Barbershop Transparent Overdrive Effect Pedal

PLEASE NOTE: This is a DIY build, not an original Fairfield Circuitry pedal.

I built this pedal myself from a schematic available online. I designed the PCB, soldered and assembled everything, and made the enclosure as well.

I built a small batch of five as part of a larger DIY project recreating four different Fairfield Circuitry pedals. Three of these Barbershop builds are available for sale.

If you have the chance, please support Fairfield Circuitry and buy the real thing - they make fantastic pedals! This DIY series was mainly an exercise for me in designing and building audio gear. Since the minimum PCB order from JLCPCB was five boards, I ended up with a few extra builds and decided to put them out into the world.

The Barbershop is a beautifully voiced JFET overdrive with a wonderfully amp-like response and dynamics. It reacts to your playing in a way that feels much more like pushing a tube amp than simply switching on a distortion pedal.

The three-position TONE switch lets you tame the high end using either of its outer positions.

The SAG knob lets you starve the circuit a little, giving you a dirtier, looser, more tweed-like character. Turn it up for a more open and responsive sound, or dial it back to introduce some sag and grit.

It also works really well with bass.

This is my favorite overdrive. I absolutely love its dynamics, feel, and character, and the Barbershop has been a permanent fixture on my pedalboard for years.

Simple, incredibly responsive, and just a joy to play.