FET Dream pedal

[stelligan]

I've been testing a prototype medium gain distortion pedal from some friends. It's called a "FET Dream" by Cause & Effect pedals. It has mid and low-end shaping going into the drive section and high-end tailoring coming out. Called "girth" and "lean" respectively. Very versatile. Here is a clip:
http://www.jonesin.org/Dave/FETdream/FETminor.mp3

1968 ES-345 with Seymour Duncans
Fender Super 60 amp head clean channel
2 x 12 cabinet with DeltaPro 12a & WGS CL80
echo & verb added to mix

More info here:
http://www.cepedals.com/

 

[Twin63]

Sounds nice. Where did you have the gain set on the pedal for that clip?

 

[stelligan]

Sounds nice. Where did you have the gain set on the pedal for that clip?

Thanks, it's a cool pedal. Drive and Level just past straight up - if i recall. Controls and signal path read: Girth > Drive > Lean > Level

 

[leodiditright]

Looks there's a new kid on the block in the D style camp overdrives...

 

[odourboy]

I hope this is cool with forum etiquette and all.. I want to publicly thank Stelligan profusely for doing this and several other excellent clips of the FET dream to help us showcase the pedal. We've received a boatload of compliments on them!

You're the man!!

Cheers, Brian

 

[davetcan]

Great sounding pedal. Some other great clips on the website also. I'm on the list.

 

[stelligan]

Not usually my thing to dime anything but, here's this FETdream pedal with a Strat. Clip is:
Rosewood board Strat with pickups from my long gone '65
modified Crate v33 amp(4 x EL84) clean channel
Alesis Nanoverb(echo) in amp loop
CAD Trion 7000 ribbon mic
Pedal setup Girth 10:00 Drive *maxed Lean 1:00 Level 11:00

Live noodles with no computer processing. First bit of clip with no pedal.

http://www.jonesin.org/Dave/FETdream/stratDIMED.mp3

**for disclosure's sake: manufacturer is internet buddy that sent me a prototype pedal to demo. I dig it and plan on keeping it - free or otherwise. Thanks Brian!

 

[david henman]

...i was able to convince brian to send me a prototype of his FET Dream, since we are practically neighbours. as well, i have done extensive product reviews as a music journalist and music magazine editor.

the pedal arrived on thursday. i played with it a little at low volumes on thursday night and thought, hmmm, this is interesting. not as sweet and creamy as my plush extreme cream, but i immediately liked the "lean" and "girth" controls.

friday night was the beginning of a weekend "rehearsathon". at the beginning of the night, i plugged in and turned the fet dream on. and then...

...i never turned it off!

this pedal does that thing that many pedals claim to be able to do: retain your essential tone, so that you can turn the guitar volume down for your clean tone, then turn it up for as much growl and scream as you can stand.

i set the "lean" and "girth" controls to about 2:30, and dialed the gain and level back to 11:00.

this is absolutely the most inspiring pedal i've used. i think blues guitarists, especially, are going to see this as "essential", although i think it is ideal for most genres.

i really am impressed. this pedal inspires my playing like no other piece of equipment i've ever tried. i could easily play an entire night with just a guitar, amp and this pedal. in fact, over the weekend, i found that i was far less likely to go to my reverbs and delays for added enhancement.

no apologies for my enthusiasm. had i not been blown away, i would have simply returned it to brian with apologies that "its just not for me".

i'm not going to take that leap and claim that this pedal is for you. that's for you to decide.

i am sorry that i am unable to post clips, but happy to answer any questions anyone might have...

-dh

 

[davetcan]

...i was able to convince brian to send me a prototype of his FET Dream, since we are practically neighbours. as well, i have done extensive product reviews as a music journalist and music magazine editor.

the pedal arrived on thursday. i played with it a little at low volumes on thursday night and thought, hmmm, this is interesting. not as sweet and creamy as my plush extreme cream, but i immediately liked the "lean" and "girth" controls.

friday night was the beginning of a weekend "rehearsathon". at the beginning of the night, i plugged in and turned the fet dream on. and then...

...i never turned it off!

this pedal does that thing that many pedals claim to be able to do: retain your essential tone, so that you can turn the guitar volume down for your clean tone, then turn it up for as much growl and scream as you can stand.

i set the "lean" and "girth" controls to about 2:30, and dialed the gain and level back to 11:00.

this is absolutely the most inspiring pedal i've used. i think blues guitarists, especially, are going to see this as "essential", although i think it is ideal for most genres.

i really am impressed. this pedal inspires my playing like no other piece of equipment i've ever tried. i could easily play an entire night with just a guitar, amp and this pedal. in fact, over the weekend, i found that i was far less likely to go to my reverbs and delays for added enhancement.

no apologies for my enthusiasm. had i not been blown away, i would have simply returned it to brian with apologies that "its just not for me".

i'm not going to take that leap and claim that this pedal is for you. that's for you to decide.

i am sorry that i am unable to post clips, but happy to answer any questions anyone might have...

-dh

Thanks for the review David, can't wait to get mine, thank God I'm already on the list.

 

[stelligan]

Still digging this pedal. Here is a clip of the FET dream driving a Tech21 Blonde instead of an a tube amp.

Signal chain:
CIJ rosewood board Tel with Vintage Noiseless pups > Barber Tone Press > FET dream > Blonde > Xotix X-Blender with Yamaha MagicStomp blended in loop > Computer. No EQ or effects in computer just a little master limiting. No FET dream for first 2 choruses - on for rest of clip.

Thanks althrax for the backer!

http://www.jonesin.org/Dave/mercyFET.mp3

 

[fig]

There are a couple of things I'm hearing that I'm not sure if it's the pedal or what. But 'overall' it sounds good. Nice playing, Stelligan.

How does this pedal compare with the ZD?

Greg

 

[stelligan]

There are a couple of things I'm hearing that I'm not sure if it's the pedal or what. But 'overall' it sounds good. Nice playing, Stelligan.

How does this pedal compare with the ZD?

Greg

Similar to the ZenDrive with a different schema for handling the "tone". Has a "girth" knob that controls how much bass goes into the "drive" - then a "lean" knob coming out. To thin or fatten after the overdrive after. Perhaps a bit more neutral tone wise than the Zen throughout the entire range of control. Gain levels are about the same. Not as smooth as a Zen but that's what I like about it. I had both for quite awhile then recently sold the Zen. Loved it but, this made it redundant for me.

Regarding what you are hearing? Dunno. The Blonde pedal is very touchy with lots of gain at the output level. I am digging it so far. When you push the front hard it sounds kinda solid state but, still better to me than the modelers I have. Trying to come up with a small alternative to an amp for this small stage we are thinking of booking.


Thanks for listening. Cool pedal..

 

[fig]

Similar to the ZenDrive with a different schema for handling the "tone". Has a "girth" knob that controls how much bass goes into the "drive" - then a "lean" knob coming out. To thin or fatten after the overdrive after. Perhaps a bit more neutral tone wise than the Zen throughout the entire range of control. Gain levels are about the same. Not as smooth as a Zen but that's what I like about it. I had both for quite awhile then recently sold the Zen. Loved it but, this made it redundant for me.

Regarding what you are hearing? Dunno. The Blonde pedal is very touchy with lots of gain at the output level. I am digging it so far. When you push the front hard it sounds kinda solid state but, still better to me than the modelers I have. Trying to come up with a small alternative to an amp for this small stage we are thinking of booking.


Thanks for listening. Cool pedal..

I guess what I'm hearing is something on the high end that's a little harsh. But it does sound fat and chewy . .

Greg

 

[Macaroni]

Has a "girth" knob that controls how much bass goes into the "drive"

Actually, it's not exactly the 'bass', but the low mids...

"The FET Dream also features a unique and innovative pre-distortion equalization control. The Girth circuit provides a wide range of adjustment to balance the low/mids prior to distortion generation. The adjustment range can accommodate a wide variety of pickups and player's tastes to support whatever degree of 'fat' you prefer in the overall tone of the pedal. Careful management of the bass and avoiding the muddying mid-hump are a couple of the key secrets to the openness and clarity of the FET Dream."

I like this pedal a lot - very unique. There is no harshness on the high end on this pedal at all - must be something else.

 

[fig]

Perhaps 'harsh' isn't the right word. Maybe it's a 'chirp.' It's just on certain high notes, but it's not real pleasant to my ears.
However, like I said, the overall tone is good.

Greg

 

[james russell]

Actually, it's not exactly the 'bass', but the low mids...

"The FET Dream also features a unique and innovative pre-distortion equalization control. The Girth circuit provides a wide range of adjustment to balance the low/mids prior to distortion generation. The adjustment range can accommodate a wide variety of pickups and player's tastes to support whatever degree of 'fat' you prefer in the overall tone of the pedal. Careful management of the bass and avoiding the muddying mid-hump are a couple of the key secrets to the openness and clarity of the FET Dream."

I like this pedal a lot - very unique. There is no harshness on the high end on this pedal at all - must be something else.

Hey guys,

How does the FET Dream respond to changes in picking dynamics, and does it clean up well with guitar volume knob roll-off?

James

 

[Macaroni]

IME it's very responsive to picking dynamics. I've found that when I lower the guitar volume, it doesn't clean up per se, but it gives me a lite version of whatever OD tone I've dialed in. So I still get OD, but it's not as intense per the volume level. I'll have to experiment with that more.

 

[james russell]

Thanks Ron. I'm not looking for total clean up, more like what you described, just a little lighter would be fine. Sounds like a very cool pedal.

James

 

[Macaroni]

I directly compared it to my Dumkudo and eventually sold the Dumkudo. It's not specifically designed to be a Dumble pedal, but it does do those lower mids like a Dumble when you tweak the Girth control. The pedal designer also makes Dumble amp clones, so some of that mojo is in there.

 

[stelligan]

Hey guys,

How does the FET Dream respond to changes in picking dynamics, and does it clean up well with guitar volume knob roll-off?

James

James,

Did this simple demo for you this am.
Telecaster bridge pickup into Black Tweed Special clean Black channel. First part and last part - no pedal. Middle bits pedal at 2:00 gain backing the volume off and back up. Wanking ZZ top riff. A little verb from computer - no other fiddles:

http://www.jonesin.org/Dave/FETrolloff.mp3