1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Pics, info, thoughts on old and/or hairy gear.

Moderator: The Captain

User avatar
Nick
The Artist Formerly Known As nightraven
Posts: 2234
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:25 pm

1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by Nick »

The FAL Treble Booster is reasonably well known in the dorky vintage effects circles, as a contemporary to the much more famous Rangemaster TB. Built in the UK, during the 1960s, they both do more or less the same thing.

What is perhaps less-known, is that there exists an early version of the FAL, which could quite possibly predate the Rangemaster model. The earliest mention of the Rangemaster TB I'm aware of is in the November 1964 issue of BI, but the funky white version of the FAL Treble Booster apparently already existed even earlier than that, when it was pictured in the June 4th 1964 issue of NME (and supposedly at some point in Melody Maker too). Not sure if we'll ever know for sure which model came first though.

I've seen one other surviving white FAL Treble Booster before, which was sold on eBay by a charity shop several years ago, for just £200, and it had the same type of plug & mix of parts (including a NKT transistor of some sort), which is consistent with some of the typical black versions of the FAL that I've seen. My white pedal, however, has a black glass OC44 instead, and a slightly different 1/4" plug, so I like to think that it's earlier :fu:

This particular FAL is plenty gainy and kicks my AC15 right into overdrive, although there's still not quite as much boost available as the Rangemaster TBs. The FAL also seems to focus more on the mids, resulting in a bit of a honkier sound, kind of like the Hornby Skewes boxes.

FAL was also based up in the north of England! Makes for a refreshing change from all of that Denmark Street noise :badteeth:

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
User avatar
HorseyBoy
Posts: 4133
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 10:48 pm
Location: Harlan County

Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by HorseyBoy »

If the company founders had consulted a crystal ball, they might not have gone with "Futuristic Aids" as a name, but that thing is very cool. Any of the optional foot switches ever survive?
User avatar
squarewave
Posts: 1163
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:20 am

Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by squarewave »

Fricken rad
Insta @drewcifer01 @lavafangs @andrew_sings_solo
User avatar
Nick
The Artist Formerly Known As nightraven
Posts: 2234
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:25 pm

Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by Nick »

Never seen the footswitch before. I wonder if it was also manufactured by FAL, or perhaps whether it might've been some sort of generic switch that they offered.
The later versions of the FAL TB come with the same socket for an external switch so I bet that there are some still out there. At least we know vaguely what it looks like, because the Jaguars appear to have one plugged into the unit used for that promotional photo.
User avatar
Doc Holliday
Posts: 3262
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:41 pm
Location: UK West Midlands

Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by Doc Holliday »

Never heard or seen one before…. Looks fuckin Rad
User avatar
HorseyBoy
Posts: 4133
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 10:48 pm
Location: Harlan County

Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by HorseyBoy »

Nick wrote: Sat Oct 02, 2021 10:38 am Never seen the footswitch before. I wonder if it was also manufactured by FAL, or perhaps whether it might've been some sort of generic switch that they offered.
The later versions of the FAL TB come with the same socket for an external switch so I bet that there are some still out there. At least we know vaguely what it looks like, because the Jaguars appear to have one plugged into the unit used for that promotional photo.
Glad you pointed that out because I somehow managed to miss it. Think my eyes were taken by that funky Burns bass.
User avatar
fernieite
Posts: 919
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:16 pm
Location: Toronto. Age: Early 60s

Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by fernieite »

Wow, fantastic find! Futuristic Aids Ltd. - Indeed. :badteeth:

This one even has the old cardboard box! (Raf approved :hihi: )
Great deals with: Stu, Graham, Sickle, Devnulljp, SteveG, peps1, paine, fuzzface6669, jetofuj, sciencefriction, jerms, rafmax, Bigfoot2000, whiskeyfuneral, monolithfuzz.
User avatar
vanguard
Posts: 596
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2014 1:19 am

Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by vanguard »

So cool. Love that they drilled up thru the bottom of the board, causing those craters. Probably to avoid tearing traces out underneath, had they drilled through the top.
https://blackstrapelectrik.com/

Has anyone seen an Englishman called Gavin?
User avatar
Nick
The Artist Formerly Known As nightraven
Posts: 2234
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:25 pm

Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by Nick »

Turns out Mick Ronson apparently had one too :badteeth:
falronno.png
falronno.png (29.44 KiB) Viewed 1322 times
User avatar
simonm
Posts: 983
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 12:01 am
Location: East London, UK

Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]

Post by simonm »

:freakout:
Handmade, high-impact, great-looking radical queer germanium fuzz. A different approach to 1960s-inspired fuzz pedals, no clones, check them out at https://goodfuzzysounds.com or on YouTube https://tinyurl.com/GFS-YT
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests