@@TheToneLounge I already received it, it's so killer! But the always on component of the pedal is an issue for me personally, I bought a Barbershop V2 last night and will get that next week. I'm looking forward to seeing how it stacks with the Horsebreaker, the odr-mini and the Southland harmonic overdrive. I'm trying not to have too many drives on the board, but maybe the odr will get replaced by the Lovepedal Les Lius or the Amp11?
This is one of the best overdrive pedals I've ever heard. The only reason I still don't have one is the fact that I already have 4 very good low gain drive pedals on my board. But the way this thing breaks up and the dynamics..., it's exactly what I want. I use an AC15 most of the time. I know it'll sound amazing. If you haven't already, check out the Hungry Robot LG, or the Hungry Robot Lumen. Hungry Robot makes very unique pedals and the company seems to be quite similar to Fairfield Circuitry in terms of approach, although the aesthetics are very different, but that's what makes 'em cool. I liked the demo! 😊👍
Seriously Mario, this is a freaking fantastic pedal. It can do subtle drives and some pretty raunchy stuff too. Definitely worth the price tag imho. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check out Hungry Robot. I kind of like the name, so off to a good start. lol Cheers
@@TheToneLounge : Thanks! About the price tag, I don’t know if there’s a difference in the USA, but here in Europe the Barbershop is not more expensive than brands like Greer Amps, JHS, Wampler, Keeley etcetera. Cheers!!!
If you have a look at my channel, you will see that i've curated all the content into easy to find playlists. Here is the first one I would recommend watching. LINK: ua-cam.com/play/PLeAo3au6SN1mEE4I1YYC2GtP7Y9sZ4VKT.html
@@TheToneLounge I have been looking and searching for a LONG time for a light gain with some mojo. Not easy to find. So after watching you, I went straight out to buy one. IT IS GREAT. I normally change pedals, but one has been with me for 15+ years and thats the RC Booster. Have a feeling that this amazing Barber will join the RC as a keeper. Thanks a lot for the inspiration 😀
It's definitely got something special happening at lower gain settings. Very open, with just a bit of light grind and some sparkle on top. A great "always on" pedal.
Wow! That is quite the claim. I do agree though that it’s one of the best for sure. My number 1 OD was the Red Llama. Now it’s number 2. The Barbershop took #1.
Thank you my UK-made AC 30TB needed that😊. I must check the DOD carcosa out. I hope to get some nice sustain from The lighter fuzz settings as the sputtering silicon transistors tend to “gate“ themselves. By the way, The Keeley fuzz bender does a nice job with the AC 30 (reissue, 1962 model - 94/95) Cheers / Slainte . 🎸👨🏼⚕️🫶✌️♾️. 🇬🇧🏴🇺🇸
I’m stuck between this and the Browne Amplification Carbon V2….just looking for something that just gives a little bite and I feel the Barbershop is the one
Great video!! This was the first video I watched from you and I really was amazed about how you can make that chinese VOX sound so good! :) I love the Barbershop, in your video sounds amazing! And thank you VERY MUCH for playing chords!!! :)
Yeah! I am going for it because of you!! :) My only concern is that it goes well with my Modded Twin Reverb too since I always run my AC30 in conjunction with it :P
@@TheToneLounge Well, I finally got it and into the Fender it's not so great. Maybe a little too scooped and too much bottom end sometimes by its own, but it's great pushing other pedals like my Jan Ray. Haven't tried it after other pedals yet.. It is a cool pedal, I have nothing like it. It is more a preamp than a overdrive to me, in some settings it sounds similar to the Broadcast.
@@rgr4929 Im lucky enough to have 2 Fenders and a VOX AC15.. in both Fenders it wont come even close to how good it is on the Vox. And ill agree it has some similarity to the broadcast. Seems like it compliments chimy amps alot more than heavy low end Fenders OH and @The Tone Lounge. You should definitely try out a russian Gtown Holygrail Dualdrive. IT IS AMAZING into a Vox.
@@TheToneLounge sounds really good. Its not exactly transparent, meaning it sounds different then amp coocking hot, but it has very natural sound. Also there seems to be very well done that organic touch response, one wish to has for soulfull playong and the Sag knob looks really interesting. Not for people who need very tight response for precise playing (like moder "mathematical" metal and those genres. Seems gold for blues, classic rock to stoner/doom metal.
So I tried my pedalPCB version tonight and compared it with the pedalPCB Benson preamp, which is my favorite OD....at least until tonight. Just a tiny little different flavour. But man this pedal is good with the ac30 (Both channels via Barber Launchpad) And then stacking the two of them is just heavenly! Thanks for this video.
Very cool to do a feature on Fairfield! You look at them and wonder if this is an established line, or a one man project that gets NO promotion. The only way I've recognized them is from the used pedal section at Spaceman Music in Ottawa, "plain grey...oh, Fairfield!". I have not tried them out, as pedals are not a priority right now but SOMETHING pointed me in their direction. Otherwise, I'd have never heard of them. Will definitely browse the line again. So, thanks a lot for this vid. However, I'm at a point where I have to keep telling myself, "I don't need this pedal. I don't need this pedal..." like a mantra. (Ever been there? Haha).
Yeah, being Canadian and getting to feature a killer brand from back home was quite fun! I've wanted to try this particular pedal for quite some time now. I can say with confidence that it does something quite unique and that I have no other pedal that sounds quite like it. If you get the chance, plug one in and try it. I'm sure you will dig it.
@@TheToneLounge Thanks man, I will. I am hearing a definite gap being filled within my current dirt set-up w/ this guy. The "OF ALL THE PEDALS I OWN..." is a hell of an endorsement! It sounds more like an Amp than a pedal going into one. Along w/ this "lazy" and unique 60's tone. A pedal that features a "SAG" knob? It had to be done! I now have a legitmate excuse to buy one - guilt free! :) (Looks like I'll have to turn in my "chip" on Wednesday's meeting, though.)
You have to keep in mind that my preferences may be different than your when it comes to OD pedals. I can say with confidence that if you are into the tones of something like the EHX Hot Tubes or Way Huge Red Llama, then this will be right up your alley.
@@TheToneLounge Okay, now I'm sold. I put off the Red Llama (two knob) b/c it was always there. Also, the classic bus-sized Hot Tubes. So, this is on the list, now. I always try them out first, of course. I have become very aware of our differences in play-style. You're more modern, and tighter. I'm a bit more loose, w/ a preference for Major over Minor approaches. Still, you always manage to convey the tone very well, and I can also tell what's not for me. So, you still do an awesome job of demonstratiing the pedal. Nice of you to drop that reminder, though. :) I do think you deserve a "commission" for very much, selling me this pedal. Love what I heard, love what you're telling me. Worst case, you're never gonna hear me complain after the fact. :)
Well if you do get it, I really hope it's to your liking. I have the nano version of the Hot Tubes on my list. It's affordable and I keep putting off but I intend to get one soon. Perhaps a shootout is in order?
Yes, I agree with you, Barbershop has a little similarity to Red LLama. Barbershop light gain is very good and the Sag mode is cool because you don't need to keep moving the guitar's volume knob. This pedal maker is new to me, very good.
I need to add two remarks. In fact, Barbershop has evolved a lot. At the same time I consider your proposal "Vox friendly pedals", it is very important.
Fairfield Circuitry is well worth looking into. They are one of the rare companies making original circuit designs. I've wanted the Barbershop for many years now. It was well worth it.
Hey Jonathan! Have you tried stacking it with the Tumnus or a Dumble style OD? I'm pretty intrigued by the Barbershop, and I already have a Dude and a Tumnus Deluxe so I'm trying to figure out which of those two the Barbershop would complement the most. At the moment I'm learning towards the Tumnus but the Dude also sounds great and probably has a completely different character to the Barbershop.
The Barbershop sounded great with my Tumnus. So that would be an excellent pairing. I’m not too familiar with The Dude. Is that a Dumble style pedal? If so, The Dude and The Barbershop need to be on someone’s board. That would be a talking piece!
Nice Demo, thanks! I always had an eye on this pedal, never tried it though. The sound reminds me of a bluesbreakerstyle pedal (KoT etc, "transparent"), but with more dirt and a vulgar approach overall, not in a bad way. I dig it! My association: Bluesbreaker -> college, Barbershop -> street credibility.
I love these types of overdrives. They do edge of breakup but also do slightly broken up tones that sound quite different from your average mid drive. It reminds me of my Red Llama.
@@TheToneLoungeI'm with you. Not a fan of the TS for most applications, just too much mids. Wanna hear the rrrrrring in the high end! Reuss Gold Sounds is my current fave.
I don't mind the TS, it is definitely a useful pedal. Just not in all applications. I often find that something simple in sound goes a long way for me. Reuss makes some of the best pedals out there. I love the ones I have.
This is the "distortion" pedal for people who wish they could instead just turn their amp up loud enough for natural gain. I've never been a fan of distortion pedals, so I've often found myself trying to make do with just milder fuzz pedal for a bit more character, but this thing takes the best of both fuzz pedals and distortion pedals, ending up with this one pedal that's somehow usable with almost literally anything - seriously, I'm going to be trying it on my Mellotron and even some drum tracks soon. For guitar, a reasonable comparison is the fuzz/distortion that Hendrix would get, where he could play linear, melodic stuff but also chord stuff with tons of distortion that wouldn't just crumble apart once he started playing chords, which is what happens with 90% of fuzz pedals. This isn't technically a fuzz pedal, but it absolutely does have some of the tonal components that make fuzz pedals sound the way they do. Perhaps most shockingly, for me: it is the ONLY bass distortion pedal. It's literally the very first time I've heard a bass distortion effect that I've liked - it doesn't do that shitty, fizzy top end that virtually all bass distortion pedals or built-in bass amp distortion does. Most bass distortion just sounds like two signals: your bass, and then this other thin, artificial-sounding buzzy noise just slapped on top. When you dial this thing in right for bass, it's very 'first Black Sabbath album') or Buzzcocks - more specifically: "Why Can't I Touch It"-which doesn't at all fight with distorted guitars-and not Rage Against Machine - which very much competes guitar for the same frequencies ...which of course is fine if always doubling distorted guitar is your thing. Basically, if you want a shockingly tasty, subtle "distortion" pedal that is more of a 'coloration' pedal, that you can hypothetically sprinkle a bit of on pretty much anything, Pair this thing with an MXR 10 band EQ and you've got just worlds of possibilities in front of you.
I've not shied away from letting people know that the Barbershop is my number 1 pedal. It used to be the Red Llama, but this one managed to dethrone it. The clipping in this pedal is spectacular. Even my amps don't sound as good when overdriven compared to the Barbershop. Of course, tone is subjective, but I do think that this pedal is on another level. I have over 100 pedals, and although I do love other pedals, this one is the only one I grab if there is a house fire. It sounds great with any amp/guitar combination that I throw at it. It plays well with all my pedals, and sounds incredible after a fuzz pedal. I also own The Unpleasant Surprise and About 900 fuzz from Fairfield Circuitry, and they are just as incredible. Have you tried those ones yet?
@@TheToneLounge Nice I ordered Both pcb's for the red llama and the barbershop. Hope to build them both soon and choose one of them to make a dual OD with the Benson preamp i made earlier
Hi Omar, That’s a tricky question for me to answer, as I have never had the privilege to play a Sunn amp. I know that this pedal is an original circuit, bit I don’t know if it aimed to reproduce the sound of a particular amp. To me, it shares many traits with the Way Huge Red Llama. It has a slightly fuzzy grit to it, reminiscent of a broken up tweed amp.
@@carbon_wavelight Depending on how loud/quiet he has the amp set, how close he is to the microphone, and how hard he's hitting the strings, you might be hearing a bit of acoustic spill from the guitar itself.
There is something that interests me about this pedal, but last minute I am like - I will get bored with it pretty quickly, so I never pull the trigger.
It's also absolutely fucking phenomenal for bass distortion. The ONLY bass distortion I've ever liked - it doesn't have that shitty, fizzy top end that all other bass distortion does. I've also never heard amp distortion like this thing, so I'm pretty much always clicking on it for new parts I'm writing, just in case I need something more than distortion but not as committal as fuzz. I'll take this thing over the Klown ANY day.
@@TheToneLounge yes boss/jhs. I just got one today from guitar center for my ac15 and its really special.you should make a video on those 2 one of these days.🤘
⚡ 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀:
🔴 VFP series: ua-cam.com/play/PLeAo3au6SN1kfdYcyp8bvHttqkPinQ2Wt.html
🔴 AC15 series: ua-cam.com/play/PLeAo3au6SN1mEE4I1YYC2GtP7Y9sZ4VKT.html
Rocks with the AC15!
They are perfect together!
woah... Immediately digging this one
That's how I felt too. Won me over with the first chord.
I'm in love with this pedal. This video made me get a Modele B always on Barbershop because this is so unique and awesome!
Let me know when you get it. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
@@TheToneLounge I already received it, it's so killer! But the always on component of the pedal is an issue for me personally, I bought a Barbershop V2 last night and will get that next week. I'm looking forward to seeing how it stacks with the Horsebreaker, the odr-mini and the Southland harmonic overdrive. I'm trying not to have too many drives on the board, but maybe the odr will get replaced by the Lovepedal Les Lius or the Amp11?
Looking forward to hearing how it fits with your rig. Having the ability to turn the pedal on/off is definitely a plus.
excellent demo, the notes at the bottom were incredibly useful. the sag knob is pretty dope, added this to my build list!
Let me know if you ever try it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
This is one of the best overdrive pedals I've ever heard. The only reason I still don't have one is the fact that I already have 4 very good low gain drive pedals on my board. But the way this thing breaks up and the dynamics..., it's exactly what I want. I use an AC15 most of the time. I know it'll sound amazing.
If you haven't already, check out the Hungry Robot LG, or the Hungry Robot Lumen. Hungry Robot makes very unique pedals and the company seems to be quite similar to Fairfield Circuitry in terms of approach, although the aesthetics are very different, but that's what makes 'em cool.
I liked the demo! 😊👍
Seriously Mario, this is a freaking fantastic pedal. It can do subtle drives and some pretty raunchy stuff too. Definitely worth the price tag imho. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check out Hungry Robot. I kind of like the name, so off to a good start. lol Cheers
@@TheToneLounge : Thanks!
About the price tag, I don’t know if there’s a difference in the USA, but here in Europe the Barbershop is not more expensive than brands like Greer Amps, JHS, Wampler, Keeley etcetera.
Cheers!!!
@@mariodriessen9740 I don't know if you ever bought this, but this is one of the few overdrive pedals that I feel is a 'must-have.'
This pedal works great with the Vox’s chime
Yesterday, my eye fixed at the Vox AC15 at music shop in my hometown and plan to get it, and.... your channel just pop up out of the blues. Thank !!
If you have a look at my channel, you will see that i've curated all the content into easy to find playlists. Here is the first one I would recommend watching.
LINK: ua-cam.com/play/PLeAo3au6SN1mEE4I1YYC2GtP7Y9sZ4VKT.html
It sounds AWESOME. And I'm a guy who's on the lookout to finally hear an OD, Distortion, or Fuzz that's not a (Klon) clone, or a near-copy. 😎
The light gain in the beginning sounds amazing 👍👍
I think that this is what this pedal is best at! Have you tried one yet?
@@TheToneLounge I have been looking and searching for a LONG time for a light gain with some mojo. Not easy to find. So after watching you, I went straight out to buy one. IT IS GREAT. I normally change pedals, but one has been with me for 15+ years and thats the RC Booster. Have a feeling that this amazing Barber will join the RC as a keeper. Thanks a lot for the inspiration 😀
@@goswo my pleasure. Please let me know your thoughts on it. Cheers
It's definitely got something special happening at lower gain settings. Very open, with just a bit of light grind and some sparkle on top. A great "always on" pedal.
Sounds great with a natural overdrive. Best sounding overdrive on your channel so far 😀👍
Wow! That is quite the claim. I do agree though that it’s one of the best for sure. My number 1 OD was the Red Llama. Now it’s number 2. The Barbershop took #1.
@@TheToneLounge agree. So good. Thx for your demos!
Thank you my UK-made AC 30TB needed that😊. I must check the DOD carcosa out. I hope to get some nice sustain from The lighter fuzz settings as the sputtering silicon transistors tend to “gate“ themselves. By the way, The Keeley fuzz bender does a nice job with the AC 30 (reissue, 1962 model - 94/95) Cheers / Slainte .
🎸👨🏼⚕️🫶✌️♾️. 🇬🇧🏴🇺🇸
Great playing and great products from Fairfield as always
Thanks buddy . Have you tried this one?
@@TheToneLounge not yet, but Fairfield is definitely on my radar.
BTW, Happy Birthday, Jonathan!
Thanks dude! Let me know when you try it. Cheers
I’m stuck between this and the Browne Amplification Carbon V2….just looking for something that just gives a little bite and I feel the Barbershop is the one
I LOVE the Barbershop ! it has its own
character and grain😊 cant wait to use it with Reverend Crosscut on my Blackstar ! tanks for the pro revie w -
My pleasure Simon! It is a very unique sounding pedal. It knocked my Red Llama to second place.
Damnit! That sounded too good
Oh yeah, this is a fantastic pedal! It instantly won me over.
Great video!! This was the first video I watched from you and I really was amazed about how you can make that chinese VOX sound so good! :) I love the Barbershop, in your video sounds amazing! And thank you VERY MUCH for playing chords!!! :)
Glad you enjoyed the video! This pedal is on another level. I don't know what kind of Mojo went into this, but it's definitely worth every penny!
Yeah! I am going for it because of you!! :) My only concern is that it goes well with my Modded Twin Reverb too since I always run my AC30 in conjunction with it :P
I can’t say for sure about your Fender amp, I think it should be awesome though!
@@TheToneLounge Well, I finally got it and into the Fender it's not so great. Maybe a little too scooped and too much bottom end sometimes by its own, but it's great pushing other pedals like my Jan Ray. Haven't tried it after other pedals yet..
It is a cool pedal, I have nothing like it. It is more a preamp than a overdrive to me, in some settings it sounds similar to the Broadcast.
@@rgr4929 Im lucky enough to have 2 Fenders and a VOX AC15.. in both Fenders it wont come even close to how good it is on the Vox. And ill agree it has some similarity to the broadcast. Seems like it compliments chimy amps alot more than heavy low end Fenders
OH and @The Tone Lounge. You should definitely try out a russian Gtown Holygrail Dualdrive. IT IS AMAZING into a Vox.
Great Demo, great tones
Thanks! What did you think of the pedal?
@@TheToneLounge sounds really good. Its not exactly transparent, meaning it sounds different then amp coocking hot, but it has very natural sound.
Also there seems to be very well done that organic touch response, one wish to has for soulfull playong and the Sag knob looks really interesting.
Not for people who need very tight response for precise playing (like moder "mathematical" metal and those genres. Seems gold for blues, classic rock to stoner/doom metal.
So I tried my pedalPCB version tonight and compared it with the pedalPCB Benson preamp, which is my favorite OD....at least until tonight. Just a tiny little different flavour. But man this pedal is good with the ac30 (Both channels via Barber Launchpad) And then stacking the two of them is just heavenly! Thanks for this video.
I have a Benson preamp clone. I never thought to stack it with the Barbershop. I'll be trying this.
@@TheToneLounge I didn't try the Red Llama yet. Might be fun staking the Barbershop with the Llama as well
Mmm tried the Benson last week again stacking with the Fairfield. Not so sure anymore about this combi. Maybe second Barbershop is the way to go.
Great sound!!
It's a fantastic pedal!
Very cool to do a feature on Fairfield! You look at them and wonder if this is an established line, or a one man project that gets NO promotion. The only way I've recognized them is from the used pedal section at Spaceman Music in Ottawa, "plain grey...oh, Fairfield!". I have not tried them out, as pedals are not a priority right now but SOMETHING pointed me in their direction. Otherwise, I'd have never heard of them.
Will definitely browse the line again. So, thanks a lot for this vid. However, I'm at a point where I have to keep telling myself, "I don't need this pedal. I don't need this pedal..." like a mantra. (Ever been there? Haha).
Yeah, being Canadian and getting to feature a killer brand from back home was quite fun! I've wanted to try this particular pedal for quite some time now. I can say with confidence that it does something quite unique and that I have no other pedal that sounds quite like it. If you get the chance, plug one in and try it. I'm sure you will dig it.
@@TheToneLounge Thanks man, I will. I am hearing a definite gap being filled within my current dirt set-up w/ this guy. The "OF ALL THE PEDALS I OWN..." is a hell of an endorsement!
It sounds more like an Amp than a pedal going into one. Along w/ this "lazy" and unique 60's tone.
A pedal that features a "SAG" knob? It had to be done! I now have a legitmate excuse to buy one - guilt free! :)
(Looks like I'll have to turn in my "chip" on Wednesday's meeting, though.)
You have to keep in mind that my preferences may be different than your when it comes to OD pedals. I can say with confidence that if you are into the tones of something like the EHX Hot Tubes or Way Huge Red Llama, then this will be right up your alley.
@@TheToneLounge Okay, now I'm sold. I put off the Red Llama (two knob) b/c it was always there. Also, the classic bus-sized Hot Tubes. So, this is on the list, now. I always try them out first, of course.
I have become very aware of our differences in play-style. You're more modern, and tighter. I'm a bit more loose, w/ a preference for Major over Minor approaches.
Still, you always manage to convey the tone very well, and I can also tell what's not for me. So, you still do an awesome job of demonstratiing the pedal. Nice of you to drop that reminder, though. :)
I do think you deserve a "commission" for very much, selling me this pedal. Love what I heard, love what you're telling me. Worst case, you're never gonna hear me complain after the fact. :)
Well if you do get it, I really hope it's to your liking. I have the nano version of the Hot Tubes on my list. It's affordable and I keep putting off but I intend to get one soon. Perhaps a shootout is in order?
Yes, I agree with you, Barbershop has a little similarity to Red LLama.
Barbershop light gain is very good and the Sag mode is cool because you don't need to keep moving the guitar's volume knob.
This pedal maker is new to me, very good.
I need to add two remarks.
In fact, Barbershop has evolved a lot.
At the same time I consider your proposal "Vox friendly pedals", it is very important.
Fairfield Circuitry is well worth looking into. They are one of the rare companies making original circuit designs. I've wanted the Barbershop for many years now. It was well worth it.
I definetly think that pedal qualifies as "Vox Friendly". It plays so well with the AC15.
Fantastic sounding overdrive
Darn right! Ever tried this one?
@@TheToneLounge No,. Send it to me!
I’m still waiting for your check to clear 🤪
Hey Jonathan! Have you tried stacking it with the Tumnus or a Dumble style OD? I'm pretty intrigued by the Barbershop, and I already have a Dude and a Tumnus Deluxe so I'm trying to figure out which of those two the Barbershop would complement the most. At the moment I'm learning towards the Tumnus but the Dude also sounds great and probably has a completely different character to the Barbershop.
The Barbershop sounded great with my Tumnus. So that would be an excellent pairing. I’m not too familiar with The Dude. Is that a Dumble style pedal?
If so, The Dude and The Barbershop need to be on someone’s board. That would be a talking piece!
@@TheToneLounge Yep, the Dude is a Dumble-style OD. I just bought the Barbershop so I’ll try it out with the Dude when I receive it.
@@matsapo1 let me know when you get it! I’m intrigued to hear your thoughts.
Nice Demo, thanks! I always had an eye on this pedal, never tried it though. The sound reminds me of a bluesbreakerstyle pedal (KoT etc, "transparent"), but with more dirt and a vulgar approach overall, not in a bad way. I dig it! My association: Bluesbreaker -> college, Barbershop -> street credibility.
I love these types of overdrives. They do edge of breakup but also do slightly broken up tones that sound quite different from your average mid drive. It reminds me of my Red Llama.
@@TheToneLoungeI'm with you. Not a fan of the TS for most applications, just too much mids. Wanna hear the rrrrrring in the high end! Reuss Gold Sounds is my current fave.
I don't mind the TS, it is definitely a useful pedal. Just not in all applications. I often find that something simple in sound goes a long way for me. Reuss makes some of the best pedals out there. I love the ones I have.
Hwy man! Do you know if that was the v1 or v2? I hear the 2 has a lot less hair somehow.
@TheFunky57 mine is V2. I never got to compare it to a V1, so I can't confirm.
This is the "distortion" pedal for people who wish they could instead just turn their amp up loud enough for natural gain.
I've never been a fan of distortion pedals, so I've often found myself trying to make do with just milder fuzz pedal for a bit more character, but this thing takes the best of both fuzz pedals and distortion pedals, ending up with this one pedal that's somehow usable with almost literally anything - seriously, I'm going to be trying it on my Mellotron and even some drum tracks soon.
For guitar, a reasonable comparison is the fuzz/distortion that Hendrix would get, where he could play linear, melodic stuff but also chord stuff with tons of distortion that wouldn't just crumble apart once he started playing chords, which is what happens with 90% of fuzz pedals. This isn't technically a fuzz pedal, but it absolutely does have some of the tonal components that make fuzz pedals sound the way they do.
Perhaps most shockingly, for me: it is the ONLY bass distortion pedal. It's literally the very first time I've heard a bass distortion effect that I've liked - it doesn't do that shitty, fizzy top end that virtually all bass distortion pedals or built-in bass amp distortion does.
Most bass distortion just sounds like two signals: your bass, and then this other thin, artificial-sounding buzzy noise just slapped on top.
When you dial this thing in right for bass, it's very 'first Black Sabbath album') or Buzzcocks - more specifically: "Why Can't I Touch It"-which doesn't at all fight with distorted guitars-and not Rage Against Machine - which very much competes guitar for the same frequencies ...which of course is fine if always doubling distorted guitar is your thing.
Basically, if you want a shockingly tasty, subtle "distortion" pedal that is more of a 'coloration' pedal, that you can hypothetically sprinkle a bit of on pretty much anything,
Pair this thing with an MXR 10 band EQ and you've got just worlds of possibilities in front of you.
I've not shied away from letting people know that the Barbershop is my number 1 pedal. It used to be the Red Llama, but this one managed to dethrone it. The clipping in this pedal is spectacular. Even my amps don't sound as good when overdriven compared to the Barbershop. Of course, tone is subjective, but I do think that this pedal is on another level.
I have over 100 pedals, and although I do love other pedals, this one is the only one I grab if there is a house fire.
It sounds great with any amp/guitar combination that I throw at it. It plays well with all my pedals, and sounds incredible after a fuzz pedal.
I also own The Unpleasant Surprise and About 900 fuzz from Fairfield Circuitry, and they are just as incredible. Have you tried those ones yet?
What are your settings for that Buzzcocks vibe?
You mentioned the red llama as your favorite od. Is it replaced by this one?
Yep. The Red Llama is now my #2.
@@TheToneLounge Nice I ordered Both pcb's for the red llama and the barbershop. Hope to build them both soon and choose one of them to make a dual OD with the Benson preamp i made earlier
does it have a mid bump like a TS or Klon?
No, pretty neutral in the mids.
Would you say the breakup and character of this pedal resembles any particular amp? Almost sounds like a SUNN amp
Hi Omar,
That’s a tricky question for me to answer, as I have never had the privilege to play a Sunn amp. I know that this pedal is an original circuit, bit I don’t know if it aimed to reproduce the sound of a particular amp.
To me, it shares many traits with the Way Huge Red Llama. It has a slightly fuzzy grit to it, reminiscent of a broken up tweed amp.
@@TheToneLounge Ah okay so if you had to point it to an amp it would be tweed ish?
Is your snare turned on in the room? Or is that the pedal making that snare rattling sound?
I don't have a drum kit. What are you listening on?
@@TheToneLounge oh interesting, headphones (fostex t50 Mk. III Argon) through an SSL 2+.
Must be the pedal making that sound
@@carbon_wavelight Depending on how loud/quiet he has the amp set, how close he is to the microphone, and how hard he's hitting the strings, you might be hearing a bit of acoustic spill from the guitar itself.
Bought one, foolishly sold it. Missed it so bad I bought another one and it is staying on my board.
Yeah, I ain’t getting rid of this one either. It’s awesome!
There is something that interests me about this pedal, but last minute I am like - I will get bored with it pretty quickly, so I never pull the trigger.
I recommend trying it first. I'm not so certain you would be bored. There are some very cool tones in here.
It's also absolutely fucking phenomenal for bass distortion. The ONLY bass distortion I've ever liked - it doesn't have that shitty, fizzy top end that all other bass distortion does.
I've also never heard amp distortion like this thing, so I'm pretty much always clicking on it for new parts I'm writing, just in case I need something more than distortion but not as committal as fuzz.
I'll take this thing over the Klown ANY day.
Have you tried the angry driver on the ac15
I have not. That's the Boss/JHS pedal, right?
@@TheToneLounge yes boss/jhs. I just got one today from guitar center for my ac15 and its really special.you should make a video on those 2 one of these days.🤘
I'll see what I can do! Cheers
@@TheToneLounge i cant wait🙏🏼
Sag at 9 👍
Yeah, I dig the sag at lower settings although it is a screamer when cranked.
love it on vox, but is so expensive..
I hear you. You do get what you pay for with this one. Build quality and sound are stellar.