Barber Dual Channel Pedal Appreciation
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2011 10:59 amI just wanted to voice my appreciation for Barber's dual channel pedals.
Not only do they sound amazing, they are a fantastic value (thanks Dave for "musician friendly" pricing)
I'm a proud owner of a Half-Gainer, Dual Unlimited, Burn Unit EQ, (and a Small Fry).
The ability to switch between two channels with different Vol/Gain is perfect for live use. I much prefer this concept to "stacking" which typically results in a muddier/less transparent sound. Thus Barbers Dual Channel pedals really stand out to me as a pinnacle of design and function.
On the Half-Gainer and Dual Unlimited I absolutely LOVE the Mids control. I've never encountered another pedal where the entire mid control is usable. Truly a masterpiece of design. The mids control is more of a lower mids to my ear which creates a string fattening effect (opposed to a Tube Screamer like mid hump), this can really thicken things up if you want it (but it also adjust other aspects of the eq to make the whole range usable, remarkable!). The clarity and transparency of both of these pedals is outstanding, very amp-like and full.
The Burn Unit EQ is quite versatile (not as versatile as the Small Fry in tone, as it lacks the clipping switch and note shape controls), and the Burn/Gain control is usable from Clean boost up to High Gain, which isn't common among most pedals from my experience. On the Burn Units, the Dynamics knob (compression) really set the pedal apart from many other makers' designs. The compression is transparent in that it doesn't cause the pumping/pop/attack effect of say a Dyna Comp/Ross compressor. The internal controls are also very useful to getting the EQ voice you want out of the pedal. It would be nice if the Burn Unit EQ had the additional Small Fry controls, but it is still very versatile as it is (that's more wishful thinking).
The Half-Gainer is probably my favorite both tonally and aesthetically. Nice transparent "vintage" voiced drive....and quite possibly my favorite paint job on any pedal. Love the Art Deco style and texture of the pedal. Truly a work of art. I'm a proud owner.
The Dual Unlimited is beautiful as well, the speckling adds to the art work, much like the Small Fry. Love this transparent pedal, even if Barber made this an "unlimited" run (no pun intended), it would still be special. It is probably the most clear and transparent mid-gain pedal I've played. The voice is a little more "modern and aggressive" than the LTD/Half-Gainer, but fits a great spot where the LTD leaves off. This is to say, I don't find it redundant to have both.
Now the Burn Unit EQ isn't my taste aesthetically, but it sure does sound great! Smooth Overdrive
The build quality is as good as it gets. I've had "Boutique" pedals that cost even more, but were not even built to the same standards. And I love that the entire gain range is usable on all of these pedals. Many other builders have a sweet spot you have to find (and hope that matches the guitar and amp combo/settings you are putting it into).
Not only do they sound amazing, they are a fantastic value (thanks Dave for "musician friendly" pricing)
I'm a proud owner of a Half-Gainer, Dual Unlimited, Burn Unit EQ, (and a Small Fry).
The ability to switch between two channels with different Vol/Gain is perfect for live use. I much prefer this concept to "stacking" which typically results in a muddier/less transparent sound. Thus Barbers Dual Channel pedals really stand out to me as a pinnacle of design and function.
On the Half-Gainer and Dual Unlimited I absolutely LOVE the Mids control. I've never encountered another pedal where the entire mid control is usable. Truly a masterpiece of design. The mids control is more of a lower mids to my ear which creates a string fattening effect (opposed to a Tube Screamer like mid hump), this can really thicken things up if you want it (but it also adjust other aspects of the eq to make the whole range usable, remarkable!). The clarity and transparency of both of these pedals is outstanding, very amp-like and full.
The Burn Unit EQ is quite versatile (not as versatile as the Small Fry in tone, as it lacks the clipping switch and note shape controls), and the Burn/Gain control is usable from Clean boost up to High Gain, which isn't common among most pedals from my experience. On the Burn Units, the Dynamics knob (compression) really set the pedal apart from many other makers' designs. The compression is transparent in that it doesn't cause the pumping/pop/attack effect of say a Dyna Comp/Ross compressor. The internal controls are also very useful to getting the EQ voice you want out of the pedal. It would be nice if the Burn Unit EQ had the additional Small Fry controls, but it is still very versatile as it is (that's more wishful thinking).
The Half-Gainer is probably my favorite both tonally and aesthetically. Nice transparent "vintage" voiced drive....and quite possibly my favorite paint job on any pedal. Love the Art Deco style and texture of the pedal. Truly a work of art. I'm a proud owner.
The Dual Unlimited is beautiful as well, the speckling adds to the art work, much like the Small Fry. Love this transparent pedal, even if Barber made this an "unlimited" run (no pun intended), it would still be special. It is probably the most clear and transparent mid-gain pedal I've played. The voice is a little more "modern and aggressive" than the LTD/Half-Gainer, but fits a great spot where the LTD leaves off. This is to say, I don't find it redundant to have both.
Now the Burn Unit EQ isn't my taste aesthetically, but it sure does sound great! Smooth Overdrive
The build quality is as good as it gets. I've had "Boutique" pedals that cost even more, but were not even built to the same standards. And I love that the entire gain range is usable on all of these pedals. Many other builders have a sweet spot you have to find (and hope that matches the guitar and amp combo/settings you are putting it into).