BFJE Baby Blue Overdrive or Honeybee?

[johnsfore]

Hi. I'm trying to decide whether to fork out the cash for a BJFE Baby Blue Overdrive or a BJFE Honeybee. I certainly can't affort both but am prepared for lay down the $400+ it will most likely cost me to get my hands on one of these two highly coveted gems. I am looking for a low-to-mid gain overdrive pedal which will be going into a Fender Princeton Reverb 2 amp and a Blues Junior from time to time, as well as a Headstrong Lil King amp. My main guitar is a PRS McCarty Blackburst with Lollar Imperial humbuckers. I also have a '57 medium relic'd Nash Stratocaster with loller single coils. Like everyone else out there - am looking for the holy grail of warm, smooth, and rich overdrive sounds and have been convinced that one of these two pedals will help me to get there. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[SunnyRollins]

the BBOD is out of production so maybe it'll be "easier" and "cheaper" to get a HB (which also seems to fit your description).

 

[DocRock]

Both amazing pedals for sure, and for different reasons.

Honeybee is very amp-like, touch sensitive, etc. (I hate using all those buzzwords, but it is the truth.) Pretty low to mid-gain. Nice grind to it, and excels at pushing other pedals.

BBOD shares some qualities, but will give you fatter, richer, smoother tones. They are really two different animals, and it's hard to advise you on which one to get. BBOD will give you more sustain for your leads without being overly gainy. You really have to "play" a Honeybee, if that makes any sense.

Doc

 

[Rock72]

I've had my Honeybee for a week now, and used it through various amps with EL84s. Guitars are Strat (Texas Special PUPs) and PRS Custom 22 (Dragon IIs), and it works really well with both. The more I play, the more I like it. I never thought I would fork out $400 to get one, but I don't regret doing it. Excellent pedal.

 

[flyingvees]

Try the sky blue...I am getting one as soon as they get released...I think it covers some of the baby blue territory but has more eq. I really think that this with my eternity may be the ticket...

 

[Stressfest]

The BBOD sounds great on its own but i had clipping issues when stacking. The HBOD is worth it's weight in gold both as a drive and stacker IMHO. I'd go the HBOD

 

[Hoffe_68]

I play a BBOD through a "Dumblified" Princeton Reverb 2 with a ToneTubby Alnico speaker.
And it's really sweet. Very dynamic, organic and touchsensitive.
But it's also sensitive in what order I put it in the pedalstack. I have to put it first, before compressor to get the most out of it. It really doesn't matter since I only use the Comp for clean stuff.

But I might sell it though, since I could get 3 reasonable priced pedals for the same price

/Thomas

 

[godotzilla]

Where are you guys even finding BJF pedals, other than eBay? I don't know of any dealers who have new pedals in stock.

 

[nibus]

I should have a BBOD arriving soon, I will try to get some clips up and my impressions.

 

[I'm Incinerator]

Where are you guys even finding BJF pedals, other than eBay? I don't know of any dealers who have new pedals in stock.

BJF's find me...j/k

I would try custom-sounds.com. Harri is the main (only as far as I know) distributer of BJFE/MP products

I feel the HB works best when being goosed by something...since I use a tele, maybe higher output pups/fatter pups will make the magic Once I hit the "spot" for me on my HB....I heard what everyone was talking about

 

[Craise]

I play a BBOD through a "Dumblified" Princeton Reverb 2 with a ToneTubby Alnico speaker.
And it's really sweet. Very dynamic, organic and touchsensitive.
But it's also sensitive in what order I put it in the pedalstack. I have to put it first, before compressor to get the most out of it. It really doesn't matter since I only use the Comp for clean stuff.

But I might sell it though, since I could get 3 reasonable priced pedals for the same price

/Thomas

I dug out my BBOD the other night...god I forgot how buttery it makes my Princton Reverb!
Exactly like you discribe Dynamic, Organic, Touchsensitive...I'll also add..not TS...
It's got a springiness too it..a snap but can also crunch at higher gain settings....phatens up fenders like no other pedal I've heard.
Will it work for you? not sure...depends on your ear.
I've found it stacks great with my other BJFs...want dummble? BBOD>Honey Bee!
:AOK