A boost pedal sits in your chain to raise the signal level: lifting a solo, driving the front of an amp harder, or simply making a quiet guitar louder without changing its character. The FC18 is a clean boost pedal with a 2 band EQ, and its Volume control adjusts the output level to taste12.
What it does
The FC18 raises your output level by up to 20 dB or more while keeping the signal clean, and its Bass and Treble EQ knobs let you color the boosted tone12. Because it works as a low-gain effect as well as a volume boost, it can add a touch of grit when pushing an amp, in the way boost pedals sit alongside overdrive and distortion pedals on a board2.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain (large knob) | Sets the boost level; easy to adjust on the fly12 |
| Bass EQ (mini knob) | Fine-tunes low-end level and coloration2 |
| Treble EQ (mini knob) | Fine-tunes high-end level and coloration2 |
Flamma highlights the large gain knob as the main control for adjusting levels on the fly, with the two mini EQ knobs reserved for finer tweaks12.
Bypass and size
When you switch the FC18 off, the pedal passes your signal via true bypass, so it drops out of the chain completely1. Flamma pitches the enclosure as a compact package, and Pedal of the Day found it "provides plenty of power without hogging all the real estate on your pedalboard"2.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the FC18 on 22 October 2022, the first of five Flamma Innovation pedals the site planned to cover2. The reviewer's verdict on the brand:
"For the price and pedalboard flexibility, we really haven't found a comparable brand that can do what Flamma does"
Videos
Flamma Innovation
Pedal of the Day
Medins Make Music
Questions
Is the Flamma FC18 true bypass?
Yes. Flamma says that when you switch the FC18 off, the signal passes through the pedal via true bypass, so the pedal is out of your signal chain entirely. Pedal of the Day's review confirms the true bypass switching.
How much boost does the Flamma FC18 give?
The FC18 offers up to 20 dB or more of clean boost, according to both Flamma's product page and Pedal of the Day's review. That is enough to push an amp harder or lift a solo above the band.
Does the Flamma FC18 have an EQ?
Yes. The FC18 has a two-band EQ with mini Bass and Treble knobs, which Pedal of the Day describes as allowing fine tweaking of volume levels and coloration alongside the main Gain control.
How big is the Flamma FC18 compared with other boost pedals?
Flamma describes the FC18 as a compact package, and Pedal of the Day notes it provides plenty of power without hogging pedalboard real estate. Exact dimensions are not published, but it is built to take up little board space.
Sources (2)
- FLAMMA FC18 Clean Boost Pedal, 20db+ Clean Boost with a 2 Band EQ, Flamma Innovation (www.flamma.shop)
- Flamma Innovation FC18 Clean Boost, Pedal of the Day, 2022-10-22