Darkglass Microtubes B3K 2.0

The Darkglass Microtubes B3K V2 is a bass overdrive pedal from Darkglass. It is the second version of the Microtubes B3K, which was Darkglass's first product¹. The v2 keeps everything the original did and adds the ability to restore the mids, which Darkglass describes as giving a more natural character².

The original B3K circuit was designed to hold on to the fundamental low end of the bass even under heavy gain³, which is the quality bass players look for in an overdrive: grit and saturation on top without losing the note's body underneath.

What it does

The B3K is an overdrive for bass, a pedal that pushes the signal into saturation to add harmonics, growl and edge while the low frequencies carry through. Darkglass says the v2 gives you all the features of the original, "with the ability to restore the mids for natural character"². In practice that means the scooped, aggressive midrange voicing the original was known for can be dialed back toward a more even, natural bass tone when the mids are restored.

The original circuit's design goal, as described on its product page, was to "retain fundamental low frequency response under heavy gain"³, so the drive sits on top of the note rather than replacing it with fizz.

Where it came from

The Microtubes B3K was Darkglass's first product¹. No Treble reported it shipping and available by order at the Darkglass Electronics website in November 2010⁶. MusicRadar reported in October 2017 that the B3K and the larger B7K had both reached version 2⁵.

The B3K sits in a wider Darkglass line of bass overdrives and preamps, including the Microtubes B7K V2, the Vintage Microtubes and the Alpha Omega Ultra.

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