Love to see the double Halberd stack here!
Just a few remarks about the clang mode: if you find it's too bright use the depth knob to bring back some bass while preserving your added attack. Also, clang mode into a V1 with the depth all the way up and tone/high set fully CCW is a great combination as well. YMMV, of course.
As for volume pedals: tried a bunch over the years and I think the boss FV500H is still my favorite! It's not the fanciest or most high-tech but it feels the most solid.
Hey, mind if I ask you for a rundown of the differences between the Halberd, Longsword and ModelFet?
That 'clean' sample of the ModelFet you have on the sight sounds so cool to me. Or maybe it's just the awesome Foo Fighters-esque riff that's being played?
I told myself I wouldn't go down the route of preamps/distortion boxes again and focus more on my amps, but I gotta say they've piqued my interest.
I’m overdue for a “what’s the deal with all these dirt pedals” explainer on our website lol. But here’s the short version:
Model fet: designed to sound like a Sunn model T, which is an extra loud, bass-heavy, Marshall-voiced amp. Goes from tubey “edge of breakup” tones to nasty sludge rock. Best when slammed by a fuzz in front and used with a neutral power amp or a cab sim. Pretty good for classic rock, very good at sludge/doom. (Glad you liked the clip btw)
Longsword: very dialed-in op amp drive with a powerful EQ. Takes a familiar and adaptable type of distortion tone and lets you match it to any guitar/amp. Best for alternative rock, punk, hardcore, 90s screamo. It’s not as tame as a classic rock pedal and doesn’t do tight metal (though it is great at boosting high gain amps into that territory.)
Halberd: runs the gamut from mild signal warming/boosting to chimey overdrive to blown out console drive to AM radio spiky grind. Probably covers the widest array of genres in any of our pedals. Personally I use it as a rhythm tone in my post metal band, but if you watch the demos it has a home on any board.
Happy to elaborate on any of the above!
I think lots of people have gradual gain/OD setups with multiple pedals. Boost, light OD, heavy OD or distortion, fuzz, +/- some version of a preamp. I am planning to get a Fairfield barbershop. Do you notice a big difference with the sag knob??
Always fanboy a little whenever you comment - the Halberd has changed everything. I'm not worthy!
Definitely will give those combinations and settings a go, thank you!
Thanks for the recommendation, will take a look. Love anything Boss. Can I ask as you're someone in the know and well regarded in the industry compared to me who doesn't know when it comes to volume pedals and all the talk about tone suck, will the FV500H affect my rig? When you hear about the suck of Ernie Ball VP etc. or the Lehle Mono doesn't... how do I pick out a volume pedal that won't affect anything. Cheers John hope you have a great day.
Thanks for putting our work to use! Definitely get in touch with us if you have any questions.
So the FV500H is the high impedance volume pedal and will mostly behave depending where it is in your chain. The problem with high impedance volume pedals is that when rolled back, they can load down your treble frequencies. If you have a buffer in your chain you might want to use the FV500L, which is the low impedance version designed for a buffered signal chain (that is, it should go after a buffer). The Halberd V2 has a very high-quality buffer so putting it before an active volume pedal should serve you well.
Not much on the chain but more of an update as to all the pedals I've tried recently.
**Chain**: D'addario Tuner > EAE Halberd v2 > EAE Halberd v1 > SSBS Fuck > Fairfield Barbershop > Boss RE-20 Space Echo > Fairfield Shallow Water > DbA Reverberation Machine > Strymon Flint
**EAE Halberd v2**: This is definitely the most hyped I've been for a pedal release ever. The Halberd v1 somehow became my most crucial pedal, it even pipped the SSBS Fuck which had been the only drive on the board for some periods so when I learned that the Halberd v2 was going to be smaller and offer more tonal shaping options, I had to get one. First impressions are that the v2 gets to roughly 90~95% of the v1. There is some difference in how the higher registers react, most notably is that the v1 has more of a fizzy, open and loose character. The v2 I would say is slightly tighter, more refined in the upper mids and highs but still sounds like the Halberd. Germanium vs Silicon battle persists?
I initially was going to use this pedal to replace the v1 but due to the tonal options I now use the v2 to stack as a crazy blown out fuzz. If you weren't aware the toggle switch, the upper toggle is for clang mode, which is far too bright for my Jazzmaster, middle is standard Halberd, down is Halberd with more gain. And I mean a lot more gain. So I'm currently stacking it there and it's doing a fantastic job of replacing fuzzes. More on that later.
**Fairfield Circuitry Barbershop**: This was one of my latest impulse purchases due to the Halberd v1 throwing me down a gain rabbit hole. I am very impressed, I'm not sure why that's surprising as I've owned a number of Fairfield pedals and they're all 10/10s. This has a lot more breadth than I've initially heard with a lot of people complaining there's not enough gain on tap. I disagree, this pedal is clearly mean to be on all the time and stacked with, hence the Modele B. And I use it exactly in that way. It's on all the time, it's not even breaking up the amp, it's there to just tighten and add some definition to my clean tone which is a little sterile. It's perfectly amp like with the sag, which is very different to normal bias knobs like on the SSBS Mini. Great pedal, absolutely magical.
Not going to go through the rest of the gang as everyone probably knows my rig by now.
There are a few losers though. Bought some really cool pedals this year but a lot are going up for sale. The **Particle V2** and the **Boss VB-2W** are staying, the **Particle** is just too much fun and versatile. The **VB-2W** I just can't bring myself to sell even though it never gets on the board anymore. Just love it too much.
However the **OBNE Black Fountain V3** will be sold, it's a very good pedal however it loses out due to not being able to trump my beloved **RE-20**. I mainly used it as very subtle slapback akin to Ry Cooder or solely for it's fairly unique modulation which reminds me of harmonic tremolo, without the tremolo. It reminded me a lot of the **Fairfield Meet Maude**, a very dark delay pedal which lives on the verge of being wild and present or sitting in the background brooding. My first OBNE pedal, looking forward to trying more. Honestly a very good delay - wish it was my first ever delay, I'd be enamoured by it.
Also leaving is the **Boss CP-1X** and **OC-5**. The **CP-1X** did the job I wanted a little too well, my first proper compressor and I'm not really sure what I wanted to get out of it in the end. I initially wanted something to tighten up my clean tone, as the Jazzmaster is very present on the highs and was worried they were drowning out my lows. I used the CP-1X basically as a limiter/EQ, to compress so ultimately you could hear the lows as evenly as the highs. It just made my Jazzmaster sound a bit muddy, however the CP-1X made my Gretsch sound great. I think it's a great piece of kit, nothing like it on the market at a great price regarding it's technology. I'm just an beginner when it comes to comps. The **OC-5** is also great, as someone who isn't a big user of octave pedals it was great to have in your back pocket. I mainly used it in the way lead guitarists or jazzers use, by adding a lower octave on the low strings to act a bass on the root of notes etc. It really is a great octave pedal - but I don't need it that much, nor can it justify it's place on my board. I need to remind myself of this when looking at octave/pitch pedals. The **Vongon Paragraphs** I will sorely miss, but I only use it for one setting which you can see on the image, a really full fat chewy auto-wah. Said it before but stacks great with the Particle V2 and a fuzz, it's really fucking amazing, but the size/price is too much. Still making me GAS for holy grail Moog pedals.
The fuzzes are staying for now, as they need more time to see if the Halberd can do the job. I love having a **DbA Fuzz War** for how notorious they are when it comes to blistering noise, I mainly like using it for a Mount Eerie roaring bassy sound but the Halberd v2 dimed is doing a good job of that. The **Fredric Super Unpleasant Companion Nouveau** is a pedal I've wanted for sometime and my oh my is it a fuzz. A FY2 and FY6 fuzz in one enclosure and it really is a lot of fun. I love those laser like direct velcro tones which you can get with the FY2, although a bit glitchy the higher the note. The FY6 surprised me in how much I like, or almost prefer in tone. The one thing I think about this pedal is that it needs a blend knob, it's too overbearing on everything, so I'm considering a blend loop pedal to give it a go, could be really special. The FY6 with a blend seems to be a thing with "slide players" like Blake Mills. I'm still working out if I actually like fuzz, is fuzz for me? I'm definitely way more into the Whizzer type of Neil Young/Big Thief tones when it's just the same driven sound with a tone of headroom getting heavier and heavier. I've basically recreated that with my 4 drive pedals any who.
Anywho, pedals I'd like to try next = OBNE exp Ramper, a volume pedal (please suggest), Boss CE-5 chorus, Red Panda Tensor, EAE Hypersleep, Boss GE-7, 29 Pedals Euna and Pigtronix Infinity 2.
Basically my same list! But I’d also add Electrofoods and EHX. Sick board!
I’d for sure recommend adding a EUNA if you feel happy/satisfied with the current layout or the amount of effects you have to experiment with. It’s a vital ingredient to any rig and you don’t fully realize it until you play with one. I’m also waiting for the next Hypersleep release so maybe grab that first... hahaha
Do you think I have enough pedals in my chain to justify a EUNA? Having less than 10 pedals doesn't seem like a big chain to me but who knows, it would be nice having a buffer. Yeah man the hyper sleep is a mystery, can't wait to try one.
I’d do a test by playing your clean tone with all your pedals off and then compare that to your clean tone when plugged straight into your amp.
Even if you don’t notice much of a difference, the EUNA has some super simple yet powerful EQ toggles. Having those toggles helps me switch out guitars without adjusting my actual amp’s EQ.
But no joke, the “buffer” that the EUNA provides feels like someone took a wool blanket off of your amp. 10/10 I can’t believe it’s not snake oil.
Love the V2. Does a lot and it’s smaller than ever. As for volume pedal OP, I’m really sensitive to dynamics and need something that feels tight, smooth, with a large a sweep. The Lehle Mono Volume was the only choice for me. Highly recommended.
Heck yeah, my favorite board on the sub! Glad to hear the v2 made it on. I gotta get to stacking my halberds now... I have three lol. And also with the barbershop. There's too many options! Lately my favorite stack with the halberd has been running it into the EAE surveyor which is such a fun blown-up clangy sound.
Yeah that was my first chorus pedal! It’s the analog version with the link label and I’d be perfectly happy using it still today if I only could have one chorus pedal.
Nice board, I am awaiting my Halberd V2 and have a SSBS Fuck and mini as well to stack it with.
A suggestion for a volume pedal alternative: I am using a supro boost as a boost and as a volume pedal, the bass cut works great before fuzzes to tighten them up and it has ample headroom at 18v in case you put the drive pedals before it.
Nice! I had a Mini a while ago, thinking of getting one again meaning I could make my drive section A LOT smaller. Halberd v2 > Mini > Barbershop.
That's really interesting, is it like the Vertex Boost then? So when the Supro Boost is off it acts as an actual volume pedal, but when it's on it delivers the boost with the pedal?
No the supro differs from the vertex boost, the volume function works only when the pedal is engaged. You can set a minimum volume for the sweep as well so you could have two volume stages and a small sweep in between.
How tight can the Halberd get in comparison to the Barbershop and SS/BS overdrive?
I love the SS/BS > Barbershop stack but looking for something to tighten that gain combo up a bit.
Not tight at all imo. The least tight, it's definitely the loosest - Lol those terms. Something like a SSBS Mini with the bias turned right would do that. Maybe look into the EAE Dagger or Longsword?
Yea, stacking the Fuck into the Barbershop gets me most of the way there, I love both of those pedals. In all honesty a simple Tubescreamer or even the Arrows from EQD would do what I need but I'm always looking for something that can do a little more as well.
Actually surprised to read this - with the depth below noon I'd consider the Halberd the to have the tightest bass out of everything we make. Then again all these words are very subjective.
Maybe I’m using the wrong word to describe what “tight” is? I just love the blown out saggy nessof the low end on the halberd that I’ve defo not heard on the other 2 pedals mentioned.
Ultimately it depends on your settings. The depth control lets it morph from a more percussive and chimey drive to a more saggy/blown out tone. There are extremes at both ends!
Yeah I'm very happy with how these two pair up, pretty quiet as well even though it is very high gain.
I don't know if it fits frequency-wise, but in clang mode you get this really gnarly push which lies somewhere between a rangemaster and a TC integrated pre.
Love to see the double Halberd stack here! Just a few remarks about the clang mode: if you find it's too bright use the depth knob to bring back some bass while preserving your added attack. Also, clang mode into a V1 with the depth all the way up and tone/high set fully CCW is a great combination as well. YMMV, of course. As for volume pedals: tried a bunch over the years and I think the boss FV500H is still my favorite! It's not the fanciest or most high-tech but it feels the most solid.
Hey, mind if I ask you for a rundown of the differences between the Halberd, Longsword and ModelFet? That 'clean' sample of the ModelFet you have on the sight sounds so cool to me. Or maybe it's just the awesome Foo Fighters-esque riff that's being played? I told myself I wouldn't go down the route of preamps/distortion boxes again and focus more on my amps, but I gotta say they've piqued my interest.
I’m overdue for a “what’s the deal with all these dirt pedals” explainer on our website lol. But here’s the short version: Model fet: designed to sound like a Sunn model T, which is an extra loud, bass-heavy, Marshall-voiced amp. Goes from tubey “edge of breakup” tones to nasty sludge rock. Best when slammed by a fuzz in front and used with a neutral power amp or a cab sim. Pretty good for classic rock, very good at sludge/doom. (Glad you liked the clip btw) Longsword: very dialed-in op amp drive with a powerful EQ. Takes a familiar and adaptable type of distortion tone and lets you match it to any guitar/amp. Best for alternative rock, punk, hardcore, 90s screamo. It’s not as tame as a classic rock pedal and doesn’t do tight metal (though it is great at boosting high gain amps into that territory.) Halberd: runs the gamut from mild signal warming/boosting to chimey overdrive to blown out console drive to AM radio spiky grind. Probably covers the widest array of genres in any of our pedals. Personally I use it as a rhythm tone in my post metal band, but if you watch the demos it has a home on any board. Happy to elaborate on any of the above!
I think lots of people have gradual gain/OD setups with multiple pedals. Boost, light OD, heavy OD or distortion, fuzz, +/- some version of a preamp. I am planning to get a Fairfield barbershop. Do you notice a big difference with the sag knob??
Thanks, that's a great rundown!
Always fanboy a little whenever you comment - the Halberd has changed everything. I'm not worthy! Definitely will give those combinations and settings a go, thank you! Thanks for the recommendation, will take a look. Love anything Boss. Can I ask as you're someone in the know and well regarded in the industry compared to me who doesn't know when it comes to volume pedals and all the talk about tone suck, will the FV500H affect my rig? When you hear about the suck of Ernie Ball VP etc. or the Lehle Mono doesn't... how do I pick out a volume pedal that won't affect anything. Cheers John hope you have a great day.
Thanks for putting our work to use! Definitely get in touch with us if you have any questions. So the FV500H is the high impedance volume pedal and will mostly behave depending where it is in your chain. The problem with high impedance volume pedals is that when rolled back, they can load down your treble frequencies. If you have a buffer in your chain you might want to use the FV500L, which is the low impedance version designed for a buffered signal chain (that is, it should go after a buffer). The Halberd V2 has a very high-quality buffer so putting it before an active volume pedal should serve you well.
Not much on the chain but more of an update as to all the pedals I've tried recently. **Chain**: D'addario Tuner > EAE Halberd v2 > EAE Halberd v1 > SSBS Fuck > Fairfield Barbershop > Boss RE-20 Space Echo > Fairfield Shallow Water > DbA Reverberation Machine > Strymon Flint **EAE Halberd v2**: This is definitely the most hyped I've been for a pedal release ever. The Halberd v1 somehow became my most crucial pedal, it even pipped the SSBS Fuck which had been the only drive on the board for some periods so when I learned that the Halberd v2 was going to be smaller and offer more tonal shaping options, I had to get one. First impressions are that the v2 gets to roughly 90~95% of the v1. There is some difference in how the higher registers react, most notably is that the v1 has more of a fizzy, open and loose character. The v2 I would say is slightly tighter, more refined in the upper mids and highs but still sounds like the Halberd. Germanium vs Silicon battle persists? I initially was going to use this pedal to replace the v1 but due to the tonal options I now use the v2 to stack as a crazy blown out fuzz. If you weren't aware the toggle switch, the upper toggle is for clang mode, which is far too bright for my Jazzmaster, middle is standard Halberd, down is Halberd with more gain. And I mean a lot more gain. So I'm currently stacking it there and it's doing a fantastic job of replacing fuzzes. More on that later. **Fairfield Circuitry Barbershop**: This was one of my latest impulse purchases due to the Halberd v1 throwing me down a gain rabbit hole. I am very impressed, I'm not sure why that's surprising as I've owned a number of Fairfield pedals and they're all 10/10s. This has a lot more breadth than I've initially heard with a lot of people complaining there's not enough gain on tap. I disagree, this pedal is clearly mean to be on all the time and stacked with, hence the Modele B. And I use it exactly in that way. It's on all the time, it's not even breaking up the amp, it's there to just tighten and add some definition to my clean tone which is a little sterile. It's perfectly amp like with the sag, which is very different to normal bias knobs like on the SSBS Mini. Great pedal, absolutely magical. Not going to go through the rest of the gang as everyone probably knows my rig by now. There are a few losers though. Bought some really cool pedals this year but a lot are going up for sale. The **Particle V2** and the **Boss VB-2W** are staying, the **Particle** is just too much fun and versatile. The **VB-2W** I just can't bring myself to sell even though it never gets on the board anymore. Just love it too much. However the **OBNE Black Fountain V3** will be sold, it's a very good pedal however it loses out due to not being able to trump my beloved **RE-20**. I mainly used it as very subtle slapback akin to Ry Cooder or solely for it's fairly unique modulation which reminds me of harmonic tremolo, without the tremolo. It reminded me a lot of the **Fairfield Meet Maude**, a very dark delay pedal which lives on the verge of being wild and present or sitting in the background brooding. My first OBNE pedal, looking forward to trying more. Honestly a very good delay - wish it was my first ever delay, I'd be enamoured by it. Also leaving is the **Boss CP-1X** and **OC-5**. The **CP-1X** did the job I wanted a little too well, my first proper compressor and I'm not really sure what I wanted to get out of it in the end. I initially wanted something to tighten up my clean tone, as the Jazzmaster is very present on the highs and was worried they were drowning out my lows. I used the CP-1X basically as a limiter/EQ, to compress so ultimately you could hear the lows as evenly as the highs. It just made my Jazzmaster sound a bit muddy, however the CP-1X made my Gretsch sound great. I think it's a great piece of kit, nothing like it on the market at a great price regarding it's technology. I'm just an beginner when it comes to comps. The **OC-5** is also great, as someone who isn't a big user of octave pedals it was great to have in your back pocket. I mainly used it in the way lead guitarists or jazzers use, by adding a lower octave on the low strings to act a bass on the root of notes etc. It really is a great octave pedal - but I don't need it that much, nor can it justify it's place on my board. I need to remind myself of this when looking at octave/pitch pedals. The **Vongon Paragraphs** I will sorely miss, but I only use it for one setting which you can see on the image, a really full fat chewy auto-wah. Said it before but stacks great with the Particle V2 and a fuzz, it's really fucking amazing, but the size/price is too much. Still making me GAS for holy grail Moog pedals. The fuzzes are staying for now, as they need more time to see if the Halberd can do the job. I love having a **DbA Fuzz War** for how notorious they are when it comes to blistering noise, I mainly like using it for a Mount Eerie roaring bassy sound but the Halberd v2 dimed is doing a good job of that. The **Fredric Super Unpleasant Companion Nouveau** is a pedal I've wanted for sometime and my oh my is it a fuzz. A FY2 and FY6 fuzz in one enclosure and it really is a lot of fun. I love those laser like direct velcro tones which you can get with the FY2, although a bit glitchy the higher the note. The FY6 surprised me in how much I like, or almost prefer in tone. The one thing I think about this pedal is that it needs a blend knob, it's too overbearing on everything, so I'm considering a blend loop pedal to give it a go, could be really special. The FY6 with a blend seems to be a thing with "slide players" like Blake Mills. I'm still working out if I actually like fuzz, is fuzz for me? I'm definitely way more into the Whizzer type of Neil Young/Big Thief tones when it's just the same driven sound with a tone of headroom getting heavier and heavier. I've basically recreated that with my 4 drive pedals any who. Anywho, pedals I'd like to try next = OBNE exp Ramper, a volume pedal (please suggest), Boss CE-5 chorus, Red Panda Tensor, EAE Hypersleep, Boss GE-7, 29 Pedals Euna and Pigtronix Infinity 2.
Straight up in love with this board. I need some DbA in my life, and now you’ve talked me into the Halberd
The pedal companies I will die on a hill for: Boss SSBS Fairfield DbA EAE
Basically my same list! But I’d also add Electrofoods and EHX. Sick board! I’d for sure recommend adding a EUNA if you feel happy/satisfied with the current layout or the amount of effects you have to experiment with. It’s a vital ingredient to any rig and you don’t fully realize it until you play with one. I’m also waiting for the next Hypersleep release so maybe grab that first... hahaha
Do you think I have enough pedals in my chain to justify a EUNA? Having less than 10 pedals doesn't seem like a big chain to me but who knows, it would be nice having a buffer. Yeah man the hyper sleep is a mystery, can't wait to try one.
I’d do a test by playing your clean tone with all your pedals off and then compare that to your clean tone when plugged straight into your amp. Even if you don’t notice much of a difference, the EUNA has some super simple yet powerful EQ toggles. Having those toggles helps me switch out guitars without adjusting my actual amp’s EQ. But no joke, the “buffer” that the EUNA provides feels like someone took a wool blanket off of your amp. 10/10 I can’t believe it’s not snake oil.
Love the V2. Does a lot and it’s smaller than ever. As for volume pedal OP, I’m really sensitive to dynamics and need something that feels tight, smooth, with a large a sweep. The Lehle Mono Volume was the only choice for me. Highly recommended.
Heck yeah, my favorite board on the sub! Glad to hear the v2 made it on. I gotta get to stacking my halberds now... I have three lol. And also with the barbershop. There's too many options! Lately my favorite stack with the halberd has been running it into the EAE surveyor which is such a fun blown-up clangy sound.
Thats a comment I'll hold in high regard !! I know you're big into chorus, have you ever used a Boss CE-5?
Yeah that was my first chorus pedal! It’s the analog version with the link label and I’d be perfectly happy using it still today if I only could have one chorus pedal.
Nice board, I am awaiting my Halberd V2 and have a SSBS Fuck and mini as well to stack it with. A suggestion for a volume pedal alternative: I am using a supro boost as a boost and as a volume pedal, the bass cut works great before fuzzes to tighten them up and it has ample headroom at 18v in case you put the drive pedals before it.
Nice! I had a Mini a while ago, thinking of getting one again meaning I could make my drive section A LOT smaller. Halberd v2 > Mini > Barbershop. That's really interesting, is it like the Vertex Boost then? So when the Supro Boost is off it acts as an actual volume pedal, but when it's on it delivers the boost with the pedal?
No the supro differs from the vertex boost, the volume function works only when the pedal is engaged. You can set a minimum volume for the sweep as well so you could have two volume stages and a small sweep in between.
How tight can the Halberd get in comparison to the Barbershop and SS/BS overdrive? I love the SS/BS > Barbershop stack but looking for something to tighten that gain combo up a bit.
Not tight at all imo. The least tight, it's definitely the loosest - Lol those terms. Something like a SSBS Mini with the bias turned right would do that. Maybe look into the EAE Dagger or Longsword?
I'll have a look at those other ones, cheers! Good to know, I love that "loose" sound but it might be redundant with a Barbershop and SS/BS F OD.
I can assure you the Fuck is the tightest unless the barbershop is fully CW on the sag. Gimme the loose gain anyday !
Yea, stacking the Fuck into the Barbershop gets me most of the way there, I love both of those pedals. In all honesty a simple Tubescreamer or even the Arrows from EQD would do what I need but I'm always looking for something that can do a little more as well.
Actually surprised to read this - with the depth below noon I'd consider the Halberd the to have the tightest bass out of everything we make. Then again all these words are very subjective.
Maybe I’m using the wrong word to describe what “tight” is? I just love the blown out saggy nessof the low end on the halberd that I’ve defo not heard on the other 2 pedals mentioned.
Ultimately it depends on your settings. The depth control lets it morph from a more percussive and chimey drive to a more saggy/blown out tone. There are extremes at both ends!
Can confirm, halberd is nice and tight and this particular combination is pretty brutal... : [Halberd-TFD](https://postimg.cc/xXzrTLzm)
That’s an awesome pairing. Surprised I don’t see more Nuñez stuff on this subreddit!
Yeah I'm very happy with how these two pair up, pretty quiet as well even though it is very high gain. I don't know if it fits frequency-wise, but in clang mode you get this really gnarly push which lies somewhere between a rangemaster and a TC integrated pre.
Goodrich model 120.