1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
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- Nick
- The Artist Formerly Known As nightraven
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- Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:25 pm
1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
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
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
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
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
- HorseyBoy
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Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
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?
- squarewave
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Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
Fricken rad
Insta @drewcifer01 @lavafangs @andrew_sings_solo
- Nick
- The Artist Formerly Known As nightraven
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- Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:25 pm
Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
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.
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.
- Doc Holliday
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Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
Never heard or seen one before…. Looks fuckin Rad
- HorseyBoy
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Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
Glad you pointed that out because I somehow managed to miss it. Think my eyes were taken by that funky Burns bass.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.
- fernieite
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- Location: Toronto. Age: Early 60s
Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
Wow, fantastic find! Futuristic Aids Ltd. - Indeed.
This one even has the old cardboard box! (Raf approved )
This one even has the old cardboard box! (Raf approved )
Great deals with: Stu, Graham, Sickle, Devnulljp, SteveG, peps1, paine, fuzzface6669, jetofuj, sciencefriction, jerms, rafmax, Bigfoot2000, whiskeyfuneral, monolithfuzz.
- vanguard
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Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
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.
- Nick
- The Artist Formerly Known As nightraven
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Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
Turns out Mick Ronson apparently had one too
- simonm
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Re: 1964-65 FAL Treble Booster (funky early version) [DATA DUMP]
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
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