Hi-Plate Bass Mk1

The Gain knob controls the amount of gain produced by the valve (a 12ax7/ECC83). Level controls the output level from the pedal. There are three positions for the clipping switch - Off, Silicon and Germanium. The Silicon diode clipping produces a hard clipping fuzz and the Germanium diode clipping produces soft clipping fuzz. The clipping modes have lower output levels than no clipping mode and can produce a nice variation to the sound. Variations in the sound can be gained by using different valves. There is a wealth of choice on the different makes so changing them is part of the fun of finding the prefect sound. The supplied valve is an EH which is fine (not quite to my liking - but that's a personal thing). However you can't go wrong with a Mullard! The mods I have had added are the Fat switch (adds extra gain and bass), Treble (adds extra gain and treble) and Colour (which adds negative feedback and compression giving a lovely distortion - this can be found on the VT1 Mk3). The sound you can get from the pedal is basic ballsy valve overdrive. Think Deep Purple, Cream, Who and you've got an idea of it. The footswitch is true-bypass so won't affect the sound when not being used. I use a Thunderbird, Precision, Jazz (fretted and fretless), Gibson RD Artist and have also tried a Rickenbacker through it. All sound fantastically gritty. Through a Hartke HA3500 the pedal sounded great and through my current Sound City L120 it just screams vintage rock. It is so much a part on my sound that it is never turned off. The keyboardist in my band has bought one for use with his Hammond/Leslie. Perfect for Deep Purple's Lazy!

I've had the pedal for about a year and a half and fully expect it to carry on working for the next 40 or so due to the solid steel box the unit is made from. If I had a backup I'd be using it. Actually I have got a second!

A valve overdrive pedal is difficult to get wrong with the expertise of Dave Hall. A very simple layout consisting of two knobs - Gain and Level - with a switch for different clipping modes. Couldn't be simplier. I've have mine modded with the addition of three more switches: Fat, Treble and Colour.

Dave Hall is a great guy. Any problems with the pedal he'll sort it out as well as modding the pedal if it's possibly. I bought this second hand and still got the support I would have if I had bought it new from Dave. I'd rate the support as 11 if I could.

The VT1 Mk1 is absolutely perfect for classic rock and the pedal is a definite keeper. I'm sure it would be great in other sitations as well, especially if you want to warm up a harsh solid state amp. The only thing that some might have against it is the bright hand painted box and hand-written labels, but that has become somewhat of a signature for the pedal range. They're so good I've bought another one - the VT1 Mk3.