Trondheim SkarBassOne: a terrible pedal from a terrible company

[carmofon]

I wanted to post a quick review of this terrible pedal in particular and then to mention/discuss a general problem with the pedal world. I purchased the Trondheim SkarBassOne because I want to have mild compression always on and a switchable overdrive/distortion option.

This pedal fit the bill in theory and based on multiple youtube reviews (more on that later), it seemed to have a great sound. The pedal was not cheap but I thought it was what I needed so I went for it. I am not going to go into the details of the pedal (there are multiple videos explaining that). I just want to say that I have never used a noisier pedal. It is just terrible. I am not talking about a discrete hiss, I am talking about bad, bad noise. Very bad. It is bad when the distortion is disengaged and gets unbearable with the distortion. I did all kind of permutations of plugs/channels/bass/power/source so believe me it is the pedal. In fact when I contacted Trondheim they were not surprised about the noise issue. And they were sooooo condescending. For example:
"The pedal is fully analog, with several filters and processes happening simultaneously, which means there is an inherent noise floor."

As if this would be the only or my first analog pedal!!! Also, if your circuit's design is so complex because it has "filters and processes" that make it a very noisy pedal, then your design is bad!!! This is not the 1960 when you could expect an experimental noisy fuzz pedal. This is a newly designed pedal with what I would describe more like a noise roof than a noise floor. They even say: " If you need complete silence when not playing, I recommend using a noise gate." Really? Are they saying: my design is so bad that you need a noise gate?? I actually I tried one but the noise is so bad that I had to set the gate to levels so high that they damped the whole tone and sound. To make things worse, Trondheim's policy is to not accept returns from international sells, so unless you live in Norway, you are stuck with this noise generator.

I want to end this rant on mentioning a more general problem. I wish there would be some kind of site/database of pedal reviews similar to the "compressor pedal reviews" or "ovnilabs". If you look online, most resources/pedal reviews are really just infomercials by paid internet influencer like that Hunter guy who just use these as opportunities to showcase how much they like headbanging when playing on a sofa (cringe). They claim that their reviews are "honest and unbiased" despite being sponsored but somehow they are always positive. I watched many of these kind of "reviews" about the Trondheim SkarBassOne and none but one mentioned the noise issue (mostly in passing). I guess the issue is on me. At the end they are just youtubers paid to like a pedal. But I wish there would be a more technical source of pedal reviews that would focus more on objective elements (noise, frequency range/response, build quality, etc) rather than what these vibe influencers give the community.

Anyways, in case it was not clear I do not recommend the Trondheim SkarBassOne or the company that makes them.

 

[Mr. voodoobass]

Funny, I get great clean and dirty sounds out of it. Yes noisy in drive setting, but dead silent in clean setting.

 

[Killing Floor]

Yeah, isn’t that an overdrive preamp? There is definitely such a thing as a “noise OK” circuit in overdrives.

 

[carmofon]

Yeah, isn’t that an overdrive preamp? There is definitely such a thing as a “noise OK” circuit in overdrives.

I am not sure I understand your post but I have tried many preamps and this way too noisy.

 

[silky smoove]

And they were sooooo condescending. For example:
"The pedal is fully analog, with several filters and processes happening simultaneously, which means there is an inherent noise floor."

Maybe it's just me, but this doesn't feel like a condescending answer.

 

[carmofon]

Funny, I get great clean and dirty sounds out of it. Yes noisy in drive setting, but dead silent in clean setting.

Interesting. Dead silent? Well, maybe I got a lemon (I doubt it) but that's where a company that takes returns is useful

 

[Mr. voodoobass]

Well unless I use violently high compressor settings, there’s no noise from mine when clean.
What I still can say about the demos about it. With the same settings, I can’t get mine to sound the same. So I guess what the rest of the rig and bass plays a big difference in the experience of the pedal.

 

[Parzival]

Sorry the Skar didn’t work out. I remember looking into it a while back and can’t remember where but found enough user comments to keep me away. I think noise was mentioned but there was some other functions I didn’t like.

On the reviews, yeah, I’ve yet to see a video review on a music product that said, you know, this may not be right for a lot of folks, or this is just terrible sounding. Figured that out after watching reviews for a while and sadly flipping a few pedals I thought would be great.

ETA: I take that back, I do remember Lobster did a video review of the Fender bass with the foil pickups that was pretty frank and not very positive at all.

 

[Snaxster]

I guess the issue is on me. At the end they are just youtubers paid to like a pedal.

So now you know.

Unless the influencer specifically says that they were not paid by the manufacturer to make the video, then either they were paid by the manufacturer or they want not to anger the manufacturer so they will lend them more gear in future.

As such, always assume that the video is a demonstration, not a review, even if they call it a review (in which case it is a paid review). Sometimes an influencer will disclose that they are being paid, but claim that their stated opinion was not swayed by the payment. Good luck with that. Cognitive dissonance is a b****.

Until an influencer becomes rich enough to buy then flip gear for reviews (as Edmunds or Consumer Reports do for cars other kinds of products), they are somehow beholden to the manufacturers.

But I wish there would be a more technical source of pedal reviews that would focus more on objective elements (noise, frequency range/response, build quality, etc) rather than what these vibe influencers give the community.

That's what the forums are for.

The rigor, thoroughness or insightfulness with which products are discussed or reviewed on the forums varies widely. But on the forums, usually shills are easy to spot. And as on TalkBass, the more mature forums will have commercial user policies that constrain comments from manufacturers and their representatives.

 

[RandomKaren]

Interesting. Dead silent? Well, maybe I got a lemon (I doubt it) but that's where a company that takes returns is useful

You returned it and are still dissing the company? I've rejected occasional pedals for noise but I'm mega fussy and just return if I can or sell on. What doesn't work for me might be fine for someone else.

 

[Alban]

For EU buyers, if you buy through their EU shop then there is a proper return policy because that shop (based in Germany) is bound by EU commerce laws.

 

[Killing Floor]

I am not sure I understand your post but I have tried many preamps and this way too noisy.

Meaning that certain types of classic overdrive circuits (and other dirts) use components and design that are inherently noisy and for many decades those have been referred to by builders as Noise Ok circuits to designate that they have an assumed noise floor.

Perhaps that is what the maker meant when they responded. Or not. We don’t all like the same stuff.

 

[Code Brown]

I agree there's way too many youtube "reviewers" that NEVER give bad reviews. There's an opportunity for someone...

 

[40Hz]

You returned it and are still dissing the company?

The OP explained they won’t accept a return from the US in his first post:

Trondheim's policy is to not accept returns from international sells, so unless you live in Norway, you are stuck with this noise generator.

And per Trindhiem’s website:

“Goods Exported Out of Norway:
Goods that have been exported out of Norway are not eligible for return. The process of exporting involves various costs and logistical considerations that are beyond our control, including international shipping and handling fees. Due to these incurred expenses, we are unable to accept returns on items once they have been exported out of Norway.”

IMO this is a questionable policy when they could just as easily recoup those expenses by requiring the customer to pay for return shipping and assessing a restocking charge on non-EU returns. Their policy sounds more like they just can’t be bothered with returns unless they’re legally required to.

 

[RandomKaren]

The OP explained they won’t accept a return from the US in his first post:

My mistake! I missed that crucial bit of information in the first post.

And per Trindhiem’s website:

“Goods Exported Out of Norway:
Goods that have been exported out of Norway are not eligible for return. The process of exporting involves various costs and logistical considerations that are beyond our control, including international shipping and handling fees. Due to these incurred expenses, we are unable to accept returns on items once they have been exported out of Norway.”

IMO this is a questionable policy when they could just as easily recoup those expenses by requiring the customer to pay for return shipping and assessing a restocking charge on non-EU returns. Their policy sounds more like they just can’t be bothered with returns unless they’re legally required to.

Since Norway is part of the European Economic Area (although not a full EU member), I'm surprised there isn't a right of return for EU countries.

 

[el murdoque]

Since Norway is part of the European Economic Area (although not a full EU member), I'm surprised there isn't a right of return for EU countries.

People in the EU simply buy the pedal from shops in their home country or order it from Thomann.
No need for buying something shipped from Norway when you can have the Thomann shipping and customer service.

...but when you look at the pedal on the Thomann website, you will see that it has 3,6 / 5 stars and four reviews. Three of them are sobering and people complain about certain features, only the fourth person was happy enough to leave five stars.




In general, I think I ran across this pedal through social media where the ad they put up did two things with me:
1. It put me off. I instantly smelled a rat (and not the black one with three knobs, but rather the furry one that transmits disease).
2. It got me interested in finding out a bit more about the pedal.
Five minutes of googling left the impression with me that this is an unfinished product - made by people who are so full of themselves that they truly believe they re-invented the wheel and and this is the holy grail of bass distortion. Everyone who does not agree with that is wrong and stupid.


I was truly tempted to buy a B-Stock model at Thomann with the pure intent to try it out and send it back, but temptation did not last long enough for me to follow through.

 

[ole Jason]

YouTube reviews are probably running it into an amp sim with a gate. I wouldn't be surprised by an analog multi-band distortion pedal having a high noise floor. It probably wouldn't be all that apparent in a dense mix.

 

[40Hz]

My mistake! I missed that crucial bit of information in the first post.



Since Norway is part of the European Economic Area (although not a full EU member), I'm surprised there isn't a right of return for EU countries.

I think they say they accept returns for Norway and EU customers who go through dealers can do returns through them. Their restriction only applies to stuff ordered directly through their website. Still questionable considering your point they are in the EU. But I’ve noticed there seems to be a lot of exceptions within EU regulations depending on the country. The EU strikes me as being more of a mutual cooperation agreement rather than an overarching governing body whose regulations override state regulations like our Federal government's does. Hardly surprising since the EU doesn’t seem to have an enforcement mechanism that actually has any teeth.

 

[Zbysek]

I think they say they accept returns for Norway and EU customers who go through dealers can do returns through them. Their restriction only applies to stuff ordered directly through their website. Still questionable considering your point they are in the EU. But I’ve noticed there seems to be a lot of exceptions within EU regulations depending on the country. The EU strikes me as being more of a mutual cooperation agreement rather than an overarching governing body whose regulations override state regulations like our Federal government's does. Hardly surprising since the EU doesn’t seem to have an enforcement mechanism that actually has any teeth.

Norway is not in EU

 

[RandomKaren]

I think they say they accept returns for Norway and EU customers who go through dealers can do returns through them. Their restriction only applies to stuff ordered directly through their website. Still questionable considering your point they are in the EU. But I’ve noticed there seems to be a lot of exceptions within EU regulations depending on the country. The EU strikes me as being more of a mutual cooperation agreement rather than an overarching governing body whose regulations override state regulations like our Federal government's does. Hardly surprising since the EU doesn’t seem to have an enforcement mechanism that actually has any teeth.

Norway isn't an EU member, it's just a member of the EEA (European Economic Area) which is like a lesser associate membership. The EU has plenty of teeth where full EU members are concerned but like the US each state/country has its local rules and enforcement can get pretty complicated. I imagine it's quite a gravy train for the legal profession.