The Boost 90 Clean Drive is a one-knob boost pedal from Caswell Modern Electronics. Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, described it as a real tone enhancer as well as a boost, "for a sort of 2-in-1 pedal"1. It is a simple pedal by design: one numbered knob, a true bypass footswitch, and a small footprint on the board.
What the Level knob does
The lone numbered knob does more than set volume. "The more you crank the lone numbered knob, you get more boost, of course, but you also get an increased level of gain," Mike B wrote at Pedal of the Day1. In other words, the pedal starts as a clean tone enhancer and picks up dirt as it is pushed.
The character of that dirt is the pedal's distinguishing trait. As the knob is turned up further, "the dirt gets dirtier, but retains that clean overtone"1. At about the 6 to 7 range on the knob, Mike B described it as almost like two signals, one clean and one dirty, being mixed together: the initial strum or pluck sounds clean but has a dirty finish1.
Controls and hardware
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Level knob | Single numbered knob: more boost plus increased gain as it is turned up1 |
| Footswitch | 3PDT "True Bypass" footswitch1 |
| Jacks | Switchcraft1 |
| Pots | Standard Alpha1 |
With only one control, ease of use is the obvious selling point. Mike B called it "really, really easy to use (really)"1. Players who want more shaping will not find it here; the pedal is aimed at those who want a single knob that moves from clean lift to dirty boost.
Power
The Boost 90 runs on a 9 volt battery, which is included, or on a 9 volt DC power supply with a negative center1. That polarity matches standard center-negative pedal supplies, so it fits ordinary daisy chains and isolated supplies.
How it compares to the Boost 98 Bass Drive
Caswell Modern Electronics also makes the Boost 98 Bass Drive, a related one-knob pedal aimed at bass players. In a later Pedal of the Day review, the reviewer described the Boost 98 as "a wonderful one-knob overdrive in it's own right"2. The two pedals share the one-knob approach; the Boost 90 is the guitar-side boost that blends clean and dirty signals, while the Boost 98 is pitched at bass rigs.
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Questions
Does the Caswell Boost 90 take a battery?
Yes. The Boost 90 Clean Drive operates on a 9 volt battery, and one is included with the pedal. It can also run on a 9 volt DC power supply with a negative center, so it works with standard pedalboard power arrangements as well.
Is the Caswell Boost 90 Clean Drive true bypass?
Yes. The pedal uses a 3PDT footswitch for true bypass, so when it is switched off your guitar signal passes through without the pedal's circuit in the way. The same footswitch handles switching the effect in and out.
What does the Level knob do on the Boost 90?
The single numbered knob controls both boost and gain. As you turn it up you get more boost, but you also get an increased level of gain, so the pedal moves from a clean tone enhancer toward a dirtier overdrive character as the knob rises.
What power polarity does the Boost 90 use?
The Boost 90 runs on a 9 volt DC power supply with a negative center, the same polarity used by most common pedal power supplies. A 9 volt battery is also an option, and one comes included with the pedal.
How is the Boost 90 different from the Boost 98 Bass Drive?
The Boost 90 is a one-knob boost for guitar that mixes clean and dirty signals as it is turned up. The Boost 98 Bass Drive is Caswell Modern Electronics' related one-knob bass pedal, which a Pedal of the Day reviewer described as a wonderful one-knob overdrive in its own right.
Sources (2)
- Caswell Modern Electronics Boost 90 Clean Drive, Pedal of the Day, 2016-02-16
- Caswell Modern Electronics Boost 98 Bass Drive, Pedal of the Day, 2016-06-02
