The FQ12 Dual Range-Bastard is a pedal from Echopark Instruments, a company that handcrafts vintage-looking and sounding effects. It is the maker's second pedal, and it carries individual true-bypass switches for both its Boost and Frequency Selections, so each side of the pedal can be switched in and out on its own.1
What it does
The left side is built around what the maker calls "an absolutely discreet 6 position notched filter as designed in the early 50's for use in military and early radio development to match and enhance human heard frequencies."1 A center toggle switch sets how hard the EQ is pushed, at 50% or 100%.1
The right side is a boost that can be set independently of the EQ side. Echopark describes its range as anywhere from "a 'unity or clean boost to a powerful pre-amp style drive with no original tone affected ..only Harmonic Richness."1 In practice that puts it in territory shared by boost pedals, overdrive pedals and preamp pedals, depending on where the control is set.
As for the sound the maker is after, Delicious Audio's product page describes the range as "from a Revolver-era Vox tone to Any Brian May tone and everything else you could ever wish to hear a vintage range master accomplish."1
"from a Revolver-era Vox tone to Any Brian May tone and everything else you could ever wish to hear a vintage range master accomplish"
Controls at a glance
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| 6-position frequency selector | Notched filter, one of six frequencies, on the EQ side1 |
| Center toggle switch | Pushes the EQ at 50% or 100%1 |
| Boost control | Independent, from unity or clean boost to pre-amp style drive1 |
| Two footswitches | Individual true-bypass for Boost and for Frequency Selections1 |
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Questions
Is the Echopark FQ12 Dual Range-Bastard still available?
The FQ12 Dual Range-Bastard was released as a limited pedal, according to Delicious Audio's March 2018 coverage of the product. Limited runs from small builders like Echopark Instruments are made in finite quantities, so the pedal may not be in current production. Anyone looking for one today would most likely find it secondhand or through the maker directly, depending on what stock exists.
Can the two sides of the FQ12 be used separately?
Yes. The pedal carries individual true-bypass switches for both the Boost and the Frequency Selections, so each side can be switched in and out on its own. The boost side can also be set independently, from a unity or clean boost up to what the maker describes as a powerful pre-amp style drive, while the EQ side offers a 6-position notched filter with a toggle for 50% or 100% push.
Sources (1)
- Echopark Instruments FQ12 Dual Range-Bastard, Delicious Audio, 2018-03-26