Black Ice - Boost - Battery-Free On-Board Guitar Boost

Give passive single coils more body with Black Ice Boost. This battery-free onboard guitar and bass module adds a midrange-focused boost, putting another tonal option within reach of your guitar’s controls.

Choose the boost character for your build

• 2 dB Subtle Boost: a gentle lift with less tonal colouration.
• 4 dB Partial Boost: more body and midrange presence while retaining some single-coil sparkle.
• 7 dB Full Boost: a stronger, darker sound with humbucker-like weight.

These are approximate manufacturer-specified levels. The settings available from your controls depend on the wiring option you choose; every installation does not automatically provide all three.

Used in our own HSS guitar build

In my own build, 4 dB makes the single coils sound fuller and more solid. At 7 dB, the neck single coil gives me the juicy, humbucker-like tone I want for a different voice in my HSS setup. These are my playing impressions; results depend on your pickups and rig.

My guitar also has a separate Ulbrick noise-cancelling system installed. Black Ice supplies the boost and tonal change; it does not turn a single coil into a humbucker or provide that system’s noise cancellation.

Battery-free onboard installation

• No battery or external power source required.
• Designed for passive guitar and bass pickups; not compatible with battery-powered active pickups.
• Compact module with installation diagrams for switching pots and mini switches.
• Designed to leave the original tone unaffected when bypassed.
• Made in New York, USA.

Many instruments can accommodate the module without body routing, but cavity clearance and the chosen controls determine the work required. Check fit before installation. The manufacturer recommends an amp or first pedal input impedance of at least 1 MΩ. With an overdriven amp, the boost can add drive rather than a comparable volume lift.

View the official Black Ice wiring diagrams and compatibility FAQ.

Black Ice Boost demonstrations