Tell me about the "legendary" BJF Baby Blue Overdrive

[frankiestarr]

I'm thinking about getting one, very pricey. I have the Honey Bee, and Dyna Red, and thought this would round out the family . I read what I could find, wasn't much. Anyone want to tell me your thoughts? Is it all that? Thanks.

 

[Wesman61]

I've had 4! Best OD I've heard for sounding like a cranked amp. I just always found them a little cold sounding.

 

[amphead777]

I love mine Bigtime!!!

 

[superswede]

If you play Fender BF or SF type amps you got to get one.

 

[Teahead]

Much depends on what you'd want one for. If you'd like to complete a BJF OD trilogy and have the BBOD for collection purposes, then nothing else will do. If, on the other hand, you intend to use all three on a gigging pedalboard, I'd say there are better choices that offer more versatility.

DRD and BBOD are closer in feel and tone than the DRD and HBOD, so don't expect to be introduced to a whole other universe of sounds. Taking the DRD as a benchmark, the Baby Blue has less gain and feels a little more saggy. It's also a touch less dynamic than the two BJFs you have, although still very reactive to your playing. BBOD also doesn't stack as nicely as the other BJFs I've tried, it can be a little picky about placement and such.

 

[NewarkWilder]

Much depends on what you'd want one for. If you'd like to complete a BJF OD trilogy and have the BBOD for collection purposes, then nothing else will do. If, on the other hand, you intend to use all three on a gigging pedalboard, I'd say there are better choices that offer more versatility.

DRD and BBOD are closer in feel and tone than the DRD and HBOD, so don't expect to be introduced to a whole other universe of sounds. Taking the DRD as a benchmark, the Baby Blue has less gain and feels a little more saggy. It's also a touch less dynamic than the two BJFs you have, although still very reactive to your playing. BBOD also doesn't stack as nicely as the other BJFs I've tried, it can be a little picky about placement and such.

well said! the BBOD has risen to its "legendary" status for a reason, but it is not the absolute end all be all. I have one (and yes, through a blackface fender, which it is absolutely perfect for) and love it to death but I don't think I could have it as the only OD on my board.

what I love most about it personally is i can get that also legendary "super reverb on 6" sound with my super at about 2. low gain it colors the amp just a tiny bit, but in a very pleasing way. keep rolling up the gain and and it gets pretty raunchy, in the best way possible. I tend to keep mine at about 1:00, but there isn't a bad sound in its range.

there are also some subtle differences in the earlier and later built models, I'd love to a/b mine against a few others to see just how different they are.

so... deserving of "legendary" status? Probably, if only for being Bjorn's first overdrive and having a sound you're not going to get out of any other pedal. But I wouldn't call it a complete necessity, either.

Still, mine isn't going anywhere :BEER

 

[cedjazz]

Much depends on what you'd want one for. If you'd like to complete a BJF OD trilogy and have the BBOD for collection purposes, then nothing else will do. If, on the other hand, you intend to use all three on a gigging pedalboard, I'd say there are better choices that offer more versatility.

DRD and BBOD are closer in feel and tone than the DRD and HBOD, so don't expect to be introduced to a whole other universe of sounds. Taking the DRD as a benchmark, the Baby Blue has less gain and feels a little more saggy. It's also a touch less dynamic than the two BJFs you have, although still very reactive to your playing. BBOD also doesn't stack as nicely as the other BJFs I've tried, it can be a little picky about placement and such.

well said. interesting observation about how "picky" the pedal can be depending on placement. mine happens to be part of the batch which changed from high to low impedance output, making it a little less picky. The BBOD is extremely amp-like. I remember one night I had the settings between my amp & pedal such that almost every note on my solo had a slight feedback-like "tail" on it. Even the horn player took notice, which brings up another interesting quality about this pedal... it can be very "horn-like" at certain settings. I've used it to double trumpet & flugelhorn lines..... Yep, it can be that versatile. I have a BBOD & an HBOD. trying to get my hands on a DRD to round out the family.

 

[Teahead]

If you'd like to augment the tones you already have and get more mileage out of your current drives, I'd definitely recommend looking into the Pine Green Comp or Sea Blue EQ. The PGC is very versatile, probably my favourite BJF pedal and works beautifully with the Honey Bee. As Bjorn once told me, using those two pedals together gives similar control to having multiple HBODs in series.

 

[NewarkWilder]

As Bjorn once told me, using those two pedals together gives similar control to having multiple HBODs in series.

whoa--settings? this I gotta try.

 

[Teahead]

whoa--settings? this I gotta try.

I was pondering what it would be like to stack two Honey Bees, seeing as they're such excellent companions for other pedals. BJ said he'd tried it and found that using PGC into HB allowed him to dial in similar tones with more control over the results. Experiment and report back! Sadly, I am without a HBOD.

 

[Seegs]

I've had three and it was not at all the magic be all and end of od pedals...I got one of the early ones and for some reason I was expecting a more transparent/amp-like pedal and I got a pedal that colored my tone in a way I didn't need...after talking to Bjorn it was determined that my Fargen was not right format for the pedal... I gather that a Roland JC 120 or a Twin would have been a better compliment for the BBOD...

FWIW...I felt the same way about the HB...too thick and colored for my amp...

the DRD and Little green wonder stacked into a PGC were far more useful to me...

Chow,
Seegs

 

[NewarkWilder]

I was pondering what it would be like to stack two Honey Bees, seeing as they're such excellent companions for other pedals. BJ said he'd tried it and found that using PGC into HB allowed him to dial in similar tones with more control over the results. Experiment and report back! Sadly, I am without a HBOD.

ahhh ok. I will indeed experiment and report back! I usually just leave my PGC on my sweet spot and kick it in when I want compression but I probably haven't experimented enough with how it affects other pedals in ways other than simple compression. there is so much versatility lurking in those body & nature knobs...

 

[Ben C.]

I'll be a voice of dissent...

It was the only pedal of Bjorn's that I didn't like at all. I've also had the HB, PPF, EGDM, SBEQ, and still have the PGC. They were all really good in their own ways, and the PGC is still a pedal that I think is amazing every time I turn it on. But my overall thoughts on the BBOD were that it was a thick fizzy saturation box. Now, granted, I got mine secondhand and it was one of the originals with the solid paint... so perhaps the circuit was different or altered. But it was just like... "Eww".

Love Bjorn, love his other pedals. But that one... I just didn't get it. When I heard they were being d/c'd, I thought, "Obviously- what took so long!".

-Ben

 

[lukeII]

I've had three and it was not at all the magic be all and end of od pedals...I got one of the early ones and for some reason I was expecting a more transparent/amp-like pedal and I got a pedal that colored my tone in a way I didn't need...after talking to Bjorn it was determined that my Fargen was not right format for the pedal... I gther that a Roland JC 120 or a Twin would have been a better compliment for the BBOD...

FWIW...I felt the same way about the HB...too thick and colored for my amp...

the DRD and Little green wonder stacked into a PGC were far more useful to me...

Chow,
Seegs

I had a BBOD through a Fargen Blackbird and it sounded ok but nothing spectacular. Playing it through a Two Rock Classic Reverb though and it is nothing short of spectacular. A real nice vintage type OD with just the right amount of SAG. The Two Rock is a thicker sounding amp then the Fargen (not better thicker just voiced differently).

 

[frankiestarr]

Thanks for the feedback... Lots of mixed reviews ! I would like to by it, but it is $435 !!! I really want to hear one. I play through Fender amps old and new, with mainly Gibson/HB(PU's)....I like that Bluesy fusion stuff.....Any other advice would be great.

 

[screamingduck]

Great pedal but , for me, too pricey to justify keeping. I'm sure the prices will continue to go up as there is only a limited amounts of BBOD's out there so either way you really can't go wrong. If it doesn't work for you, you should be able to sell it for the price you paid for it. I'd say go for it and find out for yourself if it is what you need.

 

[NewarkWilder]

so perhaps the circuit was different or altered. But it was just like... "Eww".

seems there are at least 3 documented variations on the circuit that you can pick out by serial # range... I don't think there are any actual transistor changes or anything but something about the way they are tuned. heard different things about the very earliest ones, in the 1-160 range or so, then again until about 350 or 400, and then the last ones.

sorry to put words in his mouth but I know nibus has said he likes the later ones the best

and of course Bjorn is the only one who really knows, perhaps he'll chime in

i wanna try 'em all

 

[markom89]

All I know is I tried one last week (finally) and I dug the crap out of it. Most impressed. Along with the Model H and HBOD, the BBOD is a favourite of mine, as far as BJF distortions and overdrives go. They're all awesome, though.

 

[rawkguitarist]

Yeah, I say if you want another BJF get something else. I've not played a BBOD, but the DRD is supposed to be a continuation of it. I suggest like others, geting a Pine Green Compressor or a Emerald Green Distortion or even a Little Green Wonder would round out your tonal stew much better. The point is... any pedal I've heard of Bjorns; it's been most likely the best of its type. You know... I'm really leaning towards getting a Honey Bee now...

Does this ever end?

 

[nibus]

I've had 3 Baby Blue's -

It is a fantastic overdrive. It's EQ range is fairly neutral, though some low end roll off occurs. It could be considered a good TS replacement.

It sounds like an amp with some sag - and it has some fuzz qualities, especially on higher gain settings. It is the noisiest of the BJF overdrives that I have played. I actually preferred it about 1:00 gain - higher than that, and the sag had a sort of brittle fuzzish quality to it. In the end, this is why I sold my last one and haven't picked up another. It is a pretty bright OD and I usually ran treble at 9:00, though I do have a bright setup.

For me it was also kind of "in-between" sounds. Meaning, I loved the sound for it, but I wanted just a tad bit more balls for most of my music. Because of this, I replaced it with a Stephenson Stage Hog, but I doubt there are many other pedals out there that could have replaced it. For lighter rock and blues, it was amazing.

Great pedal - is it worth $450-550? Mmmm, probably not for me. If it were $300 I wouldn't hesitate to get another.