The VVco Pedals Dark Father is a preamp pedal that puts a vintage overdrive, a lo-fi fuzz, two boosts and a 3-band EQ in one box. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio describes it as "A preamp pedal with vintage overdrive, lo-fi fuzz, two boosts, and eq," capable of "a wide range of tones thanks to its overdrive, lo-fi fuzz, two boosts, and 3-band eq circuits"1. Guitar.com covered its release in September 2022, calling it the latest offering from SoCal-based VVco Pedals and noting its Star Wars theme2.
What it does and how it is controlled
The pedal has three modes: two Boost and one Preamp1. Four buttons in the center, labeled Pre, Light, Dark and Lofi, engage a foundational preamp, a silicon transistor stage, a germanium stage and the lo-fi fuzz respectively2. The Boost section is based on classic 1960s recording console inputs with negative feedback control3.
The layout mixes sliders and knobs:
- Sliders for each of the three EQ bands
- Sliders for Master Volume and Blend
- Small knobs on top for Master Gain and Boost Gain3
Pedal of the Day describes the character as retro and gritty, "allowing you to explore a multitude of dirty," amp-pushing tones3.
Where the circuit comes from
The overdrive section is modeled after the original DoD 250 Preamp. Pedal of the Day describes the Dark Father as having "a classic overdrive style, modeled after the original [DoD 250 Preamp]"3. The DoD 250 is the overdrive/preamp that players have long used to push amps into dirt, and the Dark Father builds a fuzz, two boosts and an EQ around that foundation.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the pedal in December 2022 and came away strongly positive3:
"this multi-faceted effect is not only fun to look at, it sounds excellent as well"
The same review notes the flexibility of the boost stages: "you can crank it up for a heavy overdrive, or use it as a clean tone with the silicon boost," alongside "the germanium diode hybrid boost"3. For players comparing preamp-style dirt boxes, the Dark Father sits in the territory covered by the site's Preamp Pedals and Overdrive Pedals pages, with the lo-fi fuzz reaching toward Fuzz Pedals territory.
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Questions
What are the three modes on the VVco Dark Father?
The Dark Father has three modes: two Boost modes and one Preamp mode. The four center buttons, labeled Pre, Light, Dark and Lofi, engage a foundational preamp, a silicon transistor stage, a germanium stage and the lo-fi fuzz. The Boost section is based on classic 1960s recording console inputs with negative feedback control, and the pedal adds a 3-band EQ with sliders for each band plus Master Volume and Blend.
Is the VVco Dark Father based on the DoD 250?
The overdrive section is. Pedal of the Day describes the Dark Father as having a classic overdrive style modeled after the original DoD 250 Preamp, the gray-box overdrive/preamp that became a favorite of players pushing amps into dirt. The Dark Father builds on that foundation by adding the fuzz, the two boosts and the EQ section around it.
Can the Dark Father be used as a clean boost?
Yes. Pedal of the Day notes that the silicon boost can be cranked up for heavy overdrive or used as a clean tone, and that the pedal also carries a germanium diode hybrid boost. With the two boost modes and the Preamp mode, the pedal covers clean lift, amp-pushing dirt and heavier overdrive from one box.
Who makes the VVco Dark Father?
The Dark Father is made by VVco Pedals, a SoCal-based pedal maker. Guitar.com covered its release in September 2022, describing it as the company's Star Wars-themed preamp pedal.
Sources (3)
- VVco Pedals Dark Father Preamp, Delicious Audio, 2022-12-12
- The force is strong with VVco’s Dark Father preamp pedal, Guitar.com, 2022-09-01
- VVco Pedals Dark Father Preamp, Pedal of the Day, 2022-12-12