I just managed to finally aquire one of these discontinued pedals recently, for a reasonable price, at that.
I am admittedly a pedal junkie and seek out many pedals out of curiosity more than anything else.
I buy and try, sell later on eBay if they don't measure up.
It's a hobby, turned somewhat 'Sport' during eBay auctions ;)

I had searched SG101 site and found many topics going back 10-15 years or so, but nothing more recent, so I thought I would chime in and hear what others have to say about the FDR-1.
I did read many posts saying "wish I never sold it"

I'll start by saying I wished I found this pedal that long ago, because of the average prices sold then!
It's a discontinued pedal now and some of the nicer condition ones fetch over $200. Well happy to report mine had been quite used and a lot cheaper, so I decided to try it.

I am running it into a small studio 5-15 watt Mesa Transatlantic tube head, through a 10" Weber Alnico Classic custom made cab.
This amp serves up super clean tone and is my best pedal platform.

Overall I am impressed with the FDR-1 as it really simulates a Blackface Deluxe Reverb, as it's name implies.
The gain however, can really go overboard into unwanted range, but when tamed down to 25% really gives just enough breakup on pick attack.
The Reverb is excellent, lots of splashy drip, and the tremelo mixed in really provides an awesome genuine Surf vibe.

I can get all the same sounds using 3 other pedals, Source Audio True Spring with a TC Electronics Pipeline tremelo (or most any tremelo) and finally a decent drive, using a JHS Morning Glory in front.

But getting everything from ONE pedal is pretty nice, at least for my tooling around.
I like to loop mostly, and probably never need this for live performance, except for the occasional back yard Summer party jams.

Anyways, as an amateur and pedal junkie demo player, the Boss FDR-1 gets top ranking "keeper" status to my fleet!

What are your thoughts?
Anyone else still have theirs?

Samurai, for my other larger pedal board, I also have a Surfybear, in Compact, with a SB Blossom Point, and will certainly agree that combination is superior in sound to the FDR-1.

Thanks for the heads up on the Sonic Blue, feeds my interest and will put on my radar.

Last edited: Apr 01, 2024 05:35:41

I always like the Lovepedal champ since it was set at slight overdrive setting you have to use your Guitar Volume to make this more amazing..... I think someone said this but you chose a pedal you like I think you stick with you and see how it goes I just posted just to show what is out there.........

AgentClaret wrote:

Yeah, the Sonic Blue Twanger is interesting! You say it's to blackface amps as the Blossom Point is to brownface?

I've been thinking about getting a Tone Master or UA Dream '65 but this might be a much more economic option...

As for me yes. I place it after reverb and it gives This sound.

Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine

https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki

Lost Diver

https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin

synchro wrote:

I had one of these, when it was a current product, and wish I had never sold it. It makes for a pretty decent, all around reverb, and I recently found out that if you hold the switch down for a few seconds, it acts as a tap tempo for the tremolo. I don’t remember actually selling mine, but I probably did, because it’s nowhere to be found, although the box is still with me.

When I had a Japanese made Jaguar, it was an always on pedal, which served to tame the highs that guitar had in abundance. I set it at just the lightest breakup, which took the edge off, but still let that Jag’ sing.<<

So I accidentally 'discovered' this Tap Tempo feature for the Trem/Vibrato. I had tapped the pedal into the mode, not knowing, and then the tempo changed, not knowing, and then I could NOT figure out how to restore the tremelo speed.
I am of the school of thought, that if you keep pressing buttons and things long enough, you can figure it out.
Took a few attempts.
So, that too is a nice feature of the FDR-1

Testing out more combinations of other pedals, to get the SAME sound as the FDR-1. and I get close with a few. But none match exactly.
I even went to the Princeton amp platform.
The FDR-1 is a '65 Blackface, and a good one!

Wanna' sell your empty box? LOL

synchro wrote:

When I had a Japanese made Jaguar, it was an always on pedal, which served to tame the highs that guitar had in abundance.

Okay wow, you've piqued my interest with this comment. Perhaps this pedal would work where 4 EQs and 2 compressors almost do, but don't quite... Was the Japanese jag significantly brighter / screechier than say a vintage or AVRI? Clean, every guitar sounds euphonic. With reverb, I get big time icepicks on the B and high e. I've never been able to tame them without making the whole thing sound like mud.

Daniel Deathtide

I was up sick in the wee hours of the morning and came across a Sonic Blue Twanger on eBay for $60. It should be here by next week!

So probably put this at the end of my effects chain, right by my Blossom Point?

synchro wrote:

I had one of these, when it was a current product, and wish I had never sold it. If you keep the Gain in the friendly range, it’s a nice transparent overdrive, much like playing a Deluxe Reverb at 4 or 5 on the volume knob. It makes for a pretty decent, all around reverb, and I recently found out that if you hold the switch down for a few seconds, it acts as a tap tempo for the tremolo. I don’t remember actually selling mine, but I probably did, because it’s nowhere to be found, although the box is still with me.

When I had a Japanese made Jaguar, it was an always on pedal, which served to tame the highs that guitar had in abundance. I set it at just the lightest breakup, which took the edge off, but still let that Jag’ sing.

are Japanese Jags brighter than US?

synchro wrote:

peanutswilson wrote:

synchro wrote:

I had one of these, when it was a current product, and wish I had never sold it. If you keep the Gain in the friendly range, it’s a nice transparent overdrive, much like playing a Deluxe Reverb at 4 or 5 on the volume knob. It makes for a pretty decent, all around reverb, and I recently found out that if you hold the switch down for a few seconds, it acts as a tap tempo for the tremolo. I don’t remember actually selling mine, but I probably did, because it’s nowhere to be found, although the box is still with me.

When I had a Japanese made Jaguar, it was an always on pedal, which served to tame the highs that guitar had in abundance. I set it at just the lightest breakup, which took the edge off, but still let that Jag’ sing.

are Japanese Jags brighter than US?

The one I had sure was. The original pickups were exceptionally bright, to the point that I found them harsh. I swapped in a set of Seymour Duncan Hot Jaguar pickups, which helped, but even with those, the signal was still a lot brighter than with my Warmoth Jaguar with Pure Vintage ‘62s or my Squier Jaguar.

I have no idea of why, that Japanese guitar sounded like it did. IIRC, it was made of Ash with a Maple neck, and the two I have now are Alder (Squier) and Swamp Ash (Warmoth), both with Maple necks. But light overdrive tamed that MIJ Jaguar, pretty well.
I've got a CIJ Jag and JM, the JM is brighter than the Jag but they're both pretty brutal. Was playing a 70s Twin Reverb for years but I just can't do it anymore. I've got a surfy bear metal and the icepicks are even worse with that. I live in new zealand so finding an original brownface is off the cards. We've got local brand Jansen that made their own Bassman in the early 60s/70s, so now I'm looking for an early model which I'm planning to mod in hopes of attaining something a little more full bodied and less harsh. Will need to look into speaker options as well I imagine. Maintaining a healthy drip whilst not injuring the audience has been a balancing act.