Strymon Deco

134 Guitaris t January 2015
QUICK TEST
MISCELLANEOUS
Langrex may be a new name in
effects pedals but the well-
established West Sussex
company is the largest supplier
of valves in the UK and also lays
claim to having the largest stock
of Germanium transistors in the
world! Supplying these
transistors to pedal builders
gave the company the idea to
produce its own fuzzbox, the
Fuzzy Rhodes FR75, based on
a Sola Sound Mk1.5 Tone
Bender from the 60s, the
transitional model between the
first Tone Bender and the Tone
Bender Professional MkII.
The Mk1.5 featured just two
transistors in a circuit which
was borrowed by Arbiter for the
Fuzz Face and also used in Vox
Tone Benders, produced in
Italy. The FR75 uses a Mullard
OC75 Germanium transistor,
like the original, but pairs it
with a Silicon transistor to
combat volume loss.
In addition to standard fuzz
and volume controls, the FR75
adds a pre-gain knob that works
well in matching the pedal to
your pickups’ lower settings,
yielding a leaner sound. The
knob adds impedance, so you
can use a wah in front of the
fuzz without the usual
feedback/oscillation problems.
Soundwise, it’s authentic 1960s
fuzz all the way, and you get an
internal transistor bias trim pot
to dial in your preferred sweet
spot, too.
GUITARIST RATING
Guitarist says: One for the fuzz-
tweakers out there, but it’s still
good value for a boutique vibe
and sound
A supplier of transistors to boutique pedal builders
makes its own fuzz
CONTACT: Langrex PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.langrex.co.uk
Fuzzy Rhodes FR75 £119
A supplier of transistors to boutique pedal builders
£119
While their proportions have
shrunk, stompboxes have
never been bigger, and the
humble pedalboard now
comes in a wide variety
of forms. New on the
scene is UK
company
PedalDeck,
debuting with the
Artist Series Board following
18 months of R&D in the quest
to create the perfect off-the-
shelf stomping ground.
The product is made from a
single piece of high-grade
aircraft-quality aluminium,
with no welds – and with all
design and manufacture taking
place in the UK, the company is
able to ensure consistency of
production. The Artist Series
Board measures 610 (w) by 320
GUITARIST RATING
Guitarist says: A UK-made
’board that has well-considered
features, with plenty of room for
pedals and power supplies alike
New Brit ’board firm takes on stiff Stateside competition
CONTACT: PedalDeck PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.pedaldeck.com
PedalDeck Artist Series Board £99
Verdict
If you saw our recent boutique
fuzz pedal round-up, you’ll
know fuzz comes in many
flavours and can be expensive,
but less than £120 for a hand-
built fuzz isn’t bad if the FR75’s
flavour is to your taste...
[TC]
(d) by 60mm (h), with more
sizes, and soft cases, on the way
next year. It costs £99, while the
Board plus flight case is £165. If
you decide to buy the flight case
later, there’s a discount voucher
with the standalone Board.
In Use
The Artist Series Board comes
with two metres of self-
adhesive Velcro for attaching
your pedals, plus a full set of
brackets and bolts for securing
a Voodoo Lab power supply
beneath the frame – there’s no
need for the time-consuming
pre-drilling of holes here. The
underside of the unit also
features cutaways to allow
access to the VL Pedal Power 2’s
sag switches, as well as three
inputs for AC power
cables. It’s a sharply
designed system, with
well-cut holes and an
unyielding,
sturdy frame.
Verdict
We commend any new
contender in the
pedalboard arena, and while
PedalDeck doesn’t have the
most original design, it brings
a number of well thought-out
tweaks to the formula, which
make it a smart buy.
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