NPD! Tech21 Fly Rig 5

[mkdaws32]

I’ve gigged with a full Helix Floor before (not mine) and really like the sound, but I opted for the HX Effects for myself, coupled with my real tube amp. It works fantastic for me this way - super flexible and incredible tone.

In addition, I’ve been trying some different modelling solutions and overdrive pedals with my Line 6 HX Effects to try and achieve a good sounding “amp less” rig as a alternative simpler rig.

Until now, nothing else has really hit the mark to sound as good or work as seamless as the full Helix floor. As such, I had pretty much resigned to buying an HX Stomp to go with the HX Effects and be the “amp” part of my amp less rig. It might sound funny to do this, instead of just getting a Helix floor or Helix LT, but I really like the modular aspect of having the two. I could use the HX Stomp on its own for recording or practicing with headphones, and use the HX Effects alone with my full amp rig.

Enter the Fly Rig 5. I had considered a Fly Rig a couple of times before, but at half the price of an HX Stomp, the Stomp seemed to offer a lot more. Plus I really didn’t love any of the Tech21 character pedals I’ve tried in the past.

But today I walked into my local store and saw a Fly Rig 5 (V1) used in mint condition for less than half of a new V2. Tried it an took it home. After a couple of hours of playing it with HX Effects, I think I’ve found the perfect solution for me. Very flexible, highly adaptable and it sounds fantastic in front of the HX Effects:

 

[Thin white duke]

Well done, it's a shame that the version 1 doesn't have the effects loop....

 

[mkdaws32]

Well done, it's a shame that the version 1 doesn't have the effects loop....

Yeah - I’m not in the habit of buying “old tech” (no pun intended!) but I just don’t need any features of the V2 and the V1 was a great deal. I’m actually planning to use the Fly Rig in the loop of the HX Effects so I can put compressor, tremolo and phaser blocks in front of the Fly Rig and noise gate, IR, delay and reverb blocks after the Fly Rig. No need for a loop in the Fly Rig, no need for a Tuner like the V2 has and no need for an XLR output.

 

[Thin white duke]

Yeah - I’m not in the habit of buying “old tech” (no pun intended!) but I just don’t need any features of the V2 and the V1 was a great deal. I’m actually planning to use the Fly Rig in the loop of the HX Effects so I can put compressor, tremolo and phaser blocks in front of the Fly Rig and noise gate, IR, delay and reverb blocks after the Fly Rig. No need for a loop in the Fly Rig, no need for a Tuner like the V2 has and no need for an XLR output.

Ok, so basically you are going to use only the drive and from the Tech 21 right ?

 

[mkdaws32]

Ok, so basically you are going to use only the drive and from the Tech 21 right ?

The Sansamp for the “amp” tone on edge of breakup (always on), the “Plexi” section for heavier drive and the “hot” button for lead boost (with or without the Plexi on). I’ll use the reverb and delay at very light levels for my mostly “dry” sound - just to emulate a little “room” ambience. Then the HX effects does the heavy effect lifting. It uses the Fly Rig pretty much fully and complements the HX Effects perfectly. Technically there is the cab sim in the Fly Rig and another cab sim going on with the IR block in the HX effects, but I find the Fly Rig cab sim to be pretty transparent - mostly hi and low pass filtering and doesn’t interfere with the IR cab sim in an adverse way. I’m using Celestion IRs and it definitely gets the flavour of a V30 cab, versus a G25M cab, for example using the given IR.

 

[lefty73]

Very, very, very interesting. Something I've considered and already sort of do with a few of Joyo's copies of Tech 21's Character series. I've settled in lately with the Joyo British Sound in the loop and the British Sound set for just-barely-breaking up Plexi vibe. At one point I was using the AC Tone and the American Sound in an on-off type of arrangement after the HX Effects to get that "plug pedalboard into the amp" vibe.

A Fly Rig in one of the loops on my HX Effects would give me a more-in-one (not all-in-one, but close) tone generator instead of multiple Joyo pedals connected in series. Plus, I'd be able to free up a block or two in the HX Effects to use for IR, EQ, or whatever, as at least one or two blocks could potentially be replaced by the Fly Rig's Plexi and Boost.

Also, holy smokes the Fly Rigs are small! I haven't seen one in person, though I've seen them on YouTube it never clicked how small they actually are. Incredible.

 

[mkdaws32]

Very, very, very interesting. Something I've considered and already sort of do with a few of Joyo's copies of Tech 21's Character series. I've settled in lately with the Joyo British Sound in the loop and the British Sound set for just-barely-breaking up Plexi vibe. At one point I was using the AC Tone and the American Sound in an on-off type of arrangement after the HX Effects to get that "plug pedalboard into the amp" vibe.

A Fly Rig in one of the loops on my HX Effects would give me a more-in-one (not all-in-one, but close) tone generator instead of multiple Joyo pedals connected in series. Plus, I'd be able to free up a block or two in the HX Effects to use for IR, EQ, or whatever, as at least one or two blocks could potentially be replaced by the Fly Rig's Plexi and Boost.

Also, holy smokes the Fly Rigs are small! I haven't seen one in person, though I've seen them on YouTube it never clicked how small they actually are. Incredible.

Small and they sound really, really good. I can't believe the Plexi section is all solid state analog technology. It even seems to compress and sag a bit like a tube amp when you dig into the strings hard. I though it was the Deluxe Comp block in the HX Effects tricking my ears, so I turned it off and the Plexi section still responds like a tube amp - crazy!

My son bought the Steve Harris signature bass fly rig - it's two full channels, plus a tuner and separate gains (OD) for both channels. It only has three foot switches and is even smaller than my Fly Rig 5. It also sounds incredible on it's own, straight to PA or recording console.

 

[mkdaws32]

@lefty73

 

[Peegoo]

I've been using the FR5 since it first came out; I plug it directly into the amp set to play clean and loud. The effects are great and the thing sounds fantastic.

Spend some time setting it up because the controls offer up a wide range of tones and effects. There's even a "hidden" chorus if you set the delay's Repeats to zero and dial up the Drift and Time controls.

If the little round control knobs seem to stick, lift up as you rotate them. They 'lock' in the down position.

I have mine on a small pedalboard with a rechargeable 12v battery pack.

 

[mkdaws32]

@Peegoo

Yeah - I found the chorus The DLA section is almost like one of those solid state 80's rackmount delay units (not an Echoplex; Echotron or something like that - had one back in the day) that could do delay, chorus, flanger, etc. depending on where you put the knobs.

Thanks for the tip on the knobs - hadn't quite figured that out, although I do like that they lock in good and won't move around in a gig bag or if you bump it onstage.

Voodoo Labs makes a current doubler adapter that will use two 400ma outputs on my PP Digital to power the HX Effects - I've ordered that. The PP Digital also has a couple of 12v outputs so I can power both the HX Effects and the Fly Rig with the supply I already have. Now I have to build a board/case to mount these in and decide if I need to integrate the volume pedal or not - I've gotten good at doing swells with guitar volume knob.

 

[tah1962]

Nice set up. Enjoy.

 

[Webfoot]

Congrats.

Just got the RK v2 fly rig. Lots of EQ flexability. Also really like the delay with tap tempo.

 

[bullfrogblues]

Congrats!
I used the RK Flyrig gigging when the band was together, straight into the PA, no amp on stage. Worked quite well.