Fairfield Circuitry - THE CLUB

[cnltb]

I haven't found a bad setting yet. I thought "all knobs halfway" had a nice sound to it. I'll have to wait until I hear it in the mix with a band before I pass final judgment.

Fair enough!

 

[Mushroo]

Last night I got a chance to try the Modèle B in a blues/rock jam. It was a trio with guitar and drums. My signal chain was: P bass with flats -> Broughton HPF -> Fairfield Modéle B -> Quilter 101 Mini -> old Peavey 410 cabinet. I started the night with my compressor (Cali76) but decided I preferred the sound without it.

Once again, I couldn't find a single bad tone with the Fairfield. Even the most "extreme" knob settings were musically useful, in my opinion. By the end of the night, I was using this setting: maximum Volume, just a little bit of Gain, and just a little bit of Sag. It was pushing hard on the input of the Quilter (which was on the 'jazz' setting with the Gain at 4), resulting in a beautifully warm, rich, and organic tone.

For a relatively modest price, and a tiny bit of pedalboard real estate, the Modèle B is a winner!

 

[Dave W]

Last night I got a chance to try the Modèle B in a blues/rock jam. It was a trio with guitar and drums. My signal chain was: P bass with flats -> Broughton HPF -> Fairfield Modéle B -> Quilter 101 Mini -> old Peavey 410 cabinet. I started the night with my compressor (Cali76) but decided I preferred the sound without it.

Once again, I couldn't find a single bad tone with the Fairfield. Even the most "extreme" knob settings were musically useful, in my opinion. By the end of the night, I was using this setting: maximum Volume, just a little bit of Gain, and just a little bit of Sag. It was pushing hard on the input of the Quilter (which was on the 'jazz' setting with the Gain at 4), resulting in a beautifully warm, rich, and organic tone.

For a relatively modest price, and a tiny bit of pedalboard real estate, the Modèle B is a winner!

It's a great pedal! Still one of my all time favorites.

 

[cnltb]

To all that use or have owned more than one barbershop: Do all your BS pedals sound the same(have sounded the same if you have heard more than one)?

 

[Dave W]

To all that use or have owned more than one barbershop: Do all your BS pedals sound the same(have sounded the same if you have heard more than one)?

For the most part. I've got two ME's and a v1.

The v1 has a little less gain and no switch. Both ME's sound the same. I have SN 017 on one of them, which in my mind sounds better than the other one...but that's all in my mind.

 

[cnltb]

For the most part. I've got two ME's and a v1.

The v1 has a little less gain and no switch. Both ME's sound the same. I have SN 017 on one of them, which in my mind sounds better than the other one...but that's all in my mind.

SN 017...as in serial number?

And one mone question:
Should the Barbershop break up at minimum settings?( Drive all the way counterclockwise. Sag all the way clockwise and volume at unity with the toggle in the middle, running from a regular 1spot, with a passive single coil P bass going into it, no effects before or after)?

 

[Dave W]

SN 017...as in serial number?

Yes.

Should the Barbershop break up at minimum settings?( Drive all the way counterclockwise. Sag all the way clockwise and volume at unity with the toggle in the middle, running from a regular 1spot, with a passive single coil P bass going into it, no effects before or after)?

I'd say no. It barely breaks up with gain at 2:00

Do you have one that is? Are you thinking there is something wrong with it?

 

[cnltb]

Yes.



I'd say no. It barely breaks up with gain at 2:00

Do you have one that is? Are you thinking there is something wrong with it?

I need to investigate a little before any assessment but yes, I do seem to get some break up at the settings I described above.
I had one before which behaved very differently - seemed to have some issues. When it worked, it behaved more like you describe.
It ad a SN below 200. My current one is above 2000...

 

[NKBassman]

@cnltb, @Dave W, My experience was different from both of yours. I wasn't getting breakup at minimum drive settings (with Sag maxed), but I was def getting breakup before 2:00.

Obviously depends a lot on how hot the incoming signal is.

 

[Dave W]

@cnltb, @Dave W, My experience was different from both of yours. I wasn't getting breakup at minimum drive settings (with Sag maxed), but I was def getting breakup before 2:00.

Obviously depends a lot on how hot the incoming signal is.

I guess 2:00 is a little high, it's probably closer to 12:00-1:00 where I can easily keep it clean with lighter playing, then get some grit when I dig in.

 

[NKBassman]

I guess 2:00 is a little high, it's probably closer to 12:00-1:00 where I can easily keep it clean with lighter playing, then get some grit when I dig in.

It's been a year or two since I had a Barbershop to play with, but that sounds a little more realistic to my experience. I think I usually had mine at about 10:00-12:00 for subtle grit, but I also tend to hit my strings pretty hard.

 

[nshuman]

I think I used to keep mine at 1:00, but I used it as a mild OD/Comp with tame comp setting (1-2 on the switches I think).

 

[NKBassman]

I think I used to keep mine at 1:00, but I used it as a mild OD/Comp with tame comp setting (1-2 on the switches I think).

Wait, are we talking about the Barbershop, or Accountant?

 

[cnltb]

Wait, are we talking about the Barbershop, or Accountant?

Barbershop

Question :
Can you guys set your Barbershops to a setting where you get NO breakup when playing quite hard?

 

[speedball3]

As other question to add to the discussion: anybody running both a barbershop/Modele B with a 5th gear? Are they redundant or complimentary?

 

[cnltb]

I've also just had a look inside my new BS and the board is white, as opposed to the green in my previous one...some parts also have different colours.

 

[Hypercaffium]

I just got an Accountant, so I guess I'm in the club.
Are you still giving numbers to the new members?

I have a question for all the Unpleasant Surprise users. Apart from its sputtery gated tones, is it usable as a traditional fuzz? Can you put it anywhere in your signal chain or is it tricky?

 

[cnltb]

I just got an Accountant, so I guess I'm in the club.
Are you still giving numbers to the new members?

I have a question for all the Unpleasant Surprise users. Apart from its sputtery gated tones, is it usable as a traditional fuzz? Can you put it anywhere in your signal chain or is it tricky?

I find, that Unpleasant Surprise can do 'quite reguloar and tame'. It obviously depends on settings. I've used mine in quite a variety of musical environments.

 

[Hypercaffium]

I can't test one here locally, but I'm tempted to grab one. I'm using a Shoe Pixel at the moment, which is maybe even more extreme compared to the Unpleasant Surprise. It works ok as a regular fuzz at some settings and it likes being in different places of my signal chain, so I'd say I'm already covered, but there's always something about Fairfield stuff that intrigues me. The Accountant is a killer pedal, very unique.

 

[cnltb]

I can't test one here locally, but I'm tempted to grab one. I'm using a Shoe Pixel at the moment, which is maybe even more extreme compared to the Unpleasant Surprise. It works ok as a regular fuzz at some settings and it likes being in different places of my signal chain, so I'd say I'm already covered, but there's always something about Fairfield stuff that intrigues me. The Accountant is a killer pedal, very unique.

Pixel's on my list of things to try, as is the great destroyer.
I use the 4eyes for regular fuzz quite a bit. It sounds really good, is versatile and fun as it often leads me to sounds I had not thought of by myself.
Yes, Accountant is fantastic also.