How do you get your lead boost?

My Pedalboard:

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I use the Xotic RC for a clean boost for 95 percent of solo boost duties. I also have an Xotic EP for a fat boost for the other 5 percent of times I want a fatter solo tone especially on a single coil guitar. The Xotic Boosters are straightforward and do their job well.
 
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I've had a piece of graphite in my right hand index finger science high school, not exactly lead but I think it gives me an advantage. (or I play louder)
 
I run a Fulltone FullDrive 2 Mosfet, it has a boost side and an overdrive side, it works great as a clean boost and as a lead boost, with the stomp of 1 button.
 
Fulltone OCD, or the lead channel of a Mesa Subway Rocket. For clean boost I use a Smart People Factory boost.

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Used to run a Keeley Katana for a while, great pedal, but now I'm with Aldwyn, roll that volume knob to 10 and I've got enough to pop out of the mix. The 9-10 portion of the volume pot can't be linear with the 0-9 range. I don't know if PRSh has ever confirmed this but, that last bit certainly doesn't feel linear.

I only have one PRS but that is how I feel as well. From 0-9 its pretty linear, but from 9-10...LOOK OUT. Big difference.
 
Cleanish tones I use an old TS-9. Great boost with good warmth added.
Dirty tones I use a version 1 Cusack Screamer. It will only color the tone if I want it too. Otherwise a
clean boost with no tone change. Super quiet as well.
 
There's a number of ways to pull this off and they all have different results:
  • Volume control on the guitar - this works great as long as you are content with the sound of your guitar with the volume rolled back. This works for a lot of guys but I see just as many get inconsistent results because they don't know how the sound is out front and have no consistent way to nail the levels.
  • Volume pedal in the loop - for single channel amps this is my preference. As long as the loop is designed well you can really have great control over the volume with minimal impact on your tone. You need to use the right kind of volume pedal - pedals that are designed to sit in front of the amp don't generally work well. The kind you want for this is something like the Boss FV-500L (not the 500H). This is how I run with my single channel Two Rock Studio Pro.
  • Actual volume boost built into the amp - this is really the best way IMO. A lot of amps these days have a switchable boost or 2nd master volume to do just this. It's the best way to maintain your tone and get a true volume boost. I have a Carvin Legacy 3 that does this exceptionally well.
  • Boost/dirt pedals - This is one of the things that guitar players get wrong so often. A boost pedal can work if your amp has the clean headroom on tap. But if you're already distorting at the amp a boost pedal isn't going to make you any louder. It'll get more distorted but that isn't going to help your solo stand out any. I can't tell you often I see guitar players step on a boost/dirt pedal for a solo and have it make no difference at all. For a solo to stand out, it has to be louder not dirtier.
 
another way is to use the volume at the compressor.
there you have 2fx at once for lead.
 
Depending on which pedal board I'm using, its either a Fuchs Plush Pure Gain or an Xotic EP Booster. Depending on the amp, I'm running the EP Booster all the time and using the Pure Gain as a lead boost.
 
I get boost a few different ways depending on what gear I'm using and what sound I need;

Good old volume knob./
Step on the graphic EQ on my Mark IV with an inverted V shape(^)./
Set the Helium (left) side of my Jetter Red Square for clean boost./
Keep the peak reduction off on the Effectrode PC-2A and it functions as a super sweet boost pedal.
In fact I use it 95% of the time as a boost.

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