NEW Barber Gain-Changer!

[David Barber]

Any update on the big box version ETA? Waiting patiently!

Phlo

No action at the moment, but I hope that changes soon. The dreaded summer slow-down should shake a few products loose.

[Agitator]

Just wanted to pop in and say that I finally got a chance to play a nice long gig with my GC and it rocked my world (and hopefully, some of the audience as well). I got it back in January or February, but this spring has been slow for me for a number of reasons, and I've also had another OD pedal that I was using for one particular band, which I was reluctant to replace with the GC. That other pedal does certain things extremely well, but is also hard to dial in sometimes. With the GC, I just set up, tweaked it a little for my first solo, and had nothing but pure niceness for the rest of the nice. I didn't even use the high-gain setting but (as with my old LTD), if I hit the front-end with a clean boost, I get a nice, smooth, compressed overdrive with (for me) a lot of distortion. Not as raunchy as my Rat, but close enough, especially since it means one fewer pedal on my board (i.e. boost + GC instead of boost + OD + Rat). And I'm sure it could get into Rat territory on the Unlimited setting if I really felt the need.

Nice work, Barber. I knew I would like this pedal because I used to have an LTD, which I loved except for the EQ. But I didn't appreciate how much I would love it until I got a chance to really give it a workout over a couple of sets with tons of soloing (yay me).

I haven't had a chance to gig with my Compact Direct Drive yet, but I am planning to give that one a workout at the end of the month...

[David Barber]

Just wanted to pop in and say that I finally got a chance to play a nice long gig with my GC and it rocked my world (and hopefully, some of the audience as well). I got it back in January or February, but this spring has been slow for me for a number of reasons, and I've also had another OD pedal that I was using for one particular band, which I was reluctant to replace with the GC. That other pedal does certain things extremely well, but is also hard to dial in sometimes. With the GC, I just set up, tweaked it a little for my first solo, and had nothing but pure niceness for the rest of the nice. I didn't even use the high-gain setting but (as with my old LTD), if I hit the front-end with a clean boost, I get a nice, smooth, compressed overdrive with (for me) a lot of distortion. Not as raunchy as my Rat, but close enough, especially since it means one fewer pedal on my board (i.e. boost + GC instead of boost + OD + Rat). And I'm sure it could get into Rat territory on the Unlimited setting if I really felt the need.

Nice work, Barber. I knew I would like this pedal because I used to have an LTD, which I loved except for the EQ. But I didn't appreciate how much I would love it until I got a chance to really give it a workout over a couple of sets with tons of soloing (yay me).

I haven't had a chance to gig with my Compact Direct Drive yet, but I am planning to give that one a workout at the end of the month...

Thanks for the update!

[MullyFX]

it is slightly different than the unlimited though.... (frequency wise) wonder if the different timbre is due to the JRC4558 used in the GainChanger (instead of the 4559 used in the unlimited) or if it's due to the different components.

put a 4559 into the gain changer and it changed the GainChanger but it still sounds quite different to my unlimited. the unlimited is (hard to describe sound but) more liquid while the GC is a bit more robust

[J.LaGrassa]

it is slightly different than the unlimited though.... (frequency wise) wonder if the different timbre is due to the JRC4558 used in the GainChanger (instead of the 4559 used in the unlimited) or if it's due to the different components.

put a 4559 into the gain changer and it changed the GainChanger but it still sounds quite different to my unlimited. the unlimited is (hard to describe sound but) more liquid while the GC is a bit more robust

I've tried chip swaps on some older pedals LTD and DD but always end up preferring what Dave initially used, the GC and CDD are great stock to my ears!

[ashleyco]

Looks fantastic!!!

[David Barber]

Looks fantastic!!!

The prime concept of this forum is, to be a "Players Forum". To make this a "Players Forum" everyone who posts should have a basic equipment list and if possible a sound clip in their signature. You can place a link to your sound clip in the "sounds of Barber" section.

Here is how: Go to the "user control panel" in the upper left of the board, then go to the "profile" tab, then on the left select "edit signature" . At this point you write all your pertinent guitars, pickups, effects and amp/speakers.

If we keep this a Players forum, and not just another redundant bunch of guys and gals throwing out vaguely pertinent advise, then we actually get to know the people we are taking advise from! Lets keep this basic rule of the forum well enforced, while this may take a little effort to setup, the benefits of players getting and giving advise to people with similar style and sounds will offer a better online environment that gets to the core of tones without waste.

Please post in the correct section, this means use the "Nuts and bolts" section to ask how to modify your Barber pedal.

Thank you!

P.S. If it takes you a little while to get your sound-file uploaded, we understand.

[DreamTheaterRules]

This is not "new" info. But I have to say it again as this is months past any "honeymoon" stage or comments.

THE GAIN CHANGER IS INCREDIBLE! There, I said it. Pedal was so well thought out that the only things I wish I could add could only be accomplished with a bigger box/more controls. The mids switch. SUPERB! And thank God David decided late in the game to include the small mid bump to the mix, as I use it MOST of the time with humbuckers. The LTD/UnLTD switch. Again, superb. This thing can be as sweet and smooth as my LTDv2 and it can be pretty mean too. But, ALWAYS retaining the sound of your amp!

This is a FABULOUS solo boost pedal as the mids switch, tone knob as variety of gain available for solos can be anything from subtle boost, small gain boost, small level increase, small mids hump to what I used it for last week... I had to switch from clean rhythm tone with my Tokai strat, to singing lead sustain.

Lastly, this pedal does all these things whether hitting your favorite amp as the base tone, OR when stacking with other pedals. I just retubed my Tweaker and it sounds better than ever. Last night I had Tokai Strat (I am authorized reseller of new MIJ Tokai strats and tele's by the way) >Tone Press>Gain Changer> Compact Direct Drive> Tweaker on fender settings. I was leaving the CDD on in low gain mode as my base tone. Doing clean solos with the TP and smooth singing solos with the GC in LTD mode and really singing solos with GC and TP kicked on. I know the Tweaker is not a high end amp, but I'm telling you that the tones I was getting last night with this combo were glorious! Oh, I forgot one thing but those of you who have read my posts for the last 10 years already know this. The Launch Pad was last, on all the time AS ALWAYS with every setup, amp, guitar and pedal chain I use. It's ALWAYS on.

But this thread is about the Gain Changer. To summerize: GAIN CHANGER RULES!

[David Barber]

This is not "new" info. But I have to say it again as this is months past any "honeymoon" stage or comments.

THE GAIN CHANGER IS INCREDIBLE! There, I said it. Pedal was so well thought out that the only things I wish I could add could only be accomplished with a bigger box/more controls. The mids switch. SUPERB! And thank God David decided late in the game to include the small mid bump to the mix, as I use it MOST of the time with humbuckers. The LTD/UnLTD switch. Again, superb. This thing can be as sweet and smooth as my LTDv2 and it can be pretty mean too. But, ALWAYS retaining the sound of your amp!

This is a FABULOUS solo boost pedal as the mids switch, tone knob as variety of gain available for solos can be anything from subtle boost, small gain boost, small level increase, small mids hump to what I used it for last week... I had to switch from clean rhythm tone with my Tokai strat, to singing lead sustain.

Lastly, this pedal does all these things whether hitting your favorite amp as the base tone, OR when stacking with other pedals. I just retubed my Tweaker and it sounds better than ever. Last night I had Tokai Strat (I am authorized reseller of new MIJ Tokai strats and tele's by the way) >Tone Press>Gain Changer> Compact Direct Drive> Tweaker on fender settings. I was leaving the CDD on in low gain mode as my base tone. Doing clean solos with the TP and smooth singing solos with the GC in LTD mode and really singing solos with GC and TP kicked on. I know the Tweaker is not a high end amp, but I'm telling you that the tones I was getting last night with this combo were glorious! Oh, I forgot one thing but those of you who have read my posts for the last 10 years already know this. The Launch Pad was last, on all the time AS ALWAYS with every setup, amp, guitar and pedal chain I use. It's ALWAYS on.

But this thread is about the Gain Changer. To summarize: GAIN CHANGER RULES!

That's a mouthful! And, much appreciated.

The Launch Pad should be coming back in 2014, we took a little time off from a few pedals over the last year to focus on compact production.

[J.LaGrassa]

Flat + Fat is where it's at. love that setting!