an overdrive module that can be configured from slight overdrive to distortion, from a touch of grit to a 1960's-flavored fuzz¹². It is sugar-cube-sized, and wiring options let players activate it via a switch or push-pull pot, or convert the guitar's tone control into a control for the circuit¹². Both models are compatible with all passive guitar pickups and electronics and are not compatible with battery-powered active pickups¹².

Prices as given by both sources¹².