Question:
Is the Boss BD-2 good for simple gain boosts on tube amps? Mine only has a clean and overdrive channel, and I need a pedal to give me a little gain/volume boost when I need it for soloing and such. Will the blues driver pull this off well or is there a better alternative for around the same price (or even better...cheaper would be nice!).
Max
Answer:
I've been using BD-2 for gain boost for a while and it turns out pretty well. I believe other than that I've seen people using MXR MicroAmp or Danelectro Eq.
Answer:
It'll be good for a gain boost, but for a volume boost, you probably want an EQ pedal or boost pedal in the effects loop.
Answer:
It will indeed do a clean boost as well -- alot of Nashville cats use the bd-2 to provide a louder 'soft grit' to their signal, I myself used one in the loop for a while.

Take care,
Brian
Answer:
I think that's more or less what the pedal was originally designed for. Really it depends on what you're going for though.
If you want the amp sound only bigger & fuller, I would go with a clean boost. But since I would make it myself, I don't know what if any clean boosters are currently on the market though... they don't effect the signal enough for most people to want them.
The BD-2 WILL color your amps tone. You might like the way it changes the tone, or you might not. It could be especially nice to be able to shape the tone with it if your amp has a limited EQ section (many vintage amps just had a single knob). Another plus with the BD is that it will give you some gritty sounds from a solid state amp if you have a nice amp for gigs and a solid state practice amp at home or something.
Answer:
I think of clean boosts as a totally clean, unaltered preservation of the sound, but yes, a BD will do a boost in the loop. Misleading post on my part.