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Ampeg Classic vs Barber Linden vs Broughton Flip Top

#21
ahbass2500 said:
Thoughts on the B15-esque devices I have owned in order of my preference.

Ampeg PF-50T - Being a full tube head, this one does the best job of getting to B15 of the options I have owned. Admittedly it is the most expensive of the list and is also the least portable.

Broughton Fliptop - Excellent pedal; Cab sim is where the magic is at on this one. Broughton is reportedly doing another batch of these in the near future.

Broughton Fliptop Boost - Baked in EQ is very Fliptop; least versatile of the bunch, but the baked in tone is solid. Small form factor is a plus (I have this one on a smaller board).

Linden - Does the 2 band EQ thing well; extremely clean option which keeps it from getting all the way to B15. Likely does better paired with some mild overdrive, which I did not try when I had it.

Sushibox Bee Pre HW - I liked the Bee Pre, but it was ultimately my least favorite of the bunch. Sushibox pedals were noisy for me (a design issue that has reportedly been fixed, but I stopped buying Sushis before trying a pedal with the fix). This one gets the dirtiest of the bunch. It can be clean at lower gain settings or with a lower gain tube swap. I swapped to a lower gain tube to get rid of some of the dirt and preferred it to the stock tube. Worth noting I would put the Bee Pre above the Linden if I had not had noise issues.


The only two from the list above I still own are the Fliptop Boost and the Ampeg PF-50T. Ultimately if you really want B15, the simpler solutions do not get you all the way there. A mains preamp or all tube head that is after the B15 tone will get you all the way there. These are of course more expensive and bulkier, so will not be a suitable solution for everyone.

I recognize OP is not looking for a main preamp or new head. I mention it because I was also not looking for one. I then bought and sold a bunch of pedals, only to ultimately end up buying the PF-50T. Wish I had started there and saved some time/pedal flipping.
Click to expand...
Do you find using different voltages make the behavior change on your FT boost?
 
#24
For the B15 tone, how about these?

SolidGoldFX BetaV
Xotic Bass BB

I am also curious about the Darkglass Vintage Microtubes. The Era control counter-clockwise sounds like a similar effect as the above and the Fliptop Cabsim control. A sort of high- and low-pass filter that narrows bandwidth to, and thus emphasizes, the middle frequencies.
 
#25
thepapercut said:
Any idea when more Fliptops will hit the internet?
Click to expand...

From the Broughton email newsletter, today:

1736534340253.png


The product page is here: Fliptop | Broughton Audio
 
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#27
I don’t know about the ‘Ampeg Classic’, but as I said in the Broughton Super Thread, I own the Linden, Slampegg, & now the Fliptop… like everybody, I thought the Fliptop was gonna ‘blow it all away’… and to my shock, it didn’t.

to ‘me’, the Winner is Nathan’s Slampegg. That’s just my opinion.

Because right out of the gate, it throws that ‘tube thing’ in your face. (in a good way) {quick digression; I told Nathan to hook me up with a very low gain 12AU7 in the pedal. anything over a 12AY7 in bassland is too hot for me.. I’m looking for ‘warmth’, not ‘distortion’}

Anyway, the Slampegg Behaves exactly the way you think it would;
Warm right away > Highs start to roll off > mids start to bump > compression starts > and hot romantic distant glowing, if you leave it on long enough lol. (and boy is that pedal WARM at that point!)

I love my Linden, especially the toggles.. the Bee has “those toggles” as well,… but,…. There’s something about the Linden that does it a little better… the words ‘clean and creamy’ come to mind. {voiced differently? I don’t know.}

If I can just isolate the Slampegg Tube ‘Drive Section’,… and put that in another enclosure WITH the Linden (kinda like that LindenGinger thing) I would really LOVE to hear that!

As far as the Fliptop,…
Shockingly Underwhelming to My ears.
I know, that’s Blasphemy.
Unless the Cab Sim Wows me on the next gig, I might consider selling it.
….When Josh runs out of stock, that is..
 
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#29
Juicyanalog said:
I don’t know about the ‘Ampeg Classic’, but as I said in the Broughton Super Thread, I own the Linden, Slampegg, & now the Fliptop… like everybody, I thought the Fliptop was gonna ‘blow it all away’… and to my shock, it didn’t.

to ‘me’, the Winner is Nathan’s Slampegg. That’s just my opinion.

Because right out of the gate, it throws that ‘tube thing’ in your face. (in a good way) {quick digression; I told Nathan to hook me up with a very low gain 12AU7 in the pedal. anything over a 12AY7 in bassland is too hot for me.. I’m looking for ‘warmth’, not ‘distortion’}

Anyway, the Slampegg Behaves exactly the way you think it would;
Warm right away > Highs start to roll off > mids start to bump > compression starts > and hot romantic distant glowing, if you leave it on long enough lol. (and boy is that pedal WARM at that point!)

I love my Linden, especially the toggles.. the Bee has “those toggles” as well,… but,…. There’s something about the Linden that does it a little better… the words ‘clean and creamy’ come to mind. {voiced differently? I don’t know.}

If I can just isolate the Slampegg Tube ‘Drive Section’,… and put that in another enclosure WITH the Linden (kinda like that LindenGinger thing) I would really LOVE to hear that!

As far as the Fliptop,…
Shockingly Underwhelming to My ears.
I know, that’s Blasphemy.
Unless the Cab Sim Wows me on the next gig, I might consider selling it.
….When Josh runs out of stock, that is..
Click to expand...
I've been using the Linden with a Hagerman Valve in front of it and it is "chef's kiss":

IMG_3781.jpeg
 
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#32
I went with the Linden, primarily because I was coming from the Noble. Granted it’s a different tone stack, but both are going for B15 but ultra clean (Linden charge-pumps to 25v from a 9v supply).
I pair it with an BB Bass Pre for any grit/clank that I need.

Loving it so far, a really solid (albeit non-valve) alternative to the Noble.

Si
 
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#33
thumbslapper said:
2 other b15 preamps that are pretty well regarded are the
- Ampeg SGT-DI in B15 mode
- Shift Line Flex

I haven't played either, but in multiple threads a bunch of folks really like the SGT-DI in B15 mode...
Click to expand...
The Ampeg SGT-DI sounds great indeed in B15 mode and 115 cab engaged. I didn't expect it to sound so good when I bought it. The other settings are not that convincing though (at least for my use), but you can load up to 3 user-IR's (cabs) in the pedal if you want.
 

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