Pricing and availability
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Reviews
Price
Average Price: $192
High-end/Boutique
$60
$151+
Price Tier
Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 2 merchants for "Benson Germanium Boost". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Elevate your tone to new heights with the Benson Amps Germanium Boost, a testament to the fusion of vintage soul and modern precision. This pedal stands out in the realm of boost effects, offering a crystal-clear, high-headroom boost that faithfully amplifies your guitar's natural voice without introducing unwanted coloration. Designed with the discerning guitarist in mind, the Germanium Boost marries the classic allure of germanium transistor technology with a cutting-edge voltage-controlled error-correction circuit. This innovative feature ensures a stable, consistent boost free from the pitfalls of temperature fluctuations and component variability. Whether you're pushing your amp to sing or adding a touch of warmth to your tone, the Germanium Boost delivers with unmatched purity and reliability.
Key Features:
- Full-range boost pedal with high headroom for a clean, uncolored boost
- Utilizes a voltage-controlled error-correction circuit for stability and consistency
- Designed to counteract component drift, leakage, and temperature-related issues
- Perfect for enhancing your guitar's natural tone without additional coloration
Product specs
| Brand | Benson Amps |
| Model | Germanium Boost, Germanium Boost Limited Edition - CME Exclusive |
| Finish | Black, Blue, Green, White |
| Year | 2021 - 2025 |
| Made In | United States |
| Categories | Overdrive and Boost Pedals |
| Pedal Format | Standard |
FAQs
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What type of power supply does the Benson Germanium Boost require?
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The Benson Germanium Boost requires a standard 9V DC power supply with a center-negative polarity, commonly used for most guitar pedals.
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Is the Benson Germanium Boost suitable for both guitar and bass?
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Yes, the Benson Germanium Boost is designed to enhance clarity and dynamics, making it suitable for both guitar and bass applications.
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How does the Benson Germanium Boost affect the tone of my guitar?
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The Benson Germanium Boost provides a warm, vintage-style boost with a smooth top end, enhancing harmonic richness and sustain without altering the core tone of your guitar.
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Does the Benson Germanium Boost work well with other pedals in a signal chain?
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Yes, the Benson Germanium Boost is designed to integrate seamlessly with other pedals, providing a clean boost that can enhance the performance of overdrives and distortions in your signal chain.
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What are the key differences between the standard and limited edition versions of the Benson Germanium Boost?
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The key differences between the standard and limited edition versions of the Benson Germanium Boost are primarily in the finish and exclusivity, with no differences in the circuit or tonal characteristics.
Videos
Mark Johnston
Benson Germanium Boost | Secret Weapons Demo & Review
Reviews
PROS
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Provides substantial volume boost without increasing noise
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Enhances tone fullness and warmth without adding shrillness
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Compatible with old-school fuzz pedals, preventing impedance issues
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Maintains strong signal and great harmonics with high input impedance
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Subtle compression and coloration improve tone quality
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Preserves low end nicely for bassists
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Stabilizes germanium diodes for consistent tone despite environmental changes
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Transparent EQ with added nice compression
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Unlocks hidden tones in various guitar/pickup combinations
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Adds noticeable improvement to string feel under fingers
CONS
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Considered expensive for a boost pedal
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Lacks adjustable tone settings for detailed sound shaping
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Described as a "one-trick pony," limiting versatility
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Benson Germanium Boost.
Features and functionality
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The Benson Germanium Boost excels in tone-sweetening, transforming anemic amp tones into something vibrant, even at lower stage volumes.
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The pedal's unity volume typically occurs around 11-12 o’clock on the knob, making it suitable for experimenting with “under-gaining” by sending less gain to subsequent pedals.
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The Benson Germanium Boost enhances low end and lower midrange, making amps sound more "awake" and guitars stand out without overwhelming low frequencies.
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Despite being "buffer approved," placing the pedal immediately after a buffer may still cause noise, indicating sensitivity in certain setups.
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Use cases and applications
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This boost pedal is highly effective for maintaining clarity and volume when rolling back the guitar's tone knob, particularly with darker humbucker pickups.
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Ideal for jazz gigs with solid-state amps, this pedal adds tube-like character to hollow body guitars, according to a user who frequently employs it in such settings.
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The pedal is particularly beneficial for Les Paul users seeking to enhance clean tones by adding sparkle without introducing overdrive tones.
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Effective when stacked with other pedals, like Tube Screamers, to balance low end or push low-gain pedals like Analogman Prince of Tone into further saturation.
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Works well as an end-of-chain boost to enhance overall signal before splitting to two amps, maintaining clarity without introducing unwanted dirt.
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Comparisons
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Compared to Chase Tone Secret Preamp and Greer Lightspeed, the Benson Boost colors the signal pleasingly, unlike the more transparent Greer Lightspeed.
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User experience
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Users appreciate its simplicity and subtle, yet impactful, tone enhancement, making it a staple on pedalboards without overshadowing other effects.
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Setup and maintenance
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Users report a high-pitched hum when using the Benson Germanium Boost with single coil guitars, potentially linked to power supply current inadequacy.
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Some owners found improvement in noise issues by sending the pedal back for servicing, suggesting potential variability in unit performance.
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Critic Reviews
Based on 0 Reviews and 0 Ratings
Artist usage
Add artist
In a Premier Guitar Rig Rundown video published on August 6, 2025, filmed at Jack White’s Third Man Records in Nashville, Jessica Dobson confirms her use of the Benson Germanium Boost. At the 19:56 mark of the link below, Dobson states, "I have the Germanium boost. I guess I just love Germanium. I love this boost. It's not the most transparent one. It's got like a little zhuzh on top, but it gets you where you need to go."
Watch the full rundown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80FR-OhuG9o&t=19m56s
In this photo drom the Milwaukee show on Sept 11th 2022 you can see the Benson Boost pedal
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Benson Germanium Boost, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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