BJFE Blue Berry VS. Moollon Bass Drive...Initial Observations

rosstanium · #1 01-15-2009, 09:31 PM

Hey guys,

For those of you who are interested in this based on the last thread I posted...i had a chance to A/B the Moollon Bass Drive and BJFE Blue Berry for about 30 minutes today. I still want to spend some more time with them, but here's some initial thoughts...

I can say right off the bat that they're both in a different class and should not be A/B'd for the purpose of comparing two pedals that supposedly do the same thing...they do not. So from this point on just consider them both overdrives, but completely different...and in my mind, if you're able to afford it, one can justify owning both

The Moollon sounds good. Really good. I like it better than the Fulltone Bass Drive good. Of course you can get it real thin and annoying (like most TS clones)...but it is definitely possible to find a nice sweet-spot where it's beefy enough to keep the low end and still cut through the mix. When I turned the tone and gain all the way down (full bass and no gain) it sounded incredibly transparent and basically (obviously) turned into a nice clean boost. It also sounded great combined and supporting some other effects...other fuzz and distortion pedals, auto-wah...pretty sweet. So both soloed and combined, it is a great pedal. I haven't messed around with a ton of other TS clones...so I can't speak to the price tag ($239 store demo). But I feel like I purchased something that will stay with me for awhile and am very happy with...even if it seems a little steep.

The BJFE is a one of a kind pedal. Everyone around here pretty much knows how sublime this pedal is. I personally think it's one of the best bass overdrive pedals for combining with other effects. I've never warmed up to it completely when soloed...but it's subtlety is magic and I've found plenty of uses for it.

Just my initial thoughts and personal taste guys. Definitely need to live with them a bit longer to feel like I have a full grasp of their sounds...but I really dig each one for what they are.

nad · #2 01-16-2009, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosstanium

I personally think it's one of the best bass overdrive pedals for combining with other effects.

How funny, I always found it to be an exercise in futility trying to get the Blue Berry to play well with others. In fact, in my experience it takes control of amp and bass settings even, let alone allowing other puny pedals to influence it on the usual path toward destruction. No doubt it is quite a unique, special pedal.

I'd love to hear clips of the Moollon, always curious about that one even if it is yet another TS-based pedal. Probably the fancy packaging that has sustained my curiosity over the years.

Jared Lash · #3 01-16-2009, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nad

How funny, I always found it to be an exercise in futility trying to get the Blue Berry to play well with others.

Agree and disagree. I thought it sounded great with phasers. Well, some phasers. I got some sick tones out of the PH-350 on 10 stage mode with it and it was a great match for the buttery warmth of the DOD 595. It did kind of overwhelm the Phantasm and the Phase 90. I keep wanting to get another Nano Small Stone, and I think it would be a good pairing.

I also really like using it with an octaver in front of it.

That said, I'm not real fond of using it with filters. I'm still figuring out the Moog LPF and haven't combined it with anything else, but I didn't like it with the Robotalk, DOD FX25 or the EMMA.

With my trem it was just kind of meh. Worked fine, but it's so bassy that it was just a bit muddy without being gainy enough to get that hard cutting distortion tone I like.

A mixed bag for sure. But then again, most of the time I kick it on I just want overdrive anyway.

Swift713 · #4 01-16-2009, 07:11 AM

I like the combination of Blueberry into Frantone Lo-tone. I usually keep the gain all the way down on both pedals. This gives me two nice warm kids of dirt and one really nice hot one.

icarussmicarus · #5 01-16-2009, 10:18 PM

Blueberry sounds lovely with the OC-2 running into it. The roll off of the highs actually makes the bass sound synthier. Sounds good with delay too. I think i posted some clips at one point. I'm probablly digging my Barber SR Ltd for solo'd atm.

Ryan Mohr · #6 01-16-2009, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icarussmicarus

Blueberry sounds lovely with the OC-2 running into it. The roll off of the highs actually makes the bass sound synthier. Sounds good with delay too. I think i posted some clips at one point. I'm probablly digging my Barber SR Ltd for solo'd atm.

How would you compare the two and what do you use them for? Thanks

icarussmicarus · #7 01-16-2009, 11:52 PM

Well without going into too much specifics, because of the nature of the two pedals it's kindof like I use the Barber when I want my Jazz bass to sound like an overdriven Jazz bass. I use the blueberry when I want my Jazz bass to sound like an overdriven Pbass.

I'm on the angler list too. Eventually I'll do a shootout thread or something.

Swift713 · #8 01-17-2009, 09:15 AM

[quote=icarussmicarus;6832909] I use the blueberry when I want my Jazz bass to sound like an overdriven Pbass.

+1 Ii play a Stingray copy but the blueberry gets me a tone similar to John Wetton.

icarussmicarus · #9 01-17-2009, 08:51 PM

You sure as hell don't get that sizzly treble sound out of it.

Ryan Mohr · #10 01-18-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icarussmicarus

Well without going into too much specifics, because of the nature of the two pedals it's kindof like I use the Barber when I want my Jazz bass to sound like an overdriven Jazz bass. I use the blueberry when I want my Jazz bass to sound like an overdriven Pbass.

I'm on the angler list too. Eventually I'll do a shootout thread or something.

So in simple terms, the Barber is transparent and the Blueberry is heavily colored?

icarussmicarus · #11 01-19-2009, 12:09 AM

I don't like using the word transparent to desribe overdrive. It's not like its a compressor or a boost or something. It adds clipping.

Essentially the blueberry always sounds mean no matter whose using it or what your throwing into it or what amp your sending it into to. The barber sounds different when your try different things through it.

My ****** old starter bass for example sounds killer through the blueberry but not so much the Barber.

The blueberry is kinda like a preamp in that way. Where as the barber is just an OD.