The Burn Unit is a versatile lead instrument designed to enhance guitar tone and dynamics. It offers a range of controls and settings to shape midrange, dynamics, output level, tone, and sustain/distortion.

Function Description:

The Burn Unit serves as a guitar effects pedal, providing various tonal characteristics from subtle enhancements to aggressive distortion. It allows musicians to sculpt their sound to suit different playing styles and musical genres.

Usage Features:

The Burn Unit features several controls and toggles that allow for extensive sound customization:

3-way toggle on the upper left (Midrange Control):
- Left: Lightly enhanced mids.
- Middle: Thick mids.
- Right: More neutral setting. This control allows users to adjust the midrange character of their sound, which can significantly impact the overall presence and warmth of the guitar tone. The optimal setting may vary depending on the guitar's pickups and associated electronics.
3-way toggle on the upper right (Dynamics Control):
- Left (Moderate Dynamics): Provides a slight sweet sag when digging in. This setting offers a more forgiving and expressive response, ideal for players who appreciate a nuanced touch.
- Middle (Louder, Stiffer Dynamic Sound): Emulates the response of a high-power tube amp with a solid-state rectifier. This setting delivers a more immediate and aggressive sound, where pick attack directly correlates with output volume (harder pick, louder sound; softer pick, lower output).
- Right (Compressed): Offers a compressed sound reminiscent of a smaller Tweed-era amp. This setting transforms into an explosive pick attack with higher gain settings, providing a punchy and dynamic response. This control is crucial for defining how the Burn Unit reacts to pick attack and how it transitions into overdrive, offering a wide spectrum of dynamic responses.
Volume Control:
- Sets the overall output level of the Burn Unit. This control needs to be adjusted whenever the toggle settings are changed to maintain a consistent output.
Tone Control:
- A subtle control designed to dial in the exact amount of detail needed for the guitar sound. It can make the guitar sound lively or silky smooth, effectively softening the top end or adding definition.
Burn Control:
- Manages the sustain and distortion levels. This control offers a wide range, from off to maximum, allowing for everything from mild overdrive to heavy distortion.

Suggested Settings for the Burn Unit:

The manual provides several suggested settings to help users explore the Burn Unit's capabilities:

Medium Power Tweed:
- Both toggles set to the right.
- Volume: 12 o'clock.
- Tone: 3-5 o'clock.
- Burn: 11-12 o'clock.
- Guitar's tone: Between 3 and full.
- Roll back volume when using the neck pickup.
- Works well with Humbuckers and soapbars.
Edge of Breakup Blackface:
- Left toggle: Set to the left.
- Right toggle: Set to the middle.
- Volume: 10 o'clock.
- Tone: 4-5 o'clock.
- Burn: 9-10 o'clock.
- Great with singles or humbuckers.
Clean Boost:
- Left toggle: Set to the right.
- Right toggle: Set to the middle.
- Volume: 1:30 or higher.
- Tone: To max.
- Burn: 7-8:30 o'clock.
- Best with single coils, but also works with humbuckers by backing off the guitar's volume knob slightly.
70's Studio Cat:
- Left toggle: Set right or left.
- Right toggle: Set right or left.
- Volume: 11 o'clock.
- Tone: Set 2-5 o'clock.
- Burn: 2-4 o'clock.
- Bridge humbucker, guitar's tone knob on 3-6.
Thick n' Woody:
- Left toggle: Set middle.
- Right toggle: Set left.
- Volume: 11 o'clock.
- Tone: 3 o'clock.
- Burn: At max.
Fat Singles with Sustain:
- Left toggle: Middle.
- Right toggle: Middle.
- Volume: 10:30.
- Tone: 3.
- Burn: 11-1.

Important Technical Specifications:

Power Requirement: The Burn Unit requires a 9-18 volt DC negative tip adaptor for power.

Maintenance Features:

Internal Bass Trim Pot: The Burn Unit includes an internal bass trim pot. Users are advised to only adjust this if they truly desire this feature and to remember its original setting before making any changes. This suggests that the trim pot is a fine-tuning control that might not be necessary for all users and could potentially alter the pedal's default sound if adjusted carelessly.

General Recommendations:

Treble Bleed Kit: For optimal performance, especially when using overdrive for cleanup and clear highs, the manual suggests using a treble bleed kit with a 680p cap in parallel with a 220k resistor across the wiper and left leg of the volume pot.
Tone Knob Values: Recommended tone knob values are .01-.02uf for humbuckers or soapbars, and .047-.1uf for single coils, along with appropriate pot values as specified by the manufacturer.
Amp Settings: It is recommended to set the amplifier's clean sound to a balanced and dynamic tone and to turn off the amp's bright switch if it has one, to allow the Burn Unit to shape the tone effectively.

The Burn Unit is presented as a product that relies on word-of-mouth promotion, encouraging satisfied users to spread the word about Barber pedals. For support or inquiries, users can contact david@barberelectronics.com.

Barber Burn Unit - Page 2