The Barefaced Machinist is an analog bass distortion pedal from UK maker Barefaced, and it was the company's first foray into bass guitar effects1. It is the result of a collaboration between boutique effects manufacturer COG and Barefaced1. What sets it apart from a straightforward distortion pedal is its layout: three units running in parallel, an overdrive/distortion, a fuzz, and a clean section with its own volume and low pass filter1. That parallel clean path is a familiar idea in bass pedals, letting you keep an untouched low end underneath the dirt.
How it works: distortion, fuzz and clean in parallel
The Machinist's three sections run side by side rather than in series, and each has its own footswitch: Parallel Clean, Fuzz and Overdrive/Distortion on/off footswitches1. The intensity of the distortion or overdrive depends on how hard you play, while Guitar World's reviewer found the fuzz is more of an effect, "perfect for a Seventies Geezer Butler sound"1.
Each section has its own controls:
| Section | Controls | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Overdrive/Distortion | Gain | Goes from subtle overdrive to roaring distortion2 |
| Overdrive/Distortion | Bass and treble EQ | Two band shelving curves for tonal balance2 |
| Overdrive/Distortion | Level | Adjusts the level of the distortion channel2 |
| Fuzz | Fuzz | Turning up gets more and more fuzz2 |
| Clean | Level | Adjusts the clean channel level2 |
| Clean | Tone | Rolls off the highs and mids, a low pass filter2 |
The clean channel's footswitch behavior is flexible. If neither fuzz nor distortion is on, stomping the clean footswitch just lights the LED and gives you the low pass filtered clean sound on its own2. If a dirty sound is already on, the clean footswitch adds or removes the clean section alongside it12. The clean section can also be preselected and added to the distortion when overdrive or fuzz is switched on1. Red LEDs show when the distortion and fuzz channels are on2.
The distortion channel footswitch is described by RockBoard's PedalPedia as a virtual true bypass switch, not a mechanical true bypass design2.
Power and practicalities
The Machinist runs on 9v to 18v DC, but there is no provision for running it on batteries, so a power supply is required1. The pedal is a large format unit housed in a plain aluminum project box, with just a single jack in and out plus a DC input1. At 5.5 inches wide by 4.5 inches deep by 2.5 inches high, it occupies more board space than a compact pedal, which is worth planning for1.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's review weighed up the pedal this way:
"A great effects pedal, but we'd like to see a little more thought given to the aesthetics."
The review also noted there is a money-back guarantee1.
Videos
Barefaced Audio
Barefaced Audio
Guitar Interactive Magazine
Questions
Is the Barefaced Machinist made for bass or guitar?
It is a bass guitar effects pedal, and it was Barefaced's first foray into bass guitar effects. Guitar World's review describes it as the company's first bass effects release, built as a collaboration between the boutique effects manufacturer COG and Barefaced. The parallel clean channel with a low pass filter is the kind of layout bass players commonly use to keep low end intact under a dirty sound.
Does the Barefaced Machinist take a battery?
No. Guitar World's review notes there is no provision for running the Machinist on batteries. It is powered from a DC input at 9v to 18v DC, so you will need a suitable power supply rather than a battery or a daisy chain that cannot meet the pedal's needs.
Can the clean channel run at the same time as the fuzz?
Yes. The Machinist's three sections, an overdrive/distortion, a fuzz and a clean channel with its own level and low pass filter, run in parallel. The clean footswitch runs the low pass filtered clean sound alongside a dirty sound, or adds or removes it when a dirty sound is already on.
Is the Barefaced Machinist true bypass?
Barefaced describes the distortion channel footswitch as a virtual true bypass switch. Stomping it activates the distortion channel, with a red LED showing it is on. The pedal also has separate on/off footswitches for the parallel clean and fuzz channels.
Where is the Barefaced Machinist made?
The Machinist is made in the UK, according to Guitar World's review. It is built by Barefaced in collaboration with the boutique effects manufacturer COG, and it was the company's first bass guitar effects pedal.
How big is the Barefaced Machinist?
Guitar World lists the dimensions as 5.5 inches wide by 4.5 inches deep by 2.5 inches high. The review describes it as a large format pedal housed in a plain aluminum project box, so it takes up more board space than a standard compact pedal.
Sources (2)
- Barefaced Machinist Distortion review, Guitar World, 2022-06-03
- Machinist by Barefaced, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026