NPD: I'm a jerk. Sorry Darkglass.

[BadExample]

Burn the witch!

But which witch is the good witch and which witch is the bad witch?

 

[smperry]

Don't get me wrong. It is a fine tool. Still, the enthusiasm for it is a little overwhelming when everybody prescribes it as the cure for every ailment, in every thread. Let's be realistic; it's not bourbon

You mean single malt scotch

 

[Nephilymbass]

I've been pretty quick on the draw about my distaste for Darkglass distortion, over the years. I've not been shy mentioning it in threads about their boxes. The truth is, I really didn't like what I heard a few years back. I first tried an early Finland version with a Dingwall ABZ5. I later tried a VMTD. There was a fizzy quality to the top end, and not enough oomph in the lows and lo-mids, with either box.

Well, I recently ordered a B7K out of the classifieds, and it arrived today, and I need to admit that I've changed my tune. I've moved on in my choice of head and cab, and bass, which I'm sure played a big role in that.

I just plugged in my new B7K, which is a USA generation model. I grabbed my Ric 4003, and plugged into my Demeter head and Barefaced BB2, with the crossover dialed down. Boom. I liked it. I wondered if this was related using lower output single coils, so I grabbed my EMG hum bucker 5 string Spector. There it was. A tone I liked. I tried to dial in that fizz I hated, but it wasn't coming through the way I recalled. I could hear traces of it, but it wasn't there as prominently.

I was able to dial in quite a nice clean tone, with each bass. This is why I ordered the pedal. I had an idea for some signal routing and DI recording, where the clean DI and the parallel out would be a potential source for blending tones I'm trying to get.

I'm not sure what to attribute the difference to. Probably a combination of factors. It isn't my new favorite box, nor the end-all to my tone quest, but it's not what I remembered and have described on TB in other threads. It just goes to show that there are lots of variables at play, as we all go hunting for tone.

I'd like to apologize to @Darkglass for casting any and all shade I've hinted at, implied, or probably boldly stated. I know there's plenty of support for your products in this forum, and I knew there must've been a reason why, but I just couldn't hear it, until now.

Love the darkglass sound, hate the darkglass price.

yeah they are expensive, but interest free finaincing with sweetwater helps lol. I have the b7k ultra and duality. Considering the combined price of the other pedals I tried over the years and wasn't happy with id say darkglass is priced reasonable. They make pro gear, they aren't "bedroom quality" pedals.

 

[HolmeBass]

I tried a lot of different bass pedals that left me unimpressed live. I've had a bunch of pedals that sounded amazing with my practice rig but as soon as I played my gig rig I was instantly disappointed. I just thought that some pedals sounded better at bedroom levels. Several great pedals fell victim to this fallacy. I played a big Mesa 2x15. There's no way my rig was the problem. Until I tried out a small cheap 2x10 cab that had noticeably more low end than my mighty 2x15.

So I sold the 2x15 and bought a cheap 4x10 to pair with my cheap 2x10 all of my pedals sounded great again. Now I'm on a hunt again for some of the pedals that got away.

I have to constantly remind myself that it's the whole chain that decides your sound.

Cabinets play a huge role. They put an overlay on your sound that can't be EQ'ed out or can't be fixed/changed with pedals. They're a filter, or lens, through which all other components of your tone inexorably pass.

 

[iamspoonbender]

I have the Darkglass Electronics Microtubes B7K, totally love it. Abit pricey, yeah I know. I really wanted one, so I saved my money.

 

[rodv66]

yeah they are expensive, but interest free finaincing with sweetwater helps lol. I have the b7k ultra and duality. Considering the combined price of the other pedals I tried over the years and wasn't happy with id say darkglass is priced reasonable. They make pro gear, they aren't "bedroom quality" pedals.

yeah they are expensive, but interest free finaincing with sweetwater helps lol. I have the b7k ultra and duality. Considering the combined price of the other pedals I tried over the years and wasn't happy with id say darkglass is priced reasonable. They make pro gear, they aren't "bedroom quality" pedals.

They sound great and the market demands them, so they are priced right. Anyone like thier vintage tube models?

 

[Feral Feline]

But which witch is the good witch and which witch is the bad witch?

Red Witch is a good witch which I wouldn't switch.

The [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] I've no experience with which to hitch.

The "BAT' witch is Black Arts Toneworks Witch Burner, but is it BAD on bass in a good way?


Which reminds me, can Dark Glass cop this bewitching bass tone?



About 2:55 you can hear it without the drums and guitar.

 

[mobdirt]

Exact opposite for me, I like the vmt, tried the b7k found it brittle sounding.

 

[Korladis]

It's okay, I still can't stand them.

 

[mattattack187]

I like their products and the tones you can get from them but it's just not the particular tone I prefer. I'm more into clean with a little tube like breakup. Tech 21 VT/BDDI is just more of my flavor. I've always commended Darkglass though for coming out with something new almost every year without rehashing what they've done before.

 

[Jakeman]

Wow. Just plugged my fretless in. This has potential. Still not interested in the distortion sound, but there's more going on in the clean pre than I had considered when I first owned one.

B*K stuff sounds great on fretless! It was a very eye-opening experience for me at least. FWIW, I don't play anything close to metal.

 

[monsterthompson]

Funny how much stuff changes in a year. I ended up with an Alpha Omega, so I flipped the B7K, then I got a DG 900 head, and got rid of the AO. I do find myself liking the B3K engine on the 900.

 

[Fuzzbass]

It's just mind-wobbling that some lump Darkglass pedals together with regard to tone. BxK, Vintage, and AO all have their own flavors, and one could argue that the AO by itself is two flavors.

For years now the B7K/B7KU has been my favorite pedal for hard rock/metal -- period. Its coloration is exactly what I was looking for: perfect thru my Berg NV610 cab, but I also love it thru modern ported/tweetered bass cabs. I run it low to medium gain, and love stacking other dirt pedals into it for extra crunch. B7K is always last in the chain: it makes the others sound better.

The B7K doesn't work as well for me for classic rock/R&B/funk/blues/country/pop/etc, so I use the Vintage or other dirt pedals for those genres, but TBH I haven't spent much time tweaking the B7K for less aggressive tones.


P.S. No piece of gear will please everyone; goes without saying. I understand why the BxK coloration is a turnoff for some, but for hard rock/metal, transparency does not work for me.

 

[Blaargh]

I'm unlikely to get anything from Darkglass in the foreseeable future, but that's mostly down to the fact that I spent all of last year buying dirt pedals I didn't really need. I mean, there's no smoke without fire, they must be pretty good- but good enough for me to drop a ton of money on a pedal I don't need, and then for me to like it more than my current set up?

I've played through a B3K before and felt it was a little too modern-sounding for my tastes. The Vintage Microtubes (Vintage... something. I forget) might be more up my alley. My not-using of Darkglass comes more from how much I adore my current Dwarfcraft Necromancer and Catalibread SFT combo, rather than a slight on their offerings.