DESIGNED JUST FOR BASSISTS Darkglass Electronics is dedicated to giving bassists the attention and innovation they’ve wanted. With signature tones that are already considered legacy, the company continues to push boundaries — most recently with the launch of its Anagram, the first truly bass-centric multi-effects pedal. — By Kimberly Kapela
F or years, bass gear took a back seat to the overwhelming array of options avail- able to guitarists, leaving bassists with fewer choices built for their specific needs. That is until Darkglass Electronics stepped in with purpose-driven products that put basses in the spotlight. Founded with a mission to provide more variety, accessibility and power to bass players, Darkglass aims to build high-end gear made for bassists, by bassists. “I feel that Darkglass filled that gap,” said Marcos Barilatti, managing director. “The mission was: let’s [offer] premium gear and also have very good tools, pedals and prod- ucts that are made for bass players, but also made by bass players from the ground up.” MARKET DISRUPTION Darkglass’ first major breakthrough came with the launch of the B7K distortion pedal. Built with a bass-first mindset, the B7K resonated immediately with artists in Chile and soon gained traction in the U.S. and Europe. It offered something few others did at the time — rich, distinctive distortion that preserved the integrity of the bass tone, allowing it to shine rather than disappear behind the guitar. “It had that character,” Barilatti explained. “It was made for bass players and bass play- ers were getting some attention.” Known as Darkglass’ “disruptive prod- uct,” the B7K’s success opened the floodgates. More pedals followed — each with its own voice, character and flavor of distortion. But Darkglass wasn’t content to stop there. With the same design philosophy and bassist-first approach, they expanded into amplification, creating compact, modern amps that delivered serious power and clarity. “And we were there again, trying to fill a gap,” Barilatti said. “Trying to make tools that
young, it’s already a legacy tone. Players seeking modern tones and layers of different sounds found something in Darkglass they could immediately recognize.” Darkglass is now challenging the status quo by entering the multi-effects space — something rarely done with bassists in mind. “For us, doing a multi-effect was a completely different challenge,” Barilatti explained. “Because doing a multi-effect requires a lot of engineering, we had to find a different solution and understand that in order to make a multi-effect, what we needed was robust software that could handle the operation of mixing digital effects.” To meet this challenge, Darkglass formed a unique partnership with a tech company that was developing a flexible operating system. This collaboration fast-tracked the development of Anagram, bringing it to life in under a year. Anagram stands out not just as a bass-centric multi-effect unit, but as a platform built for growth and collaboration. “It’s the first all-centric, bass-centric multi-effect in the market,” Barilatti said. “It has one of the best latencies in the in- dustry, so it feels very organic when you play. It’s designed to give players access to a complete palette of sounds.” What sets Anagram apart is its the first multi-effect unit to support plugins, run NAM models and allow real-time tone capturing. “Anagram is the first device that can bridge to external content seamlessly and captures can be done via NAM and anyone can benefit from it,” Barilatti said. “Anagram is plugin compatible. We will deploy artists’ own captures and presets with an immersive aesthetic and sonic experience.” MI
Marcos Barilatti
were made for bass players by bass players.” But what truly sets Darkglass apart isn’t just the gear, the company has sparked a movement, giving bassists a broader toolkit to shape their tone, elevate their presence and stand confidently in the mix. Barilatti points out that while the early 2000s saw that initial gear gap narrowing, the last five years have called for a renewed com- mitment to innovation. And Darkglass has answered. “Pushing innovation for us has always been from a standpoint of filling a gap,” Barilatti said. “But more importantly, let’s make a statement. And the statement is: make gear that offers a lot of options and makes the bass player cut into the mix, be present, be audible, be important.” SETTING THE TONE Despite being a relatively young company, Darkglass has already established what many in music would consider a “legacy tone.” “You can really distinguish a Darkglass tone,” Barilatti said. “And even though it’s
14 I MUSIC INC. I JUNE 2025
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