BearFoot 4knob Model H Initial reviews / research

[rockeroo]

Stacks, anyone???

While experimenting with the MH4K today, I discovered something SWEET with the MH4K and LGW. They stack incredibly well for a massive rock tone with infinite sustain and dynamics for days.

Strat > LGW > MH > DMM TT > Stiletto Deuce II

I was using the LGW as a Klon sort of boost. The drive was 9ish, body around 1 and the volume around 1 (slightly past unity); and the stacked overdrive tones were killer. I highly recommend you try this out! I was greatly satisfied with the drive low on the MH, but with it cranked, I could get insane lead tones...haunting, singing and lush. Backed off, I could get nice rhythm tones. I was using the DMM TT for sweetening a slight bit, but the LGW does an interesting compression thing that puts the tone right in the pocket.

My MH settings were approximately:

Volume 9:30
Tone 1:30
Drive various (10, 2, cranked)
Treble 9

Fun times, folks.

I hope someone else has a MH4K and LGW to provide their thoughts!

Cheers.

[musicsoma]

I will definitely be trying this stack out!

So glad you are enjoying the DMMTT! Definitely my favorite delay pedal out there.

[rockeroo]

I will definitely be trying this stack out!

So glad you are enjoying the DMMTT! Definitely my favorite delay pedal out there.

Excellent. Might be bright on your princeton, so you may have to adjust EQ-wise, but the sound is there. A different flavor to my favorite BBOD/MH stack... but I really think it is a keeper. Full-bodied drive tones and sweet, singing leads.

The DMMTT is a dream, BTW.

[musicsoma]

It looks as though I'll be selling one of my DMMTT pedals. Let me know if you're interested in it.

[MBT74]

Ok. My first impression of the new 4 knob version, after testing it against my original BF Model H is that I think the new model is much better than the original one. The treble knob adds a lot more potential to get the EQ just right for various guitars. Particularly in combination with the tone knob.

I found that I wasn't using very much of the range of the treble knob. Up to 9:00 at most with my set-up. But I found that it made the Tone knob much more usable because, with the old version, I had to run the tone at 3:00 to get an EQ that I liked (or run my SBEQ into it and turn up the treble). With the MH4K, I could make subtle changes to the EQ by rolling back the Tone and/or rolling up the treble and the resulting tone had much greater clarity than the old version at its brightest.

There was a definite point with dialing in the treble where the tone of the pedal suddenly emerged from the more dark, murky tone of the original and sat perfectly clear. With my gear, it really was like it came perfectly into focus.

The MH4K is a keeper for me. I've already removed the old one from the board and it'll be sold. It's still got more gain than I would prefer, but I've got a volume knob and a SBEQ that I can use to take care of that. This new version still has the tone I love from the Model H but now has the extra clarity I was previously forced to add via the SBEQ thanks to the treble knob.

Nice one Donner.

[Joeleo]

Ok. My first impression of the new 4 knob version, after testing it against my original BF Model H is that I think the new model is much better than the original one. The treble knob adds a lot more potential to get the EQ just right for various guitars. Particularly in combination with the tone knob.

I found that I wasn't using very much of the range of the treble knob. Up to 9:00 at most with my set-up. But I found that it made the Tone knob much more usable because, with the old version, I had to run the tone at 3:00 to get an EQ that I liked (or run my SBEQ into it and turn up the treble). With the MH4K, I could make subtle changes to the EQ by rolling back the Tone and/or rolling up the treble and the resulting tone had much greater clarity than the old version at its brightest.

There was a definite point with dialing in the treble where the tone of the pedal suddenly emerged from the more dark, murky tone of the original and sat perfectly clear. With my gear, it really was like it came perfectly into focus.

The MH4K is a keeper for me. I've already removed the old one from the board and it'll be sold. It's still got more gain than I would prefer, but I've got a volume knob and a SBEQ that I can use to take care of that. This new version still has the tone I love from the Model H but now has the extra clarity I was previously forced to add via the SBEQ thanks to the treble knob.

Nice one Donner.

This review has me really excited. It sounds like the new version addresses the issues I had with the original. "Murky" is exactly the word I used to describe it as well. I was bummed to get rid of it because it's such an awesome pedal, but I just couldn't dial out that murkiness. Sounds like the 4k puts that issue to rest.

[cajone5]

Ok. My first impression of the new 4 knob version, after testing it against my original BF Model H is that I think the new model is much better than the original one. The treble knob adds a lot more potential to get the EQ just right for various guitars. Particularly in combination with the tone knob.

I found that I wasn't using very much of the range of the treble knob. Up to 9:00 at most with my set-up. But I found that it made the Tone knob much more usable because, with the old version, I had to run the tone at 3:00 to get an EQ that I liked (or run my SBEQ into it and turn up the treble). With the MH4K, I could make subtle changes to the EQ by rolling back the Tone and/or rolling up the treble and the resulting tone had much greater clarity than the old version at its brightest.

There was a definite point with dialing in the treble where the tone of the pedal suddenly emerged from the more dark, murky tone of the original and sat perfectly clear. With my gear, it really was like it came perfectly into focus.

The MH4K is a keeper for me. I've already removed the old one from the board and it'll be sold. It's still got more gain than I would prefer, but I've got a volume knob and a SBEQ that I can use to take care of that. This new version still has the tone I love from the Model H but now has the extra clarity I was previously forced to add via the SBEQ thanks to the treble knob.

Nice one Donner.

This review has me really excited. It sounds like the new version addresses the issues I had with the original. "Murky" is exactly the word I used to describe it as well. I was bummed to get rid of it because it's such an awesome pedal, but I just couldn't dial out that murkiness. Sounds like the 4k puts that issue to rest.

I don't think you'll have to worry about murkiness with the 4H -- it actually has the ability to be one of the brightest most open distortions I've ever used. It gets even brighter than the SYODv1 and is less smooth and less compressed (if I recall -- it's been a while since I had that one). I'd describe the destortion as almost "clangy" sounding for lack of a better word. It's very in your face and rock and roll while remaining uncompressed, bright, open and clear. Definitely nothing else like it out there.

[Joeleo]

Cool, I can't wait to check it out. In that review where the guy is comparing the two versions, I was struck by how much change occurred from just a little tweak of the treble knob. Like by the time he got up around 11 O'Clock, that thing was BRIGHT. I don't look for a way-over-the-top bright tone or anything, but having a way to put some top end back in that already awesome character of the Model H sounds like a winner to me.

[MBT74]

Yeah for me it was too bright by about 10:00. Especially with a Tele. But the cool thing is how the tone knob comes back into play. Because it's not a traditional tone knob on the H, it's more like a close mic vs far mic type of effect, you get this really cool EQ thing where you can dial in the treble but then roll off the tone knob a bit and it subtly lowers the treble a bit by adding some "room". The MH4K is a lot more usable than the original one.

I could see the MH4K being a really useful pedal for live use simply because of the way you can play the treble and tone off each other. Great for subtle adjustments to suit a room.

Oh, and run a SBEQ into it set to the "purple humper" settings. Fantastic!

[rockeroo]

Cool, I can't wait to check it out. In that review where the guy is comparing the two versions, I was struck by how much change occurred from just a little tweak of the treble knob. Like by the time he got up around 11 O'Clock, that thing was BRIGHT. I don't look for a way-over-the-top bright tone or anything, but having a way to put some top end back in that already awesome character of the Model H sounds like a winner to me.

The treble knob is power packed, Joel. It can go from very little treble to biting treble. The range is massive. You would certainly have room to find suitable amounts for your rig(s).

cheers