Benson Germanium Boost Pedal

Benson Germanium Boost Pedal

NERD ALERT

The Benson Germanium Boost is one of those pedals that gets more interesting the deeper you go. Originally developed while experimenting with circuitry for the Benson Temperature Controlled Fuzz, the design eventually found its own identity as a uniquely musical germanium clean boost.

What makes it special is how it uses a germanium transistor without the usual downsides players associate with vintage germanium designs. Benson engineered a voltage-controlled error correction circuit that keeps the transistor properly biased and stable, helping eliminate issues like temperature sensitivity, drift, leakage, low headroom, and weak input impedance.

After powering on, the pedal takes about ten seconds to fully stabilize the transistor bias. From there, the magic starts happening. Even at unity gain, the boost adds a smoother, richer, more detailed feel to your signal. Notes bloom in a way that feels almost compressor-like, but more natural and dynamic. It can subtly smooth out harsh frequencies while enhancing the musical parts of your tone.

It absolutely shines on bass, helps acoustic pickups sound more natural, and of course can push an amp into glorious breakup territory.

Power Requirements:
• 9VDC Boss-style center negative power supply only
• Internal battery option available
• Do not exceed 9VDC