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Old school fatty OD ...

Which would you choose ?

  • Beta OD

    Votes: 9 28.1%

  • Fairfield Barbershop

    Votes: 7 21.9%

  • BJF/Bearfoot Blueberry

    Votes: 7 21.9%

  • Way Huge Pork Loin

    Votes: 9 28.1%
  • Total voters
    32
Dark Horse

Dark Horse

Jul 31, 2008
11,868
21,967
Austin, TX
#1
What’s your pick for old school, fat, light OD that emulated something like a ampeg B15 From these choices ?

Beta OD
Fairfield Barbershop
BJF/Bearfoot Blueberry
Way Huge Pork Loin


Obviously there’s a wide range of prices here, and I think any will work. Which would you lean toward if you could choose ?
 
#9
Out of those, probably the Beta is the most B-15-ish, but none of them are that close to the Ampeg thing (mostly because I think the tonestack in those amps is part of the magic). The Beta is definitely fat, though.

The Pork Loin can get fat. I would not classify the clipping in the PL as old school, but with the "curve" control all the way down it could get there. Maybe even close enough for you.

The Blueberry family of ODs are cool, and they sound old school in their own way, but I would not consider them "fat" as much as "thick". These kind of OD have a very distinct mid bump that you may love or hate. I happen to love it, but it's not for everyone.

Have not tried the Barbershop, but is supposed to be the most "transparent" of the bunch. Maybe a Barbershop + a Barber Linden EQ (it's modelled after the B-15 tonestack) could be the thing you are looking for?

From those not listed that I have experience with, the EAE Model feT is definitely old school sounding to me; for me "old school" meaning slightly farty with a quite "coarse" type of clipping. The kind of sound that modern band use when they want to sound 70s (think Rival Sons).
 
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#11
I say what I always say when it's about OD's
Barbershop is the OD that ended my search for an 'invisible' OD.
The Sag pot does wonders once you got to know it properly.
You can get kazoo, but it is just as easily avoided .
I think you can get kazoo from most OD's if you ask them to produce it. :)
 
Last edited:
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#12
Ba55Man1ac said:
Option 5: One Control [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]... PHAT!
Click to expand...

This is my essential pedal. It is beyond fat/warm. I performed a spectrum analysis of it, and it really emphasizes the root and - more heavily - the first harmonic (e.g. 41hz and 82hz on the open E).

Keep in mind that I never use it for any OD character. My real use is to kill all high-end while rounding out the lowest of the lows. Still - my favorite pedal ever.

Best!
~NvN
 
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#13
Nick von Nick said:
This is my essential pedal. It is beyond fat/warm. I performed a spectrum analysis of it, and it really emphasizes the root and - more heavily - the first harmonic (e.g. 41hz and 82hz on the open E).

Keep in mind that I never use it for any OD character. My real use is to kill all high-end while rounding out the lowest of the lows. Still - my favorite pedal ever.

Best!
~NvN
Click to expand...
how does one do a spectrum analysis?
 
#16
So far I’m surprised that the Pork Loin is in the lead. I know it’s a great pedal, but it’s much less $ than the others on the used market. Seems like a great bargain. I have one already, but haven’t had a chance to really test it out. But it seems quite liked.
 
#17
Dark Horse said:
What’s your pick for old school, fat, light OD that emulated something like a ampeg B15 From these choices ?

Beta OD
Fairfield Barbershop
BJF/Bearfoot Blueberry
Way Huge Pork Loin


Obviously there’s a wide range of prices here, and I think any will work. Which would you lean toward if you could choose ?
Click to expand...
3 KNOB BJFE 2020 VERSION BLUEBERRY BASS
NEW BJFE HONEY BEE VINTAGE 3 KNOB MODEL , MCGREGOR ORANGE CRUNCH from canada kick balls !
 
#18
Nick von Nick said:
This is my essential pedal. It is beyond fat/warm. I performed a spectrum analysis of it, and it really emphasizes the root and - more heavily - the first harmonic (e.g. 41hz and 82hz on the open E).

Keep in mind that I never use it for any OD character. My real use is to kill all high-end while rounding out the lowest of the lows. Still - my favorite pedal ever.

Best!
~NvN
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention this. I am looking for something dark and fat. And I mean DARRRK. I'm talking low pass filter type dark. At times I cover both rhythm and bass parts with a 6 string guitar, and I use a POG for the octave down which sounds clinical and synthy if you don't kill the high end. I currently use a CAL Holy Fire 9 which works well but would love to have something tiny like the One Control.

And now I'm rambling and forgot to ask the question....just how dark is the One Control? What does the spectrum analysis look like on the high end?
 
#19
My vote goes pork loin as well ( actually, the pork side of the pork and pickle). The availability of the smalls version got me to try it. I wish I’d tried one earlier - would have saved me a lot of buying and returning of lesser performing pedals.
 
#20
mmbongo said:
How dark is the One Control? What does the spectrum analysis look like on the high end?
Click to expand...

I think it's the warmest sound I can muster from my combined gear these days. I always roll the Brilliance 100% counterclockwise, max the Gain control, and adjust the Volume to the room. For the Brilliance knob, the One Control website reads as follows:

"Bandwidth control. At maximum, treble can pass. Whereas at the most counter-clockwise position, only bass is amplified."

My interpretation of this has always been LPF on the gain circuitry. Effectively, anything under the Brilliance gets the boost. That said, there is some magic in the interaction between the Brilliance and Gain controls. I found it emphasizes the first harmonic the most and somehow "fattens" the fundamental aural elements of the sound sound.

Here is a cross-reference link to my crude analysis: One Control Red Crimson Bass Preamp

All said and done, if you like a sine-wavey tone with a heavy emphasis between 100 and 200 Hz, this is your pedal. I use it on a Fretless Jazz all the time. I can keep the tone knob dimed on the J-bass, because the second I kick on the Crimson Red, the high end is gone.
~NvN
 
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