I take it that you are still shipping to Australia? Pandemic has changed everything so no harm in asking. I have to go DI into an IR/Cab Sim unit more often than not, and have struggled to find a decent preamp pedal solution that doesn't, y'know - totally suck :). If it's a good enough pedal for Sir. Davey G, then its certainty good enough for me. Cheers. EDIT: I'm assuming these are still in production.. :-)
@@mattgilbert7347How did you go with this? I’m in AUS also and thinking I’ll replace my amps with it using it direct, just don’t want to skimp on tone lol. Using a couple Vox Valvenergy pedals currently and they are doing okayish.
Brett, sold me on yet another pedal...I think the Dice Works was the first one you turned me onto, then various Wamplers, Eventides, Providence, Free The Tone. My wife wants to speak with you.
I've listened to a few Effectrode pedals now from a few different RUclipsrs and I've decided a couple of things. 1. Brett, you do some great reviews. What you do is really telling in what a pedal can do and you manage to get a lot of variety out of a single pedal, rather than just picking your favorite tone and playing it throughout the video. 2. Effectrode is among my favorite pedal brands now. I've been impressed with everything they make.
Just an update, I have had my unit for about 2 weeks now, the serial numbers is 281 :-). Sounds great. I would say that if you want to DI with this unit or if you want to plug it in the FX Return jack as the preamp for a solid state amp, you really don't need to buy a tube head. By the way, if you are planning to switch channels with this unit, it actually switches like it has 3 channels not 2. You are going to need at least a 2 button foot pedal with a stereo cable between. I'm running some pedal effects in front of the Effectrode from my GT-100 and I use the GT-100 CNTL AMP jack to switch channels on the Effectrode. I have the stereo jack pulled out a bit at the Effectrode switch jack so that TRS(Tip Ring Sleeve) is not full connected on that end and I can get the Effectrode to switch between the clean and distorted channel. With just a mono cable you would just get switching in the distorted channel. Rock On! Bunkie112
You said "You are going to need at least a 2 button foot pedal with a stereo cable between" I have had one of these for a year now but have been using it without that stuff. Can you explain the advantage to a musician (not tech minded so be gentle) ;)
Hey dude thank you so much 4 this review - Ive been looking 4 this kind of warm sound since so long that i was hopeless to find it one day in a single tube preamp - this is exactly what i need in term of sustain gain n rich tones - Its pretty much amazing what this little pedal is able to produce fomr an organic clean sound to an powerful overdrive or creamy distorsion ...almost unbelievable !!! The 3 tubes are also a very rare feature on this type of preamp pedal n certainly explain the complexity n richness of tones that comes out of this box
I have to say that sounds freaking killer. I have to get one. What an awesome idea. 90 percent of your amps voice is shaped through the preamp. Now the only problem is having enough patience to find a good deal. Gotta feeling Ive got a new kinda GAS for preamps. But this one will definitely be the first, and if I get tones like that it'll be the last. Definitely this is the best review of it I've seen. I know for a while David Gilmour used an alembic preamp, which is similar to an old fender blackface preamp, run through his hiwatt power amp. He's probably using this thing now
I love the sound of my Blackbird, but I hate the channel-switching dropout. I know it's fairly fast, but it's a much longer dropout than any pedal or multi-channel amp I've ever owned.
Thanksalot - terrific run thru. This one is now definitely in my sights! :) PS - I bought one of these not long after this review and it is now my 'always on' pedal going into my amp or, most of the time, into my ProTools Studio rig. I can't really imagine life without it TBH - it just brings my (already rather nice) Sadowsky NYC S Style HSH and the occasional other guitar I use to life in a whole new way. The 2 OD Channels are both great but I haven't spent a lot of time with them because I always flip to Paul Crowther's excellent Double Hot Cake (which actually has 3 sounds on tap!) for hotter chordal or lead type stuff. I would recommend the Blackbird (and the Hot Cake, since we're at it) to anyone looking for something that just makes your world a better place! 😅
not really voxy at all.....think dumbele , pumped up fender,,,the compression on youtube does not do it justice beautifully made pedal,,,,tons of headroom......kinda price though...good luck
Hey mate. Very logical way to demo, straight into the power amp of the Laney..it's a preamp afterall. I must admit though I did wonder if the clean channel could also be used to push the front end of a lower wattage non-master amp like I use for rhythm crunch and how the lead channel would interface with that sorta rig also.
i have a 70's roland jc-120 solid state and i was wondering if using a tube preamp like this would give me the benefits of a tube amp and a solid state. Dont think im trying to make my solid state sound like a tube because i love the sound of my jc
Bob Mould used to have a Fender Twin/JC120×2 four-amp rig with, I believe, the JC120s slaved to the Twins. Yuge tone. I think your idea would work like gangbusters. You'd need to have the appropriate iso/splitting/routing tech to make it quiet and safe. Probably something like a Gig Rig Humdinger. Or maybe not, Brett didn't bother with it.
@@mattgilbert7347 Hey Mate, Yeah the JC had an effects loop but I no longer own it anymore haha. Kinda regret selling it but I ended up getting a nice fender for touring and gigging and wot not. Cheers for the help though!
Dr.Vic Sorry to ressurect this old question, but I want to know exactly the same. Did you tested all three? I am more interested in the clean channels...
Sorry to resurrect this zombie, but I'd like to add the Shift Line Twin to this query. Preamp pedals are really hot right now- with the trend of guitar players going direct or using the (return) effects loops of not-so-great backline amps.
Looking into a good pedal style preamp. This sounds pretty sweet! BTW Brett love your vids and very informative for us guitarist. Keep up the awesome vids and you Rock the guitar my friend!
Still can't decide if I should get the Blackbird or the Tube Drive. I use a Jam Pedals Red Muck for my distortion so I'm not sure if I'd be wasting the versatility of the Blackbird.
Couldn't find one on eBay. Not sure if they really make all that difference. There's so many pedals and the sound is quite similar. It's all in the fingers peeps.
Since this is an amp preamp section would you want this after drive and dirt pedals? Pedals like this make it confusing as to where to place them on a pedal board. Not saying I don’t want one but how to use it best.
Hi! I love this demo!! Just quick question, would my application work if i do it in this order? pedalboard->effectrode->cab simulation(cab m)? thank you
CLA guitars is at it´s own is a great tool which deliver great tones through a DI direct from the computer, without any pre-amps, to me there are too much added tone tools to get an idea of the real effectrode pre amp sound and tone
if i'm not mistaken that almost sounds as good as a Marshall amp 1, does it do this kind of sound well?its difficult to tell through computer speakers, but it sure does sound extremely great esspecially on the creamy setting!!!!
good demo, well done. It seems like it can't do classic edge of breakup tones in either mode, its over the top even in the lowest settings. Sounds good for Metal though
anyway i´ve just buy the pedal and it sound lot better than in this demo, so no need of too much adds on to it, but i use the Blackbird followed by the Two Notes Torpedo cab sim, that help a lot, great stuff, you get what you pay for no doubt
Hey Burgs... Any way you could do one of those cabinet emulator tests with this?... like instead of plugging into the Laney... maybe going BLACKBIRD > directly into your Audio interface/computer > Two Notes Wall of Sound plugin - which is free (or other Cabinet Emulator) I don't know... just a thought.
Im curious, when you said you are.going dirextly into the power section of the Laney, are you using an effects loop or does that amp have some other type of input? Please clarify. Thank you.
I use mine with a strat. I have Fralin vintage hots -- so it actually sounds like a Strat too.. Its really nice. The clean channel is divine, I can't overstate it. It's all around a fantastic pedal.
+Hey! It's Me! - I believe what you are complaining about there is a PRS Studio with a 57/08 humbucker (Bridge) and 2 PRS Narrowfields (Middle & Neck).
yes, there's one. when gain is set to around 2PM is less noticeable, but still there. The way I got around it is to put my compressor AFTER the Blackbird, that way you can tame the volume difference of the two channels without losing all the dynamics from your playing.
Your amp's master volume was probably set way too low. A high headroom 100 watt amp powerstage will not help ANY gain preamp, especially the smooth medium gain modes that don't overcompress themselves. It's too much of a headroom. Preamp gain channels are generally designed to sound optimal taking into consideration the compression and sag of a cooking powerstage. That's the reason the gain channels here sounded fizzy and harsh. Try it on cranker amp and it's a COMPTLETELY different story.
Id buy it just for the clean channel. its kind like a mesa v-twin pedal which I have and the 12ax7 tube responsible for the the clean channel Ive replaced with 12at7. I wonder what all 3 12ax7 do in the BLACKBIRD. and how it would sound with some real NOS type tubes, ex RCA, Mullard ???
I'd be happy to oblige, but despite an email or two to Two Notes and someone else whose name escapes me, I don't think I ever heard back from them, so I can't help you at the moment, sorry. If software companies had the courtesy to at least reply, however...
What would happen if you plugged this in front of a tube amp rather than just through the power section? Would it overdo the gain or would it still be clear?
I think u would get definitely a bit of saturation and coloring from the amp, but u should run it clean then, and even like that it would still happen.
The main problem you would run into would be the amount of natural compression the multitude of tube stages would provide if you played through the crunch/distortion channel on a tube amp. You would likely end up losing some of your high end clarity in the mix when playing through a distorted tube amp. Best scenario is to use the Blackbird into the clean channel of your amp, whether tube or solid state. That way you will have the naturally compressed clipping associated with tubes but still retain your high end clarity and thump without getting lost in the mix from having two separate preamp stages.
This is the best demo of this unit on the net. Thank you sir!
We're building another batch of 100 Blackbird tube preamps right now and will start shipping them again in the next 10 days or so.
I take it that you are still shipping to Australia? Pandemic has changed everything so no harm in asking.
I have to go DI into an IR/Cab Sim unit more often than not, and have struggled to find a decent preamp pedal solution that doesn't, y'know - totally suck :). If it's a good enough pedal for Sir. Davey G, then its certainty good enough for me. Cheers.
EDIT: I'm assuming these are still in production.. :-)
@@mattgilbert7347How did you go with this? I’m in AUS also and thinking I’ll replace my amps with it using it direct, just don’t want to skimp on tone lol. Using a couple Vox Valvenergy pedals currently and they are doing okayish.
Brett, sold me on yet another pedal...I think the Dice Works was the first one you turned me onto, then various Wamplers, Eventides, Providence, Free The Tone. My wife wants to speak with you.
Just took delivery of an early version, with cab sim out. Great pedal. Boat loads of volume on tap. Taking me back to tube amp days.
*ABSOLUTLEY BRILLIANT! ..I have a REVOLT and a Joyo Rigel with a Tow Notes C.A.B, adding the BlackBird will be end game*
well sir in your hands everything sound pretty good, nice demo of the Blackbird.
I've listened to a few Effectrode pedals now from a few different RUclipsrs and I've decided a couple of things.
1. Brett, you do some great reviews. What you do is really telling in what a pedal can do and you manage to get a lot of variety out of a single pedal, rather than just picking your favorite tone and playing it throughout the video.
2. Effectrode is among my favorite pedal brands now. I've been impressed with everything they make.
Just an update, I have had my unit for about 2 weeks now, the serial numbers is 281 :-). Sounds great. I would say that if you want to DI with this unit or if you want to plug it in the FX Return jack as the preamp for a solid state amp, you really don't need to buy a tube head. By the way, if you are planning to switch channels with this unit, it actually switches like it has 3 channels not 2. You are going to need at least a 2 button foot pedal with a stereo cable between. I'm running some pedal effects in front of the Effectrode from my GT-100 and I use the GT-100 CNTL AMP jack to switch channels on the Effectrode. I have the stereo jack pulled out a bit at the Effectrode switch jack so that TRS(Tip Ring Sleeve) is not full connected on that end and I can get the Effectrode to switch between the clean and distorted channel. With just a mono cable you would just get switching in the distorted channel. Rock On! Bunkie112
You said "You are going to need at least a 2 button foot pedal with a stereo cable between"
I have had one of these for a year now but have been using it without that stuff. Can you explain the advantage to a musician (not tech minded so be gentle) ;)
Isn’t there a jumper inside that lets you turn the bypass switch into the classic/creamy selector. On the new models anyhow.
Hey dude thank you so much 4 this review - Ive been looking 4 this kind of warm sound since so long that i was hopeless to find it one day in a single tube preamp - this is exactly what i need in term of sustain gain n rich tones - Its pretty much amazing what this little pedal is able to produce fomr an organic clean sound to an powerful overdrive or creamy distorsion ...almost unbelievable !!! The 3 tubes are also a very rare feature on this type of preamp pedal n certainly explain the complexity n richness of tones that comes out of this box
id love to hear a demo of this with a FRFR setup with a torpedo (or less expensive cab sim) direct and with FRFR PA
Want. One of these will be mine. And it must be swearword awesome with an Effectrode comp pedal.
sounds great
oooooh. this preamp and a Duncan Powerstage would do nicely :D
I have to say that sounds freaking killer. I have to get one. What an awesome idea. 90 percent of your amps voice is shaped through the preamp. Now the only problem is having enough patience to find a good deal. Gotta feeling Ive got a new kinda GAS for preamps. But this one will definitely be the first, and if I get tones like that it'll be the last. Definitely this is the best review of it I've seen. I know for a while David Gilmour used an alembic preamp, which is similar to an old fender blackface preamp, run through his hiwatt power amp. He's probably using this thing now
God, what a sound! just awesome for my ears. need one
I love the sound of my Blackbird, but I hate the channel-switching dropout. I know it's fairly fast, but it's a much longer dropout than any pedal or multi-channel amp I've ever owned.
Thanksalot - terrific run thru. This one is now definitely in my sights! :)
PS - I bought one of these not long after this review and it is now my 'always on' pedal going into my amp or, most of the time, into my ProTools Studio rig. I can't really imagine life without it TBH - it just brings my (already rather nice) Sadowsky NYC S Style HSH and the occasional other guitar I use to life in a whole new way. The 2 OD Channels are both great but I haven't spent a lot of time with them because I always flip to Paul Crowther's excellent Double Hot Cake (which actually has 3 sounds on tap!) for hotter chordal or lead type stuff. I would recommend the Blackbird (and the Hot Cake, since we're at it) to anyone looking for something that just makes your world a better place! 😅
Bloody hell...I really like this pedal. Nice vid Brett
well sold me,,,i bought one and it makes me happy,,,,,,keep em coming brett ,,,,and happy hols m8.
could you tell me if the OD channel get's anywhere near a cutting Vox tone?thx
not really voxy at all.....think dumbele , pumped up fender,,,the compression on youtube does not do it justice
beautifully made pedal,,,,tons of headroom......kinda price though...good luck
k,thx
Hey mate. Very logical way to demo, straight into the power amp of the Laney..it's a preamp afterall. I must admit though I did wonder if the clean channel could also be used to push the front end of a lower wattage non-master amp like I use for rhythm crunch and how the lead channel would interface with that sorta rig also.
Nice tone!
How do you compare it against the AMT-SS20
sweet lord! I read a review for one of these in Sound on Sound. Expensive, but obviously amazing!
i have a 70's roland jc-120 solid state and i was wondering if using a tube preamp like this would give me the benefits of a tube amp and a solid state. Dont think im trying to make my solid state sound like a tube because i love the sound of my jc
Bob Mould used to have a Fender Twin/JC120×2 four-amp rig with, I believe, the JC120s slaved to the Twins. Yuge tone. I think your idea would work like gangbusters. You'd need to have the appropriate iso/splitting/routing tech to make it quiet and safe. Probably something like a Gig Rig Humdinger. Or maybe not, Brett didn't bother with it.
I'm assuming you wanna go Blackbird> JC120 Power Amp section? Or just hitting the front like a regular pedal?
Does the Roland have an FX loop?
@@mattgilbert7347 Hey Mate, Yeah the JC had an effects loop but I no longer own it anymore haha. Kinda regret selling it but I ended up getting a nice fender for touring and gigging and wot not. Cheers for the help though!
Hi Brett, how do you compare this to the AMT SS-11A and to the Custom Tones Ethos? Which one would you keep? Thanks in advance for your comments.
Dr.Vic Sorry to ressurect this old question, but I want to know exactly the same. Did you tested all three? I am more interested in the clean channels...
Same here. I’m more interested in getting a great clean sound.
Sorry to resurrect this zombie, but I'd like to add the Shift Line Twin to this query. Preamp pedals are really hot right now- with the trend of guitar players going direct or using the (return) effects loops of not-so-great backline amps.
I would like to know too
Nice guitar!
Is there a clean-only version? The gain channel sounded really useless for me.
Check out the Tube Drive from them. Single channel that you can drive into dirt territory.
Wow amazing im getting one
Brett please tell me how it compares to the AMT SS20
Looking into a good pedal style preamp. This sounds pretty sweet! BTW Brett love your vids and very informative for us guitarist. Keep up the awesome vids and you Rock the guitar my friend!
I'm soon getting one for ..... BASS hell yeah, it also handles it
Still can't decide if I should get the Blackbird or the Tube Drive. I use a Jam Pedals Red Muck for my distortion so I'm not sure if I'd be wasting the versatility of the Blackbird.
Couldn't find one on eBay. Not sure if they really make all that difference. There's so many pedals and the sound is quite similar. It's all in the fingers peeps.
Since this is an amp preamp section would you want this after drive and dirt pedals? Pedals like this make it confusing as to where to place them on a pedal board. Not saying I don’t want one but how to use it best.
Yes. Think of it like an amp. You run dirt pedals into an amp, same as this.
Which output are you using to go direct into power amp?
Hi! I love this demo!! Just quick question, would my application work if i do it in this order?
pedalboard->effectrode->cab simulation(cab m)?
thank you
I'm sure it will works
Very nice, but I think the AMT SS-11A beats it for tone, price, and versatility..
Reminiscent of divided by 13?
CLA guitars is at it´s own is a great tool which deliver great tones through a DI direct from the computer, without any pre-amps, to me there are too much added tone tools to get an idea of the real effectrode pre amp sound and tone
if i'm not mistaken that almost sounds as good as a Marshall amp 1, does it do this kind of sound well?its difficult to tell through computer speakers, but it sure does sound extremely great esspecially on the creamy setting!!!!
Badass dude.. badass..
Could you demo the Blackbird with Two Notes C.A.B.?
Really like your channel, best regards from Serbia!
Thank you, Nikola. Unfortunately, I don't have the unit any more. That video was filmed some years ago. Sorry!
Brett the effectrode blackbird in comparation to a Victory V4 countess who would be your winner pedal?
Impressive!
good demo, well done.
It seems like it can't do classic edge of breakup tones in either mode, its over the top even in the lowest settings. Sounds good for Metal though
?
I think he's giving us pretty wide range of samples. There's clean, crunch and lead aka Fender, Marshall and Soldano etc.
Fender style Preamp with glassy tones - is that why you decided to use a Humbucker guitar for the demo?
Yes.
All amplifiers PREAMPS whether they are tweed twins dual rectifiers plexis VOX ac30 Soldano SLO Matchless VHT Pitbulls ARE ALL CLASS 'A' ALL OF THEM
anyway i´ve just buy the pedal and it sound lot better than in this demo, so no need of too much adds on to it, but i use the Blackbird followed by the Two Notes Torpedo cab sim, that help a lot, great stuff, you get what you pay for no doubt
Hey Burgs... Any way you could do one of those cabinet emulator tests with this?... like instead of plugging into the Laney... maybe going BLACKBIRD > directly into your Audio interface/computer > Two Notes Wall of Sound plugin - which is free (or other Cabinet Emulator) I don't know... just a thought.
Im curious, when you said you are.going dirextly into the power section of the Laney, are you using an effects loop or does that amp have some other type of input? Please clarify. Thank you.
DX Loop AFAIK
Very tasty indeed...you have my attention! Any resellers in Canada?
with a stratocaster??
I use mine with a strat. I have Fralin vintage hots -- so it actually sounds like a Strat too.. Its really nice. The clean channel is divine, I can't overstate it. It's all around a fantastic pedal.
Did u change the PRS' pickups???? How dare u! those guitars are perfect and sacred! besides that, great pedal, awesome tones.
Settle down. No one changed any pickups. What are you on about? Yep, great pedal. Cheers, B.
Well, probably I don't know much about that model but those pickups don't look like most PRS's do.
+Hey! It's Me! - I believe what you are complaining about there is a PRS Studio with a 57/08 humbucker (Bridge) and 2 PRS Narrowfields (Middle & Neck).
woulda been cool to hear the gain range of 2- 4 more,the AC/DC, Tom Petty side of it and not so much the Nickelback side of it :/
Is there a volume jump between the classic and creamy modes?
yes, there's one. when gain is set to around 2PM is less noticeable, but still there. The way I got around it is to put my compressor AFTER the Blackbird, that way you can tame the volume difference of the two channels without losing all the dynamics from your playing.
Your amp's master volume was probably set way too low.
A high headroom 100 watt amp powerstage will not help ANY gain preamp, especially the smooth medium gain modes that don't overcompress themselves. It's too much of a headroom.
Preamp gain channels are generally designed to sound optimal taking into consideration the compression and sag of a cooking powerstage.
That's the reason the gain channels here sounded fizzy and harsh.
Try it on cranker amp and it's a COMPTLETELY different story.
Love the sound of this pedal! I wonder what it would do through a Roland Blues Cube?
Id buy it just for the clean channel. its kind like a mesa v-twin pedal which I have and the 12ax7 tube responsible for the the clean channel Ive replaced with 12at7. I wonder what all 3 12ax7 do in the BLACKBIRD. and how it would sound with some real NOS type tubes, ex RCA, Mullard ???
at $469 price tag I may have to wait a bit.
Connected directly to the preamp or power amp ?
Joseluis Moreno power amp he said
I just bought a tubesteader beekeeper which sounds amazing but now I kinda wish I had seen this first 😒
How do you like it? I just got the Blackbird at a good price but considered a Beekeeper also.
Blackbird is REALLY good 😊
wow !
I'd be happy to oblige, but despite an email or two to Two Notes and someone else whose name escapes me, I don't think I ever heard back from them, so I can't help you at the moment, sorry. If software companies had the courtesy to at least reply, however...
What would happen if you plugged this in front of a tube amp rather than just through the power section? Would it overdo the gain or would it still be clear?
I think u would get definitely a bit of saturation and coloring from the amp, but u should run it clean then, and even like that it would still happen.
The main problem you would run into would be the amount of natural compression the multitude of tube stages would provide if you played through the crunch/distortion channel on a tube amp. You would likely end up losing some of your high end clarity in the mix when playing through a distorted tube amp. Best scenario is to use the Blackbird into the clean channel of your amp, whether tube or solid state. That way you will have the naturally compressed clipping associated with tubes but still retain your high end clarity and thump without getting lost in the mix from having two separate preamp stages.
Worth mentioning these are sold out
not here in Canada.
Haha. Muff like? Yes, the new one from Blakemore Effects is due shortly. :)
Hmm...Next Purchase, I'd wager...
Gorgeous is right! Too bad it costs an arm and a leg. ...and an arm.
This or the Ethos Overdrive .... hmmmmmmm
I have the Ethos Overdrive Amp and I am thinking of getting this one to run it into the effects loop.
Anyone use this with a Tech 21 Power engine?
Not for long...
stick this through the matrix!
Honestly, how does it look anything like an airplane?
Nice pedal....WAY too fucking expensive
WHY always so much distortion. it's a damn fender clone , why do you play it like a mesa boogie ?
Wow amazing im getting one