Fatpants or SHO

[menamestom]

Hi, new to the forum here, taking the next step graduating from kits to hopefully ordering some madbean boards soon.

I'm going to build boost in the same box as an overdrive.  The overdrive will be the BB Preamp clone but I've not settled on the boost.

Any opinions on the differences between the Fatpants and SHO?
I've had a look through the forum and can't see much info on the FAT control of the fat pants, does it enable you to get a bit of grit at lower volumes?

I did a youtube search of fatpants but it just came up with lots of people with fat pants!

Cheers

[stevewire]

I built both.  I prefer the SHO.  They both sounded kind of similar to my ear.  I do feel you could get a little more "grit" from the Fatpants.  There seemed to be something a little more clear or nicer in the high end of the SHO.  My SHO seemed noiser with a power supply, and prefers a battery, but mind you this is with a daisey chain type and might do better with something isolated.  The Fatpants seemed to work fine with a power supply.  Of course, my experience most probably is a product of my build, component choices and my gear.

[jkokura]

I recommend the fatpants personally. I like it better. The SHO has way more gain available though - its louder. Do if want a really loud booster, then go with the SHO. I found the fat control yo be really useful also, it's worth having in there.

Another thing to consider is which kind of amp and guitar you use.

Jacob

[eniacmike]

I ended up leaving the fat control on the fatpants maxed out all the time.

I used to really like sho's but now I am more into the jack orman mosfet booster (thunderpuss) it has a similar db of boost, doesn't crackle, and has a flat eq. The fat pants is awesome but it only seems to have a few db of boost but it's more like that magic pedal that makes everything just sound better. Thickens up the sound. It works some magic if you play single coils. 

[Myramyd]

Hello,

I've built the Fatpants, SHO, and have a mosfet booster in my BYOC triboost, which is roughly equivalent to the AMZ boost (Thunderpuss) I would say. These are my opinions of each:

Fatpants: Mild boost, more of a "coloration" device than a booster IMHO. Works great with a Plexi or Marshall to add some flavor, articulation, and high end. Not real clean, not real loud. Sounds harsh through a Fender amp unless you take out the high end (via switched out caps mod).

SHO: Tons of db of available boost that gets pretty colored in the high end and can get pretty gritty depending on the setup.

Mosfet Boost/Thunderpuss: Gives you what you already got, just more. Pretty clean with plenty of db. Drives the front end of a tube amp more smoothly.

I use the Mosfet Boost as my #1 Lead Boost. The other two I use for other purposes. For a dual pedal, I would recommend the Thunderpuss.

Although, I would build the other two also, just to have in your arsenal. They are cheap and easy. ORDER ALL 3!!! 

J

[jkokura]

I try hard not to flat out disagree with people, but in this case I have to. I use a Fender Vibro Champ - 5 watts of mid 70's Fender tube. Clean, nice at low volumes, perfect for testing pedals and practicing.

Anyway, i've used the Fatpants with this amp quite a bit - there's a video I've put on Youtube also. I would never call it harsh. I also think with the fat control it can get quite loud and dirty, but it cleans up quite nicely. It sounds wonderful, much richer than the SHO, which is a bright kind of booster on purpose.

Fatpants: Mild boost, more of a "coloration" device than a booster IMHO. Works great with a Plexi or Marshall to add some flavor, articulation, and high end. Not real clean, not real loud. Sounds harsh through a Fender amp unless you take out the high end (via switched out caps mod).

I completely agree with you on the db available with the SHO. However, again using this with my Champ I ran out of headroom fast, and it made the SHO become a flat out overdrive pedal for me at high settings. Your amp use with these boost pedals is a big factor, which I think you'd agree with.

[/quote]
SHO: Tons of db of available boost that gets pretty colored in the high end and can get pretty gritty depending on the setup.
[/quote]

Again, I hate to flat out disagree with people, but I recognize that other people have different results and that's their experience.

Jacob

[Myramyd]

Hello Jacob,

I have a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue, and a Marshall 100 watt JVM that I use these pedals with.

The Fatpants with the DRRI is pretty harsh on the high end with this amp unless I switch out the caps to make it more flat. I suspect this actually has more to do with the SPEAKER in this amp than the actual amp. YMMV but, if I hook this amp up to my 412 cab with Vintage 30s and GH12-30s, the whole game changes and the Fatpants is no longer as harsh in the high end.

So to clarify, with the typical off-the-shelf new Fender Blackface amps that I have heard/played through. I think the high end of the Fatpants does sound harsh, as do a lot of other pedals that lean towards the high end.

Again, the SHO adds a bit of high end to the DRRI at higher levels, and as you report, it maxes out the headroom pretty quick on this amp also. So, it's not really a clean or flat boost in this respect to me, although I do use it for a lead boost with this amp with decent results. I would say with the SHO it's more of a high-midrange though.

My Marshall really mellows out both these pedals and the high end isn't nearly as significant but you can tell it's there.

Also, I  have to add that I do think the Fatpants is richer sounding than the SHO. I agree with you there. With the cap switched out it does sound nice through my DRRI.

It sounds great through my Marshall on any setting. BUT, I don't think of it as a Lead Boost at all. More like a mild overdrive or a great coloration device.

I don't disagree with what Jacob says at all. I'm sure that Vibro Champ has a very well broken in speaker than will mellow out the highs compared with the new Jensen speaker I have. (I really want to replace mine by the way). Not to mention the bias of your amp I'm sure is much less "cold" than the 2009 factory Fender. I would think your amp is far warmer than mine. I think most of the newer amps are pretty bright compared to anything older. At least most of what I have played through recently. Play through your Vibro Champ, then plug into the new PRRI and you will know what I mean.

Moral of the story is that the amp and speakers (and pickups) you use with these two boosters really affects the overall shaping to me. In my opinion though, something like the Thunderpuss has much more of a chance of being a clean and "neutral" boost regardless of the setup. It doesn't seem to change across different setups as much as the other two, which I suppose is the point I was trying to get across.

J

[Myramyd]

Also, I'm *assuming* (which may be bad) that the Thunderpuss and the mosfet boost in the BYOC triboost are essentially the same or very similar. I apologize if they are not.

Again, I say build all 3 and decide which one works best with the BB and your amp setup, then stick that one in the box with it! I'm glad I have all of them so I can do different things with them.

J

[menamestom]

Thanks for the replies, that's very helpful.  Interesting to see the difference of opinion.
I'm not sure if I want a coloured or perfectly clean boost really.  I guess if it's a colour I like I'll go with it....

I think building all 3 is the best option, I mean they all look fairly simple so FWIW I may as well try all 3 and see what works best.  I have a PRRI and a 36 watter so I could even end up using a different boost with each amp.

[mjcyates]

Can't speak for the SHO, but I really like the Fat Pants. I do not find it harsh at all. I use a Hot Rod Deluxe with a Texas Heat speaker so it is not as bright as a DRRI. I built one of the Orman mosfet boosts a while back and remember liking it as well.

[B_of_H]

i've built multiple versions of each and I'd take the sunking as a boost over either any day. 

the sho is too bright and harsh sounding to me and the fat pants is better in this department but neither has the lower mid push and slight compression yet dynamic range of the sunking set for 0 gain with some boost. 

the sunking allows you to stand out in the mix the best IMO without overtaking things too much.  It's more like you go from a 2x12 to a 4x12 rather than just hitting the front end with a hotter signal. 

[stevewire]

Hey B_of_H,
What type of amp and guitar are you using with these?  I've been thinking of building the Sunking for use as a clean boost.  I've read so many times that Klon owners prefer it as a boost as opposed to an OD.  I use a Les Paul through an AC30, and I feel this is why I prefer the Slambox's high end over the Fat Pants.  In my set up, my Fat Pants sounds a little dull a/b-ed with the Slambox.

[B_of_H]

Hey B_of_H,
What type of amp and guitar are you using with these?  I've been thinking of building the Sunking for use as a clean boost.  I've read so many times that Klon owners prefer it as a boost as opposed to an OD.  I use a Les Paul through an AC30, and I feel this is why I prefer the Slambox's high end over the Fat Pants.  In my set up, my Fat Pants sounds a little dull a/b-ed with the Slambox.

yeah, you've got a mid heavy rig already.  I use fender style amps mostly.  the nasal sound of an ac3o with the midrange of the les paul might make the sho or fat pants a better option.  if you were using a marshall or fender then it might be a different story. 

have you tried modding the fat pants for more high end?  I found it too bright and changed some stuff to get a darker sound (don't remember what I did but I think there is a thread on it)

[stevewire]

There wasn't anything in particular about the Fat Pants that I didn't like. I don't think it really needs changed for my needs.  Through my rig it just seemed similar to the Slambox, with a few differences.  Obviously, you have a little more control over girth with the Fat Pants.  In the end, they are both fine with me.  At present I am only using the Slambox.  It has taken the place of how I used my Timmy OD - low/no gain, just a bit more volume on the front end of the amp to push it into the mix and add a little sparkle.

[DougCFL]

They are both pretty easy and cheap.  Why don't you build both and keep the one YOU like best?  BTW, I like my SHO very much.  Crystal clear ... just what I wanted.