Fender Hammertone Boost

A modern boost with a "vintage tape preamp" vibe

In the Hammertone series, Fender offers pedals designed to be simple, robust, and immediately musical. The Hammertone Boost revisits a pedalboard classic (the boost) by adding a true dual personality: on one side, a clean and "immaculate" op-amp circuit to gain volume without coloration; on the other, a JFET circuit that evokes the feel of vintage tape preamps, with subtle compression and harmonic richness that makes the sound feel "thicker."

Result: you can stay completely true to your guitar and amp, or conversely add just the right amount of grit and density to make the sound more lively, without tipping into overdrive.

Who is it for, what styles, and in which contexts?

The Fender Hammertone Boost is aimed at all guitarists (and bassists) seeking a versatile tool: beginners wanting to stand out better in the mix, gigging musicians needing an effective solo boost, or studio regulars looking for a clean gain stage before distortion. It works well in blues, rock, pop, funk, indie, country, as well as heavier contexts where a boost tightens the attack and pushes a saturated channel.

On a pedalboard, it can be placed before an overdrive/distortion to increase input level and emphasize saturation, or after your distortions to gain volume for solos (depending on your amp's available headroom). It's also very useful for pushing a tube amp to breakup or simply "softening" a too-dry tone thanks to the JFET mode.

Controls, modes, and design: simple but very effective

The heart of the pedal is a type selector that switches between two boost flavors: op-amp (very straight, very clean) or JFET (thicker, more compressed). The 2-band active EQ Bass and Treble goes far beyond a simple "volume up": you can boost lows for a wider sound, tame overly bright highs, or conversely add bite to cut through live.

The center detents on Bass and Treble are a real plus in use: with one move, you return to a "flat" curve to objectively compare your settings. Finally, the relay true bypass (soft-touch) ensures a preserved signal when the pedal is off, with automatic bypass when no power is supplied. The top-mounted jacks facilitate wiring and free up space on crowded pedalboards.

The sound

In op-amp mode, the Hammertone Boost acts as an excellent "transparent" boost: dynamic, precise, with a volume sensation that rises without artificially thickening the sound. This mode is ideal for guitarists who want to preserve the personality of their pickups and amp while gaining presence for arpeggios, chorus, or solos.

In JFET mode, the character changes: the sound becomes meatier, with slight harmonic compression reminiscent of a vintage preamp. Attacks are a bit "rounded," notes seem to sustain better, and the overall feel is more musical and flattering, especially pleasant on clean tones, edge-of-breakup sounds, or to thicken a rhythm part without adding true distortion. With the active EQ, you can choose between a completely neutral boost or a controlled coloration, always serving the playing.

Technical specifications

Effects	Boost	Type	sector
Technology	Analog	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Grey
EQ	2 channels

Series	Hammertone	Depth	62 mm
Two selectable circuits	ultra-clean op-amp boost or harmonically rich JFET boost	Height	112 mm
2-band active EQ	Bass and Treble	Weight	0.23 kg
Center detents on Bass and Treble	flat frequency response	Power supply	9V battery or center-negative power adapter (not included)
Enclosure	aluminum	Compatible power supply	9V to 18V (via power adapter)
Input impedance	1M Ohm	Power connector	5.5 x 2.1 mm, center negative
Output impedance	470 Ohm	Current consumption	85 mA
Width	56 mm