It’s difficult to describe the impact Bob
Moog’s products have had on the music
industry. From his company’s humble beginnings
as a Theremin-kit builder, Moog Music
grew to build synthesizers that were nothing
short of revolutionary and featured prominently
on groundbreaking records from the Beatles’
Abbey Road to the Doors’ Strange Days. And
while the popularity of his creations waxed
and waned in popular perception, they have
remained sonic fixtures of ’70s prog, hip-hop,
and contemporary electronica, ambient, and
experimental music.
When they debuted in 1998, the
Moogerfooger series of pedals were a runaway
success. They packaged some of the most
desirable features from Moog synths into units
like their Low Pass Filter and Ring Modulator
that made more sense to guitarists and musicians
on the go. The newest addition to the
family is the MF-108M Cluster Flux, a relatively
more conventional, multi-effects unit
that offers Flange, Chorus, and Vibrato effects
with the ability to tweak them wildly.
Keepin It Retro
It’s hard to imagine any serious gearhead
navigating the populous forest of stompboxes
without being intrigued by a Moogerfooger.
While they might be overlooked by many
tone-traditionalists, they are things of beauty.
They more likely resemble the interior of a
Rolls-Royce than your standard, gloss-painted
effects box. They’re big and heavy—the hardwood
sides are made of walnut—and even
smell like a luxury car when you pull one out
of the box (save for the plush leather).
At the core of the MF-108M Cluster
Flux’s circuit are a set of high-voltage
Panasonic bucket-brigade devices (BBDs).
Seven knobs and a rocker-switch on the front
panel tailor the output from the BBDs. The
left-hand, Delay section controls the delay
Time and Feedback, which goes from 0 at
the middle setting to + or - infinity in the
counterclockwise and clockwise directions,
respectively. The LFO (low-frequency oscillator)
controls include a rotary switch for
selecting Sine, Triangle, Square, Ramp, Saw, or
Random wave shapes. Rate controls oscillation
speed, while Amount adjusts LFO modulation
of the delay time.
In addition to the Flange/Chorus voicing
switch, Drive (gain), Output Level, and
Mix knobs, the Cluster Flux also has an
LFO Tap Tempo switch that you tap three
times to set the LFO rate. The LFO Rate,
LFO Amount, Feedback, Time, and Mix
can also be controlled separately through
expression pedals plugged into the crown
of the Cluster Flux. Finally, a MIDI input
allows for MIDI-control interfacing, useful
for computer sequencing or synching with a
drum machine.
The Real Deal
With a Fender Stratocaster and a ’68 Fender
Bassman running into a 4x12 cab with V30
Celestions on either end of the Cluster Flux,
the Moog was as rich-sounding as the classy
exterior suggests—kicking out oscillations in
deep waves with controllable, bubbly chaos.
The suggested setting for a Vibrato in the
manual was super, comfortable, and gave off
a gooey and rapid pulse—very warm and
vintage—if a bit on the bright side. Rolling
off the Time and Rate brought me back to a
recognizable Chorus swirl with a robust low
end.
Even at more radical settings, the analog
circuitry of the Cluster Flux does a great job
of preserving the original tone of the guitar,
though the high-sustain qualities of humbuckers
have some advantages over single-coils. The
more sustained the input signal, the more the
Cluster Flux can contort into a more bizarre
version of the original signal. Holding single
notes on the Les Paul and pushing the LFO
Amount and Rate controls with a Ramp wave
yielded synth-like qualities that did justice to
the kings of krautrock. With the addition of a
separate delay and compressor pedal, the effect
was akin to something gone beautifully amiss
in a mad scientist’s lab.
Much of the value of the Cluster Flux lies
in the six waveform options. And in some
ways this is the key to experimentation and
some of the more unusual applications of
the Cluster Flux. For example, one control
configuration may work well with the Sine
wave, but become awkwardly jarring with the
Ramp wave. You’ll have to dedicate some time
into exploring these nuances and guiding the
controls, or you may get lost in the water.
However, a little patience and imagination
goes a long way with this little toolbox. And
getting lost (if you have the time) is really half
the fun.
The Verdict
You’ll certainly get what you pay for with the
Cluster Flux. It contains two highly useable
effect platforms that can give you beautifully
traditional oscillation sounds, color a
quiet whisper-tone, or stir up a whipping
sonic-downpour. And it’s a beautiful piece of
US-made, analog craft. With a price tag of
about $550, I suspect most of Moog’s business
will come from analog-synth fanatics and high-end
studios. But it’s a source of delicious and
traditional oscillation tones too, and a perfect
unit for home recording with its ability to handle
any range of instruments or vocals (just listen
to how a bass guitar can become a wizard’s
staff behind this thing). And given how extraordinary
the output from the Moogerfooger can
be, it may be worth a concerted listen—and a
few hours of hands-on investigation—if you
have the cash to spare.
Buy if...
you can’t decide between the vintage
flange of a Leslie, or a sonic
voyage to Mars.
Skip if...
you don’t foresee enough use for
these effects to justify the price.
Rating...
