Last year, FLAMMA impressed the guitar pedal market with its FS08 octave pedal. It was an impressive device for its price point, but fans wanted more features, and FLAMMA has answered these requests with the new FS23 stereo octave pedal!
On the surface, the FS23 has some similar features to the FS08, such as two dedicated volume dials for the upper and lower octave effects. Unlike the FS08, however, the FS23 also features two further dials for each octave: tone dials, allowing users to perfectly shape the timbral
characteristics of the octave shifter effects.
Under this basic interface, four further dials can be found. First, there are two dials to adjust the volume of the in-built modulation and reverb effects, both of which are designed to sonically complement the octave shifter. Next, there’s a dial for lengthening the attack of a guitar input, facilitating a slow fade-in, which is perfect for slower, more atmospheric moments. Then, there’s one more dial for adjusting the volume of the guitar’s dry signal, balancing the effect out.
Considering the countless combinations these parameters can lead to, FLAMMA has installed the FS23 with a three-way toggle switch dedicated to preset selection. Users can first use the ‘Favorite’ footswitch to turn on preset mode, which will be indicated by an LED, and then use the footswitch and toggle switch to save the settings in one of three dedicated preset slots.
These favorite presets can then be recalled during performance using the toggle switch, facilitating pre-prepared pitch-shifted performances. However, if the user is more interested in performing with the controls in real-time, they simply must use the ‘Favorite’ footswitch to quit ‘Favorite preset mode’ and enter real-time mode. At this point, no changes to parameters will overwrite existing presets.
The FS23 isn't just bells and whistles; it does include some industry-standard features, such as the essential 'bypass' footswitch and a DC 9V power socket. However, FLAMMA has even innovated on some basic features, such as audio routing, providing four 1/4" jack slots to facilitate stereo inputs and outputs!
Overall, the FS23 packs a serious punch if you’re in the market for an octave pedal that goes beyond general expectations. It’s impressive that FLAMMA has squeezed all of this into a lightweight, compact pedal that weighs less than 370g! The FS23 also comes bundled with a power supply, a warranty card, a user manual, and some FLAMMA stickers.