Price paid: $ 140
Purchased from: Local dealer
Ease of Use: Manipulating this classic effect is very simple. It has three must-have flanger knobs, one for the speed of the LFO, on for the amplitude of the LFO and one for mixing the dry and wet signal. Unfortunately, there are several issues with this unit which make the handling somewhat uncomfortable. The box itself is insanely large (20 by 18 cm) and still - the box is empty. The PCB inside is so small that it would fit in a box half the size. Another drawback is the lack of a Status LED. It costs nothing, there is a plenty of room in the box and still they do not mount it. Luckily enough, doing this yourself is a piece of cake, took 10 mins max. There is also a filter matrix mode in this effect which remains pretty much unexplained by the manual. While you do not need a manual for a flanger, this feature deserves a bit of a description. // 7
Sound: Sound is where this effect stands out. It is very quiet and provides a wide range of flanging sounds. I especially like a very slow swoosh over a rather wide spectrum. Although this effect may be used with an overdriven guitar, my favourite use is with a clean Strat for slow picking. The sound itself is very musical and inspiring. With each setting you immediately feel what you should try and what will sound interesting. The modified signal blends perfectly with the Original so it does not just "sit atop of the dry signal" as some effects do. Flangers generally and this one in particular sound somewhat "sad" to me. This one has a mellow, sad, sentimental touch to it. It's almost fragile.
The filter matrix mode is interesting, although the use is somewhat limited. It makes the guitar sound very metallic and somewhat hollow - chimes and bells and metal plates and sounds like that. Can work great in prog or art-rock but it is probable unusable in anything more classic. // 10
Reliability & Durability: It has a steel case, massive knobs, sturdy footswitch, there is nothing that could break down here. I see no reason for a backup. Some of these things survived from the seventies so I think they are pretty reliable.
The wiring and the PCB inside seems to be well done, too, so I would not expect any breakdowns here either. // 9
Impression: This is a famous unit used for many years by many great players. The best thing about it is that it has a soul and character. It almost talks to you and offers new paths for your playing. It is just a cheap flanger but it has something magic about it. It has several drawbacks, like a missing LED or a huge case but it is the sound we buy our effects for and this one surely delivers. // 9
Great pedal, except for the ridiculous size, which really makes me laugh and love the thing even more.