The Guyatone CB-3 Cool Booster is a compact boost pedal from Guyatone's Micro Effects series. Its job is simple: lift your signal, up to 18 dB of boost, without much coloration of the original tone, according to Premier Guitar's review of the series1. That makes it the kind of pedal players reach for to push an amp harder, add a bump in volume for a solo, or nudge a boost pedal slot on the board without reshaping the sound.
What it does
The CB-3 keeps things to a single control. The Boost knob applies gain, and at higher settings it can distort the input signal, so the pedal covers two jobs: a clean volume lift at moderate settings and a mild overdrive push when driven harder1. Premier Guitar's reviewer framed it as a simple solution for a milder overdrive or a volume bump without changing your tone overall1.
"If you're looking for a milder overdrive, something to give you a little bump in volume without changing the tone you've"
For players weighing it against other options, that puts the CB-3 closer to a transparent booster than to a dedicated overdrive pedal or distortion pedal, though the gain-on-tap from the Boost knob lets it lean that way when set high1.
Switching and price
Premier Guitar's review of the Micro Effects series noted true bypass switching on several models, naming the OD-2+, the CB-3 and the HD-3 specifically1. True bypass matters on a boost: when the pedal is off, it is out of the signal path entirely, so it does not affect your guitar's tone.
The review listed an MSRP of $130 for the CB-3, as of the review's March 2021 date1.
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Questions
Is the Guyatone CB-3 a clean boost?
Premier Guitar's reviewer described it as providing up to 18 dB of boost without much coloration of the original signal, so it works as a largely transparent volume lift. The same Boost knob can also be used to distort the input signal by applying gain at higher settings, which puts it in mild overdrive territory as well as pure boost.
Does the CB-3 have true bypass?
Yes. Premier Guitar's review of the Guyatone Micro Effects series noted true bypass switching on several models, naming the OD-2+, the CB-3 and the HD-3 specifically. True bypass means the pedal is removed from the signal path entirely when off, so it does not load down your guitar's tone when it is not in use.
Sources (1)
- Guyatone Micro Effects Series Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2008-04-09