TEST: Fame FX Pedals

 OEM! Huh? What’s that? One or the other will be received with these or similar sounding syllables when they peddle the three letters mentioned. “Original Equipment Manufacturer” is the magic word of the moment and describes the process in which the manufacturer of a product produces its goods for another company, but the same company sells the product under its own name. These products are also commonly referred to as “house brands”. The advantages of this business practice are the generally low sales price, which is usually below the actual value of the product, due to direct sales and the absence of various middlemen.

In this case, you have to make up for the lack of sales through your own sales network, which usually consists of a sophisticated mail order or online order process. The FAME product range is the house brand of the Cologne music retailer Music Store, which, as a full-service supplier, carries almost all instrument groups in its range, as Peavey did in the USA at the time.

With the Sweet Tone pedals, Fame is now entering the field of stompboxes, which can't really complain about a lack of offerings. Well, what's left to break into the phalanx of giants like Boss, Ibanez or Digitech? Take a quick look at the first section of this article...


construction

In order to understand the following lines and to be able to correctly assess what has been described, with the exception of the CT-10 power supply, all pedals are under €40! Three well-filled medium-sized pizzas cost more! And that includes the profit of the manufacturer and the distributor! Hossa! Well, a standard effects pedal has neither the development time of a virtual amp nor the component density of an all-tube head, but sales prices around €39 are hard to beat unless you save on housing, components or longevity.

This is not the case with the Sweet Tone series. Delivered in a brown cardboard box, the products raise doubts about the invoice amount when opened. A clean chrome-plated housing, screwed jack sockets, a massive true bypass switch and a smooth-running potentiometer with a chickenhead attachment make the observer visually more likely to conclude that it is a boutique pedal than the lowest price range that one can imagine. The interior with high-quality capacitors and resistors as well as a battery compartment with knurled screws are evidence of disproportionately high quality.

It should be clear to everyone that at this price you cannot expect completely new development work, but rather that you are more or less copying successful products including their components. The fact that this production step can only take place in China is probably also true. Therefore, in this product range you will find one or two well-known players who have attracted a lot of attention within the string group in a previous life.


Practice

Driver Overdrive OD-10: The OD-10 immediately creates an aha effect as soon as you look at the product from the bottom. Next to the battery compartment there is a second cover that can be opened using a knurled screw, behind which is the well-known JRC4558D chip, but in a plug-in socket! In order to promote variability, FAME has added two additional chips (NE5532P and TL072), which reproduce the distortion differently on a diode circuit. Who likes which chip best? Try! As long as you have steady fingers, you won't be able to avoid a fair amount of fiddling around, as expected.

In addition to the standards such as the volume, drive and tone potentiometers, the OD-10 also has a triple toggle switch with the presets “Warm”, “Bright” and “TS” (Oh what...). What is meant by this is probably self-evident. In fact, the TS circuit does a pretty good job with its TS9 copy with the distinctive mid-range boost, the other two switch positions change the tone more towards “loudness” (more treble) according to their label and a little more bass on Bright) or the reduced version without midrange boost on “Warm”. All in all a very flexible Tube Screamer replacement with good detailed solutions.


Metal Massacre MM-10: Haha, when I hear product names like that I just have to laugh. No offense. The “original” MM-10 also had a name that took some getting used to at the time. Hands up, who bought the “Rat” from ProCo over two decades ago? The legendary hair metal pedal that made the guitar sound so beautifully 80's ;-) Be that as it may, the MM-10 sounds very much like its great role model, biting, sometimes mean, with a high sustain level for the ambitious metalhead. ......yesterday, at least as far as the sound is concerned. The famous hollowed-out middle bathtub cannot be achieved with this product - that's a sound insight from the turn of the millennium, but if you're looking for a metal classic, this is the right place for you.


Slasher Distortion DS-10: A little more distortion reserves than an overdrive, a little more tamed than the MM-10, this is how the DS-10 works. Based a little on the DOD product series, the DS-10 only manages to produce exactly one sound due to the reduced potentiometer selection, but it does it quite well. The product is very high-pitched and achieves a high assertiveness factor, for example to give the sound more bite in the short term during a solo. When the gain is turned up high, it can be considered a metal distortion, provided you are looking for a snappy sound.


Equalizer EQ-10: In the days of single-channel all-tube heads, almost every successful solo guitarist heard the 7 - 10 band pedal equalizers to their credit. They enabled a completely different solo sound, could be used as a booster or could only boost a wah-wah in a fixed position in a certain frequency range. But what is often forgotten is that the same products can also be used as a “quiet maker” in the serial effects loop due to the level control, thus replacing an additional master volume control. If you love vintage and don't want to use channel monsters for your different sounds, this is the right place for you.

The EQ-10 does a good job, although using the +/- 15 dB controls requires a little experience. Always remember, start carefully, otherwise you will drown in noise, drone or feedback. By the way, please always use a full tube head for the above experiment.


Delay AD-10: Touted as an analogue delay, the AD-10 doesn't quite get around the digital level; otherwise, delay times of up to 1100 milliseconds cannot be implemented. Behind a digital PT2399 chip there is an analog BBD chip, which is intended to give the bucket brigade circuit some sonic emphasis. This works quite well, although the warmth and soft focus of the old protagonists is not quite achieved. But hey, a delay for €39...


Softener Chorus CH-10: Here, too, the big godfather comes in the form of the Boss family, with the CH-2 coming closest to the sound of the CH-10. This product actually uses a pure Bucket Brigade device, which is reflected in the form of a soft and warm sound. Very nicely done! Various basic speeds can also be set using a toggle switch, which also varies the waveform slightly.


Chrome Tank CT-10: An extremely massive and good-looking multi-power supply with the following connections:

2 x 9V with 1000mA regulated PSA each
3 x 9V with 100 mA each regulated PSA
2 x 9V with 1000 mA each unregulated ACA (e.g. for older Boss pedals before 1997)
2 x 6V with fixed 1000 mA unregulated (e.g. for tube overdrive or equivalent devices)

Cables included:
9 x standard power supply plugs, each 1 meter long
1 x mini jack power supply plug with a length of 1 meter (e.g. for Big Muff or Small Clone)
1 x 5-way distributor standard



Conclusion

The Sweet Tone effects pedals offer a lot for the money. For example, with a retail price of less than €40, it might be worth getting a good single-channel amp with a good, clean sound and using several distortions as different channel alternatives. Due to direct sales, the products are extremely cheap despite being of high quality and may even allow you to make a purchase that you had not planned. Filling up a Mercedes once = 3 distortions…

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Additional Informations:

Guitar effects pedals have become synonymous with the electrifying sounds of rock, blues, and countless other genres. From the subtle nuances of overdrive to the swirling textures of modulation effects, these pedals have played a crucial role in shaping the sonic landscapes of modern music. This article explores the fascinating history and evolution of guitar effects pedals, tracing their origins, key developments, and enduring impact on music culture.

Early Experiments and Analog Beginnings:
The story of guitar effects pedals begins in the early 20th century with the advent of electric amplification. As guitarists sought to amplify and manipulate their sound, inventors and engineers began experimenting with various electronic circuits and devices.

One of the earliest effects to emerge was the tremolo effect, which modulated the volume of the guitar signal to create a pulsating, rhythmic sound. The DeArmond Tremolo Control, introduced in the 1940s, was among the first standalone tremolo units designed for electric guitars.

Another pioneering effect was the reverb, which simulated the natural reverberation of acoustic spaces. In the late 1950s, the Hammond Spring Reverb introduced a compact, portable reverb unit that could be easily integrated into guitar amplifiers, paving the way for the widespread use of reverb in popular music.

The Rise of Stompboxes:
The 1960s witnessed a surge in the popularity of guitar effects pedals, thanks in part to the emergence of compact, battery-powered devices known as stompboxes. These pedals featured footswitches that allowed guitarists to engage and disengage effects with a simple tap of the foot, making them ideal for live performance.

One of the most iconic stompboxes of this era was the Maestro Fuzz-Tone, introduced in 1962. Developed by engineer Glenn Snoddy, the Fuzz-Tone produced a gritty, distorted sound that became synonymous with the burgeoning garage rock and psychedelic music scenes of the 1960s.

Other notable stompboxes from this period included the Vox Wah-Wah pedal, the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi fuzz pedal, and the Uni-Vibe modulation pedal. Each of these pedals introduced new sonic possibilities and helped shape the sound of popular music in the 1960s and beyond.

The Digital Revolution:
The 1970s saw the advent of digital technology, which would revolutionize the world of guitar effects pedals. Digital signal processing (DSP) technology allowed for greater precision, flexibility, and complexity in effect processing, paving the way for a new generation of digital effects pedals.

One of the earliest digital effects pedals was the Boss DD-2 Digital Delay, introduced in 1983. This compact pedal utilized digital circuitry to produce pristine, repeatable echoes with precise control over delay time and feedback. The DD-2 quickly became a staple on pedalboards around the world, setting a new standard for delay effects in the digital age.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, digital effects pedals continued to evolve and diversify, with manufacturers introducing a wide range of effects including reverbs, choruses, flangers, and multi-effects units. Pedals like the Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler and the Eventide H3000 Harmonizer showcased the power and versatility of digital processing, offering a vast array of effects and presets in a single unit.

The Boutique Revolution:
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in analog effects pedals, driven in part by a desire for vintage tones and craftsmanship. Boutique pedal makers have emerged, offering handcrafted pedals with unique designs and sonic characteristics.

These boutique pedals often feature analog circuitry, high-quality components, and meticulous attention to detail, appealing to discerning guitarists seeking a personalized and distinctive sound. Pedals like the Klon Centaur overdrive, the Strymon Timeline delay, and the JHS Morning Glory overdrive have gained cult status among players for their exceptional tone and build quality.

Conclusion:
The history of guitar effects pedals is a testament to the ingenuity, creativity, and passion of musicians, engineers, and inventors. From the early experiments with analog circuitry to the sophisticated digital processing of today, effects pedals have played a crucial role in shaping the sound of modern music.

As technology continues to evolve and new generations of players push the boundaries of sonic exploration, the future of guitar effects pedals remains bright and full of promise. Whether recreating vintage tones, exploring new sonic frontiers, or simply unleashing a blistering solo, effects pedals will continue to inspire and captivate guitarists for years to come.