Tech 21 Fly Rig Review

[black_doug]

I'm ready to buy one of the new Fly Rigs. I really like the idea of having a lightweight plug'n'play rig available if my tube amp dies suddenly. They can also all be plugged directly into a mixer or a PA.

I'm not sure which of the three in the review to get. I like the sound of the Paul Landers model except it doesn't have an FX loop. So I'm leaning towards the Fly Rig 5 V.2.

Has anyone been using any one of these three?

 

[lupowitz]

No, but I'm an avid Tech 21 user. I started on a Tri-A.C., then a GT-2, now I have a Tradmark 10 and a Trademark 60.
You can't go wrong with Mr.Barta's creation, imho.
I myself too eyeing these, but not really on the market for a sollution like these.
I watched every review and test on youtube, and the general concensus seems to be, that everyone wants the sounds of the PL1 with the functionality of the RK2 plus the loop on the FlyRig5 V2. So I feel your pain.

 

[bullfrogblues]

My last 1 1/2 years with the now defunct band, I used the Flyrig RK model straight into the board with no issues at all. We all used in ears, and every instrument except drums were straight in, no stage volume but drums.
I enhanced using a few pedals, mini-wah, tuner, and a second delay. Made load in/load out much easier, too.
The newer models have more features than mine, but I still use it in front of amps and it sounds great.

 

[Jakedog]

I just recently tried the original RK model. I was extremely impressed. Personally I want the extra features, so I’ll be getting the FlyRig 5 V2. But yes, I will eventually be getting one.

 

[bsman]

I have the original RK5, and it's extremely useful. I've used it as a way to add some reverb and delay as well as do some tone shaping, OD, and boost with electric, and have used it as for toneshaping and reverb with acoustic. It fits in the pocket of every gig bag I have.

 

[teleteej]

I had the original RK5 and loved it. I loved it so much I sold it get the RK5v2, which I love even more.

 

[soul-o]

I really love the RK5. I find all aspects of it very user friendly. I use it in a setting where 75% of my playing is with a clean sound and it works just as well there as the more obvious raging tones.

 

[black_doug]

My last 1 1/2 years with the now defunct band, I used the Flyrig RK model straight into the board with no issues at all. We all used in ears, and every instrument except drums were straight in, no stage volume but drums.
I enhanced using a few pedals, mini-wah, tuner, and a second delay. Made load in/load out much easier, too.
The newer models have more features than mine, but I still use it in front of amps and it sounds great.

How did you add a second delay and where did it go? If added after the RK then you need a DI before going to the board, right?

I have a T-Rex Replica that I may want to add since it does dotted eighths.

 

[Peegoo]

I've been using an original ver 1 FR since Tech 21 issued it years ago. It is a great little unit that has everything I need; no complaints at all. I build a stand-alone pedalboard for it using 1/4" Lexan and popped a rechargeable 12v DC battery on it...it will run for more than 40 hours on a single charge. It's my grab and go board; fits in a 15" padded laptop bag along with the plug-pack charger.

 

[bullfrogblues]

How did you add a second delay and where did it go? If added after the RK then you need a DI before going to the board, right?

I have a T-Rex Replica that I may want to add since it does dotted eighths.

I had 3 or 4 pedals in front of the Flyrig, so the output of that went straight to the board.
Tuner/Mini-wah/Delay/Flyrig.
Since I'm not gigging anymore, I took the delay off and installed a Rat pedal and a cheap flanger just for some diversity. Silly idea really.

 

[Tele22]

I just recently tried the original RK model. I was extremely impressed. Personally I want the extra features, so I’ll be getting the FlyRig 5 V2. But yes, I will eventually be getting one.

Are you using it straight to PA, or in front of your DV-Mark FGC 121?

 

[Jakedog]

Are you using it straight to PA, or in front of your DV-Mark FGC 121?

I’m not using it anyplace at the moment because I don’t have one yet. But when I do have one, it’ll be to run direct to the PA. I’ll use it for session dates, my very occasional fly dates, and I’ll carry it as my backup amp.

The RK5 I tried belonged to a friend. It’s not what I want, but it was close enough to convince me that the Fly Rig 5 V2 will work just fine for me.

 

[BorderRadio]

Valeton and another offbrand I can’t remember make little copies of these, but not exact obviously, but the same form factor. I laughed about this at first, then thought is was kind of useful and made a dead log post about it. Sank like a rock lol. If I see one used, I’ll have it around for the good times: Dapper Indie.

 

[stantheman]

I have an original RK Fly Rig that I still haven’t moved because I’m THAT LAZY. I find that less is more and I’m very pleased. Fly Rig RK5 into a Silverface late 70’s Champ.

The real secret to a Fly Rig is “less is more”.

 

[bullfrogblues]

I'd like to have V2, but no band anymore there is no reason. I don't know why they didn't include a tuner on the earlier versions. I also had the Plexi model, but like the RK5 much better.
And I had the extra delay pedal because I needed to exact presets for 2 songs, and that was the only way to do it without a lot of hassle.

 

[Peegoo]

I particularly like the tap tempo function of the FR.

There's also a chorus function in the FR that's not apparent from the controls on the unit: set the delay to no repeats, roll up the Drift (detune, actually) control, and bring up the Delay Level. It works really well.


If you want a built-in tuner and programmable preset combinations at the tap of a single button as well as 'dumb stomp box' functionality, check out the Mooer Red Truck. It sounds pretty good, and runs on 9vDC...unlike the FR, which runs on 12vDC.

 

[bullfrogblues]

I particularly like the tap tempo function of the FR.

There's also a chorus function in the FR that's not apparent from the controls on the unit: set the delay to no repeats, roll up the Drift (detune, actually) control, and bring up the Delay Level. It works really well.


If you want a built-in tuner and programmable preset combinations at the tap of a single button as well as 'dumb stomp box' functionality, check out the Mooer Red Truck. It sounds pretty good, and runs on 9vDC...unlike the FR, which runs on 12vDC.

Yes, I've seen the Mooer Red Truck, nice little pedal. It's a good alternative, but I already have the other with a separate tuner so not needed. And yes, the Drift feature on the FR5 is pretty cool!

 

[Jakedog]

I'd like to have V2, but no band anymore there is no reason. I don't know why they didn't include a tuner on the earlier versions. I also had the Plexi model, but like the RK5 much better.
And I had the extra delay pedal because I needed to exact presets for 2 songs, and that was the only way to do it without a lot of hassle.

What do you like better about the RK?

I assume I want the fly rig 5 V2, because I assume the Plexi drive would be less gainy than the OMG section. Am I right about that?

I tried the RK5 and really liked it, but it had WAY more gain than I would ever need in a million years. I assumed I’d get better low gain sounds out of the standard model...

For reference when I use a TS9 or SD1 the drive knob never goes higher than 10 o’clock, and 98% of the time it never goes past 9 o’clock. That’s really all the gain I’ll ever need out of an OD. The higher gain OD pedals are usually far too distorted for me once they get to 9 or 10 o’clock.

 

[bullfrogblues]

@Jakedog , the other guitar player in our band had the Plexi version and it sounded great when he used it. Like you say, less gain. when he quit the band I bought his thinking I would like it better, but I didn't. Sold it and kept the RK5. You can cut the gain back quite a bit, but the OMG section, which is modeled after Kotzen's overdrive pedal of the same name does have more gain. I keep the gain around 9:00 on the dial. I'm not sure if it would be more than you like, but it works great for my application.

 

[bullfrogblues]

@Jakedog , I forgot to mention (and I'm not sure it would apply to you) but for several songs in our list I used an electric with a piezo (Ghost system) for some acoustic sounds. It sounded very good through the Flyrig direct to PA as long as the Sansamp section was off. But the magnetic pickups were enhanced with the Sansamp section. And I also find that in front of an amp it sounds much better with the Sansamp section off for everything. I click it on occasionally for reverb, 2 of the amps I use it with don't have on board reverb.