Trouble Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 I use a Barber Direct Drive on my board and i use it a lot, I mean a lot, so I really dont want to be without it for 4 to 6 weeks while it is being repaired, but I think I'm going to have to send it to Barber. It has a push pull pot for the tone control that engages something that is supposed to add harmonics. I always used it pulled out for the "more" function. The tone control has stopped working, the push/pull function still works but the tone control doesn't so I think it's a matter of time before something else goes wrong with it. I took it apart to look at ti and the tone pot had dirt and dust in it, I think from the pot being pushed in and out. I'm going to send it in and have them just replace it with a standard pot and have the more function always on, so I can do away with the push pull pot. The question is, What can I use in it's place while it's gone? Anyone have any experience with the Direct Drive and maybe something comparable? I've thought about the CMAT mods Signa Drive, maybe buying a Barber LTD, really not sure. I don't want to buy another Direct Drive and then have two, I would like something that would get me in the same ballpark and then have a little something different as well, maybe still be usable once I get the direct Drive back. Anybody?
DetroitBlues Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 One of the problems with boutique pedals is not very many have or used them. I think I've heard of Barber, but I have no idea what sounds or is functionally comparable....
Trouble Posted December 31, 2011 Author Posted December 31, 2011 One of the problems with boutique pedals is not very many have or used them. I think I've heard of Barber, but I have no idea what sounds or is functionally comparable.... I can't say anything bad about Barber, Extremely well made hand wired, using really top quality components full size alpha pots, my Direct Drive is built around a jrc4558 chip but is socketed so you can experiment with different chips. All for the boutique price of $135. mine is a 2009 model so it was even cheaper than that when new. I also sent David Barber an email asking about turnaround time and modding it and he sent me some specs so I could check it with a meter. So good customer service as well. There are a lot of mass produced PCB pedals in the 200 range that I garantee don't sound as good and are not nearly as responsive to guitar volume or pick attack. I like my Direct Drive and Barber in general.
Trouble Posted December 31, 2011 Author Posted December 31, 2011 Where you at Tully I bet you've got a suggestion.
JeffB Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 I know nothing about stomps, Ive just got a lot of them. I make them sound the same. Shame you didnt live closer, you could take the whole lot and mess around with them till you found one you liked.
GuitArtMan Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 Been a while since I've had a Direct Drive, but it seemed to me to hail from the Tubescreamer side of the universe. Not a clone mind you, more of a variation on a theme. I loved all the tweaks David posted online when they first came out: the more bass mod, the open air mod, etc. He posted a photo once of two or three or four opamps he soldered together one stacked on top of the other just to see how it sounded. I will say I have the Barber Small Fry and LOVE IT! Not the same thing as the Direct Drive but a great pedal in it's own right. I remember a lot of people talking positively about the low gain version of the Direct Drive, is that the Silver Version? He's had a number of Direct Drive variants through the years. It's hard to go wrong with a Barber pedal.
bolero Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 maybe get something different like an OCD, & experiment with it that would complement your pedals too, once you get it back
mars_hall Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 BK Butler tube driver Can't go wrong there
Trouble Posted December 31, 2011 Author Posted December 31, 2011 maybe get something different like an OCD, & experiment with it that would complement your pedals too, once you get it back I have an OCD, it's very close to the Direct Drive just smoother. I can adjust the OCD to do what the Direct Drive does, but then I need something to take the place of the OCD! Actually, I think with the help of a couple emails from David B. I got it working again, so for now problem solved. For some reason though the push/pull pot is letting dust get inside the pot, so it may turn out to be an ongoing problem.
Trouble Posted December 31, 2011 Author Posted December 31, 2011 BK Butler tube driver Pricey and big, I don't have the real estate.
Trouble Posted December 31, 2011 Author Posted December 31, 2011 I know nothing about stomps, Ive just got a lot of them. I make them sound the same. Shame you didnt live closer, you could take the whole lot and mess around with them till you found one you liked. Yeah bummer, with all the stuff you've got I bet I could find a lot of stuff I would like to upgrade to, on second thought, maybe it's better on my bank account that we're not close together! Been a while since I've had a Direct Drive, but it seemed to me to hail from the Tubescreamer side of the universe. Not a clone mind you, more of a variation on a theme. I loved all the tweaks David posted online when they first came out: the more bass mod, the open air mod, etc. He posted a photo once of two or three or four opamps he soldered together one stacked on top of the other just to see how it sounded. I will say I have the Barber Small Fry and LOVE IT! Not the same thing as the Direct Drive but a great pedal in it's own right. I remember a lot of people talking positively about the low gain version of the Direct Drive, is that the Silver Version? He's had a number of Direct Drive variants through the years. It's hard to go wrong with a Barber pedal. It's really hard to tell anything from youtube, what is the small fry like?
Tim Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 Pricey and big, I don't have the real estate. Then...Hermida Zendrive or Tiki Drive...very compact...
smurph1 Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 maybe get something different like an OCD, & experiment with it that would complement your pedals too, once you get it back That's a good idea...
smurph1 Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 Pricey and big, I don't have the real estate. That's why a tube screamer is good..Plus they are inexpensive..
tulk1 Posted January 1, 2012 Posted January 1, 2012 I have several CMATMODS pedals, as well as one pedal he modded for me. Chad does great work. My working pedal board has 3 ODs on it: JHS Morning Glory; an OCD; and Suhr Shiba. The Shiba is my favorite. But, there are tons of pedals that would get you thru until the DD comes back. Some not near as expensive as these. But I can feel the pain ... I hate it when I loose one of my fav pedals.
Blunote Posted January 3, 2012 Posted January 3, 2012 BBD Signa Drive I'm convinced. Just bought a Super Signa Drive.
Trouble Posted January 3, 2012 Author Posted January 3, 2012 I think the Signa Drive would fit the bill, but I also found something else I want. http://www.wilsoneffects.com/StonedGrasshopper.html
DetroitBlues Posted January 3, 2012 Posted January 3, 2012 I stopped using a stompbox and use the OD preamp of the Deltablues now....
tulk1 Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 I stopped using a stompbox and use the OD preamp of the Deltablues now.... Thats what I did when I used the Delta Blues. My only problem with that scenario is you're locked into "that" OD tone. But, just to be clear, I didn't consider it a problem at the time. Something to be said about a simpler set up. One button for on/off OD, the other for the tremolo -- yeah, that works!
Blunote Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 DB, I just received a Super Sigma Drive in the mail today. Wow! Doesn't color the the RD at all. Noiseless. Beautiful.
JeffB Posted January 7, 2012 Posted January 7, 2012 DB, I just received a Super Sigma Drive in the mail today. Wow! Doesn't color the the RD at all. Noiseless. Beautiful. Congrats. What other stomps would you compare it to and why is it better.? is it FET based or op amp? are you runnning it into a clean amp or an amp already breaking up? What sort of gain level does it get you to? Is it good for chords and rhythms or is just a nice solo boost sort of device? sorry...thanks
Trouble Posted January 7, 2012 Author Posted January 7, 2012 Congrats. What other stomps would you compare it to and why is it better.? is it FET based or op amp? are you runnning it into a clean amp or an amp already breaking up? What sort of gain level does it get you to? Is it good for chords and rhythms or is just a nice solo boost sort of device? sorry...thanks I can help with one of those questions, Op amp based on jrc4558 chip like the Direct Drive, Tubescreamer and a ton of other OD's.
JeffB Posted January 7, 2012 Posted January 7, 2012 I can help with one of those questions, Op amp based on jrc4558 chip like the Direct Drive, Tubescreamer and a ton of other OD's. thanks.
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