Additionally, the Barber Pedals have a few other aces up their sleeve to include a wide variety of Gain/Voice options that, something like the Charlie Brown does not offer. It is only the lack of a dedicated BASS dial/control that introduces any sort of perceived limitation in comparison to the granular control provided by the other two pedals and YET, the reality, as I have come to find, is that the EQ offerings in the switch pretty much nail the most desired settings that I would have dialed in on the CB or Benson anyway. Example: With the Direct Drive set on the low gain setting and, with the EQ switch set in the middle (mid focused), keeping the control around 3pm give-or-take, the Barber can match many of the Marshall-esque voices of the other two pedals. In this respect, these pedals cover a lot of ground with concerns to their EQ settings. The Gain Changer is very similar but with a more traditional Tone knob. As for the Barber Compact Direct Drive, while it provides just the Hi Cut control via the knob (to note: always important to read the manual), the left toggle switch allows one to select 3 different EQ options that adjust the prominence of mids, bass, and/or provide a more flat voice.Whether the Benson is set for the the British or more American flavor (via the that enhanced control I mentioned), the Charlie Brown keeps pace. To get these two pedals in the same ballpark, I keep the Control of the Charlie Brown just past Noon (~2pm) on the dial, adjust the accordingly to match the Benson, and keep the between 1~3pm. Specific to the the Charlie Brown and Benson, the CB provides a touch more ‘hands on’ control over the EQ/voice and manipulation thereof while the Benson forgoes a control by offering a and enhanced control.Switching back and forth, there were times when I felt that the pedals were indistinguishable in voice and response and yet, to an OCD level of attention, one could certainly find differences to the feel and EQ structure. As such, one can dial-in (almost but never quite there) similar voices on all three pedals. The Benson Preamp, Charlie Brown, and Direct Drive all share the JMT45/Bluesbreaker circuit as a foundation, either in part or full.

Extra points go to the JHS Charlie Brown for its fun, colorful and yet, simple design. The TD-X and Benson are a bit larger in size and, specific to the Benson, presented in an horizontal configuration. The Charlie Brown ( CB for short)and the Compact Direct Drive are, in what I would consider, more normal sized enclosures. All excel in providing low-gain/cusp of breakup tones. The five pedals in this compare and contrast share great similarities in some respects and, in others, are quite different. My intent in sharing this particular post is to focus more on the control mechanics and provided voice offerings, similarity and differences of the characteristics thereof, to identify strengths and breadth of options this, to address such questions like: ‘Which one best fits my needs & wants?’ or, ‘Which one might work best with my setup?’ There are plenty of YouTube demos to include some great compare & contrast videos for all to enjoy and hear these pedals in action.

Future Considerations: Greer Lightspeed, PettyJohn Chime MKII, and Boss Blues Driver Waza, Origin Effects Revival Drive.

Thorpy Peacekeaper (link here to a NPD Review I posted): a great option with a lot of versatility but no longer in my possession.

Pedals NOT discussed specifically in this post but, certainly in the realm of discussion:

Barber Gain Changer (American Voice Inspired – Not Pictured Above).

Buffalo FX TD-X (Tubeless clone of BK Butler Tube Driver).

Benson Preamp (Preamp section from the Benson Monarch, influenced by the Marshall JTM 45).

Barber Compact Direct Drive v.4 (British Voice Inspired),.Pedals featured in this post (as pictured above): As I tend to take residency in my low-gain overdrive section more often than not, my curiosity with such pedals led me on a meandering exploration of the many great options that today’s marketplace has to offer and, while the focus here may be skewed towards low gain, the ability to reach into high gain territory is always a welcomed feature.

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