Fulltone Full-Drive 1
The Fulltone Full-Drive 1 is a Full-Drive without the boost channel!
Simple as it comes. it is a single-channel Full-Drive with Volume, Tone, and Drive. Also, there is a toggle bringing back the Flat-Mids (FM), Vintage, and the infamous Comp-Cut (CC) modes.
Simple True-Bypass switching, 9-18 volt operation
The FD1 was created because players couldn’t afford or find an original Full-Drive 2 from the 90s. Those early FD2s were changing hands for between $400 and $600 on the used market. The FD1 gives you the core FD2 sound, at a fraction of the cost. Its in a smaller enclosure, has no boost channel but the same overdrive circuit.
Soundwise?
Think Tubescreamer type pedal with its JRC4558 opamp.
It has full-size audiophile-grade capacitors, internal battery cradle, 9-18VDC operation, tiny bullet-proof steel enclosure, top-mounted jacks, and true bypass.
I’m talking about the exact (full midrange) Comp-Cut that was in the earliest FD2s, not the Flatter mids CC in later models.
So even though the FD-1 will have the Flat-Mids mode, the Comp-Cut is the fuller-mids version identical to the “pre FM / pre-MOSFET” versions of the FD2.
Key Features
- Three controls — Volume, Tone, Overdrive; plus three-way Clipping switch
- Comp-Cut (CC) mode — full-mids version identical to earliest pre-MOSFET FD2s
- Vintage (V) mode — normal diode clipping with strong midrange
- Flat-Mids (FM) mode — open, natural-sounding overdrive with cancelled mid
- JRC4558 op-amp — same chip as the Tubescreamer
- Full-size audiophile grade capacitors
- True Bypass
- 9V to 18V DC operation. 18V increases headroom & dynamic range
- Approximately 8mA current draw
- Top-mounted jacks
- 5-year limited warranty (original owner, non-transferable)
- Made in the USA
Controls:
- Volume
- Tone
- Overdrive
- Clipping switch
VOLUME knob:
Determines the level of the pedal when it’s turned ON only.
TONE knob:
This is an active treble Boost or Cut circuit.
You’ll find the 12 to 1 o’clock position to be pretty neutral. Turn it CCW (counter-clockwise) to 10 o’clock or so for smoother high-gain lead sounds (with Drive knob higher than 12 o’clock). Otherwise, turn it clockwise for more cut, and a less compressed feel.
OVERDRIVE knob:
Turn this Clockwise (CW) for more distortion, keep it below 10 0‘clock (with higher Volume knob settings) for cleaner sounds and for boosting your amp’s input without adding much distortion.
CLIPPING switch:
CC = Comp-Cut mode:
V = Vintage mode: Normal diode clipping with strong midrange presentation.
FM = Flat-Mids mode: uses a proprietary feedback circuit that returns signal to the clipping section, canceling out some of the midrange content, creating a very open, natural-sounding overdrive.
This tiny pedal is the size of Fulltone’sMas-Malo, with top-mounted (also called rear-mounted) jacks & power port, and a JRC4558 chip for your go-to overdrive sound. Come home.
size: 4.8″ x 2.9″ x 2.35″
Can run on battery or 9 – 18V centre negative power supply
Current draw approx 8ma
See It In Action
FAQs
The Full-Drive 2 has a separate boost channel. The FD1 removes the boost channel entirely and gives you the overdrive section only.
Comp-Cut (CC) is the full-mids version from the earliest FD2s. Vintage (V) uses normal diode clipping with a strong midrange presentation and Flat-Mids (FM) uses a proprietary feedback circuit that cancels some midrange content.
Comp-Cut clips in a way that produces a more compressed, middy sound. It’s the most coloured of the three modes and tmost reminiscent of the classic FD2.
Yes. Just keep the Overdrive control below 10 o’clock with higher Volume settings.
Both work well. 18V gives more headroom and dynamics.
Yes
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