Ocifer
New member
Hey,
I just got a Barber Direct Drive, after many issues and qualms with a distributor here in Canada--I waited nearly two months for the thing to show up after sending payment.
However, the pedal has not disappointed. This is just an initial review, and I will definitely add more as I get a chance to put it through its paces. I've just been playing with it for a few hours here in my dorm through a modded Carvin Bel-Air 2x12, and I use a Fender Jimmie Vaughan Strat. I didn't get a chance to crank the amp much (kept it below 2 out of 10), but I will try to post sound clips when I get the amp in a more neighbour-friendly location.
Initial impression: This thing seriously kicks. It has volume, tone, and drive knobs. The tone knob is push/pull, and it initiates a Fat Harmonics mode when pulled out. The drive knob has a good range of sounds. At 7:00-8:00 it is a really nice clean boost, a la SRV or Hendrixy sounds. From 8-12:00 I find it very useful for rhythm and with tweaking of the tone and drive knobs it can take on a nice Tube Screamer-ish quality. With the Drive set higher than 12 it creates a nice Marshall-y lead sound, or nearing a Dumble sound with the Harmonics switch engaged.
The tone knob with the Fat Harmonics option really enhances this pedal, and I see the possibility of it 'vibing' with many different guitars because of this. My amp still has certain aspects of its old sound, but the leads are nice and overdriven now, and rarely harsh (in the sense of too painful treble). It takes a lot of treble between the amp's controls and the pedal's tone knob to get into ice-picky territory, meaning this tone knob is very usable.
Again, I've only been playing this thing around 2/10 in terms of volume, and it is very responsive to the picking hand. I bought it for the thicker Robben Ford-like tones that it was supposed to deliver (I find it does a good job at this), but it really surprised me as a clean boost. With my middle pickup (no tone knob attached to it on my Strat), I was able to hit the Riviera Paradise and Lenny tones... very nice and responsive.
I had so much fun with this thing that I started at 9pm and ended at midnight only because I didn't realize the racket I was making, causing a neighbour to headbutt the wall, it seems.
If you've been considering the Barber Direct Drive, go try it out -- it may be the pedal for you. I don't see myself selling this anytime soon. I will try it out with my Fender Champ 600 (5W) tomorrow, and get back to you guys. I look forward to seeing what it does to the little Champ, which already has some nice attitude of its own.
I just got a Barber Direct Drive, after many issues and qualms with a distributor here in Canada--I waited nearly two months for the thing to show up after sending payment.
However, the pedal has not disappointed. This is just an initial review, and I will definitely add more as I get a chance to put it through its paces. I've just been playing with it for a few hours here in my dorm through a modded Carvin Bel-Air 2x12, and I use a Fender Jimmie Vaughan Strat. I didn't get a chance to crank the amp much (kept it below 2 out of 10), but I will try to post sound clips when I get the amp in a more neighbour-friendly location.
Initial impression: This thing seriously kicks. It has volume, tone, and drive knobs. The tone knob is push/pull, and it initiates a Fat Harmonics mode when pulled out. The drive knob has a good range of sounds. At 7:00-8:00 it is a really nice clean boost, a la SRV or Hendrixy sounds. From 8-12:00 I find it very useful for rhythm and with tweaking of the tone and drive knobs it can take on a nice Tube Screamer-ish quality. With the Drive set higher than 12 it creates a nice Marshall-y lead sound, or nearing a Dumble sound with the Harmonics switch engaged.
The tone knob with the Fat Harmonics option really enhances this pedal, and I see the possibility of it 'vibing' with many different guitars because of this. My amp still has certain aspects of its old sound, but the leads are nice and overdriven now, and rarely harsh (in the sense of too painful treble). It takes a lot of treble between the amp's controls and the pedal's tone knob to get into ice-picky territory, meaning this tone knob is very usable.
Again, I've only been playing this thing around 2/10 in terms of volume, and it is very responsive to the picking hand. I bought it for the thicker Robben Ford-like tones that it was supposed to deliver (I find it does a good job at this), but it really surprised me as a clean boost. With my middle pickup (no tone knob attached to it on my Strat), I was able to hit the Riviera Paradise and Lenny tones... very nice and responsive.
I had so much fun with this thing that I started at 9pm and ended at midnight only because I didn't realize the racket I was making, causing a neighbour to headbutt the wall, it seems.
If you've been considering the Barber Direct Drive, go try it out -- it may be the pedal for you. I don't see myself selling this anytime soon. I will try it out with my Fender Champ 600 (5W) tomorrow, and get back to you guys. I look forward to seeing what it does to the little Champ, which already has some nice attitude of its own.
