Free Speech Review

The world's first "in line" Talk Box. Same effect used by Joe Walsh to Peter Frampton, now you can have the same effect in a more simple economical form.

Ease of Use:	8.7
Sound:	8.3
Reliability:	8.3
Impression:	5.3
Overall rating:	7.7
Users rating:	8.2
Comments:	15

overall: 9

Featured review by: Bossman123, on august 28, 2006

Price paid: $ 163.8

Purchased from: Local Music Shop

Ease of Use: For a Talk Box, the Free Speech is very simple to use, it has two settings; volume and growl (overdrive). To set it up, all you have to do is insert the "Dan-O-Tube" and microphone jack into the appropriate slots, input from your guitar and output to your amp and your ready to go. It is probably the only talkbox currently on the market that is totally self-reliant, you don't need a seperate amp or microphone as there are two mini mics attached to the top of the tube which send the sound from your mouth into your amp, the only thing you might want to buy is a microphone stand but even this you can do without. There is a manual for it but really there is no need for one as the pedal is so easy to use. // 9

Sound: I'm playing an American Standard Fender Strat through a Boss ME-50 through the Free Speech into a Roland Cube 60 but with this pedal I don't think it really matters what amp or guitar you'r using as it has such a distinctive sound. It can be quite noisy but it isn't too noticable when you're playing. The growl effect sounds quite good and I wouldn't reccomend using distortion from another pedal or your amp with this pedal as it tends to result in a lot of feedback. You really can get the exact sounds of talkbox players such as Ritche Sambora, Joe Walsh, Slash, etc. without any real difficulty. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I think it's made from ceramic although it could be metal, I'm not sure, but whatever it is made from, it does seem to be very durable, I havn't had it long enough to know exactly how durable it is but I've had no problems yet. Well of course I'd use it without a backup at a gig because I can't afford to have two of them! I would be sure to bring spare batteries though as there is no power adaptor supplied. // 8

Impression: This pedal is really amazing, it will really blow a crowd off their feet when they see your guitar start to talk, I'v even thought my guitar to say a few words! If I lost this pedal I'd definatly but a new one, why? Because it's the cheapest easiest to use Talk Box yet still it sounds great! The one and only complaint I have about it is that the compartment for the battery is too small, it took me more than a half an hour to try and squeeze in the 9 volt battery! // 9

overall: 7.8

Reviewed by: evhdawg999, on april 29, 2008

Price paid: $ 100

Purchased from: Daddy's Junky Music

Ease of Use: I'd have to say this thang is pretty sweet. It is the easiest thing you will ever use. It's an inline pedal like any other so it's not hard to figure out. You can tweak it I guess. The only thing I've ever done to it is take it apart, be careful though because it's pretty messy inside. Lots of circuit boards. it's got pretty much self explanitory settings; growl, and volume (growl is distortion which isnt too bad). // 8

Sound: I run a Epi Les Paul through this puppy with normally a practice amp (Fender 25R) sounds amazing, just as long as you toss those crap mics that come with it. Get a real mic and run it into your amp and your guitar into the pedal. Works like a charm. It can get noisy but only when you're practicing. When playing really loud it's just like it should be. You can be sure to get a Frampton Joe Walsh tone out of this. It's not the pedal's fault if you can't do it. You just need to work on shaping your mouth with the tube. Once again, the growl on this bad boy isnt half bad. (Only the fact that no matter how much growl you set it to, you will never get a clean tone) // 8

Reliability & Durability: I don't know if I would gig with it only because the amp has to be louder since it's being used with a mic and not a pure signal. That's not a problem if you have more than one amp though, you can send a signal to one amp from your guitar and one from the talk box to Switch back and forth between tones (just turn up the volume on the "talk box" amp). // 8

Impression: I play blues and classic rock and I'll tell you this sucker does the job. Besides it's just fun to fool around with. I've only been playing for a year (I know you think I suck already) and you're probably right. I own a Fender Frontman 25R and a Yamaha EG-112C as well as my preferred epi les paul. I just wish that before I orderred this thing that I had known it would give off so much feedback when you get the mic too close to the amp. If I lost it, sadly I would not have the desire to get a new one, maybe a heil because I heard they were higher quality. I do love that it is portable and easy to use although it is very hard to get a position where there isn't much feedback. And don't use this with like a strat or anything with single pickups, it will sound like you know what. Humbuckers are the way to go for this puppy. // 7

overall: 6.3

Reviewed by: Blompcube, on february 22, 2007

Price paid: $ 91.5

Purchased from: www.thomann.de

Ease of Use: This pedal is very easy and self explanatory to work, 2 controls: volume (guess what it does) and growl (distortion). Just connect your guitar to the input and the output to an amp, connect the tube and plug the mic mini-jack into the mic socket on the pedal, put the tube in your mouth and play. You use your mouth to manipulate the sound, but don't actually talk, let the guitar talk for you. Simple. Of course, the supplied Mics are detachable so you can use a stage mic as well. The manual is a bit useless but does anyone really need it for such a simple device? // 9

Sound: I recommend using a clean channel on your amp if you are using the supplied mics, otherwise you will get feedback. I used a lot of guitars for this and guitars with Humbuckers (i.e. Gibson SG) sounded the best. With the "Growl" turned up pretty high there can be a lot of noise especially with single coil pickups on your guitar. The effect will sound a lot better if you put the tube as far into your mouth as you can without gagging, and move the mics closer to you. The overall sound is quite trebly, but that allows you to be more expressive, like how a wah pedal will be trebly at the highest point. This is a good talkbox sound, I was looking to be different rather than to copy someone when I bought it, although I am a Joe Walsh fan so that probably inspired me to buy it. // 7

Reliability & Durability: Well. Here's the thing, I'd definitely have to have a power supply to use it in a gig. It will eat batteries and after just a few hours will start to get quieter until it loses all power. Not the scenario you'd want in a gig. With a power supply, I can almost definitely depend on it. It's unlikely I'd need a backup because this thing is made of really thick metal, it would take a lot to damage the electronics inside. // 9

Impression: I play classic/alternative rock, this is a good match for my purposes. I've played guitar for about 7-8 years now and I've always wanted to try some odd effects like this. I also have a Dan-Echo from Danelectro, it's a great pedal even though it's old and bashed up, still works fine. There are a few things I'm a little concerned about however, Apparently the thing will blow the speaker if you put all settings max, I haven't dared try. If this were stolen or lost I'd probably get another one, I wouldn't pay any more than I did for a talkbox. I love the paintwork on this. Also the way I can use an effect to make my guitar playing sound even more distinctively like myself. The supplied mics are p // 

Comments

[Abnormal_Omish]

Thanks for the review- im considering buying this pedal as the heil box is a bit too expensive for me right now.

[voxdude26]

can you hook a adapter up to it though? id hate to have to buy 9V's all the time!

[purplehazeman67]

DO NOT BUY THIS PEDAL!!! It is a total piece of crap. Believe me cuz i bought it two years ago and unless you know how to hook it to a p.a. or have one at home which i doubt most guitar players do forget this pedal. if you want the good stuff buy heil. as for a 9V adapter you can buy one for this pedal to answer voxdude's question.

[FeiRei]

Appearently Mr. Haze was unaware of how a talkbox works. For those of you who don't know a talkbox routes you guitars signal through a plastic tube into your mouth, thus making your mouth work as a speaker. As you manipulate you mouth you change the sound. Obviously your mouth as a speaker is not all that loud so you need a mic. If your desperate you can hook a mic into and amp, but if your a gigging musician as I am you have a pa. Please don't be put off by a product because someone was unaware of how it works. Danelectro has made awesome affordable pedals for years, and the Free Speech is no different. I use it when I play my Black Label stuff and it nails it every time. Long live the Dano.

[Bossman123]

You do NOT have to hook this pedal up to a P.A. system. It has two mini mics at the top of the Dan-O-Tube so that you can use in the same way as any other stompbox, and even if you don't like these mics you can just take them off and use a seperate mic through any amp. So purplehazeman67 should learn how a talk box works before he goes it and also if you were to buy the Heil one then you would HAVE to run it through a seperate amp or a P.A. system so the comment he just left was totally unfounded and stupid!

[purplehazeman67]

im sorry for not making myself super clear the pedal does work through a regular amp thats a given. what i meant to say is that i found the pedal very lakcing through an amplifier, it just didnt really have that peter frampton feel and besides that i just felt teh thing was a cheap sound. and believe me its not my amp. So you have to ask yourself is the price right for how much you'll use it. ive been playing for 8 years in rock, blues, and jazz bands and i never use the thing but thats just me. as for feirei and bossman im sorry for not explaining myself i just thought it was a given that the pedal would work throught an amp and i wouldnt have to explain that.

[adam purdie]

This product is CRAP! The concept is good, the pedel is well made but the quality of the mics..... rubbish! The mic plug is cheep and crackles due to poor conections, the mics feed back at low sound levels and low gain levels. The conections to the mics are so poor that within one hour of use one mic worked intermitently (with loads of crackling) and the other mic had stoped working completly!!! DONT BUT THIS PRODUCT!!! The over all sound was empy, with no mid range or bass at all!!! Iv never heard my trusty fender sound as shit as it did with this pedel!!!!!

[ColonD]

adam purdie wrote:

This product is CRAP! The concept is good, the pedel is well made but the quality of the mics..... rubbish! The mic plug is cheep and crackles due to poor conections, the mics feed back at low sound levels and low gain levels. The conections to the mics are so poor that within one hour of use one mic worked intermitently (with loads of crackling) and the other mic had stoped working completly!!! DONT BUT THIS PRODUCT!!! The over all sound was empy, with no mid range or bass at all!!! Iv never heard my trusty fender sound as shit as it did with this pedel!!!!!

Consider putting the tube in your mouth. The pedal is great.

[CrimsonRoc]

i hear much better things about the rocktron version, and the dunlop one needs a seperate amp anyways

[XAkitAX]

ColonD wrote:

adam purdie wrote:

This product is CRAP! The concept is good, the pedel is well made but the quality of the mics..... rubbish! The mic plug is cheep and crackles due to poor conections, the mics feed back at low sound levels and low gain levels. The conections to the mics are so poor that within one hour of use one mic worked intermitently (with loads of crackling) and the other mic had stoped working completly!!! DONT BUT THIS PRODUCT!!! The over all sound was empy, with no mid range or bass at all!!! Iv never heard my trusty fender sound as shit as it did with this pedel!!!!!

Consider putting the tube in your mouth. The pedal is great.

owned by ColonD

[Blompcube]

adam purdie wrote:

This product is CRAP! The concept is good, the pedel is well made but the quality of the mics..... rubbish! The mic plug is cheep and crackles due to poor conections, the mics feed back at low sound levels and low gain levels. The conections to the mics are so poor that within one hour of use one mic worked intermitently (with loads of crackling) and the other mic had stoped working completly!!! DONT BUT THIS PRODUCT!!! The over all sound was empy, with no mid range or bass at all!!! Iv never heard my trusty fender sound as shit as it did with this pedel!!!!!

nobody said you HAVE to use those mics... They are just there for bedroom use. No talkbox is ideal for bedroom levels, its when you mic them through a proper PA system that you get the best out of them.

[evhdawg999]

Definately a great pedal. simple to use, and if you have the equipment (regular vocal mic, obviously only one guitar amplifier) this pedal comes in handy. If an extra amp is on hand this comes in even better use, you can plug into one with ur mic, and the other with ur guitar so that the pedal can be turned on/off without worrying about a regular sound based on the mic. Many will say this isnt as good as a heil or rocktron, and this is true, you get what you pay for but you still get an ideal sound out of this piece of equipment (not to mention the "growl" isnt too bad either)

[evhdawg999]

voxdude26 wrote:

can you hook a adapter up to it though? id hate to have to buy 9V's all the time!

no you don't have to buy batteries it does work with an adapter

[gratefulduck]

I LVE MY GUITAR AND MY BFF HEATHER POWER IS DEFINATELY NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH IT!!!!! I

[druz15_UG]

How can people say that it sucks? It's pretty hard to stuff up a talkbox its a speaker box and a tube basically (with added circuitry for distortion) I mean it's a given the mics in it are going to be crap If you gig with it, here's an idea use one of the venues mics!!!