BARBER: Dual Unlimited OR 1/2 Gainer?

[riversisblue]

I am interested in one of these two pedals. Now I have played briefly through an LTD and loved it for its touch of transparent grit. I have a super sport now and run the gain really low. It just has too much. I want a pedal that does the LTD low drive thing but also can get a bit dirty as well. I am afraid that the 1/2 gainer wont have enough gain while the dual unlimited may have too much...Anyone that has tried both and could help me make a more informed decision? What can you compare these to?

[sutherland]

I've yet to try the Unlimited, but Barber can add any two of their three knob pedals in their Dual Discrete:
- Tone Press
- Direct Drive
- Direct Drive SS
- Direct Drive LG
- LTD
- LTD SR
- maybe Unlimited?!?

Maybe email Dave or Ronni, they are pretty responsive.

[riversisblue]

I would love to do this however, my wallet doesn't always agree with me...

[amphead777]

I like the 1/2 Gainer myself. I've tried most of the Barber OD's, and the 1/2 Gainer sticks out. If you need more gain, try to stack it.

[78deluxe]

Originally Posted by riversisblue

I am interested in one of these two pedals. Now I have played briefly through an LTD and loved it for its touch of transparent grit. I have a super sport now and run the gain really low. It just has too much. I want a pedal that does the LTD low drive thing but also can get a bit dirty as well. I am afraid that the 1/2 gainer wont have enough gain while the dual unlimited may have too much...Anyone that has tried both and could help me make a more informed decision? What can you compare these to?

I own both!

I use the 1/2 Gainer more, as it is just the sound I'm looking for more often.

How high did you run the gain on the LTD? I find the 1/2 Gainer can get a bit of grit if you are maxing out the drive and pushing your amp with the volume, though this will be amp dependent.

The DualUNLTD can do low gain pretty well too, but it is not exactly like the 1/2 Gainer, they are really different flavors of grit to a degree.

[Jules-RM]

Between the two I think the Half Gainer is more useable. I just did not bond with the sound of the UnLimiTeD, and I've tried almost every Barber pedal out there. For your needs the Half Gainer seems to fit the bill.

Timmy is better for stacking IMO, so there's no reason to not get a Half Gainer AND a Timmy

[whackystrings]

If you prefer the low gain settings of the SS then I think you'd be a good candidate for the 1/2 Gainer - I have the LTD-SR and it is my fav drive pedal. No contest. Not that I don't use others (see my Sig) but there is a setting for my needs in the SR that is just so sweet.

The Dual UnLTD - I have this...definitely a mid-to-mid+ gain. Excellent pedal and better than most ODs I have ever used but I think I could have easily satisfied my needs with an SS.

Quality-wise, what can I say about Barber that hasn't been said before?
If you want to explore that sweet low-gain territory or if you want a bit of muscle mid gain you have your two options. I am pretty sure that your SS can cover than mid-gain territory very well already...

[wundergussy]

The LTD SR is such an amazing pedal; the 1/2 Gainer for sure!

[Bluedano1]

I'm still wishing for my own fantasy "Custom Barber OD" :

a two channel pedal

Channel one is an LTD with just a Level control knob (Drive preset to 1:00 and Tone NOON- just my favorite setting) and ON/OFF footswitch*

Channel Two is a full/stock Direct Drive w/ ON/OFF footswitch*

* so both can be used at the same time- also a toggle switch that can select "stacking" order of the two, if used together

OH Yeah, it needs to cost $139.00 ;-)

Really not breaking new ground, just saving space!

[whackystrings]

Originally Posted by Bluedano1

I'm still wishing for my own fantasy "Custom Barber OD" :

a two channel pedal

Channel one is an LTD with just a Level control knob (Drive preset to 1:00 and Tone NOON- just my favorite setting) and ON/OFF footswitch*

Channel Two is a full/stock Direct Drive w/ ON/OFF footswitch*

* so both can be used at the same time- also a toggle switch that can select "stacking" order of the two, if used together

OH Yeah, it needs to cost $139.00 ;-)

Really not breaking new ground, just saving space!

Quit "wishing" and just spend a few months to save up for a Dual Discrete.
Yer custom OD box done. Presto. Just tell Ronni to hide the pots inside the enclosure preset how you want 'em. Call them "maxi-trimpots". Sounds like a cross between a "Brazilian" procedure and a feminine hygiene product

[oxtone]

I have both.

The Dual Unlimited and 1/2 Gainer are two very different overdrive sounds.
The 1/2 Gainer is "smoother", while the Dual Unlimited sounds to my ears more like a Marshall amp sound, with more gain than the 1/2 Gainer.

Dual Unlimited: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxeFob2g0lw

1/2 Gainer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNxK9...eature=related

Gearmanndude's YT of 1/2 Gainer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsuJ0...eature=related

[David-R]

Originally Posted by Jules-RM

Between the two I think the Half Gainer is more useable. I just did not bond with the sound of the UnLimiTeD, and I've tried almost every Barber pedal out there.

This was also my experience. You can get more gain out of a 1/2 Gainer if you hit it with a hotter signal. For example, I run an Xotic EP Booster before the 1/2 Gainer and it significantly increases the gain of the 1/2 Gainer.

[Bluedano1]

Originally Posted by whackystrings

Quit "wishing" and just spend a few months to save up for a Dual Discrete.
Yer custom OD box done. Presto. Just tell Ronni to hide the pots inside the enclosure preset how you want 'em. Call them "maxi-trimpots". Sounds like a cross between a "Brazilian" procedure and a feminine hygiene product

I know, I know!! But I don't have any money! ('cause I play guitar for a living, ha!) But, I do have a Direct Drive! So for now, I will just daydream

I do think the "LTD/DD combo OD" would be great- though I can see that maybe Dave and Co. would rather just keep making and selling the pedals separately!

[whackystrings]

Originally Posted by Bluedano1

I know, I know!! But I don't have any money! ('cause I play guitar for a living, ha!) But, I do have a Direct Drive! So for now, I will just daydream

I do think the "LTD/DD combo OD" would be great- though I can see that maybe Dave and Co. would rather just keep making and selling the pedals separately!

To my thinking, separate pedals are best for most situations. If my pedalboard was very small and I wanted to stack (side-by-side) two Barber 3-knob drive pedals, the Tone Press with an LTD, etc, I would go with a Dual Discrete, end of story. But having them in separate boxes is best if you buy and sell your pedals often and if you are constantly changing the order and combinations of pedals on your large pedalboard. As far as a Dual Discrete, my wishlist includes a Super Sport>LTD-SR combo. Since I already have the SR, I will likely pick up an SS and just leave it at that.

[oxtone]

Originally Posted by David-R

This was also my experience. You can get more gain out of a 1/2 Gainer if you hit it with a hotter signal. For example, I run an Xotic EP Booster before the 1/2 Gainer and it significantly increases the gain of the 1/2 Gainer.

I do the same, with the EP set to Unity Gain/Treble Boost, and it sounds very good with the 1/2 Gainer.