Danelectro FAB Distortion - uh...

[chamberpop]

I took a chance... $14. Plastic case. Top-mounted jacks and knobs. Something to screw around with, right?

Plug my '52 AVRI Telecaster into my '77 Princeton Reverb.

Uhhh... I really can't believe how warm, rich and chewy this thing is with this rig. I mean really organic. High drive settings get into silly territory, but lower drive settings are fairly wonderful. Warmer than my BBE Green Screamer. I am flat out astonished that something this cheap can sound so good.

Now, it does have a bit of an issue with the footswitch: it takes an extra half second for the effect to kick in once you tap the switch. It's annoying.

Is this normal for these Dano FAB effects?

Anyone else dig this cheap little box of tone?

[bigp7099]

i have never tried one, but as far as the switch goes it may not actually be engaging the effect until you take your foot off, so faster you lift your foot it may turn on faster

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by chamberpop

I took a chance... $14. Plastic case. Top-mounted jacks and knobs. Something to screw around with, right?

Plug my '52 AVRI Telecaster into my '77 Princeton Reverb.

Uhhh... I really can't believe how warm, rich and chewy this thing is with this rig. I mean really organic. High drive settings get into silly territory, but lower drive settings are fairly wonderful. Warmer than my BBE Green Screamer. I am flat out astonished that something this cheap can sound so good.

Now, it does have a bit of an issue with the footswitch: it takes an extra half second for the effect to kick in once you tap the switch. It's annoying.

Is this normal for these Dano FAB effects?

Anyone else dig this cheap little box of tone?

I've had one since they first came out- as the English "Guitar and Bass" magazine (which I get once in a while) gave the Dano FAB Series (and the Distortion in particular) great reviews. Pretty powerful little pedal- goes from OD to distortion w/great sustain. I really don't gig with it, but I don't remember the 'momentary' switching issue- I will have to check mine out again...

[blowtorch]

"Anyone else dig this cheap little box of tone?"

Yep!

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by chamberpop

it takes an extra half second for the effect to kick in once you tap the switch. It's annoying.

Is this normal for these Dano FAB effects?

Anyone else dig this cheap little box of tone?

I have a Fab Echo that I basically got for free. I added a speed/time control to it, and rehoused it in a Boss box in the process.

I hate how the knobs/jacks/DC jack are all on the backside of those things. And the front of the "clamshell" put the switch a little too low to the ground for my tastes.

But I did notice some goofy things with the bypass, even again just today. Not 100% what you describe, but the buffered bypass with the Fabs is not as good as what was used in the big Dano pedals or the minis. And even that isn't so hot, IMO. It was really my only complaint with the Tuna Melt.

The good news is that if you can park it after something with a "good buffer," it might help. My F.E. is after a Boss and Ibanez pedal, so that may be why my perception of the switch/buffering is a little different from yours. I don't know that it's a delay, but there is some kind of switching characteristic (electronic and not mechanical), at least with the Fab Echo.

But for the price, I just can't complain. I had a gift card with MF/Amazon/I honestly don't remember, and the pedal cost me like $1.72!

[schenkadere]

It's actually a very nice distortion regardless of price. I like it better than many boutique distortions I've heard or tried.

[chamberpop]

Thanks for the comments!

The switch thing does limit its use live. Any way to fix that?

schendare,
Dare you mention which boo-teek dirt boxes you dig the FAB over?

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by chamberpop

Thanks for the comments!

The switch thing does limit its use live. Any way to fix that?

schendare,
Dare you mention which boo-teek dirt boxes you dig the FAB over?

This is not a fix, but you could just leave it ON (Try Tone at 2:00 clock, Gain and Level around NOON) and just roll up the distortion from the guitar- it's a pretty dynamic pedal and cleans up pretty well

[chamberpop]

Chiogtr4x,
Thanks for the suggestion. I think I could do that in one of the projects I play in. But the other often needs a combo of the rich and ringing Fender Princeton Reverb cleans and pedal drive tones, often within the same song. In this situation, its crucial that the timing of kicking in the drive pedal be right on the mark.

I think bigp7099 is on to something in that it's almost like the effect isn't on as soon as you tap the switch, but more like when you're lifting up your foot from the pedal. Weird design, to say the least.

Unless I just got an odd one and they don't all do that?

[Fearnot]

Thanks for this thread... I pulled mine out of the pedal closet just to refresh my memory about it and wow... it really is a big RAWK pedal, isn't it? Maybe just a shade bright (god forbid I should notch my treble knob down a bit) but rich in harmonics and attack. Lots of fun for dirt cheap dirt.

And I don't have any problems with my switch, it goes on and off right away.

[Chiogtr4x]

^^^ Now I gotta get mine back out! FAB Party Day!!!

[Chiogtr4x]

^^^ Now I gotta get mine back out! FAB Party Day!!!

edit: a good sound is a good sound- I should use this more...

[highlifedrunk]

that seals it, i am going to take a chance on some of these danelectros, they are exactly the right price for me, haha

[schenkadere]

Originally Posted by chamberpop

Thanks for the comments!

The switch thing does limit its use live. Any way to fix that?

schendare,
Dare you mention which boo-teek dirt boxes you dig the FAB over?

I can make a list...some boo-teek...some not:

Fulltone OCD
Fulltone GT500
SRB808(yes it's a distortion...high gain version)
Boss Power Stack
Guyatone Hot Drive
Hardwire SC-2
Cool Cat Dist.(the Crunch Box clone)
Keeley Mod DS-1

that's a start...tons more...I really think it's a great distortion...I'm very picky with my distortion...I really think there aren't many good ones out there.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by schenkadere

I like it better than many boutique distortions I've heard or tried.

The circuit is kind of like a stripped down Nobels ODR-1. Clay Jones was kind enough to trace it (along with the Tuna Melt and a bunch of other Dano pedals) back in '06 or '07 IIRC. He didn't get all the part values (you'd need a microscope with the SMT construction in the Fabs), but it almost doesn't matter, because many of the circuit structures are very standard...

...IOW, it would make for a GREAT little DIY project. I still want to build a Tuna Melt from scratch as well.

It would be cool to put one up against a Nobels ODR-1 to determine which excels at different things, since they have the same clipping diode setups, similar tone control circuitry, etc...

A good circuit is a good circuit, period. I like the "less retreaded" Dano designs for the most part. I know a lot of folks love the OCD and Timmy knock-offs, but the quasi-bit of this/bit of that stuff like the Tuna Melt and Fab Distortion will just give you more mileage IMO.

...Very much IMO. But this is coming from a guy who thinks the Rat simply kills the OCD in any form - clone, "pre OCD Voodoo Lab Overdrive," what have you.

It's easy to forget that (love or hate him) Dano is run by the guy who designed the Foxx Tone Machine (when he was a young lad). So they have the ability to do it, but I guess the low hanging fruit (OCD clones/etc.) is so hard for companies like them to resist.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by schenkadere

I really think it's a great distortion...

It just dawned on me how clever Dano is:

Nobels OD variant - marketed as a distortion.

Marshall Distortion variant (Guv'nor) - marketed as an OD. (The Daddy-O).

IIRC, CJ traced these three:

- Fab OD
- Fab Dist
- Fab Metal

...they all have some things in common, IIRC. I'll have to try and find the scans, cuz CJ scribbled them on paper!

[R. Stratenstein]

I was blown away by the FAB Chorus I bought for under $20 ! Fabulous sound.

[blowtorch]

"It would be cool to put one up against a Nobels ODR-1 to determine which excels at different things"

I'll have to do this sometime, as I have both pedals.

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by blowtorch

"It would be cool to put one up against a Nobels ODR-1 to determine which excels at different things"

I'll have to do this sometime, as I have both pedals.

YOU have a mission!

[chamberpop]

@11 Gauge,
Wow, an ODR-1, huh? Never had one, but always heard good things. Thanks for the pedal guru insight on this thing.

@R. Stratenstein,
I have the FAB chorus as well. Best analog chorus out there. I've had others. The FAB is the warmest, smoothest, most CE-2-like I've tried. I chose it for my chorus sound in a Pretenders tribute band. It killed.

@blowtorch,
Please post if you do the A/B with the Nobels! Thanks!