Barber Electronics Direct Drive

I passed on this pedal after reading some of the early reviews on this site, and bought a few other OD pedals. After hearing Jason Barkers audio review of this pedal I was blown away. I also read a few of the newer reviews and bought this pedal.

I can say for certin that there are some stupid people reviewing this pedal on this site.If you can't get a good overdrive & tone from this pedal you should take up the accordion, or better yet, buy a fish bowl & watch the fish swim round & round, leave music playing to people that know real tones..
I ran it into a Koch combo & an extention cab, with greenbacks. i set it up with just a touch of crunch on the amp. I ran the pedal with the tone pulled up & at 3 oclock, the volume & drive both at 12 oclock. I used a ESP strat with duncan humbuckers, a musicman Axis with z-90 harmonic design pickups, and a hamer artist, with duncan 59ers. this pedal sounded awesome on all 3 guitars, I then pulled out a stock american strat, and it sounded killer. It was very Dumbleish in feel & response & i know dumbles, I have owned 3 of em...I think it had more of a modern feel as far as the super fast sweep runs, where the dumble could not keep up like this tone. I also was told that this pedal likes 6L6 tubes & not EL34's. well I play on a amp with EL34's and it sounded awesome, I also played it on a super reverb with the same success...AWESOME PEDAL..so save some money on the hunt looking for the best OD pedal, cause this is it, IMO...

built very well, should last a good long time...

Very good talking to them, and they seem to understand all the different amps out there..was very helpfull talking about other pedals from other makers, and what theirs bring to the table...

I play Jazzy southern rock with lots of guitar. I played a ton of the newer pedals out there, and this pedal sounds alot better then most of em. and for $99, what a steal....believe me this pedal has TONE FOR DAYS....I am buying a few more to give to my guitar player friends..awesome just awesome...

Very easy to use--gets a great classic, natural overdrive sound.

Setup is Fender American Standard Tele and a 60's Vox Berkeley tube amp. As far as pedals, I use a Boss TU2 tuner, Barber Direct Drive, and Korg Toneworks Echo. It's not very noisy. I use this pedal for leads only. The Vox is a class A 15 watt tube amp, so it breaks up great at about 2 o'clock. The Direct Drive gives me extra sustain, volume, and gain for leads--I set the level at 3 o'clock, the tone all the way off (my amp is super bright by itself) and the drive at 8 o'clock. The tone knob is pushed in. For a low wattage amp that sounds good by itself, this setting works great for classic lead tones. Sound quality is pristine, especially for a $100 pedal.

So far so good, I've had it for about 6 months, about 4 times a week between rehearsal and gigs.

Haven't had to deal with the company yet.

I would definately by this pedal again if lost or stolen. I have not found an overdrive pedal that works well with my amp, they've all been too brittle sounding, or too over-the-top sounding. I've tried Fulltone FullDrive (a great pedal, but my amp doesn't like it), Nobles Natural Overdrive, King of Britains, Badcat, Boss, Realtube, and several others. Also tried several clean boost pedals, such as the MXR MicroAmp. All of these pedals seem to work great for some people, but the Direct Drive works best for me and my setup. No matter what people rave about, or how good a pedal is supposed to be, the only way to know for sure is to try it with your guitar and your amp. Preferably while playing with the rest of the band--believe me, there is a huge difference between that and just testing it at the store--you'll never truly know until you use it with your band. I've been playing for about 20 years, mainly small to midsized venues, nothing huge. Certainly not as experienced as the reviewer before me.

3 knobs. If you can't figure them out, you should play the triangle.

Tom Anderson Hollow Classic, Hollow T or Cobra-Barber Tone Press-Barber DD-Barber DD SS-EB Volume Pedal-Budda Twinmaster 212 and Budda Superdrive 18 112. I use one DD for rhythm and the SS for my higher gain lead sound. Great lush Eric Johnson type lead tones that clean up very well. Nice Robben Ford type blues sound as well. Maybe I am a simpelton, but I think that too many of the reviews I read on these post are over-analyzed. If the tone's there, it's there. Play well. Don't suck. Have taste and touch and the pedals, whatever you use, will still sound good. I have always hated the way that ODs made my amps sound tinny or small. This pedal seems to open up very well and give me the sustain and dynamics I need. I have gigged 3-5 times per week and have played many outdoor shows and festivals for up to 20,000 people over the last 15 years. I consistantly have soundmen and guitar-playing audience members tell me that my tone is rich, full and cuts through amazingly well. Players constantly ask me what pedals I am using. Their opinions mean more to me than arbitrary reviews by bedroom hobbyists. Not trying to sound like a jerk at all. Just the way I feel. If you are happy with the sound of your guitar and amp and just need some great, full, sustainy dynamic gain, i think this is a great unit to try. Heads and shoulders above anything else I have ever used for my particular rig and style.

seems solid...no problems

very helpful and answered questions in a timely fashion...no major problems to test them so a 9 it is...

I have been playing Country-Rock-Jazz-Blues-Classical and Solo Acoustic Fingerstye for over 22 years. I own a recording studio and have worked as a session player on numerous album projects, soundtracks and jingles. I would replace the units I own if stolen without a second thought. I have enough to worry about just playing the best I can and always sounding good. These pedals allow me to do just that. I just want to step on it and know that my tone and playing comes through without me having to fight too hard for it. They allow me NOT to think/worry about the sound. Rock On.

Volume,Tone (Pull for FAT), and Drive. 9v AC adapter plug in, True Bypass Switch. Very little effort.

I play a Charvel Predator with Seymor Duncan aph-1 Alnico II pro in bridge position and Seymor Duncan Duckbucker neck position. Effects= Barber DD into Fender HotRod De Ville 4x10. DD replaced Ibenez TS-9/808 silver mod by Analogman and a Boss DS-1 pro mod also by Analogman. I use other effects at times, but find the best setup is usually the simplest. I have also tried the DD through my Fender Blues Jr. I really like this pedal with the HRDV. I can get a very nice classic rock sound through the clean channel. I have never been impressed with the HRDV drive channels but have always loved its clean sound. The DD definitely helps this amp to be much more versitale. I wouldnt say that the DD makes my Fender sound like a Marshall or whatever, but it does help a very good clean amp sound good with OD. The pedal is much more transparent and not nearly as compressed sounding as the TS-9. As with any OD or dist pedal it does add noise when turned on but its not too bad. Over all this is a great sounding pedal with the HRDV. I however was not impressed with its sound through the Blues Jr. But I have never been very happy with this amp. No pedal has ever worked well it.

Seems to be built very well. I was not too impressed with the battery setup though. There is nothing that holds it stationary inside the box, only the connector. I also find that the sound is better (more Transparent) when the 9V AC plug is used. Relatively new I have no reference to judge reliablity.

Bought through musictoys.com no experience with Barber electronics

I have been playing for 27 yrs and have owned/traded/sold a ton of equipment. With pedals I have found that what sounds good one day can sound like crap the next. Your sound/Tone is a combination of you, your guitar, pickups, effects, amp, ect... Not One single component alone is going to make your sound unique or great. I look for pedals that inhance the sound of a great amp and guitar, not mask it or make it sound like something else. I think the Barber Direct Drive is one of the better OD pedals that I have used. Well worth 99 dollars.

Very straight forward: tone, volume, and drive, with a push/pull control on the tone knob to add additional harmonics to the OD. All controls are useful and responsive throughout their adjustment ranges. The only complaint I have is that with the tone knob pulled up for additional harmonics, it is fairly easy to inadvertently hit it with your toe on the pedal board. Not a big deal, but a switch in place of the push/pull knob would eliminate this.

My setup is an '89 Strat Plus Deluxe with SD Hotrails & 2 SD Cool Rails >> Dunlop 535Q Wah >> Direct Drive >> Tech 21 Double Drive >> Proco Rat II >> Marshal DSL 401 >> TCElectronic G-Major (in the loop) >> Avatar G212H cabinet. This is obviously a highly subjective area, but I absolutely love the tone from this little box. In addition to the pedals listed above, I have also had a Maxon OD-9. The Direct Drive stomps the OD-9 and immediately replaced it. It offers a fuller range of overdrive, while restoring bass response and providing a much more natural, tube-like overdrive. The Tech 21 Double Drive offers more overdrive than the Direct Drive; however, the Direct Drive will cover 90 percent of what the Double Drive does in this area and is much better than the Tech 21 at delivering lighter overdriven tones. The Tech 21 seems to go fairly flat at lower drive levels, while the Direct Drive is toneful and responsive. The Rat is a distortion pedal, and accordingly it offers much more gain and a completely different range of tones than the Direct Drive -- different boxes, and good to have both. The Direct Drive box sounds more Marshall-esque than Fender, which I like. (As a matter of fact, I can easily dial in a tone that is virtually identical to the OD1 channel on my Marshall.) Anything above 9 o'clock on the drive is pretty hot. There is definitely enough gain on tap to cover virtually any classic rock tone. Pull the tone knob out, set the drive to 2 o'clock and you're easily into the ZZ Top "Tush" zone. The unit is reasonably quiet and well-made. I've also tried a HAO Rust Driver and the Fulltone Fulldrive II. To my ear, the Direct Drive is by far the best OD pedal I have played through.

Extremely well made. No issues to report here, and I don't expect any.

No experience with this one, although the reports on this site are good.

I've been playing for 15 years. I like classic rock and play in a casual band with friends. We gig about three or four times a year and otherwise play for fun. The Direct Drive is extremely useful in getting excellent classic rock tones. It's always cool to find and try out out new pedals, and I'm really glad I gave this one a try. Based on my experience with the Direct Drive, I'm definitely going to try the Burn Unit 2 and Tone Press from Barber. At $100 new, this unit is a no-brainer -- you really owe it to yourself to give it a try. Highly recommended.

Vol, tone (pull fat), overdrive, LED. Simple and effective. My unit has the LED in the rt upper corner below the OD control instead of over the switch as pictured.

I use it with a Carvin amp and guitar, Dod chorus, Crybaby,and a vol pedal. The Direct Drive does what Barber says it will do. It gives you a "Marshall" vibe OD with plenty of pick harmonics and sustain. The vol control allows you to get REALLY loud. The big thing is minimal compression. We all know a very compressed signal boxes in your sound. You may be getting a great sound 3 feet from your amp but the audience may not even hear you.

I've got 8 gigs under my belt with the DD and the unit seems very well made.

Friendly service, but only 48hr return privileges.

I'd say this is about the best $100 I ever spent to improve my sound. It makes playing more fun. The minimal compression combined with great sustain, pick attack, quality parts, and a $100 price tag makes the DD a winner. The tube OD in my amp is "richer" but more compressed. I can reach out very well with the DD. (Shipping charges were $11, but the actual charge by USPS was less that $6.)

The three typical knobs...but the pull-up-for-fat tone knob is not typical. Barber describes it as more "California"...Boogie, I presume. Would have been nice if the pull knob was a second switch, but that might be why he has the Tone Pump and Burn Unit.

Using a mid 80's Zion Turbo with HSH config, all Seymour Duncans, through a Rivera-modified '62 Princeton, which has a Celestion 12" in it. The unit is very good, but I prefer my Fulltone Fulldrive II, which I rate as a 9. The FDII is a little fatter, plus has the second switch for Boost, which gives me a three-channel setup: amp set clean, overdrive, and boost.

Looks extremely well-made, in and out. His reputationis excellent.

Again, his reputation is excellent.

I play a variety of styles, but consider myself a sort of r&b rock player. I enjoy Carlton and Ritenour, Eric Johnson has become a favorite. The unit is very, very good. I am always looking to top what I have, and based on the reviews below(particularly the ones that said they liked it better than a FDII) I thought I'd give it a try. I'll stay with the Fulltone. By the way, consider using musictoyz.com for your next purchase; good company to deal with...

As easy as it get`s, no need for a manual, but the one that comes with it is helpful...

Sound quality really depends on your amp setup...My guitars are Gibson Les Paul, Hamer USA Standard (explorer)
I find the DD works great with my Marshalls, a Musicman RD 50,and a `66 Traynor YBA1..but does not work with my `71 Traynor YBA1 or any Fender amps I`ve played..it is designed from what I gather to sound like Marshall/60`s Laney/Hiwatt, that`s why Fenders don`t jive as much,,it`s not that it sounds bad with Fender amps, it just works better with Marshall type amps...the biggest thing I find with the DD is it does not just `Sit on Top` of your amp sound, like most pedals...Rather it becomes `Part of` your amps sound` ...and when your recording with DD,you can hear that..it sounds as though you`ve had your non-master Marshall modded with a killer Master Volume, but in fact the amp can be totally stock...You have the ability to go from clean boost to `Rich Overdrive`,it`s a palm muting dream..it does not sound like any Tube Screamer I`ve heard..it our does them....And the sound quailty is supreme..

So far so good..
Always carry a backup...a gig or studio is no place without a backup..

Great, always eager to support a customer..If I e-mail Dave...I`ll get a response in a day or two..these guys live this stuff and it shows..

I play melodic Hard Rock, original and covers...been playing over 20 years...I had a Barber Tone Pump, that I said I would never sell, well this Direct Drive is the $%#@..haven`t used the TP in a while..if I need to boost solo`s I can use an old Boss SD1 or Ibanez TS9, I do have a Fulldrive that I rarely use, that boosts the signal too, though it is a cleaner boost...t However the Tone Pump and DD together can sound very dark..a bright warm boost pedal enhances the DD..
The point is most of my tone will from the DD first, the boost pedal (if needed) always comes in second...some times in chain the DD works better after the boost pedal,but is turned on `after` the DD is already on...I do notice that a fresh battery works wonders in t DD..it does not like a weak 9V supply...

Plug er in and blast off!

Excellent.....a very original sounding pedal. Lot's of tonal options in this little black box. I have not done the bass or open air mod to this. Just left it as it is. It works perfect for what I use it for, so why mess with it?

Well, I take care of my pedals. I have a few 20 to 25 year old pedals on my board and they look and work like they did when new. With proper care, I expect my 3 year old grandson to be using it in his retro ban in the year 2020.

Never dealt with Dave, but from what I've heard, he would bend over backwards to make his customers happy. On those points alone, he get's a 10

This pedal works well with both solid state and tube amps. As a matter of fact, it's one of the best overdrive pedals you can find if you play with a solid state amp. I use a Roland Blues Cube, Dean Markley RM-40, V-Amp ll and a Winnie Thomas Elizabeth. I use the Direct Drive in conjunction with a Vox Valve Tone, Boss Blues Driver, Fulltone Fulldrive ll and several delay, chorus, wah, volume pedals, etc. While it's in the same tonal ballpark as the Fulltone and Valve Tone, it has enough differences to warrant using them all. The DD excels at Robben Ford, Larry Carlton dumblesque type tones. It's fun to set the pedals for slightly different gain characters and swithc between them. I like and use all the above pedals, but id it came down to one overdrive, the DD and the Valve Tone would have to duke it out. The DD is the more versitile of the two, but hte VT has a certain sweetness the others lack. It would be a tough choice. I would probably have to go with the DD due to it's versatility. It just does so many things well. And the price! $100 new....Are you kidding me!!?? This thing kicks major ass on most of the big buck booteekees. Way to go Dave. I'd love to try the Tone Pump and the Burn Unit next.

Very easy to use and you can get a great tone that is personal to you. Works and sounds great in line with my Keeley compressor and CM Delayla. This unit respects your rig. Mine is the standard DD not the SS.

Strat>Keeley Comp>Sonic Boom>Barber DD>CM Delayla>Mesa Boogie Studio 22+ (clean channel). It is VERY quiet unless you crank the overdrive which gets you into plexi territory but that isn't really my schtick. Note: the clean boost is never on with the DD (and all my effects are true bypass, though there is apparently some debate re the Delayla...). And, did I mention TRANSPARENT. I will not buy an effect that colors my tone in any way, and the DD does not--what it does is enhance the harmonics, sustain and crunch/grind I get from the Boogie when the power tubes are pushed. VERY NICE, and it is never harsh. The high gain channel on my Boogie--which is really more of a high gain distortion trip--sounds cheesey in comparison to what the DD pushes through on the clean side. I am extremely pleased with this thing.

So far yes. Have had it about 9 months.

Dave Barber responded immediately to my e.mail questions with helpful and informative advice. He and others like him (Nick Greer and Robert Keeley come to mind) are why the boutique pedal business is booming. Probably only a matter of time, though, before companies like Roland and Korg buy these guys out.

I play classic and modern guitar styles--is that general enough? Started playing in 1967 when I heard Jimi. Back to the DD: If you find a better overdrive unit let me know, really, I mean it. I've tried many and none match this for smoothness. The sounds are truly sweet and musical, and the balance is very, very good with no undue emphasis on a particular frequency. The kicker for me is how it tightens up and focuses the low end. Buy it again? Hell yes. If stolen I would probably sink into a deep, dark depression.