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 | Download Example 1 |
The FD-1 Fuzzy Drive is the first pedal produced by EWS (which stands for Engineering Work Store). The EWS name is not well known in the U.S., but has a fairly large following in Japan, where they specialize in guitar repairs and pedal modifications, their most well known being the Arion Chorus modification. Besides its foray into effect pedals, EWS is also introducing a line of tube-powered micro amps for the Japanese market. Like Xotic, EWS has a boutique aura about its products and service—at least in Japan where they are better known.
When you think of fuzz boxes, the first thing that comes to my mind is the theme song for Green Acres, or perhaps the Rolling Stones classic, “Satisfaction.” These early fuzz boxes had a raspy, edgy sound that, for a lot of guys, is a take-it-or-leave-it tone proposition. I'm not making this point to judge good or bad tone, but simply acknowledging that there is a pretty narrow interpretation of traditional fuzz box tones that one would rightfully expect out of something with the word “fuzz” in its name. So imagine my surprise when I plugged into the EWS Fuzzy Drive and got a range of tones from warm overdrive, to almost buzz saw. I was expecting a one-trick pony like an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi or an Arbiter Fuzz Face, but found that the EWS Fuzzy Drive is a whole lot more.
With its three knobs, the FD-1 is deceptively simple. The Gain knob on the upper right determines how hard the incoming signal gets clipped; as this dial is turned clockwise, the more “fuzz” you’ll get. Up to about half way (straight up), the overall sound is like a tube amp breaking up. The sound is warm, and invites dynamic picking. At modest settings, soft strumming and light picking—even with the guitar’s volume up all the way—keeps the signal just under the clip threshold. Pick aggressively, and it goes right into sweet overdrive. Put the Gain knob at 5 o’clock (all the way up), however, and you’re almost into Green Acres territory—only the sound is creamier.
While the Gain control on the FD-1 controls the overall character, the Tone control gives it “edge.” To the extent that the purpose of a fuzz box is to clip the signal to the point that it effectively becomes a square wave, this introduces lots of high, jagged harmonics. The Tone control burnishes this nicely, and can leave all the buzziness in tact, or smooth it out almost entirely for a pure, synth-like tone. There’s plenty of range, and I found myself keeping it between halfway, and maxed out most of the time.
The last knob in the signal chain is the Volume dial, which determines how much signal the front of the amp sees. It was fun to experiment with how hard to hit the amp—which in this case was a Line 6 Spider Valve 112 tube amp. This amp is a hybrid that combines on-board digital effects and amp models with a classic tube power amp, but for this evaluation, we ran the amp on the cleanest setting. What we found was that even with no help from the on-board amp models, the EWS Fuzzy Drive had enough balls to hit the preamp really hard. With just a modest amount of gain on the FD-1, and a moderate dose of the volume knob (2 o’clock), the Line 6’s tubes were in a really happy place.
Physically, the FD-1 is a solid, tank-like piece of equipment. The cast aluminum box is brushed, then clear coated; a black retro-style graphic and white lettering is silk-screened on the box. Three black Bakelite knobs are solidly attached to the pots with brass set screws. Power comes from an on-board 9-volt battery, or external adapter. Since the FD-1 has a true bypass switch, when it’s turned off, there is no battery drain or output variance due to battery strength. We did notice, however, that at higher stage volumes, there was a noticeable click from the switch when the unit is turned on.
Inside, a simple circuit board carries 14 resistors, 13 capacitors, one diode, and one each of a dual op-amp and a single op-amp. The board is well protected by a foam cushion sandwiched between the board and the three potentiometers. Unlike classic fuzz boxes, no discrete transistors are used, which may be a deal breaker for some. (If you’re looking for germanium transistors, you’ll need to buy an antique, since mass-produced germanium-equipped fuzz boxes aren’t made any more.)
The pots themselves have a nice damped, quality feel to their movement, and you get the impression that this is a sturdy piece of gear that’s going to handle the road nicely. The Tone control also features a slight detent in the middle.
Although the FD-1’s claim to fame is as a fuzz box, using it only for only that is a little like saying that Angelina Jolie does a good job of playing Lara Croft. The fact of the matter is that the FD-1 is more like a distortion toolbox, capable of the full range of overdrive tones, from a slight break-up, to total metal mayhem. Truthfully, at many settings, it’s more “drive” than “fuzz,” and that’s what pushes it over the top for this reviewer. In a world where I could have only one box to do a whole range of overdrive sounds, I would really have to seriously consider the EWS Fuzzy Drive FD-1.
Ironically, the weakest point in the Fuzzy Drive’s repertoire is the classic mid-’60s buzz tone that can only come from discrete germanium transistors. We’re talking about the cheesiest tones in the speaker-slit-by-a-razor-blade category. Try as we might, we could not coax an ice-pick buzz-saw sound out of the FD-1. It came close, but always maintained a decidedly warm nuance. That’s just as well, because that’s a sound this reviewer would never try to find unless paid to.
The EWS box offers a lot of versatility, good build quality, and a boutique tone. Yet with a suggested retail price of $149, it’s squarely in average Joe territory. It’s interesting to note that sister company, Xotic, offers no fuzz pedals, so by entering the market first with the Fuzzy Drive, EWS is carving out a nice niche for itself that has little risk of impacting Xotic sales. We imagine some guys will be searching for a classic Tone Bender sound, and will try out the Fuzzy Drive, only to find that it’s more flexible, and a whole lot warmer. If it hits them like it hit us, the FD-1 will surely stoke the fires of creativity. We can’t wait to see what EWS comes out with next.
Buy if...
you're looking for a distortion toolbox that will kick your creativity with overdrive.
Skip if...
you're the guy they hired to create the soundtrack for Green Acres, the movie. Only an old Vox Tone Bender will do.
Rating...
MSRP $149 - EWS - ews-us.com |
Selection of the parts to be used in a design with a given purpose is an important task. Almost every part in an amplifier makes a difference in the tone—starting with the quality of the AC coming out of the wall, to the power cord, all the way through to the speaker and into the room where the natural acoustics can make or break all of your hard work and tone. Some are pronounced differences, some a bit more subtle. If you add a dozen subtle nuances together, you get a pretty big nuance.
So, how does one wade through the endless amounts of caps, resistors, transformers and other “magical components” available on the market these days? Well, if you’re lucky enough to have the time and financial windfall that we all dream of having, then you can spend your life experimenting, buying and selling great gear without a care in the world. Hopefully, you’re able to develop a relationship with an artist or shop that you can trust and use them as a sounding board. Ultimately, you need to learn to trust your ears. Some of the best sounding amps that I’ve heard have been made with the cheapest, crummiest components. If it sounds right to you, than it is right!
A word of caution: experimenting can be very fun and rewarding, but it’s easy to get too caught up in the bells and whistles. Don’t forget about the music. I found that when testing some different capacitors in one of my favorite amps that one of the caps sounded much “better” then the other. When I put the "better" sounding cap in and played, I found myself analyzing the sound in every way, from the bass response to the singing highs and, of course, how it felt. When I put the “inferior” cap in, I would start to play, get lost, look at the clock and realize that a half hour had blown by and I didn’t even listen to the cap because I was lost in the music! The “inferior” cap has lived in my amp ever since.
 Figure 1: F&T electrolytics power supply caps |
For the coupling caps, I decided on Sprague Orange Drops. I use type 716 as they have a higher quality lead and are a bit more accurate they their 715 brethren. The Orange Drops, while perhaps not as sweet sounding as other choices, have a nice tight bass response with a slightly pinched top end that seems to help with harmonic content and punch. A client described their feel as “walking on packed sand instead of dry loose sand”—perfect for this bass amp.
 Figure 2: Components installed |
The pots for this project were a mix of Clarostat Mil Spec. and CTS (CTS because I didn’t have all the values in the Clarostat). I use different types of wire throughout the amps that I build depending on the wire’s purpose. As signal wire, I use certain types of hook-up wire made for the audiophile market. For the B+ and power supply, along with the grounds on the star, I used a high-quality copper multi-strand.
Once all of the parts are selected, they’re laid out and mounted to thick glass component boards (fig 2) with very sturdy standoffs for ease of mounting. Silicone is applied between caps to create a cushion and help to dampen any unwanted smearing of the signal or microphonics due to rogue vibrations. Paul from Mercury Magnetics sent me a set of beefy transformers that looked quite handsome dressed in their orange end bells (fig 3).
Figure 3
With the boards made and everything in its place and wired, it was time to fire this creature up and check the voltages at key locations. Using a variac, voltages are brought up to full power slowly. This is done for a couple of reasons. The first reason is so the electrolytic capacitors in the power supply can form their dielectrics. The second, and perhaps more important, reason is so I can keep an eye on the voltage ratios to make certain that everything is hooked correctly before I install the tubes and risk their lives (and my wallet).
One thing that I appreciate about this design is that Orange took the time (and expense) to design a power transformer and power supply that would deliver 600+ volts to the plates of the power tubes with roughly half of that on the screens. This allows you to get the benefits of high plate voltage (headroom and power) while maintaining a safe operating environment for the power tubes. Now that we’re certain everything is safe and sound, the power tubes (Svetlana “winged c” KT88s) and preamp tubes (mix of NOS RCA and Sylvania) are installed and biased.
Though I’ve been building and modding amps daily for a few decades now, every so often I’m surprised by an end result. With the first strum of the strings, I was floored by the increased headroom, clarity and bell like tones coming out of this powerful amplifier. The change and added versatility in preamp/overdrive section was a pleasant surprise as well. While originally designed as a bass amp, it is fantastic for guitar and pedal steel as well. In retrospect, I’m very glad that I went through the trouble and expense to rebuild this amplifier. It has become my “go to” for almost every application. Long live headroom and power!
Tim
Schroeder is the owner, master luthier and chief designer of Schroeder
Guitar and Amplifier Repair in Chicago Illinois. There he oversees the
daily repair operations of the shop as well as designs the amplifiers
and effects that they manufacture in house. schroederguitarrepair.com
312-226-9668
Delay effects can enhance your sound in almost any musical genre. There are dozens of analog, digital, and even a few tape models available, but three additions have come up with some new twists, making them worth a look.
Digitech TimeBender 
The elephant in the room when reviewing the TimeBender is the Line 6 DL4. That green box has become the go-to delay effect for many musicians who appreciate its four presets, looping options and variety of quality delays. Let me say right up front that the TimeBender matches most of the DL4 effects (check out the DigiTech site for a full list) while offering many additional features. With limited space, I will just evaluate some of the exciting extras this pedal delivers.
I could set the delay time by tapping the right footswitch, or set it by holding that switch down, damping the guitar’s strings, and strumming the tune’s tempo. I found
| Download Example 1 Dotted Strum |
| Download Example 2 Pettern Voice |
| Recorded with a 1965 Stratocaster into an Orange Tiny Terror head powering a mic'd 1x12. | |
The Voice knob delivers three octaves of pitch-shifted delays. Unlike on some delays, these do not continue up or down in pitch with each repeat, but stay right where they are, creating inspiring effects like those in clip 2. Holding the right pedal down while strumming a chord automatically places these intervals in the chord’s key.
The Envelope setting let me create stuttering slicer effects. I could set the rhythm of the repeats for this, or any delay effect, to ten different patterns. I could also create my own patterns by setting the Pattern selector to Strum, holding down the right pedal, and strumming the rhythm of my choice. As with the DL4, an optional expression pedal will let you set two completely different parameter settings—heel and toe—for each memory slot (within the same delay type).
The TimeBender’s looper does not offer the DL4’s half-speed and reverse loop options, or its ready accessibility of three memory switches (the TimeBender requires stepping through its four memory slots or buying an optional footswitch). It does, however, let you use pitch-shifting effect during looping, to create bass lines or high chiming parts.
With all the aforementioned features (and a few more tricks up its sleeve), the TimeBender enters the field as a serious contender for the top of any delay lover’s list.
Buy if...
delay is a major part of your musical expression.
Skip if...
all you need is a rockabilly slapback.
Rating...
Street $159 - DigiTech - digitech.com |
Guyatone Mighty Micro MDm5 Micro Delay
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| Download Example 1 Country Slapback |
| Download Example 2 Feedback |
| Recorded with a 1965 Stratocaster into an Orange Tiny Terror head powering a mic'd 1x12. | |
The MDm5 Micro Delay offers from 30 to 2600 milliseconds of delay in a 3-3/4” x 1/2” x 2-1/2” enclosure. Present are the usual controls— blend, delay time, and feedback—to which the MDm5 adds a sliding switch that lets you choose among three time ranges—short, medium, and long. A tiny knob rolls off the highs for more lo-fi, analog sound, keeping the delays from obscuring your original signal.
The Mighty Micro let me cover most of the common delay bases, from country slap [clip 1] to ambient washes. It also demonstrated runaway feedback oscillation capability and the ability to smoothly shift the pitch of the delay as I turned the delay knob. This combination created the cool Tommy Bolin/Billy Idol sound effects in clip 2.
Don’t let its size fool you: the MDm5 will sit sonically with many boutique pedals, while leaving room to cram a few more on your board.
Buy if...
you want a versatile delay but are short on pedalboard space.
Skip if...
you need tap tempo and modulation.
Rating...
Street $190 - Guyatone - guyatone.com |
Electro-Harmonix #1 Echo
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| Download Example 1 Reverb |
| Download Example 2 Loop |
| Recorded with a 1965 Stratocaster into an Orange Tiny Terror head powering a mic'd 1x12. | |
The joys of any Electro-Harmonix pedal lie in its unique quirks. In the case of the #1 Echo, this means that the shortest delay times create a kind of comb filter sound. This is an extreme effect, but you can bet some inventive picker will find a use for it.
Buy if...
you need maximum digital clarity for minimum cash.
Skip if...
you need more features.
Rating...
Street $99 - Electro-Harmonix - ehx.com |
