Tech 21’s original SansAmp opened a world of authentically amp-like tones for space-constrained players. It also seemed to reflect a Tech21 fixation on delivering maximum sounds from small effects. The new Fly Rig 5 multi-effect may be the most complete embodiment of that philosophy yet: It combines Tech 21’s SansAmp, Boost DLA delay, Boost RVB reverb, and Hot Rod Plexi distortion/overdrive pedals in a super-compact floor unit that can fit into guitar cases and backpacks.
Fully Stocked Bar
Fly Rig 5 is less than a foot in length and weighs just over a pound, yet its all-metal enclosure feels sturdy. I couldn’t view all the components without dismantling the pedal, but was happy to see that Tech 21 doesn’t solder the footswitches or knobs directly to the PC board—a cost-saving measure often seen in compact pedals, and one that can result in catastrophic failure.
The controls are divided into three sections, with the SansAmp section in the center. Its controls can look odd at first: A reverb control that would make more sense placed in the DLA delay section is situated between the master level and active EQ controls. That oddity aside, the SansAmp section is easy to navigate. The drive control regulates gain, and the active EQ cuts and boosts lows, mids, and highs.
The plexi channel delivers the organic, biting overdrive of a vintage Brit amp. It includes an interesting high-end cut function, regulated via the tone control. At its maximum setting, the high-end EQ is what might be called “flat” in a cut/boost setup. From there, you trim high end by turning the control counter-clockwise. The plexi section’s hot switch adds up to +21 dB of gain, depending on where you set the hot knob, and it can function independently of the regular plexi switch. Engaging both the hot and plexi switches catapults your tone into crunchy aggression.
The DLA section provides between 28 and 1000 milliseconds of digital delay. It includes a tap-tempo function, and repeats can be set anywhere from a single echo to near-self-oscillation. Drift is a cool feature that approximates the tape wobble of an Echoplex or Space Echo. It can also deliver cool pitch-shift effects closer to chorus or rotary simulation.
Excellent Effects Array
Using a Fender Twin Reverb (a likely backline partner for a gigging Fly Rig 5 user), I tried summoning the mellowest overdrive sounds first. Clean-boost tones can be a little tough to get, however, since most drive settings result in at least some crunch. Just as on a real amp, heavy drive settings generate some extra noise, which you can hear even when plugged directly into a recording interface.
That said, the SansAmp adds character and body to both the DI’d output and the Twin Reverb at low volumes. Advancing the drive to 2 o’clock gives the Twin surprisingly dynamic tube-like saturation, and heavy picking on a Telecaster induced organic-sounding breakup. The fantastic 3-band EQ is likely to prove invaluable in the studio and onstage. Have an axe with shrill or murky pickups? The SansAmp can tame and breathe life into those troublesome transducers.
Ratings
Pros:
Much utility and many tones in a super-small package. Sturdy construction.
Cons:
Can be tricky to use with other effects.
Tones:
Ease of Use:
Build/Design:
Value:
Street:
$249
Tech 21 Fly Rig 5
tech21nyc.com
From Rocking to Blistering
Plugged into a clean Orange OR50, I got much use from the plexi channel, particularly with the SansAmp engaged. By itself, the plexi effect could sound a bit brittle with the Orange and the Twin, but it’s easy to massage into shape via the tone control. Combined with the SansAmp section, the plexi channel opens up multiple dimensions of gain. Adding the hot switch unleashes a three-stage beast that can range from rocking to blistering.
The plexi channel feels authentically Marshall-like. Not surprisingly, the gain structure is better suited to ’70s hard rock than modern metal. But like a classic Marshall, the circuit is highly responsive to the guitar’s volume knob setting and your picking dynamics. An over-the-top hot plexi setting softens to a smooth, smoky blues-rock tone with a nudge of your guitar’s volume pot.
The DLA section is solid and versatile. It has a convincingly tape-like voice for a digital unit, and does just about everything short of extreme delay times. Slapback sounds are excellent, especially with a dose of reverb from the SansAmp side. Clever use of the drift control in tandem with minimal repeat and time settings creates cool chorus-style modulation.
My only real Fly Rig 5 concern is its compatibility with other stompboxes. If you only need this particular handful of effects, great—you’re all set. But what if you plan to add other boxes after the Fly Rig5? What if you want the SansAmp to pre-boost your favorite fuzz pedal? You’d probably have to turn off the delay and manually lower the reverb lest you create a gigantic wash only die-hard lo-fi shoegazers could love. The Fly Rig 5 may be designed to be a self-contained as possible, but an effect loop would make the unit more useful to players who require additional pedals.
The Verdict
At $249, Fly Rig 5 is solid deal, especially considering that a more full-featured standalone SansAmp can cost a couple hundred bucks. The overdrive and distortion sounds work well with single-coils and humbuckers alike, and the excellent active EQ helps you match just about any guitar to any amp. Fly Rig 5 is perfect for the travelling guitarist who loves gain and needs few effects other than delay and reverb.
Watch the Review Demo:
![Jerry Cantrell Rig Rundown [2024]](https://www.premierguitar.com/media-library/youtube.jpg?id=53714787&width=600&height=600&quality=85&coordinates=0%2C0%2C560%2C0)
Peterson StroboStomp Mini Pedal Tuner
| The StroboStomp Mini delivers the unmatched 0.1 cent tuning accuracy of all authentic Peterson Strobe Tuners in a mini pedal tuner format. We designed StroboStomp Mini around the most requested features from our customers: a mini form factor, and top mounted jacks. |
But by gosh, if delay—and its sister effect, reverb—haven’t always been perfect for the music I like to write and play. Which brings us to the Fishman EchoBack Mini Delay. The EchoBack, along with the standard delay controls of level, time, and repeats—as well as a tap tempo—has a toggle to alternate between analog, tape, and digital-delay voices.
I hooked up my Washburn Bella Tono Elegante to my Blues Junior to give the EchoBack a test run. We love a medium delay—my usual preference for delay settings is to have both level and repeats at 1 o’clock, and time at 11 o’clock. With the analog voice switched on, I heard some pillowy warmth in the processed signal, as well as a familiar degradation with each repeat—until their wake gave way to a gentle, distant, crinkly ticking. Staying on analog and adjusting delay time down to 8 o’clock and repeats to about 11:30, some cozy slapback enveloped my rendition of Johnny Marr’s part to “Back to the Old House,” conjuring up thoughts of Elvis trapped in a small chamber, but in a good way. It sounded indubitably authentic. The one drawback of analog delay for me, generally, is that its roundness can feel a bit under water at times.
Switching over to tape, that pillowy warmth evaporated, and in its place came a very clear replication of my tone—but with just a bit of the highs shaved off the top. With the settings at the medium-length mode listed above, I could see the empty, glass hall the pedal sent my sound bouncing down. I heard several pronounced pings of repeats before the signal fully faded out. On slapback settings (time at 8 o’clock, repeats at 11:30), rather than Elvis, I heard something more along the lines of a honky-tonk mic in a glass bottle. Still relatively crystalline, which actually was not my favorite. I like a bit more crinkle—so maybe analog is my bag....“That pillowy warmth evaporated, and in its place came a very clear, pristine replication of my tone—but with just a bit of the highs shaved off the top.”
Next up, digital. Here we have the brightest voice, and as expected, the most faithful repeats. They ping just a few times before shifting to a smooth, single undulating wave. When putting its slapback hat on, I found that the effect was a bit less alluring than I’d observed for the analog and tape voices. This is where the digital delay felt a little too sterile, with the cleanly preserved signal feeling a bit unnatural.
All in all, I dig the EchoBack for its replications of analog and tape voices, and ultimately, lean towards tape. While it’s nice having the digital delay there as an option, it feels a bit too clean when meddling with time of any given length. Nonetheless, this is surely a handy stomp for any acoustic player looking to venture into the land of live effects, or for those who are already there.
