The Spruce Effects Growth Ring Boost is a boost pedal built to lift whatever comes before or after it on the board. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in August 2016 and found it "sounding as good as any boost we've heard, a pleasure to add into any guitar setup."1
Controls, jacks and power
The Growth Ring Boost keeps things to a single control and the usual two jacks1.
| Control / jack | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ring knob | Controls the amount of boost/volume |
| Input and Output jacks | Simple jacks line the sides of the enclosure |
Power is standard negative ground, which Pedal of the Day notes means "this pedal plays nicely with others": it can share a supply with the rest of a typical pedalboard. Switching is true bypass, so the circuit drops out of the signal path entirely when the pedal is off.1
Build and where it comes from
Spruce Effects hand wires and assembles the pedal in California, and the enclosure is printed in the USA. The heart of the circuit is a NOS germanium transistor, a new-old-stock part rather than current production, which is the detail most likely to interest players comparing it against silicon-based overdrive and fuzz designs.1
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's 2016 review described the pedal as true bypass and made with high-quality components, sounding as good as any boost the reviewer had heard and a pleasure to add into any guitar setup, with full spectrum boost capabilities that thicken up the sound and add depth and tone overall.1
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Is the Spruce Effects Growth Ring Boost true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day lists the Growth Ring Boost as true bypass, and notes that it is made with high-quality components. True bypass means the pedal's circuit is removed from the signal path entirely when switched off, so it only affects your tone when the boost is engaged.
How much boost does the Growth Ring Boost provide?
Pedal of the Day describes the Growth Ring Boost as featuring almost 20dB of boost on tap. The single Ring knob controls the amount of boost, which also serves as the pedal's volume control, so you can dial in anything from a light lift to a substantial push.
Does the Growth Ring Boost use a germanium transistor?
Yes. The pedal is built around a NOS germanium transistor, meaning a new-old-stock component rather than a current-production part. Germanium transistors are a feature players often look for in boost and fuzz designs.
Is the Growth Ring Boost negative ground?
Yes. Pedal of the Day describes it as using standard negative ground power, noting that the pedal plays nicely with others. That means it can share a standard center-negative power supply or daisy chain with typical pedals.
Where is the Spruce Effects Growth Ring Boost made?
Pedal of the Day reports that the Growth Ring Boost is hand wired and assembled in California, with the enclosure printed in the USA.
Sources (1)
- Spruce Effects Growth Ring Boost, Pedal of the Day, 2016-08-03