Effectrode Blackbird Preamp

[@davidblack1923]

This is the best thing I've ever bought. I mean this is just out of this world, no other thing comes close to that pedal using this thing with a looper + reverb and that's all I need (guitar and speaker included of course) Great quality + great company

[@deadboz6007]

For harder ways i prefer Victory V4 Kraken and Sheffield. The Jack is not my cup. And their idea of a preamp is also great!

[@SergeiVlassov]

How do you connect it to speaker? Separate power amp?

[@MrMarcburger]

​@SergeiVlassov I meant to say just that. going to need a poweramp or a powered speaker

[@vicshere99]

So basically, if you have a decent amp and this, it's all you need. I got their compressor, and it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. This sounds incredible.

[@gladejustglade]

Or this and a poweramp.

[@mortonwilson795]

I've had mine for 5+ years now - it's my 'always on' in the studio . . . just perfect clean and the 2 more OD options are superb.

[@bessiebraveheart]

I'm an old guitar now hobby player. I bought one of these. I really like it.

[@bobs2809]

Best sounding pedal I've ever owned. Both as prramp and into front of an amp.

[@williamsymes2956]

I use Blackbird as my pre-amp into my board. But I start with a TC Electronic Nova System for all effects.......amazingly effective and easy to transport. The Blackbird has a 600 ohm completely SILENT out for the board. Dead Silent. (edit 6/10/23) After several months searching for a cab "clone" or and IR loader, I finally bought and ENGL Cab Loader. Holy Moly.... you can tweak the type of power tube, Microphone type, microphone placement, plus a dozen different cab/speaker choices........unbelievably great compliment for the Blackbird. And then a TR or XLR out into a house PA or recording system. The ENGL is also a DI. Amazing compliment.

[@clintwhite3021]

Very cool! I have a Blackbird on its way. Trying to decide on an analog cabsim or an IR. I struggled with IRs there was always weird harsh frequencies. Analog cabsims didn’t seem to have that across the gain range and were more “open” sounding. However now I’ve found something decent as an IR but I’ve had to EQ it in Audacity till I liked it.

[@eloann]

I just ordered an A/DA APP-1 to track at home and I'm not even a real guitar player so I would have a hard time justifying this one, but man does it sound nice! Then again it's you playing.

[@popintothechemist]

eloann It's a great piece of gear. Thanks for the kind words!

[@tj10777]

I had a Blackbird and it sounded great running into a Two Notes Cab M straight to my mixer. I did not like it running into the front end of my Fender Deluxe Reverb. Sounded quite bad compared to the Tube Drive I still have. I never tried running the Blackbird into the return of an effects loop because I didn't have an amp with an effects loop at the time, but I'm sure it would have sounded great. The Tube Drive sounds awesome running into the front end of an amp, but you have to be careful with the volume. I have to run the volume on the Tube Drive at less than 9 o'clock to have any sort of fine control on the gain. There is so much volume on the Tube Drive it will really blow your head off it you are not careful.

[@jjmeyerwtf]

Incredible demo! I'm starting from scratch and plan to build my sound around this "pedal."

[@gladejustglade]

How did it go?

[@danceswithbadgers]

I'm curious about that too. I have the same notion.

[@gryphon37]

Me 3. For better or worse, I'd like to know.....

[@fernandomonreal4682]

just get one, amazing tool!!!! could not be happier

[@lukepowell1201]

Has anyone been able to compare this pedal to the Kingsley Maiden? I would love to see someone A/B them.

[@Sir_Dickbag]

Same here! I'm on the wait list for a Maiden but unfortunately there's a 542-year wait for anything Kingsley makes. May get the Blackbird in the meantime.

[@lushkordz6643]

// The master piece of my setup // ...such a great sonic extasic achievement ^_^

[@gerrymcfarlane2615]

Like the clean, not overly impressed by the distortion tho.

[@YOutsider]

its a blackface style circuit. think cranked Fender amp. not for everyone one its own, but a great platform for pedal overdrives of your choosing.

[@jcserrano1663]

Mike, how would you compare it against the AMT-SS20

[@MrMarcburger]

SS-20 is made in Russia. that would mean it's a no from me.

[@joseluismoreno3599]

Connected directly to the preamp or power amp ?

[@GuitarAge]

I'd go for tabs "classic rock riffs by Mike Hermans on Effectrode Blackbird Preamp" completed with playback tracks on CD for like $19.99. :)))

[@gladejustglade]

This dude's amazing.

[@Joe-yx8hv]

This pedal is incredible, if you like tube sound, look no further!!!!!!!

[@progrocker84]

Could this be used as a front-end to a DI/reamp rig, to create DI signals that are more dynamic?

[@MrIantodd]

This sounds fantastic, are you running into the front end of the amp when using the amp?

[@EverettDudgeon138]

Really debating between this and the Tube Drive. I use a JAM Pedal Red Much to get a lot of my tone alone with a Origin Effects Slide Rig for a boost and compression . I'll be mostly recording direct with an ADA cab simulator..what Effectrode would you recommend?

[@philsey666]

for drive, get the tube drive. never got a drive out of teh blackbird I liked. however I also have a slide rig and that feeds into my blackbird on clean...now taht is a thing of beauty....elements or tube drive before teh slide rig and I get eitehr tight or airy. hope that helps....blackbird will take any drive pedal in front and it just gives you that happy punch

[@EverettDudgeon138]

So you would probably recommend the Blackbird on clean or light overdrive and have the Red Muck and Slide Rig feed into it?

[@philsey666]

black on clean, then pedals in whicherever form you want feeding in. comp after drive is interesting...adss ore saturation rather than out front before drive.

[@thesjkexperience]

Mike, how would you compare the Blackbird to the Bearfoot SYOD twins? Most of the time I use 18 Watt Swart AST Pros in stereo or as a single if it is a small place.

[@axiomstudio]

how do you compare the Blackbird and the Tube Drive (both by Effectrode) , in terms of drive / distortion variability and tonal quality ? are they really close ?

[@philsey666]

poles apart. I own both. ones a drive pedal, the other is more preamp. I use one into the other. I have never liked teh drive side of the effectrode, but love love love teh clean side on its own or with a drive pedal infornt of it. its stays on which ever amp Im using

[@brooklynboy1000]

killer tone and playing

[@richardwilliams1310]

Needs a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone slamming the front end for some metal mayhem. Thrash, Grind & Death \m/

[@jensk4140]

I've heard that this preamp sounds great through a fender twin. Anyone who tried this? I love the cleans of my fender twin but it doesn't like drive pedals.

[@AcidTechnoMan5000]

NO DJENT?

[@flomycel]

😳🤣

[@danceswithbadgers]

Anybody tried this into a JTM45? (1990 reissue with 6L6 GC's in my case). Someone must have. It's a big investment so feedback from anyone who's tried that would be great.

[@candrabalimirage]

Like#339...Thanks a Lot for the video!!

[@nielsanderson6634]

I know that this is the best overdrive pedal I’ve ever seen but it is a pity that the price is so high! If they would sell it for like €175,- Or less then I would surely buy one but I have bought A Mesa boogie 50 caliber for €400,- and this is only a pedal so it should be the half of that but Fucking good overdrive pedal! I like it A lot

[@SergeiVlassov]

It is not just OD pedal, it is a preamp. This is a totally adequate price for high-quality 3-tubes two-channel pre-amp. Look at the prices of Victory Preamps, Engl Preamps, Carvin Legacy Drive Preamp, Brunetti Overtone, etc Some tubeless preamps cost as much.

[@soundknight]

Great piece of engineering, i really dont like the train wreck sound though. I wish theyd make a marshall or 2 channel tweed inspired pedal.

[@TVGrec]

Want a Marshall tube pedal? EHX English Muff'n -with vintage tubes. Just turn the treble waaaay back to almost zero.

[@soundknight]

TVGrec thanks good suggestion but i cant stand the sound of ehx components.

[@kesamek8537]

Sounds very dark and 'small' to me, dry and lifeless, in every clip I've seen whoever plays it. Surprising since I like the Fire Bottle for what it does.

[@gladejustglade]

I just got one of these in the mail. It really does sound like that on the drive channels, but there are good settings to be had by playing with it, and adding a sufficient amount of ambiance. I compared the clean channel to a Deluxe MTS preamp A/B, and it's exactly right-on.

[@musicproductioncentral4540]

ITs not the kind of thing you plug into and it makes you sound amazing. ITs a serious piece of gear, made for people that really play well, and understand what they want, and how to get what they need out of it. Joe blow KZbin demos like this wont tell you anything about what it actually can do.

[@YOutsider]

i think Mike likes to keep a relatively consistent signal path for his recordings. I’ve heard tonally better vids out there with this unit. but if you know Mike’s videos, you’ll know what to listen for in this demo.

[@brianpatrick6102]

Too bad it costs an arm and a leg. ....and an arm

[@popintothechemist]

It is pricey! You get what you pay for though!

[@brianpatrick6102]

popintothechemist Indeed. No questions about it. Im just being a whiny bitch because the tone junky in me always runs off and buys something cheaper before I can save enough for the really good stuff. I shouldnt complain really, Ive lots of fun toys to play with. Mhmm. ;)

[@MrMarcburger]

totally worth it.

[@SSVplus]

Sounds very generic and ordinary for such an expensive pedal preamp. And I really wanted to like it.

[@kellyjackson7889]

+SSVplus It's like tube driven fuzz pedal waste of tubes.

[@SSVplus]

+Kelly Jackson Sounds fuzzy indeed.

[@MrDavee1]

I think the AMT Electronics SS-11A beats it hands down for tone, price, and versatility..

[@punkassfunk]

If you want a tube preamp, the AMT is nice toy but it is not a tube preamp. You might prefer the AMT for your sound, which is ok, but you are comparing apples to oranges

[@punkassfunk]

That is why they also make the Tube Drive - to run into a preamp. This pedal is a true preamp with as much boost as you need to drive straight into a power amp. People pay $1500 for a good amp head, so the price for this is worth it if you already have a good power amp or if you want to inject real tube sounds into your DAW. For each his own....

[@williampatterson5067]

That is one of the worst sounding tube driven preamps I have ever heard.

[@JOOODYJOOODY]

much ado about nothing

[@JDHutson]

When running direct out of this into FRFR, does it benefit from a cab sim?