Folktek changed hands. The announcement on the Folktek site, signed "~Brian & Jeff", says the new owners "intend to produce many of the previously available Folktek products" and will also release new products going forward1.
What Folktek makes
Folktek's range spans three kinds of product: synth modules, guitar pedals and electro-acoustic instruments1. For a pedalboard player, the most direct entry points are the Alter pedals, which Folktek lists as Guitar Multi-Effects Pedals.
- Alter X and Alter Y: multi-effects pedals that accept guitar, line or eurorack levels, so they sit as happily on a pedalboard as in a modular synth rack23.
- Anthesis Voice Generator: a voice product that ships with a printed manual, mounting hardware and a power connection in a Folktek box4.
- Earlier products such as the Alter 1, Alter 2, Resonant Garden, Palaces and the Sift low pass filter make up the back catalog the new owners say they intend to draw on1.
The Alter pedals are built to work with either standard ¼" jacks for input and output, or 1/8" (3.5mm) jacks for use with anything else, which is what makes them usable with eurorack gear as well as guitars3. Power on the Alter Y uses a connector standard for most pedals: 2.1mm, center negative tip3.
The founder and the new owners
Folktek's founder is Arius Blaze1. The current owners, Brian and Jeff, also run 3Dio, a microphone company, and they credit Blaze's "pioneering work" as the foundation they are carrying forward1. Their announcement frames the change as both a continuation of the existing line and the start of new products1.
"Going forward, we intend to produce many of the previously available Folktek products. We will also continue to release new products in the very near future and beyond."
Ordering from Folktek
One thing international buyers should know: Folktek does not collect VAT on behalf of the customer, and the company is not responsible for payment of import taxes3. Any duties or taxes on an order shipped outside Folktek's country are the buyer's to settle.
Where the range sits
Because the Alter pedals accept guitar, line and eurorack levels and offer both ¼" and 3.5mm jacks, they overlap with both multi-effects pedals and synth pedals as categories, while the electro-acoustic instruments stand outside the pedal world entirely. Players comparing the Alter X and Alter Y will find the same input flexibility and jack options on both23.
The range (2)
| Type | Pedals |
|---|---|
| Multi-effects | Folktek Alter X, Folktek Alter Y |
Questions
Who owns Folktek now?
Folktek is under new ownership and is operated by Brian and Jeff, who are also the owners of the microphone company 3Dio. They announced the change on the Folktek site and said they intend to produce many of the previously available Folktek products as well as release new ones.
Will Folktek make the Matter again?
The new owners have not named specific products, but they state that going forward they intend to produce many of the previously available Folktek products and to continue releasing new products in the near future and beyond. Whether the Matter returns has not been confirmed.
Does Folktek charge import taxes on international orders?
No. Folktek does not collect VAT on behalf of the customer and is not responsible for payment of import taxes. If you order from outside the country Folktek ships from, any VAT or import taxes charged are yours to pay.
Is the Folktek Voices still available?
The Folktek Anthesis Voice Generator is listed as a current product and ships with a printed manual, mounting hardware and a power connection in a Folktek box. It is the voice product in the current Folktek range covered by this page.