"Black Pearl Posse"

[B-Nads]

So would it be preferable to run a verb pedal instead with a BP?

[firebrand]

Originally Posted by dass101

Ok, I got the tank and installed it, I have to say that I find the difference minimal, if any. The tank probably doesn't sound exactly the same, but the overall character of the reverb is basically the same, I get the same long dark and cavernous "too much" reverb, even at low settings. I'm out of ideas, I'll do some research and see if this can be improved in the circuit itself.

That would be sweet. Keep us updated if you find a plausible mod.
I am heavily considering a Hall of Fame or a Mr Springy verb pedal unless I can find a Holy Grail on the cheap.

[B-Nads]

I re-joined the posse as of yesterday. I swapped my Valvetrain Savannah for a mint Black Pearl. I play a pretty wide combo of styles, but mostly country. The Savannah, while great sounding at what it did, wa sa very nice home and studio amp, but needed an eq to get what I was after, and had limited headroom - no surprise at 16 watts. I will be adding a Concord head this summer, as I love the Valvetrain juju, but that being said, the Black Pearl just blows it away in every category...except weight - lol.

As per the reverb issue - my only gripe - do you guys find that it also darkens your tone in general the deeper you set it? I'm gonna try to post a little soundfile this weekend to compare, but as of right now I'm running my Wampler Faux Spring in front of it, and it is much clearer and livelier than the onboard 'verb. The tonal range of this amp is insane - and I can use my 10 band to dial in about as Fender a sound as you could want in the ''natural'' setting, then turn it off and get the almost AC30 sound inherent to it - very fun set-up.

[firebrand]

The ruby reverb tank sounds full and lush. Running with a speaker as bright as the Red Fang is I never noticed a darkening of my tone. Currently though I have a head BP and the Accutronics spring that came with has been broken since it arrived.

[firebrand]

The BP is incredibly versatile. There are many great settings vs. the usual one or two I find in other amps. Now if Mr. Genzler and team would make a two channel version I would have no use for other Dirt or OD pedals.

[Thinline_slim]

Two channel would be nice.

I buy a 2nd in a heart beat if they made the same overall BP30 in a 35lb combo. Maybe a BP20 or 15? The standard 1x12 combo is just too heavy for me.

[KidArchitect]

I'm contemplating buying a 2nd BP30 just so i can have a lot more grit. 2 channels would nice!

Problem is - i use a lot of effects, so the boost is only usable to me when i want that effect of distortion AFTER delay and such. I use it in 1 song, for 1 part, out of an hour and a half set.

I'm currently using a Super Duper into a Distortron. It's good, but i really want moooore powerful distortion. More gain, and such.

Soooo i'd love to have a 2nd amp - but its a ways off, we shall see.

[dass101]

That's an incredible deal, you'll have a lot of fun with the amp. I'm still loving mine, and I'm getting ready to track my new band's first album using nothing but a Black Pearl, and getting all nuances out of it's many usable tones and a couple of guitars. I did some preproduction work and everything is going to sound just perfect.

[KissTone]

Originally Posted by dass101

I get the same long dark and cavernous "too much" reverb, even at low settings.

That surprises me. My BP is just the opposite---to my there isn't enough reverb. I like big, splashy, Fender surf. I find the BP verb more subtle and "tone-enhancing" rather than the Fender "effect".

[jaimelazaro1]

What rectifier valve 'NOS' can I use for improve the sound of my BP, If I change the V1 valve for 12ax7 tung sol Im gonna heard any change to better? and least can I modified the FX loop for introduce a normal stompboxes in there? Thanks

[indiemojoe]

Joined the possy yesterday... 1x12. Love it. It is 4-5 years old and still has original tubes throughout. The guy I bought it from was running it at 4 ohms in 8 watt for years. I can't imagine how much I am going to like it with some fresh glass if I am already in love. I would take it over the Black Cat 30 I used to own as it is right now.

[firebrand]

Use anything but Mesa tubes. I have some Mesa ELs in mine and the sound is brighter and a little more stiff than the previous tubes. JJ or Ruby here I come. Unless I get a sweet on some NOS.

[B-Nads]

Mine has JJ's and I like'em. For some bizarre reason, mine came with a Wizard in it - not the stock Red Fang. I replaced it with a used Fang last week, which made the amp sound a lot brighter, warmer and smoother, and also made the reverb much more usable. I use verb sparingly anyway. It has met its match in the Dr Z Maz 18 jr w/reverb though - that amp is as loud and has as much headroom as my Pearl, weighs 20lbs less, so it can double as a gig or grab&go, and sounds better to my ears. The Pearl beats it in versatility without question, but I basically set the Pearl in one place and play from there - and that setting is close to the Maz sound.

[indiemojoe]

Yesterday I found the perfect pedal to compliment my black pearl. The TC Electronics VPD1. It has not seen much love or even mention on tgp. I thought it might have been the price, but then again people here pay more than that for a "boiled" BYOC tube screamer with a swirly paint job. I have spent the last two weeks trying to get the usual suspects to sound "right" with this amp. They all sounded like cheap pedals. This amp is like fluorescent lighting for an artificial sounding pedal. If you dial up some great gain on the black pearl then knock it down and turn most pedals on, you can hear all the imperfections and inadequacies in trying to replicate a true amp overdrive. When I tried the vpd1 it seemed like an extension of the black pearl itself. So good. I picked mine up for $130 new at GC. I don't know why it was less than half price, but I don't really care! I love it.

[B-Nads]

My Fairfield Barbershop REALLY enhances the driven sound of my Pearl. I use my Timmy as a boost for it, and can set them to produce some very D-esque sounds as well.