Nocturne The Jr. Barnyard Preamp

[blue_lu]

I would love to try this pedal out, but unfortunately shipping and import tax turn this pedal into an almost 400 dollar investment...

If anyone in the EU wants to sell, please send a pm. Thanks!

[clebergf]

I would love to try this pedal out, but unfortunately shipping and import tax turn this pedal into an almost 400 dollar investment...

If anyone in the EU wants to sell, please send a pm. Thanks!

This is a problem here in Brazil too but a friend mine is going to US and will bring it to me.

[christianm77]

I would love to try this pedal out, but unfortunately shipping and import tax turn this pedal into an almost 400 dollar investment...

If anyone in the EU wants to sell, please send a pm. Thanks!

Rats. Might still be worth it tho.

[clebergf]

I just ordered mine today and I'll get an AER Classic 60 next week, when I get the Jr. I'll post some sound clips here with my Godin 5th Avenue with a P90.

[blue_lu]

cool, let us hear it once your amp arrives...

[entresz]

I had a rehearsal last night and forgot to bring my Barnyard preamp - just had the Epi Emperor straight into the DV Mark Little Jazz.

While for a more modern/dark jazz sound that might work, but for a nice punchy sound for a swing band it sounded completely wrong! The Barnyard not only adds octal tube compression/drive but also subtly alters the EQ in a really pleasing way.

Not making that mistake again.....

[campusfive]

On that EQ note.... So, I find the gain/drive to be less important for what I'm trying to achieve than that 1930's/1940's EQ signature.

To my ears, and from my research, the frequency response of a 1930's octal-tube amp is narrower than later 50's "Tweed" amps, which were narrower than "Blackface" amps. So, I personally think there's something in the pedal that is removing the lows below a certain point, and removing the highs above a certain point.
That high pass/low pass effect is something you just can't achieve through the tone knob or eq knobs on a tweed or blackface. Even a graphic eq doesn't do that specific function as easily.

Now, Tavo is pretty mysterious about the actual working of the pedal, and he did reveal some details to me, but none of it was about the high pass/low pass eq stuff. But considering he came up with the pedal originally as a pre-amp for his son's upright bass piezo pickup... it makes sense that dropping super, super lows and the shrill, quacky highs would a recipe for a bass tone that is more like what you'd hear on an old rockabilly record.

[campusfive]

Oh, and on a side note. I was stoked with the tone straight into the effects return of the Hot Rod Deluxe the other night. The next night, the sound guy had been using a direct box, and didn't have a mic for the amp. So we ran the Jr. Barnyard into the DI box, and then thru to the effects loop. Sadly, I can't comment on how it sounded because I wasn't able to hear the sound from FOH much at all.

If I see any videos of that performance (that aren't taken from right next to the guitar amp), I'll let you all know how it came off. It would be really helpful to know how the thing sounds as a direct preamp, without the help of a tube power amp.

[PB+J]

On that EQ note.... So, I find the gain/drive to be less important for what I'm trying to achieve than that 1930's/1940's EQ signature.

To my ears, and from my research, the frequency response of a 1930's octal-tube amp is narrower than later 50's "Tweed" amps, which were narrower than "Blackface" amps. So, I personally think there's something in the pedal that is removing the lows below a certain point, and removing the highs above a certain point.
That high pass/low pass effect is something you just can't achieve through the tone knob or eq knobs on a tweed or blackface. Even a graphic eq doesn't do that specific function as easily.

Now, Tavo is pretty mysterious about the actual working of the pedal, and he did reveal some details to me, but none of it was about the high pass/low pass eq stuff. But considering he came up with the pedal originally as a pre-amp for his son's upright bass piezo pickup... it makes sense that dropping super, super lows and the shrill, quacky highs would a recipe for a bass tone that is more like what you'd hear on an old rockabilly record.

Thats what I hear: a more narrow frequency response, less highs and lows and a very mid-forward sound. I also think it matters where the saturation happens, and in the jr barnyard it seems to happen more on the lower frequencies, while lots of drive pedals want to fizz up the highs. I’ve tried to replicate the sound using plugins in my DAW, and I can get in the ballpark by cutting lows and highs and varying where the saturation is more pronounced. Fabfilters “Saturn” plugin lets you divide the signal into frequency bands and apply different saturation levels to each band.

almost ALL drive pedals cut some low end, to avoid muddyness. The tube screamer is famous for it. They differ in where they cut the low end, at what frequency point. I think that’s a lot of what Tavo has nailed

[campusfive]

Not a video from the night with the DI, but this was the third night, back in the same room as the first night.
Guitar solo comes up in the fourth chorus.

[entresz]

Last night I tried the Barnyard into my old early/mid 80s Peavey Bandit 65.

This would be possibly the best tone I've had for a while. I wasn't really going for the Charlie Christian sound, I was trying for more of the Johnny Smith sound (think Moonlight in Vermont) - this set up nailed it. The mids were big and rich, highs warm and smooth and the low end was not boomy.

The Quilter I usually use sounds nice too but it's a very bright sounding amp, even with the treble turned all the way down. The old Peavey actually has a more useable EQ, at least as far as getting a jazz sound goes. Without the Barnyard Preamp the Peavey is a really good sounding amp - possibly a bit sterile compared to a good tube amp, but I think that's actually why it sounded so good with the Barnyard.

Anyway, tonight I have a gig with a bluesy/trad band so I'm going to try for a grittier sound, it will be interesting to hear how the old Peavey sounds with a bit more break up from the Barnyard.

[PB+J]

I just tried the barnyard into the effects loop of an Acoustic Image Clarus1, which I've used for years for bass gigs. I forgot the Clarus1 that sits with my bass rig had an effects loop.

It was terrible! I don't know if it has to do with he way the effects loop of the Clarus is setup, series or parallel, or if it has to do with input impedance. But it sounded lousy and indistinct and the volume knob behaved very strangely. It sounds much much much better in front of the input of the amp

Being primarily a bass player I tend not to use a lot of effects but I do remember that I was never, ever, happy with the effects loop on the Clarus (tried compression and overdrive now and then), so it might be that. On electric bass gigs I would also have much better luck just running a pedal in front of the amp's input

[David B]

I just tried the barnyard into the effects loop of an Acoustic Image Clarus1, which I've used for years for bass gigs. I forgot the Clarus1 that sits with my bass rig had an effects loop.

It was terrible! I don't know if it has to do with he way the effects loop of the Clarus is setup, series or parallel, or if it has to do with input impedance. But it sounded lousy and indistinct and the volume knob behaved very strangely. It sounds much much much better in front of the inout of the amp

Being primarily a bass player I tend not to use a lot of effects but I do remember that I was never, ever, happy with the effects loop on the Clarus (tried compression and overdrive now and then), so it might be that. On electric bass gigs I would also have much better luck just running a pedal in front of the amp's input

Were you running guitar > pedal > effects return, thereby bypassing the Clarus preamp? You should just be using the Clarus as a power amp for volume of the signal coming from the Barnyard preamp.

Running guitar > Clarus preamp > effects out > barnyard/overdrive/compression > effects return > Clarus power amp is going to produce some unpleasant sounds.

See:

[PB+J]

Were you running guitar > pedal > effects return, thereby bypassing the Clarus preamp? You should just be using the Clarus as a power amp for volume of the signal coming from the Barnyard preamp.

Running guitar > Clarus preamp > effects out > barnyard/overdrive/compression > effects return > Clarus power amp is going to produce some unpleasant sounds.

I'll try it that way, see if I like it better! I'm not much of an effects loop guy

[sgosnell]

This thread made me go "hmmmm...". I'm glad I read it. I've never thought of going direct into the FX return of my Clarus 1, and I seldom even bother with the loop at all, but I thought I'd see what my Joyo American Sound sounded like going that way. It's still sort of meh, but better than into the amp input. So I just removed the pedal and it amazed me. I play though a Line6 G10 wireless, and I plugged it into the FX loop and got a great sound. Added my HOF mini reverb, set at ~9 o=clock, so that the reverb isn't really apparent, just barely perceptible, and it was even better. The G10 seems to have a very good-sounding preamp in it. I tried replacing it with a cable, and the sound was very dark and dull, and I didn't like it much, plus I had to crank the guitar volume control up to hear it. To my ears, going through the G10 and reverb to the FX return sounds much better than going through the amp input, even with no pedal in use at all. The sterility of the Clarus preamp is bypassed, and the G10 to the power amp is much warmer. Maybe I'm late to the party on this, but I really never even considered connecting this way. I wouldn't consider it now if I were using a cable, but with the G10 wireless I really like it.

[blue_lu]

I just ordered mine today and I'll get an AER Classic 60 next week, when I get the Jr. I'll post some sound clips here with my Godin 5th Avenue with a P90.

Any updates? I couldn't help myself and ordered a barnyard... really, really curious (against better judgement - too many disappointing pedals in the past).

[clebergf]

Any updates? I couldn't help myself and ordered a barnyard... really, really curious (against better judgement - too many disappointing pedals in the past).

Not yet. I'll get my pedal only in December.

[omphalopsychos]

Just got an email from Tavo, my El Pescadoro has shipped. Stay tuned!

[entresz]

I can't wait to hear the El Pescadoro! I'm sure I'll be kicking myself for not forking out bit of extra cash and getting that instead of the Barnyard.

Since getting the Barnyard I've used it for pretty much every gig.
Unlike most people I'm not really aiming for much grit but rather the slight compression and tonal character of an older amp, but with headroom.

It works a treat with my Les Paul Recording especially - those big low impedance pickups can sound a bit sterile through the wrong amp, the Barnyard makes it sound like Les Paul's 50's records.

[Bushwackbob]

I just received a Barnyard and the background noise floor is considerable. Have others experienced this?

[christianm77]

I just received a Barnyard and the background noise floor is considerable. Have others experienced this?

Sounds Authentic

[pingu]

This thread made me go "hmmmm...". I'm glad I read it. I've never thought of going direct into the FX return of my Clarus 1, and I seldom even bother with the loop at all, but I thought I'd see what my Joyo American Sound sounded like going that way. It's still sort of meh, but better than into the amp input. So I just removed the pedal and it amazed me. I play though a Line6 G10 wireless, and I plugged it into the FX loop and got a great sound. Added my HOF mini reverb, set at ~9 o=clock, so that the reverb isn't really apparent, just barely perceptible, and it was even better. The G10 seems to have a very good-sounding preamp in it. I tried replacing it with a cable, and the sound was very dark and dull, and I didn't like it much, plus I had to crank the guitar volume control up to hear it. To my ears, going through the G10 and reverb to the FX return sounds much better than going through the amp input, even with no pedal in use at all. The sterility of the Clarus preamp is bypassed, and the G10 to the power amp is much warmer. Maybe I'm late to the party on this, but I really never even considered connecting this way. I wouldn't consider it now if I were using a cable, but with the G10 wireless I really like it.

So it goes guitar , G10 , (HOF) , Clarius power section ?

So you don't have any eq at all ??

[sgosnell]

Correct. I tried both a Boss GE10 and a Fishman EQ, but I prefer the sound of the guitar direct into the power section. I've tried several guitars this way, and to me they all sound better bypassing the preamp, which I almost always set completely flat anyway. The Clarus at flat settings sounds great to me, and bypassing the preamp gives a warmer sound. I can make all the adjustment I want using the tone control on the guitar.

[entresz]

I just received a Barnyard and the background noise floor is considerable. Have others experienced this?

I get a bit of noise from mine, it's not excessive though. That said, I'm generally using big bobbin single coils that do generally hum a bit to begin with.

[radiofm74]

Ordered one as a Xmas gift from my lovely wife… I know the wait will be hard to bear