• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fantastic dirt pedal. The XD-1 from Brimstone Audio

zwkoch

zwkoch

You can't do that on bass enthusiast
Nov 29, 2012
1,921
1,174
Twin Cities, MN
#1
This pedal isn't well known on TB, but it really is fantastic. You essentially select a crossover frequency that splits your signal to two separate gain circuits. It can cop ANY (including B3K territory) OD or distortion tone that you can think of. Drop the crossover really low and even get some serious saturated fuzz. There are lots of moving parts to this guy, so fellow twiddlers like me will be in paradise.

Its only downfall is the lack of presets. So many great options, I want to save them all. I ended up taking IPhone pictures of my favorite settings as I discover them. It is also a pretty big pedal and takes up a fair amount of space as well, but given the tones it is capable of, it covers the sonic territory of any number of dirt pedals.

The only way you would lose low end with the XD-1 is if you deliberately filtered it out. It has 3 different control options to add in varieties of low end into your distorted signal. I love that I can apply the dirt to the higher frequencies and keep a beastly clean low end. I have held off on posting about this guy until the GAS honeymoon wore off. 6 weeks on the board, and its a keeper for me.

7506177_orig.jpg

I am attaching a couple of demo vids.

Company demo by David Beers (Control walkthrough and demo):

Check it out, it is well worth the time. I am happy to answer any questions that I can. I have no affiliation with Brimstone, just thought I would share a real gem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Driven Crane, hintz and andrew
#9
Thanks for all the kind words fellas! Zachary, glad the pedal is meeting your rigorous standards, I've seen from your posts that you are quite the aficionado, so thanks indeed! We are working on some bass presets, both for the manual and the website. Should be up within the next week or so. We are also planning to create a user-presets section for people to post their favorite settings, perhaps you have a couple to contribute? :)

Let me know if anyone has technical questions or any other questions.

Cheers!
 
  • Like
Reactions: andrew
#12
Hey David I know a guy who has a cousin that knows the daughter of a roadie for the rolling Stones can I get an endorsement deal and a free pedal sir? :) Great review Zach my board has been complete for some time now and my gas has been exhausted or has it??
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff O'Connor
#13
David Beers said:
JohnK, your basses look sick! Very classic, very sexy. Do you have any in any stores on the west coast? Would love to play one. Love the concept.
Click to expand...

thanks for the very kind words David. no, I don't. my basses are ordered directly from me and built one at a time. since I build all of them myself, I don't build enough of them to have stores stock them.

anytime you're in so cal (in in thousand oaks), you're more than welcome to drop by and check them out. or maybe we could meet somewhere in between.
 
#14
johnk_10 said:
thanks for the very kind words David. no, I don't. my basses are ordered directly from me and built one at a time. since I build all of them myself, I don't build enough of them to have stores stock them.

anytime you're in so cal (in in thousand oaks), you're more than welcome to drop by and check them out. or maybe we could meet somewhere in between.
Click to expand...

Awesome, we are down in SoCal from time to time, I'll remember to hit you up! If you want to check out a Crossover Distortion in person, you can go to Bass Exchange / The Amp Shop in Sherman Oaks or Noisebug in Pomona if you're out that way.

I play a 75 Jazz reissue from about 10 years ago. Love that old school vibe. Love to get a 70's Stingray and a 70's Ricky some day.
 
#15
mjac28 said:
Hey David I know a guy who has a cousin that knows the daughter of a roadie for the rolling Stones can I get an endorsement deal and a free pedal sir? :) Great review Zach my board has been complete for some time now and my gas has been exhausted or has it??
Click to expand...

Points for creativity my friend. "Guy who knows the daughter of a roadie for the Rolling Stones" does have quite the ring to it, I could see that in some ad copy someday. :)
 
#16
zwkoch, how close to the sound in the vids do you find the pedal in real life? The high end tone on the demo vids is exactly the sound I go for, but need a few things to get there now.

I've been watching the hell out of the vids and the mix of note articulation with such a thick dirt sound is melting my brain. So good.

Here's a vid I don't think has been posted yet:



Who else here has one of these?
 
#17
It is spot on, and they didn't even scratch the surface when it comes to what this pedal can do. I have gotten used to getting psyched up about demos and then being disappointed when the pedal is connected to my rig. I can't speak to your particular taste, but this one hits the right spot for me.
 
#18
zwkoch said:
It is spot on, and they didn't even scratch the surface when it comes to what this pedal can do. I have gotten used to getting psyched up about demos and then being disappointed when the pedal is connected to my rig. I can't speak to your particular taste, but this one hits the right spot for me.
Click to expand...

That's my thing too, vids can be misleading. Glad to hear this pedal translates to vids more accurately.

What pedal(s) did the XD-1 replace for you?
 
#19
Hey, David, a (conceptually) simple way to take this pedal to the next dimension would be to have stereo output, one for each freq range.

Again, conceptually simple, though I won't pretend to have the foggiest idea of how simple or not it would be to actually implement. Just a thought for version 2.
 
#20
That pedals sounds freakin' amazing! Too many knobs for me, though. I feel like simplicity is good in my rig. Never could twiddle much with any advantage, and too many knobs never seemed to let me get anywhere - I was experimenting too much! Anyway, congratulations to those with more patience/better understanding of all the technical stuff because this pedal looks awesome.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back