Salt on your Bass?

Musicman20 referenced these guys on another thread: Stone Deaf FX: https://www.stonedeaffx.com/ Rochdale based

In my ever continuing effects journey, I often try and seek out UK based pedal builders - 'boutique' type or however else you want to classify it - but small businesses turning out great products - innovative, or standard. Whenever I've been looking at pedals recently, I end up in the U.S. with the likes of Damnation Audio, Black Arts Toneworks etc. with associated import costs, it just gets excessively expensive to buy. I haven't found a consolidated list anywhere of established/ good builders in the UK and wondered if it would be something that was useful to combine the 'hive mind' as companies come in and out of play. Other than Cog and DHA, both now non operational at present, I'd really struggle to name any but would like to browse the 'UK pedal market' in a bit of an easier manner than wading through search engines. Just a thought - not sure if anyone else would find it useful or even if there are that many out there?

Wow - very nice! Particulalry envious over the Cali, and i really want to try the russian as well as had a hankering for one for a while.

I don't know what it is about Barefaced either, but the brand does attract feedback from many where other threads don't (latest darkglass offer, skarbass one etc). I guess it's good that the brand has so much engagement as a result. Just to be clear though, just because you have an opinion, it doesn't make it a valid opinion. It remains merely opinion. Anyway, See my first post on this thread....I'm absolutely for product feedback, customer feedback for development etc and my initial reception to the pedal wasn't necessarily the warmest. Some of these thoughts remain, but I am excited about the product and venture, my opinion of the pedal is that the box point is moot, it's a well built piece of kit and has some good (quite possibly amazing) sounds in it. As a v1, first release I'm really looking forward to understanding it in more detail with my rig, and hopefully sharing some experiences about the sound. That's not what I said.

I just think this point is completely moot, unless you're absolutely not buying this pedal as a result of it coming in a wooden box. It comes with a clear warning about small tacks, so isn't an issue. The upside is it saves cost, protects the pedal, reduces waste and as an owner, I like the touch. I've also had other pedals packaged similarly in a wooden box....so this isn't a first. I guess if you will absolutely buy it if they change the box and the symbols the feedback is warranted. If you're not, then it's not opinion the builder should worry about listening to imo as even if they change to your will there's not a sale there. I'd prefer it if this thread started to refocus on the pedal capability tbh......might start a setting thread shortly.✌️

Small tacks that sit a few mm into the ply box on mine, so it was a pretty easy pull open.

I've played the tarkin, the R1 and the mini 66. They were with another amp though before I'd settled into this and it was a couple of years ago, so I'm probably not well placed to comment I'm afraid. @simon88wilson I'm sure will though ✌️

Just to clarify, I've successfully navigated opening the box without injury.....didn't feel particularly high risk tbh.... 🙄

Landed today! Nice box and well presented. I've only had 15 mins with it at lowish volumes with a clean amp (streamliner). Obviously need to test this in a band context at volume with my main amp, because dirt never the same at home, but my first impression is really solid. A really nice spread of tonal flavour on both the distortion and fuzz sides and engaging both delivers a fatter slab of them both. I'll tinker with it more over time of course, but wondered if anyone elses had landed, and thought I'd throw a couple of pics up (sorry for the mess...rebuilding my board)✌️

Yeah really looking forward to this arriving and unlocking some tones!!

I've completely u-turned from 'not for me' to deciding I should try one! I think the routing options sound quite appealing, and from the description theres tones I'll find useful. Think it's about 2 weeks away ☺️

Have you got an application in mind or just trying to work out if there's any value in one for you? I've never used one with a hybrid or as head. .I've learnt more towards overdrives in that set up, but something like the TC can get you to a nice 'transparent' drive from the gain on the pedal, so not really functioning as a boost. I tried my guitarists treble booster a couple of months ago and that was wonderful - again on a valve amp, but brought out the highs and crushed the front end.

In my limited experience of boost pedals, there isn't any difference to turning up the gain on the amp....assuming there's no other eq shaping associated with the boost. You could also use it to boost the signal into your overdrive/ fuzz etc and take the pedal to another level. This is quite an interesting vid (albeit guitar based) https://youtu.be/svZ2Mhh6wUU I use a TC spark with my valve amp sometimes and it just pushes the front end harder into break up or further. With the TC, I add a bit of additional bass and roll some treble to shape it a touch and the spark is brilliant in this imo. (See the spark thread).

...I might be close behind you on that @simon88wilson!! ✌️

Should be some demos up this week apparently. Im really looking forward to hearing some of the sounds it can offer. . I'm rebuilding my board again and the dirt routing is really starting to pique my interest. ✌️

Si, just wondered if there was any news on Cog? .... Kinda interested in the partnership/dynamic with barefaced as well in terms of future direction product line if Tom does turn his hand back to production and any new market offering from his shop. ✌️

This is an awesome pedal imo... Albeit I've taken it off my board for a little. I use it in front of my valve amp as a boost for heavier sections and like noted above, it doesn't add colour, just more of my amp. I have the max version as I find the toggle and the eq pretty useful.

@alexclaber - what are the fuzz and drive influences/ circuits on this pedal please, and are there demo's coming out soon?

Hoping there's some decent demos on their way out. Interested to hear what it has to offer. Also interested in whether this is it, or if there's more in the pipeline with cog as a range of pedals.

@alexclaber - is this a long term partnership with cog then? Or specific r and d collaboration to deliver you a range? Curious as to any exclusivity and the direction of cog as part of this as well. Also, what are the drive and fuzz circuits based on (is it a moded tarkin and knightfall?) and have you got demos coming online soon? Cheers

I think my problem with this is they don't build pedals. So customer feedback, continuous improvement and product development, r and d etc..... All feels mis placed. An amp has always made sense to me. Maximise the synergy with their cabs. There's Lots of established, niche and quality pedal builders out there.... what is effectively an outsourced/ White label product via third party just feels it missed the point of the barefaced brand to me. Not meaning to sound too critical, I guess just disappointed in the direction. ✌️

Looks interesting. I'm surprised they've dived in this deep with a first release. It's expensive to take a punt on, but probably still represents value I don't like the styling, and I'd prefer to buy cog tbh. All in the tone, and like you say, Tom knows what he's doing.....so it'll be good I'm sure. Not my bag though

@bartelby - that rig has left me feeling confused, slightly violated, but overall warm and fuzzy. How do the smaller cabs compare tonewise?