YABQ: Yet Another Blackstone Question

[fuzz_factor]

People here really seem to love their Blackstone ODs. I'm thinking of picking one up, but wonder if it's a bit redundant in my setup.

I currently have a black LTD, Direct Drive and OCD. These fulfill my light to medium gain overdrive needs nicely. I also have a Fulltone 69 and Fuzz Factory which fill the bill for the higher gain stuff. I don't really need much more gain than what I have although a Rat or Tone Bender might be somewhere in the future. Oh, and I'm on the list for a Zendrive, Tim and Timmy, but they're all at least four months away.

I love rolling back the volume and tone knobs for different sounds, particularly with the germanium fuzz pedals. How might a Blackstone fit in this setup? Will a Blackstone be redundant? Does it sound much differently than the ODs I've mentioned? I'd love to have a gritty, rich OD that gets some Stones type rhythm with some fat, harmonic rich leads. I'm playing through small amps (Champ 600, Blues Jr., have a Gibson GA-5 on the way) set mostly clean, primarily with a Strat and a P90 SG.

Thanks!

- jeff -

 

[JUSTJOB]

It may be redundant if you are presently pleased with your current pedals. It has some sound similarities with the OCD, but I prefer the Blackstone and it's two channels, but that is my preference, and we all know tone is subjective.
I use a Blacksone on my grab-n-go board, (just Fuzz, Blackstone, AD9) for it's small size, great tone, simplicity, and sheer versatility. I also use this set up with a champ 600 at times, and it is a great match allowing me to go clean to mean with just a volume knob tweak.
Ultimately no one can know if you would prefer the Blackstone except for you. But for natural, touch sensitive, dynamic playing it is a heavy contender.
Best Regards!

 

[Jumblefingers]

It may be redundant if you are presently pleased with your current pedals. It has some sound similarities with the OCD, but I prefer the Blackstone and it's two channels, but that is my preference, and we all know tone is subjective.
I use a Blacksone on my grab-n-go board, (just Fuzz, Blackstone, AD9) for it's small size, great tone, simplicity, and sheer versatility. I also use this set up with a champ 600 at times, and it is a great match allowing me to go clean to mean with just a volume knob tweak.
Ultimately no one can know if you would prefer the Blackstone except for you. But for natural, touch sensitive, dynamic playing it is a heavy contender.
Best Regards!

+1 here. I have had a Tim, Timmy and OCD all of which are gone but the Blackstone has stayed though the Timmy is a different beast...more grainy. The OCD is "similar" and if you like to have a lot of different tones with change in guitar controls I have yet to find a box as varaiable as the BS. Stones, Who, Bad Company and some heavier Kansas / Foreigner marshall like tones too at higher gain. My favorite pedal along with a good fuzz.

 

[fuzz_factor]

Thanks for the info! Makes me want at Blackstone even more!

- jeff -

 

[burner]

With the description of the Blackstone being used in 'unbuffered' mode for vol. dynamics, how well does one work in conjucntion with a Fuzz Face?

I guess what I'm asking is where in the chain would be the best place for the Blackstone?

Currently:
(Guitar>Dynacomp>Wah>Microvibe>Fuzz Face>SuperOverdrive>AD-80 delay>Tuner>>>Amp)

 

[fuzz_factor]

With the description of the Blackstone being used in 'unbuffered' mode for vol. dynamics, how well does one work in conjucntion with a Fuzz Face?

I guess what I'm asking is where in the chain would be the best place for the Blackstone?

Currently:
(Guitar>Dynacomp>Wah>Microvibe>Fuzz Face>SuperOverdrive>AD-80 delay>Tuner>>>Amp)

My Blackstone should arrive on Monday, so I don't have any first hand experience yet, but conventionally wisdom goes like this: Unbuffered pedals should be placed directly after the guitar, before any buffered pedals. In your setup you might want to try:

(Guitar>Blackstone>Dynacomp>Wah>Microvibe>Fuzz Face>SuperOverdrive>AD-80 delay>Tuner>>>Amp)

or:

(Guitar>Wah>Microvibe>FuzzFace>Blackstone>Dynacomp>SuperOverdrive>AD-80delay>Tuner>>>Amp)

especially if your wah is true bypass.

You probably don't use the Compressor much with the Wah, Microvibe and Fuzz Face, right? So it can come later.

I'm currently running:

Guitar -> Fulltone '69 -> Barber Tone Press -> Barber Direct Drive -> OCD -> TU-12 Tuner -> Amp

I mostly use the Tone Press when I'm playing clean (and it might go...). All my pedals (except the tuner) are true bypass, so I still get the benefits of touch sensitivity with the OCD even though it's later in the chain (assuming I have all the earlier pedals turned off).

I'll probably fit the Blackstone in like this:

Guitar -> Fulltone '69 -> Blackstone -> Tone Press -> Direct Drive -> OCD -> TU-12 tuner -> Amp

Sometimes I put my true bypassed Crybaby right after the guitar, but mostly I put it after the dirt pedals.

Who knows, if the Blackstone is as good as everyone says, the OCD or Direct Drive might have to go!

Of course, there's no right or wrong way to set these things up, only what sounds good! But you've probably heard that before...

Have fun,

- jeff -