EBS_freak

Isn't that the amp?

The marketing blurb on the BF website didn't lead me down the road where you would immediately think the Jamerson sound, or the Larry Graham or Ben Folds thing. I thought it was very heavy rock centric in it's writeup - almost a RATM signature bass pedal given the constant references and name dropping. Even the other names mentioned (even the one that is spelled wrong), would all lead you to think that its targeted at that heavier style of music.

I thought I would do a quick Youtube search... and you know what, I don't actually dislike... I rather hear a band do it like this than the normal drivel I hear.

However, the world is going digital whether you like or not. Look at cars from the 60s and now. The modern cars have less easily serviceable parts than back then. That doesn't mean that people don't appreciate classic cars... Its just that modern cars, are now easier to use and generally less problematic. I remember as a youngster, getting into a car and there was a strong possibility that you wouldn't get to your final destination... or you would be nervously looking at the temperature gauge if you were stuck in a traffic jam. With regard to digital pedals, I have never seen, or known a pedal crash - can anybody else comment on this being an occurrence? Maybe the more comprehensive units - but from memory, they are down to users trying beta firmware and the like - and obviously running code in beta should come with certain caveats! Digital gear can go obsolete... but you know what, the Kemper profiler was unveiled in 2011 - that's pretty impressive that it's still competitive in the marketplace and there's still capacity for the DSP to be continued to be improved. The Kemper profiler is an amazing example of having a road map and despite the ageing technology, it's still capable to keep up - and even exceed - the offerings offered by their competitors. In reality, choice is a beautiful thing. We have analogue. We have digital. Great. Knock yourself out. And I know that this may be crazy talk... but digital and analogue can co-exist. For now. One last thing, there are analogue stompboxes that still sound great but have some terrible traits... like being super noisy, or suck all your tone, or don't bypass nicely. I know that some of these problems can be fixed (e.g. loopers and the like)... but the truth is, there are some pedals that have some sort of mystical quality because of who used them... but as a pedal in themselves, they do kinda suck. The Mutron comes to mind. Sounds great - but oh so noisy. As for older digital pedals... well, there are a few notable exceptions. The Deep Impact, ME8B maybe...

I don't think anybody said that it was realistically going up against the Helix. As you say, there is still a very buoyant market for stomp boxes (for reasons I have mentioned before) but as the price of digital continues to drop and as the tech continues to get better and better, it just won't make economic sense for manufacturers to go down the analogue route. Of course, firmware means that pedals can be continued to develop, without returning to the factory... analogue can't do that. Embedded interfaces to edit will continue to get cheaper - I know there are manufacturers playing with interfaces being presented on phones and the like... but ultimately, pedals will be able to support their own UIs in addition to being able to be coupled to computers. You only have to look at how much you get for so little from the Helix Stomp to see that it's going to become the norm. The tube screamer addition is an interesting one - it's one pedal that cannot be modelled entirely precisely at the moment, the Kemper won't profile it correctly either... but I don't think that's the reason why people use it. It gives instant access to a knob to quickly tweak to taste. Im sure, with market research, if the manufactures do genuinely see it as an issue, I can see instant access knobs being able to be assigned to something like the next gen Helix such that tweaks like that can be instantly available, whatever patches are in play.

RATM. Timmy C.

Teenage Fanclub. Now there's a blast from the past.

But is that because they are too busy on how they sound... and as for the audience, well, all bets are off on that one. The majority of people wouldn't know/care if backing tracks were in play for starters - as long as the alcohol is flowing!

This reminds me of everybody going out and exercising because the government said that they could. As far as I could see, the people partaking hadn't seen exercise in the last 25 years... People do things just to do things I guess! (PS I went through a phase of building pedals and never once used the ring modulator, fuzzes or anything like that that I built either)

An opinion is just that. It doesn’t have to be right or wrong. Likewise, it doesn’t have to be listened to. If I had acted upon the advice of some of the people on here, I would have been very disappointed in my purchases! I have an (undisclosed) list of people’s opinions that I trust.

Timmy C, Timmy C, Timmy C. Now go buy! Seriously though, there’s still a lot of people in the analogue game when it comes to pedals. Whether they are just collectors or looking for that one unique sound that nobody has. Pedals will be ok as long as they offer something that the digital units currently can’t. And in some cases, that may even just be a funky, unique box!

So... this here pedal then...

You missed a 'd'.

To be fair, it doesn't look that bad Beedster. Actually, I'm joking. This is nothing to do with bass cabs. This is when I tried to do up the zip on my gig bag. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is how internet memes start.

Just out of interest, what is your amp? Is it something that has a very distinctive sound/character?

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I am of course joking.

Are you spoiling for a fight?

Just read through the Talkbass thread. "They had me at Tim Commerford". Got to love Talkbass. Tim Commerford, according to the text on the BF site, hasn't got one, hasn't used it, maybe is not even aware of it. But yeah, "they had me at Tim Commerford" Morons. As you can see, my comment about endorsements still stands.

That's a point. Maybe the measurements should be given with and without feet.

I did write a response to this and thought better of it. But I will write a summary. In short, amps are a dying breed, some people haven't caught onto this yet. The future is modelling. The past is nostalgia. We are currently somewhere in the middle where people still have those romantic images of Cream and Hendrix with Marshall stacks as far as the eye can see and get turned on at the idea of big rigs that make your trousers flap (even though they don't). Unless BF have a digital division that we don't know about, they are catering more towards nostalgia.. and that's fine. For now, at least.

Just cos they got excited, doesn't mean that it would make financial sense for Alex to launch it. Especially right now. Knowing Barefaced prices, the amp is not going to be a low ticket item... Go on, I'm intrigued. What's your amp and pedal? Used on the amp I am guessing? Or maybe a teeny practice effort?

I know most of it's rhetorical - but I'll have a stab - How many would have gone out and gotten it if it was an amp released and bitten the bullet? At the moment, not a lot. Unless it's was a cheap combo or practice amp for use at home. I'm sure there's a lot of people that are wondering whether they'll ever gig again. There's a lot of re-evaluation going on for a lot of people, especially if there's a lot of money tied up in gear that doesn't look like it will be used in the foreseeable. If it was an amp, it's impossible to say what would have happened - a lot of people would buy off the specs. There's no specs, there's no amp. It's a pointless question really - but I will nail my colours to the mast... given the pandemic, if there was an amp for sale, I would guess the sales figures would be impacted way, way more right now, than a pedal, which can be used at gigs, at home, rehearsals (if allowed) and recording sessions... oh and they are a lot cheaper than amp is likely to be. How many who would have bitten the bullet bought the pedal have changed their minds based on the graphics and lack of DI amongst the other things mentioned? ZVex made alterations to their SHO because they failed to take into account, theres a whole load of church players in the states that liked the pedal, but felt it was inappropriate to have Super Hard On written on it. I guess there will be all sort of people offended by that kinda thing. That promptly had a change of heart and relabelled it the SHO. Of course, you could have taped over it... but why would you want to do that when you've bought a pedal at a premium? Design is a very important - and often overlooked element of a product. There's always the camp that don't care, it's functional, it works, it does what they want it to... but they are also the people that don't care having their car doors dinged at the supermarket. If you are investing in a product, there's a certain element of visual appeal that in many cases, takes place. I hate the look of the Fiat Multipla. It could be the best car in the world... but I hate looking at it. Would I care if I hated looking at an FX pedal? Probably not... but if there were two otherwise identical sounding units, I'd take the one that visually appeals to me. The DI element - well, that's a fundamental requirement to some. If it doesn't offer it and you want it, look elsewhere, or go begging for a v2 and hope for the best. I am guessing that this product has been produced to be the minimum viable product that has enough appeal to sell over competitor products. Adding DI would be an added expense that the vast majority of people would not have used. Is this a preamp? Or a magical fuzz, grind, clean whatever box. If you want a pre, get a pre with a DI. If you want a whatever box, consider this. How many people will throw in thoughts on what they thought the pedal should do/look like and never had an intention of getting it or anything like it anyway and use that as an excuse for not getting it? If you are never ever going to own a Ferrari, does that mean you can't have an opinion on what you would have liked to see on it or comment on what you don't like about it? It all forms part of the market research and is a valid input. A Ferrari has to have curbside appeal so that those that don't own it, aspire to own it. How many people would change their view based on any clips coming out from BF/COG or based on a BCer who may get one and give their thoughts, and does it matter which member does that in weighting the review/opinion? Not me. No offense, most of you guys are deaf or are prone to honeymoon periods. I'd like to see reviews just to see if I agree or disagree with the points of views displayed in said videos... and get more informed about what's out there. If it suddenly appears on Tim C or Dusty Hills board, does that make a difference? Hell no, there's only two people in the bass playing world that prompt people to buy gear. That's Mark King and Marcus Miller. And the people buying that gear tend to be those in jobs outside of music. What people play and the whole endorsement thing is a complete nonsense. What’s the conclusion? We are on a forum where people share views and opinions. Sometimes in keeping with others views, sometimes not. What's the problem with that? Does it really matter if anybody buys this or not? Maybe to Alex. Not to the rest of us. But if we disclose information about what's good or what's bad, it will drive improvement... and when it comes to Barefaced, people seem to have issue whenever something is said that doesn't go with the grain, whatever that may or may not be. So I think we are on the same page. Maybe?

I'm not sure about that. Amps tend to be a bit of a bigger financial outlay.