The VVco Pedals Dark Father is a preamp pedal that gathers a drive section, a boost section and tone shaping in one enclosure. Guitar.com, covering its announcement, described it as "a drive pedal with boost, OD and fuzz powers," presented in a layout inspired by Darth Vader's suit control panel1. Delicious Audio's product page lists its circuits as overdrive, lo-fi fuzz, two boosts and a 3-band EQ2.
What it does
The Dark Father covers a lot of ground for a single preamp. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio writes that it "can deliver a wide range of tones thanks to its overdrive, lo-fi fuzz, two boosts, and 3-band eq circuits"2. Pedal of the Day's review puts it plainly: "The Dark Father is a preamp pedal with vintage overdrive, lo-fi fuzz, two boosts, and EQ"3.
The pedal runs in three modes, two Boost and one Preamp2. The overdrive side is modeled after the original DOD 250 Preamp, a classic overdrive design3. The Boost section is based on classic 1960s recording console inputs with negative feedback control3. Pedal of the Day also highlights the germanium diode hybrid boost, and notes that you can crank the pedal up for a heavy overdrive or use it as a clean tone with the silicon boost3.
For a player, that means one box that can go from a clean-ish boost to pushed-amp dirt to a lo-fi fuzz voice, with EQ to shape it. Players comparing it with single-purpose dirt boxes can read more on the preamp pedals, overdrive pedals, fuzz pedals and boost pedals pages231.
Controls
Guitar.com describes the layout: "Two sliders control the effect's master volume and clean blend, while four buttons in the centre, labelled Pre, Light" and more, set the pedal's functions1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Two sliders | Master volume and clean blend1 |
| Four center buttons | Labeled Pre, Light and more, they set the pedal's functions1 |
The Darth Vader theme
The Star Wars styling is more than a paint job. Guitar.com reported that the pedal, "Dressed in a matte finish and decked out with colourful buttons... demonstrably pays homage to the Star Wa"rs villain, with its parameters laid out like the control panel on Darth Vader's suit1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Dark Father in December 2022 and came away impressed by its range of dirt tones3.
"With a retro gritty tone, the [Dark Father Preamp] will never disappoint, allowing you to explore a multitude of dirty, amp-pushing tones."
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Questions
What is the VVco Dark Father based on?
The Dark Father's overdrive section is modeled after the original DOD 250 Preamp, according to Pedal of the Day's review. The Boost section takes a different route: it is based on classic 1960s recording console inputs with negative feedback control. Together with a lo-fi fuzz and EQ, those circuits give the pedal its range of dirty, amp-pushing tones.
How much does the VVco Dark Father cost?
Guitar.com reported at the pedal's September 2022 announcement that the Dark Father retails for $289.99, sold through VVco Pedals' Reverb store. That is the list price as of the announcement date.
What do the two sliders do on the Dark Father?
The two sliders control the effect's master volume and clean blend, Guitar.com reports. Around them sit four centre buttons labelled Pre, Light and more, set into a layout that pays homage to Darth Vader's suit control panel.
Why is the Dark Father styled after Darth Vader?
The Star Wars theme is a playful design choice by VVco Pedals. Guitar.com noted that the pedal, dressed in a matte finish and decked out with colourful buttons, demonstrably pays homage to Darth Vader, with its parameters laid out like the control panel on his suit.
Sources (3)
- The force is strong with VVco’s Dark Father preamp pedal, Guitar.com, 2022-09-01
- VVco Pedals Dark Father Preamp, Delicious Audio, 2022-12-12
- VVco Pedals Dark Father Preamp, Pedal of the Day, 2022-12-12
