NPD - Laney Blackheath

[tempo]

Bought this a coup of weeks ago as a B-stock item. It offers loads control for a compact pedal. The 3 drive types are quite distinct, I really like Dist 2 (the more tube like mode) on a moderate setting. The range in the gain control along with the colour and range controls mean you can go from a clean boost to pretty much a "big muff" style dist/fuzz.

 

Speaking of the colour control, the manual suggests its a normal "tone knob", but it seemed to act like a tilt control to my ears, which was confirmed by an email from Laney support, apparently similar to the tilt contol on the (Digbeth)? amp.

 

Light drives are particularly good as you can dial in a tone that just adds hair around the note without changing the basic tone. I thought I would miss the clean blend I have on other overdrives and distortions, but it's completely unnecessary on this pedal - it doesn't lose any bass at all, unless you set the controls to cut it out pre and post drive. 

[MichaelDean]

That's good to hear. I'm very interested in one after my recent Digbeth head acquisition! 

[tempo]

On 11/10/2024 at 06:30, MichaelDean said:

That's good to hear. I'm very interested in one after my recent Digbeth head acquisition! 

Well, it works great with my Laney nexus head (and cabs). Also tried it with all my basses now, and can say it let's each instruments' character through - from actives of the EMG equipped Pbass and Warwick through to the big humbuckers of the Sandberg and the Bart equipped Conklin. 

Edited October 13, 2024 by tempo

[Mediocre Polymath]

This pedal sounds like it would be right up my street, soundwise, but the name throws me every time. I can think of few things less rockn'roll than a Waitrose-and-skiing-holidays middle-class enclave in South East London.

[tempo]

Think it might be names after the West Midlands area rather than the place near Greenwich, given Laneys roots!

[Mediocre Polymath]

59 minutes ago, tempo said:

Think it might be names after the West Midlands area rather than the place near Greenwich, given Laneys roots!

Yeah, it's definitely a me problem. Well, me and other south east London bassists.