#VFEFRIDAY Dark Horse

[jjjimi84]

Here is another episode of #VFE Friday, the Dark Horse! Per the website it is a head ripping distortion box....... I found it to have some of that distortion but I really like using it as a boost/overdrive. Like many of VFE pedals there are a ton of usable sounds in here. It is in the little 1590B enclosure and hand painted with a chess piece.

[Bio77]

Great build! 

IMO the Alpha Dog is my favorite version of a Rat, I was hoping the DH was going to be a super DS-1 but I'm not sure. I have a silver screw spec DS-1 I build that I ABed with the DH for a few months with no decision.  I need to find a way to blind myself, I think nostalgia pushes me to give the silver screw an advantage.   What's your take?

[jjjimi84]

Great build! 

IMO the Alpha Dog is my favorite version of a Rat, I was hoping the DH was going to be a super DS-1 but I'm not sure. I have a silver screw spec DS-1 I build that I ABed with the DH for a few months with no decision.  I need to find a way to blind myself, I think nostalgia pushes me to give the silver screw an advantage.   What's your take?

I have an old DS-1, I do not think its a special nice one just an old one and I tried to A/B them right after I read this...

The boss didn't work and my VFE did, so currently I think it is the best sounding.

But if memory serves me right I got that DS-1 to do the grunge type thing and enjoyed it but it has sat on the shelf for probably 4 years without being used. I find myself playing the dark horse a lot, it does as high gain as I would ever want but so much more. Just with firing it up today I was able to get a great sound out of it and write some riffs instantly and that is a great pedal to me. Is it better than the DS-1, I dont know but I will say I like it more.

Here is a picture of my favorite settings, used into my Allen Accomplice with my HSS strat.

[dawson]

Another great painting!
Looks really nice on the bare enclosure- by far the best-looking DS-1 I've seen.

Reminds me of a show I went to years ago: there was a very bad band called "Dark Horse" and even though the venue unplugged their power and shut off the stage lights, they still played 2-3 more songs to finish their set..
I've since forgotten the band I actually went there to see, but I'll never forget the front man of "Dark Horse" slamming drop-D bar-chords into a powerless Crate half-stack and yelling into the dead mic while the drummer went absolutely ape.

[Bio77]

The DH, is undoubtedly more versatile than a DS-1.  I have a special attachment to the DS-1 and I really love my silver screw build (the chip is a TA7136AP).  After posting, I realized I don't really like the Rat very much, but really dig the Alpha Dog.  This might be a key!

Thanks for the favorite setting pic.  I'll give that a go this weekend.

[Thewintersoldier]

Another great build Dan, love the painting, perfect concept for a horse! I have never played/heard a dark horse so I need to do so.e yourubing. The DS-1 is great for what it is and what it's intended use is, especially the grunge)lofi thing. As for John not liking a RAT...I took that as a personal attack 

[jjjimi84]

The DH, is undoubtedly more versatile than a DS-1.  I have a special attachment to the DS-1 and I really love my silver screw build (the chip is a TA7136AP).  After posting, I realized I don't really like the Rat very much, but really dig the Alpha Dog.  This might be a key!

Thanks for the favorite setting pic.  I'll give that a go this weekend.

Let me know what you think, its not high gain but sounds really great.

Another great build Dan, love the painting, perfect concept for a horse! I have never played/heard a dark horse so I need to do so.e yourubing. The DS-1 is great for what it is and what it's intended use is, especially the grunge)lofi thing. As for John not liking a RAT...I took that as a personal attack 

I have never played an actual RAT.............

Now the slow loris by Madbean is awesome af and I have 2 alpha dogs built and a red wolf in progress. Hopefully I am still on the christmas card list.

I did build the 1981 DRV and wasn't overly impressed, it is supposed to be RAT inspired and the first play was meh... I did paint an iconic character on mine so it will be in the stable for a bit. FACT: Bears eat beets.

[Thewintersoldier]

The DH, is undoubtedly more versatile than a DS-1.  I have a special attachment to the DS-1 and I really love my silver screw build (the chip is a TA7136AP).  After posting, I realized I don't really like the Rat very much, but really dig the Alpha Dog.  This might be a key!

Thanks for the favorite setting pic.  I'll give that a go this weekend.

Let me know what you think, its not high gain but sounds really great.

Another great build Dan, love the painting, perfect concept for a horse! I have never played/heard a dark horse so I need to do so.e yourubing. The DS-1 is great for what it is and what it's intended use is, especially the grunge)lofi thing. As for John not liking a RAT...I took that as a personal attack 

I have never played an actual RAT.............

Now the slow loris by Madbean is awesome af and I have 2 alpha dogs built and a red wolf in progress. Hopefully I am still on the christmas card list.

I did build the 1981 DRV and wasn't overly impressed, it is supposed to be RAT inspired and the first play was meh... I did paint an iconic character on mine so it will be in the stable for a bit. FACT: Bears eat beets.

Your still on the list for now Dan, but your on thin ice. I have two rat inspired builds in the works myself. One is an Aion rat with the sweep and multiple diodes. The other is a pedalpcb big box life that I will start soon thanks to John.

[Bret608]

Love this build!

You know, it's funny, I have never played an actual DS-1, although now I'm wanting to build a Dark Horse. On the Rat front however, I used to have an old no-LED Rat that I loved. I currently have an original Roger Mayer Mongoose that just kills. I would highly recommend a DIY build of the Mongoose, although I'm sure the Alpha Dog has the bases well-covered.