The Most Versatile Boost — JHS vs Sonicake

A boost is the most underrated pedal on your board — the thing that pushes your amp, tightens your lead, and glues your tone together. So I pitted a $20 JHS Solo Boost against the boutique Sonicake Sonic Master to answer one question: does spending more actually get you a better boost?

The short version: the budget pedal punches way above its price. The question isn't "which is better" — it's "which fits your tone," and one of them does more for less than it has any right to.

The JHS Solo Boost — a Swiss army knife

The clever part is the FET vs Op-Amp toggle:

• FET mode — bright and gritty, with a little hair. Great for cutting through and adding edge.
• Op-Amp mode — more body and girth, a Klon-ish flavour that thickens your tone without turning to mush.

Two very different boosts in one tiny, cheap box. That versatility is the whole argument.

The Sonicake Sonic Master — clean and simple

A clean boost done well: up to 12 dB of gain and a built-in buffer to keep your signal strong across a long chain. It does one job and does it cleanly — exactly what a lot of players want from a "set and forget" boost.

The verdict

For versatility and value, the budget pedal with two usable voices is tough to beat — you get a bright/gritty and a Klon-ish boost for pocket change. If you just want a transparent clean push with a solid buffer, the simpler clean boost is the smarter grab. Either way, you do not need to spend boutique money to get a great boost.

🎸 Get them: JHS boost on Amazon · Sonicake Sonic Master (affiliate — supports the channel) 🎛️ Free preset pack: download it · 🎵 Hear my song

Push it, then finish it

A boost sets up the tone — the finish seals it. A touch of Neo TUBE on a boosted lead adds the tube harmonics that make it sing in a mix.

Watch the full shootout

Buy the boost that matches your tone, not your ego. Sometimes the $20 box is the one that stays on your board.