My honeybee story - just got my sixth version

[seans]

Yup, believe it or not, my sixth honeybee landed yesterday. It is difficult to tell what the serial number says, 42J is what it looks like, so probably 423.

I bought my first bee (No 409) from Custom sounds in 2006 (I think) and loved it. I had it a few years and sold it to fund something else - as you do. Not long later I bought another second hand. This one was much older and sounded similar to my first.

I then managed to get a HB deluxe. Even though I preferred the sound of the standard HB to the HB on the deluxe (much richer flavor) I still sold it. The deluxe was brighter and not as deep but it could of course go into higher gain territory with the internal trimmer. Great pedal. The BP is the best booster I have ever tried. Sold that one after a year or so as I needed cash after buying my Model G - which covers low gain sounds like no other.

Then I bought a bearfoot HB as soon as it came out. This didn't do it for me. It wasn't the honeybee I remembered.

Then the next one was the 4 knob beest - only a few months ago. I love this pedal with the pregain maxed. Awesome! My high gain tone. However, set like a standard honeybee, it is very, very different to the one I received yesterday. A different bee. It is brighter and thinner. The new one is dark, rich, sticky and chewy - I totally dig it. It shines especially well with the MGMV. These pedals were made for each other. I rocked for hours last night with these two plus the BPB and delay with my Tele deluxe.

So now on my board I have PGC > MGMV > Model G > HB > Beest > BPB (plus a few delays and modulation). A fantastic combo, individually and stacked providing a great range of tones.

I have read about older bees sounding different and this is absolutely true. It would be really interesting to know what has changed and when.

Anyway, sorry for rambling but maybe interesting for some.

Cheers,

Sean

[Your name here]

Cool story! I'm jealous... Wish I had a Model G! One day.....

[Donner]

Yeah the BF HB is made the way the current BJF ones are made --- over the years the HB has come into the light from its very dark beginnings ... even the early BJF HBs are brighter than the very first 4 or 5 BJ made ...... the Honey Beeatch with the Treble control takes it even further as the usual complaint is that the HB is too dark and thats what the T control does is lift the 'honey blanket' ... we have talked of maybe doing a run of 4 knob bees that would rotary between the old an new ........ might even be fun to make a Beeatch that started at the old darker setting and lightened up from there .....

[cajone5]

........ might even be fun to make a Beeatch that started at the old darker setting and lightened up from there .....

[colourtones]

I do not know at what point the changes were implemented(is there a thread that addresses this?) but I started out with HB 133. I considered it to be dark and amp like, touch sensitive, light overdrive perfection. Following I snuck in on the 2nd round of deluxes. With the trim knob all the way CCW I found the sound to be virtually identical with 133. My particular HB deluxe's sweep of the trim knob, post BPB and buffer just enhanced all the basics of my early dark bee. So I would chalk up some of the variance to circuit variance and some of it to circuit changes over time. Anyway, a big yes to the Beeatch starting with the old dark setting and lightening up from there....

[rasputin1176]

I agree completely...I received my HB about year & half maybe two years back. It's not nearly as dark as what I hoped for from listening to demos, can't use it with certain amps. I also prefer a darker tone to begin with. I won't let it go because I still love it but hope to get an older one more than anything because it's one of my all time favorite pedals. I use carbon comp batteries in mine now that are around 8volts to help darken more.
Does Bjorn mod pedals or do 1-offs? I haven't found an old HB yet or at least not at right timing. I wish I could sell mine to get the cash incase it pops up but I need it until I get replacement.
Donner- great idea for 4knob version with capability of older darker Bees! Addressing this issue is top of my list, it will make the HB perfect for me! It seems lots of people want the older versions because of darker tone.

[Donner]

Yeah I think this will be a go guys - and maybe sooner than later ....
I would like this myself and if it plays out the way I hear it in my head it should satisfy more than a few folks that have been on this quest .... and most importantly it sounds like BJ is good with it so I think its more 'when' than 'if' .....
I think it would look good with some boxes shined like the Hives pattern I did on the first BearFoot that I still get request for and the slightly darker Honey color ..... sort of an OG HBeeatch

[cajone5]

Definitely interested in that one.

[rasputin1176]

Wow! Donner knows exactly what he's doing (not that it was ever a question). Already sounds really great!!

[seans]

What a great idea. The older HB is like a different pedal. It is not just darker but richer and deeper too. Look forward to trying this one.