Pedals, pedals, pedals… phew! We have so many options these days; just walk into your music store and look at the shelves packed with them. At times like this, you have to separate the wheat from the chaff and keep what is really worth it, as is the case with the products we are reviewing today. Today we are visited by six pedals that are no ordinary units, because in them quality reigns above all.
But who are the characters joining us today? At number one we have the Fat Boost, one of the best-known boosters around right now; the second is the Octafuzz, which is a fuzz plus an octaver; there is also the Deja Vibe, a vibrato/chorus; its cousin the Deja Vibe MDV 2, which is practically the same as the Deja Vibe but in a wah-style format, where we can choose the tempo; and finally, the two wahs in the family, the Clyde Deluxe Wah and the Clyde Standard Wah.
As for the Fulltone brand itself, we have talked about it before, but for those who did not read the previous articles, here is a short summary of the brand's history:
The Fulltone company was born from session guitarist Michael Fuller, with the idea of building pedals geared toward a vintage sound, with references such as Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, etc. One of its main features is that the company has its own custom potentiometers made specifically for it. Of course, every pedal the company makes is built by hand, which earns them the "boutique" label. So let's set the history lesson aside and move on to what matters: how they sound and how they are built.
Construction
One of the things I personally live with is entropy within my gear. As gigs, rehearsals and recording sessions go by, we see knobs start to disappear, pedal enclosures get scuffed, jacks start to get loose, and so on. So build quality is something I really do care about. You should keep this in mind too, especially if you play a lot, rehearse a lot, and so on.
Needless to say, all the pedals we have on hand today are more than ready to withstand gigging and the abuse they will suffer. All the potentiometers feel completely sturdy and, at times, we can even move them with our foot if you need to change a setting mid-performance. And just as if it were an amplifier, the pedals use a specific type of potentiometer custom-made only for Fulltone. So let's go through each pedal one by one:
Deja Vibe (or Mini Deja-Vibe)
Like all of them, the pedal has an input (in) and an output (out), both on jack connectors. Of course, it goes without saying that the potentiometers feel more than top-notch. It has three potentiometers: one for the effect's own volume, another for intensity (which sets how much of the original signal and how much of the effected signal we want to use), and a third giant potentiometer that is perfect for controlling the effect's tempo. Since it is so big, we could even control it with our foot, with no need to drop to the floor in the middle of the show. In addition, there are two switches that let us choose between chorus and vibrato, and between two options, "vintage" and "modern." There is also an LED that shows the effect's tempo. This indicator is very important, since it tells us what tempo the effect is set to. And lastly, we have a switch to turn the effect on or off. In fact, just by looking at the pedal we can tell that they had the 1960s Univibe Hendrix used firmly in mind (just listen to "Machine Gun"). The pedal needs only 9 V of power, like any pedalboard we might have today. Inside the pedal, the voltage is raised to 18 V, as the Univibe originally required. We should also mention that the company makes its own photocells, which are practically replicas of the original ones in the Univibe pedal.
Fat Boost (Model FB-3)
This pedal is one of the company's classics. Along with other pedals such as the Fulldrive or the Fat Boost, it is another clear example worth considering for a place on our pedalboard. As with other products from the same company, success has led to new versions. The Fat Boost, as the name suggests, is a boost, but its main weapon is sound quality. Its pedal format is small, so it fits perfectly among your pedals without taking up precious space. It has two relatively large potentiometers, one for volume and one for drive, and their main feature is that, instead of being standard potentiometers with a smooth sweep, on the boost there is a click for each of the ten steps on each control. This makes it much easier to remember where each control was set. There are also two mini controls for adjusting treble and bass, and an LED to check whether the effect is on or not. And of course, the on/off switch and the pedal's input and output, as well as the 9 V power input.
Deja Vibe MDV 2
When a model like this lands on your pedalboard, you don't know how to keep from using it in every part of your set. In my case it is almost impossible to switch the pedal off and, personally, I am not a huge fan of chorus and vibrato, but I have to admit it captivates you. Let's say it is another version of the same 1960s Vintage Vibe, but in a very attractive format, since it is a wah-type pedal with several potentiometers added on the left side, namely intensity and volume, two switches (one to choose between chorus and vibrato and another between the vintage and modern options), plus an LED that flashes to indicate the chosen tempo. This is where one of the pedal's main features comes in: like a wah, it lets you choose the speed of the effect. Of course, it has the jack input as well as the output. One of the best things about the pedal is that you don't need to click anything to engage it; simply rocking it down and up turns it on or off, which frees you from that paranoia while playing of "did I leave the wah on?" You might think, "you can hear it perfectly well," but of course, if your amp is on one side of the stage and you are on the opposite side and what you hear is a little of what reaches you from the P.A., or you are simply having a bad night with horrible sound and your Vibe is not set very aggressively, you don't have many other ways to tell whether it is on or not, beyond looking at whether the pedal is down or up.
Clyde Standard
Once again, the reference in mind is Hendrix. When Jimi recorded "Electric Ladyland," he used a Vox pedal, the "Clyde McCoy," which is the quintessential Hendrix wah sound. In this case, the idea is to take the very best of the Vox and adapt it to the 21st century. The Achilles' heel of wahs is the potentiometer, which often causes the sound to deteriorate because of the crackling that occurs when dust gets in; or we simply like the sound of the wah but it doesn't have the sweep we want, or it is even too fast. For this reason Fulltone has made its own potentiometers, giving you control and adapting them to the needs of the pedal itself. Otherwise, it is a fairly standard format, as its name indicates. One jack input and one output, as well as the 9 V power input and the on/off switch, which is engaged by clicking at the end of the sweep.
Clyde Deluxe
Like its predecessor, it is a more sophisticated version of a wah, but with the particularity that, in addition to giving us the standard version, it offers more options to choose from. On the right side of the wah there are two potentiometers that let us choose how much input we want into the pedal; it is also one of those new potentiometers with ten positions, so we can always know exactly what level we had it set to at the last rehearsal or gig. In addition, there is a potentiometer with which we can choose among three sound options: the standard Jimi sound itself, a deeper sound with the Wacked option, and a funkier, brighter sound with the Shaft option. And I think the most important thing is that it also gives us an LED, so we know when it is on or not!
Octafuzz
The pedal is a tad bigger than the boost, but it is not really huge. It has two potentiometers, one for volume and one for boost, to choose how much saturation you want, plus a switch where we can choose just fuzz or fuzz plus the octaver. Lastly, the on/off switch and an LED that shows whether it is on or not. And of course, the jack input and output, as well as the 9 V power input. Let's say it is, after all, a nod to the Octavia so widely used by Hendrix and SRV.
Sound
In all the sound tests I ran on this gear, I tried to play it through as many guitars and amplifiers as possible. For that I used a Fender Strat, a Fender Telecaster, a Les Paul, a 335 and a Gibson SG. For amplifiers I used several tones to see how they responded; specifically, I used a Koch StudioTone, a Koch Multitone, a Matchless Clubman and a seriously rectified Mesa Boogie. Each case was a completely different experience, so I have to say that the pedals we have today are extremely sensitive, which means they will largely respect your gear.
FAT BOOST
Let's start with the one I had already had the privilege of getting to know in previous versions, and I can say that if it didn't disappoint me back then, it certainly doesn't now. If you want a boost that fattens up your signal and gives you saturation mainly in the lower frequencies, we can say this is a great option. It fills out the whole low end of the spectrum and also colors it with superb creaminess. I have to say that with the Matchless and the Les Paul it was something superlative. With a lower-powered amp it can be a bit too much, since the pedal can overpower the amplifier. Of course, it works better with 4x12 cabinets than with a combo. It blends perfectly with a Fulldrive or a Tube Screamer.
OCTAFUZZ
I can honestly say I loved the Octafuzz, but you have to be careful, just as with its predecessor the Octavia: it has a lot of saturation, and even with the boost control at minimum you get some saturation. The octaver sounds great, but I have to say it is rather subtle, which makes it perfect for blending with the band on some solos, especially when you are playing in a trio format. The best combination for me was with the Strat and the Matchless. Combining it with other overdrive or boost pedals is a relatively risky business, since it has more than enough saturation to go around.
CLYDE STANDARD
The name says it all: it is a completely standard wah sound. Let's say that if you want the Jimi Vox sound, this is a great option, with the particularity of a slightly longer sweep than the Vox. Personally, it matched perfectly with the Strat, the Tele and the Koch Studiotone.
CLYDE DELUXE
Like its predecessor, it sounds incredible in the Jimi setting, and in Wacked it sounds great for more saturated tones, since sometimes both the standard and the Jimi option can fall a little short. The Shaft option can be a bit piercing in the high frequencies, very funky. Personally, I think it works well with every combination I tried, although you have to be careful when using the Shaft option with a Telecaster.
DEJA VIBE
Here I will group the two Vibes together, since the sound is really the same. I think they sound spectacular; perhaps it's a personal thing, since I don't like vibes that are too over the top and in your face. Both simply give you that difference that makes you sound really good and blend in perfectly. The favorite combinations that won me over were the Strat with the Matchless, the SG with the Koch and the Matchless, as well as the 335 and the Matchless. Also, if you run it through the boost with just a touch of gain, it gives you that creamy sound we are so often after.
Conclusion
What more can we say? Simply mention once again their great quality. Always keeping in mind the sound you are after, that is, Hendrix, Clapton, SRV, etc. If your style is Metal, I find it hard to see these pedals fitting in; however, if you want a vintage sound with all the positives of a modern company, these are great options. We should point out the price, since these are not exactly cheap pedals; of them all, perhaps the one that offers the best value for money is the Boost.