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BJFE Blueberry vs. Fairfield Barbershop

Discussion in 'Effects [BG]' started by Dave Hill, Nov 2, 2014.

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  1. Nov 2, 2014 #1
    Dave Hill

    Dave Hill Supporting Member

    Jan 9, 2005
    Atlanta, GA
    I've loved my BBBOD for years now, but have started to become paranoid about gigging it becuase, well, if I could get another one, it would really cost me. So I've started searching for a new OD that I can take out to the festivals and dive bars without worry. I'm looking for an always on, tube like mild to mid-overdrive, which again, the BBBOD does better than any I've found. Based on reading here on TB one of the pedals that caught my attention was the Barbershop, so i recently picked one up to see if it could fill the big shoes of the Blueberry.

    My first impressions of the Barbershop is that is extremely transparent and dry. The Blueberry seems to add some overtones which create a little sustain and even feedback at times. I find this to be very pleasing to the ears, and also to the feel of the bass; i.e. bending notes, nursing feedback, etc. The Barbershop adds only some grit, otherwise what comes out is what went in, which is not a bad thing. There is no loss of lows and the tone of the bass is faithfully reproduced.

    The Blueberry adds some color, particularly in the mids, and you have to turn the tone down to keep the lows. But, is is oh so creamy, smooth and fat. With the Barbershop, I can always hear the "teeth of the saw blade"; it cant get as smooth and full. Both pedals are sensitive to touch, although the Blueberry is a little more so. You can go from virtually clean to od with right hand pressure with either.

    I made a quick YouTube vid, but please excuse my lack of production. I'm playing my Fbass BN5 through a GK MB 112 II combo with an 112 powered extension cab. What you see and hear is from my iphone.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlZFfvUy-_A&feature=youtu.be

    Here is the Blueberry in a track with a 70 P bass through the DI of a SWR Bass 750 into a Korg D16.

     
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  2. Nov 2, 2014 #2
    depalm

    depalm

    Apr 22, 2004
    São Paulo
    I've been using both for quite some time now.
    Barbershop (1st gen.) for more subtle dirt and BF3BOD for more driven tones.
    Love both.

    IMG_7436.jpg
     
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  3. Nov 2, 2014 #3
    dannybuoy

    dannybuoy

    Aug 3, 2005
    Earth
    I've got the Blueberry but only ever heard clips of the Barbershop, and this video kinda reaffirms what I thought before. The Blueberry is more tubey, or amp-like when you dig in, whereas the Barbershop sounds great played softly but transitions to much harsher clipping when digging in, not unlike you get from overdriving the input of a PA mixer. I imagine therefore the Barbershop might struggle with high output basses?

    If you're worried about gigging your BJFE Blueberry, just get the Bearfoot!
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2014
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  4. Nov 3, 2014 #4
    Dave Hill

    Dave Hill Supporting Member

    Jan 9, 2005
    Atlanta, GA
    The Bearfoot is next on my list. I hope it's really close to the BJFE.

    I'll give the Barbershop a fair shot and take it to a couple gigs, but it was pretty apparent that the Blueberry trumps it, IMO. The Blueberry is one of those products that for me totally lives up to all the hype heaped upon it here and elsewhere. A lot of gear I've tried didn't.
     
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  5. Nov 3, 2014 #5
    depalm

    depalm

    Apr 22, 2004
    São Paulo
    BJFE and Bearfoot sounds really close.

    BJFE feels more "creamy" and deep.



     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2014
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  6. Nov 3, 2014 #6
    smperry

    smperry Administrator Staff Member Administrator Gold Supporting Member

    Nov 3, 2003
    Bay Area, CA
    I'm loving the Barbershop, but I'm using it for lower gain than that.
     
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  7. Nov 3, 2014 #7
    depalm

    depalm

    Apr 22, 2004
    São Paulo
    Me too, my Barbershop is set for lowest gain possible.
     
  8. Nov 4, 2014 #8
    10cc

    10cc Inactive

    Oct 28, 2013
    Is there anyway you could slip a barbershop sample up here compared to the bearfoot and BJFE. I heard them in person last week. But I'd be interested in hearing the comparison between the two recorded. I'm looking to buy one of these three units and I'm torn between them all. It does seem like that blueberry is the one though. The Bearfoot is a lot closer to the Bluberry than the barbershop though. Either way very cool pedals. Can you run them on 9v's?
     
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  9. Nov 4, 2014 #9
    depalm

    depalm

    Apr 22, 2004
    São Paulo
    I run my barbershop in 9v and sure, I'll make a clip.
    Best.
     
  10. Nov 5, 2014 #10
    Dave Hill

    Dave Hill Supporting Member

    Jan 9, 2005
    Atlanta, GA
    Listening back, both pedals sound a little buzzy. They both sound a good bit fuller and bassier in person.
     
  11. Nov 5, 2014 #11
    Dave W

    Dave W Supporting Member

    Mar 1, 2007
    Westchester, NY
    I've never played the Blueberry but the Barbershop is not buzzy at all.

    I suppose it does have a lot to do with your signal chain and what you're running into it. I'm not a fan of running my active basses with a lot of boost on the EQ into it, as it ends up sounding kinda farty. But if you understand that and work around it (compensate with your amps EQ instead) it sounds friggin' phenomenal. It's by far the most natural sounding OD pedal I've used to mimic the sound of a pushed tube amp, complete with the dynamics of said tube amp. Clean when you lay off and play softly, dirtier as you start to dig in, some natural compression coming through as well. Live, it's just an amazing pedal.

    I've got three of them so I can have one on all of my various pedalboards without taking them apart.
     
  12. Nov 5, 2014 #12
    b15fliptop

    b15fliptop Supporting Member

    Feb 17, 2004
    Florida
    All of these clips of the BBBOD sound great to me.
     
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  13. Nov 7, 2014 #13
    depalm

    depalm

    Apr 22, 2004
    São Paulo
    As requested
    Audio clips recorded with Fairfield Barbershop Overdrive.
    Apologize for not ideal recording. But you can have a nice idea of how does it sounds.
    Had to make them at home :cool:.
    Signal chain: 78 Fender Pbass> Barbershop OD> Aguilar TH500>AguilarDB410>HeilSound PR22 dynamic mic>Apogee Duet Interface>LogicPro X.



     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2014
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  14. Nov 7, 2014 #14
    10cc

    10cc Inactive

    Oct 28, 2013
    Thanks mane.
     
  15. Nov 7, 2014 #15
    depalm

    depalm

    Apr 22, 2004
    São Paulo
    Mane? :eyebrow:
     
  16. Nov 7, 2014 #16
    Dave W

    Dave W Supporting Member

    Mar 1, 2007
    Westchester, NY
    Mang...
     
  17. Nov 7, 2014 #17
    smperry

    smperry Administrator Staff Member Administrator Gold Supporting Member

    Nov 3, 2003
    Bay Area, CA
    mate? g'day.
     
  18. Nov 7, 2014 #18
    Dave Hill

    Dave Hill Supporting Member

    Jan 9, 2005
    Atlanta, GA
    Yes. It's mang.
     
  19. Nov 8, 2014 #19
    Dave Hill

    Dave Hill Supporting Member

    Jan 9, 2005
    Atlanta, GA
    The Barbershop goes from "can't tell it's on" to "too coarse", IMO. Even with touch; sounds off playing light, but when it comes in playing harder it's not that smooth. Very evident in De Palmeira's clips.
    It gets that Kazoo sound towards the end of the clips, where i assume he's upping the gain.
     
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  20. Nov 8, 2014 #20
    depalm

    depalm

    Apr 22, 2004
    São Paulo
    Yeah, extreme settings sounds too harsh to my taste. I always use it on a very light drive, just to smooth out transients.
    For more driven sounds I use the 3BOD.

    Both clips were recorded increasing from: bypassed> On - Drive minimum> 9 o'clock> 11 o'clock> 12 o'clock> one o'clock> 3 o'clock> max.
     
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