NPD - Barber Gain Changer

[uriah1]

Where has this been my whole life.

I was looking for a (dare I say it, transparent overdrive that was not too transparent)
An always on pedal.

This was it. It has so many options I could use it as my OD2 or OD3...

Tele - Added chunk and girth to the bridge while retaining note separation on the neck
Strat - Made the bridge rather mean, in a good way. The neck kept me in the
Tommy Castro fat mode.

It plays with pedals well. If I had more spare change I might get one for my OD2 or OD3
positions.

I might say it is a mix of a snouse, red snapper, timmy , light speed, and spark.

Also, Dave Barber is a great guy to work with. Small company but has been around.

 

[schmee]

Yep, I like mine. I have the small one.
Good clean boost, also very good getting OD tone without adding a bunch of volume in the process.

 

[johnnylaw]

I have a red one. I think it must be nitro paint because the tone is to die for. OK, that might be stretching it…
The Gain Changer is very dynamic/touch sensitive. Rather than mask your finger work, the pedal response itself is playable. Great pedal.
Regardless of amp or guitar combination, it provides enough tone shaping and drive range to be useful. It’s been years now since I bought another dirt box.
Still, other folks may prefer something else.
I hope you get to go the distance with yours.

 

[Phrygian77]

I've thought about it, mainly because @roknfnrol has it in nearly every one of his pickup demos.

 

[don_danapoint]

The GC is a staple on my pedalboard… it sounds awesome with my Fender and Marshall amps… I play both Les Pauls and Strato. The GC also works very well when stacked.. I‘ve stacked it with a Timmy , Rat, TubesScreamer and other pedals in my collection. Pedals come and go on my pedalboard but the GC never leaves

 

[D_Malone]

I don’t why I’ve never gotten around to trying a GC. It seems to get nothing but praise. I’ll snag one soon for sure.

Glad it’s working well for you. Enjoy!

 

[Glen W]

Gets a great Albert Collins thing goin on in the low gain mode set at around eleven to one o’clock.

 

[willietheweirdo]

Yep... this thread gave me GAS... ordered one to try

 

[markal]

Been on my list as well. Never read a bad thing about this pedal. Maybe it’s time.

 

[UpstateDon]

Best OD going in my opinion. I bought a Nobels ODR-1 and a Danelectro Roebuck recently, for kicks....they're great and all, but no need....the Gain Changer does it all.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

Where has this been my whole life.

I was looking for a (dare I say it, transparent overdrive that was not too transparent)
An always on pedal.

This was it. It has so many options I could use it as my OD2 or OD3...

Tele - Added chunk and girth to the bridge while retaining note separation on the neck
Strat - Made the bridge rather mean, in a good way. The neck kept me in the
Tommy Castro fat mode.

It plays with pedals well. If I had more spare change I might get one for my OD2 or OD3
positions.

I might say it is a mix of a snouse, red snapper, timmy , light speed, and spark.

Also, Dave Barber is a great guy to work with. Small company but has been around.

In 1999, I was in a blues band, and the other guitar player was from Baltimore, was a friend of Dave B.'s, and had 3-4 Barber pedals on his board.

I had a 'sick' Deluxe Reverb ( bad distortion issue) and begged my buddy to take it to Dave, as Dave would reluctantly do amp repair work ( I just don't think he had time anymore...). So, he did that, got the DR to Dave.

As I did not wanna bug him ( plus I had other amps) I would about 3 weeks later, go to Barber's literally barn-shop ( then) in York, PA, meet Dave, and pickup the repaired Deluxe!
Very nice, passionate ( about sound) guy!

( I own a Direct Drive and gave my LTD to a buddy)

 

[uriah1]

In 1999, I was in a blues band, and the other guitar player was from Baltimore, was a friend of Dave B.'s, and had 3-4 Barber pedals on his board.

I had a 'sick' Deluxe Reverb ( bad distortion issue) and begged my buddy to take it to Dave, as Dave would reluctantly do amp repair work ( I just don't think he had time anymore...). So, he did that, got the DR to Dave.

As I did not wanna bug him ( plus I had other amps) I would about 3 weeks later, go to Barber's literally barn-shop ( then) in York, PA, meet Dave, and pickup the repaired Deluxe!
Very nice, passionate ( about sound) guy!

( I own a Direct Drive and gave my LTD to a buddy)

In 1999, I was in a blues band, and the other guitar player was from Baltimore, was a friend of Dave B.'s, and had 3-4 Barber pedals on his board.

I had a 'sick' Deluxe Reverb ( bad distortion issue) and begged my buddy to take it to Dave, as Dave would reluctantly do amp repair work ( I just don't think he had time anymore...). So, he did that, got the DR to Dave.

As I did not wanna bug him ( plus I had other amps) I would about 3 weeks later, go to Barber's literally barn-shop ( then) in York, PA, meet Dave, and pickup the repaired Deluxe!
Very nice, passionate ( about sound) guy!

( I own a Direct Drive and gave my LTD to a buddy)

Now that is cool. Tks

 

[James Knox]

Favorite OD pedal ever! Very versatile with nice EQ options - LOVE the 2 options for Overdrive.

 

[nedorama]

I've had my Direct Drive since 2000, but may need to add a Gain Changer as well!

 

[dreamingtele]

David Barber is up there with the other OG pedal makers! (paul cochrane, mark ahlfs (Skreddy pedals), etc etc!

The Gain Changer and Direct Drive are two of my most favorite overdrives of all time.

 

[mambosun]

I have the Gain Changer SR, very good pedal with many useful settings for fine-tuning your tone. It also stacks very well with my Lovepedal Purple Plexi+ boost.

 

[johnny7]

Even JHS Josh rates this pedal highly. I'll have to look around to see if my wife is watching before I type. Maybe I will get one....I have a bad case of GAS now.

 

[JohnnyThul]

Dave Barber just does the best overdrive pedals in my book. Currently have the Gain Changer, Direct Drive, 1/2 Gainer, LTD, Small Fry and Burn Unit and I love them all! Just great inspiring pieces of gear, very musically.
Yes, I'm a fan

 

[Lies&Distortion]

Dave Barber just does the best overdrive pedals in my book. Currently have the Gain Changer, Direct Drive, 1/2 Gainer, LTD, Small Fry and Burn Unit and I love them all! Just great inspiring pieces of gear, very musically.
Yes, I'm a fan

Yep, all of the Barber pedals I have are great. I have an Exacta as my muff pedal. The GC comes & goes. Mostly because I have a bunch of similar pedals. But it always sounds great.

 

[kevsonic]

Original and SR Gain Changers are phenomenal. I got the latter thinking it might be an improved version and might replace the former, but I still have them both, because they're both so great. They go well with everything and very simply sound like your sound plus some gain and just enough compression. And the chordal clarity they have even with the gain turned up always amazes me - there are no "amusical/harsh high gain" settings whatsoever.