The Greer Amps Pork N Beans Boost is a compact boost pedal from Greer Amps. Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, described it as "a sort of hybrid Boost/Drive pedal," covering both boost and drive territory in one box1.
Its roots go back further than most boost pedals. The circuit is based on the classic Rangemaster Treble Booster, the germanium unit that shaped the top-end bite of countless British amp rigs. gearnews.com has described that style as "a germanium Rangemaster-style treble booster"2. Greer Amps, whose boost lineage runs from the Sonic Boom clean boost onward, builds the Pork N Beans "hand-wired using only the finest quality components around," according to the Pedal of the Day review1.
Controls
The pedal keeps things minimal: two controls, and that is the whole interface1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Output level knob | One knob that controls the output level |
| Mode toggle switch | Flip-flops between Beans (boost) and Pork (drive) |
Beans and Pork modes
The toggle is what makes the pedal two pedals in one. In Beans mode, Mike B found "more of just a straight Treble boost-type of sound," and called that section "fabulous," saying it "can get your tone sounding INCREDIBLE"1.
Flip to Pork and the character changes: "The Pork section has more of a Mid-Boost functionality, giving your tone a little grit, a little dirt, a little punch"1. Players looking for a dedicated drive in the same spirit might also consider the Special Request or the Sure Shot Clipping Boost, or browse the wider field on the Boost Pedals and Overdrive Pedals pages.
"The Beans boost section is fabulous, more of just a straight Treble boost-type of sound, but can get your tone sounding INCREDIBLE."
Videos
Curtis Kent
JetCityMusic
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What is the difference between Beans and Pork mode?
Beans is the boost side of the pedal. Pedal of the Day's reviewer described it as more of a straight treble boost-type of sound. Pork is the drive side: he described it as having more of a mid-boost functionality, giving your tone a little grit, a little dirt, a little punch. A single toggle switch flips between the two modes.
Does the Pork N Beans use a germanium transistor?
Yes. According to Pedal of the Day's review, the Pork N Beans utilizes an AC128 germanium transistor in its guts. Germanium is the transistor type used in the classic Rangemaster treble booster the circuit is based on.
How many controls does the Greer Pork N Beans have?
Two. There is one knob that controls the output level, and one toggle switch that flips between the Beans (boost) and Pork (drive) modes.
Is the Pork N Beans a treble booster?
Partly. Pedal of the Day described it as a hybrid Boost/Drive pedal, basically a 2-in-1. Its Beans mode is a straight treble boost-type of sound in the Rangemaster tradition, while Pork mode adds a mid-boosted drive character. So it covers treble boosting and drive in one enclosure.
Sources (2)
- Greer Amps Pork N Beans Boost, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2015-04-15
- Dinosaur Jr tones on tap with the Wren and Cuff J Mascis Garbage Face, gearnews.com, 2020-04-10
