The Glou-Glou Flancher FL5.Bright is a voltage-controlled stereo analog delay, built on bucket-brigade (BBD) chips, the same kind of circuit that gave vintage analog delays their character. It is unusual in being a fully independent stereo design: the Left and Right channels each get their own separate Depth and Time controls, so the two sides of a stereo rig can run different delay settings at the same time. Glou-Glou released it on 10 June 2024 as one of four Flancher variants launched together, priced at $650 USD, and it was available for orders via the Glou-Glou webstore at that time1.
How it works and what it does
The FL5.Bright uses two Xvive MN3005 4096-stage BBD chips, one for each channel. BBD chips move the analog signal through thousands of internal stages to create the delay, rather than digitizing it, which is why the pedal is described as all analog. Glou-Glou powers all of the BBD chips at 15V internally, stepped up from the 9V DC input, with a minimum current draw of 410 mA1.
At 500 mA draw (minimum 410 mA), the FL5.Bright needs its own dedicated high-current 9V DC output. It will not run from a battery or a shared daisy chain.
The delay time range is 12 ms to 480 ms, and a Double switch splits it into two ranges: 12 ms to 240 ms and 24 ms to 480 ms1. At the short end that territory overlaps with modulation effects such as flanger and chorus pedals, which work on the same short-delay principle; at the long end it behaves as a conventional delay.
Controls and connectivity
The rear panel carries an Expression port and a 5V EXP control voltage port, and the pedal offers 11 CV ports in total: Double, Phase, Speed, Depth L, Time L, Depth R, Time R, Dry, Wet, Feedback and 5V EXP1. A Waveform switch selects between Tri and Sine waveforms for the modulation1.
| Control or port | What it does |
|---|---|
| Depth L / Depth R | Separate modulation depth for each channel1 |
| Time L / Time R | Separate delay time for each channel1 |
| Double switch | Splits the range into 12 to 240 ms or 24 to 480 ms1 |
| Waveform switch | Selects Tri or Sine waveform1 |
| Feedback | Takes the repeats up to self-oscillation1 |
| 11 CV ports | External control of Double, Phase, Speed, Depth L, Time L, Depth R, Time R, Dry, Wet, Feedback and 5V EXP1 |
| Expression / 5V EXP | Rear ports for an expression pedal or CV1 |
The CV ports make the pedal a candidate for modular and studio setups as much as a pedalboard, since nearly every parameter can be driven externally. Players using an expression pedal with it can find more on expression pedals1.
Self-oscillation and sound
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, writing at launch, described the Feedback control as one that "will take you all the way up to a very musical self-oscillation"1. His overall verdict on the Flancher range was that "These are beautifully made unique and distinct devices which deliver a really high-fidelity output!"1.
The Flancher family
The FL5.Bright arrived on 10 June 2024 alongside three siblings: the FL5.Dark, which shares the same 12 to 480 ms MN3005-based delay circuit, and the FL7 and FL9, which cover different millisecond ranges. The two FL5 delay variants were priced at $650 each1.
Questions
What BBD chips does the Glou-Glou Flancher FL5.Bright use?
The FL5.Bright is built around two Xvive MN3005 4096-stage bucket-brigade (BBD) chips, one per channel. BBD chips pass the analog audio signal through a chain of capacitors in stages, which is how an analog delay produces its repeats without converting the signal to digital. Glou-Glou powers all of the BBD chips at 15V internally, from the pedal's 9V DC input.
What is the delay time range of the Flancher FL5.Bright?
The FL5.Bright covers a delay time range of 12 ms to 480 ms. A Double switch splits this into two ranges: 12 ms to 240 ms and 24 ms to 480 ms, so you can choose between shorter, tighter repeats and longer, more spacious ones.
Can the Flancher FL5.Bright run in stereo?
Yes. It is a true stereo device with Left and Right inputs and outputs, each also accepting a stereo TRS plug, and it gives each channel its own separate Depth and Time controls. That makes it possible to run two different delay settings at once, one per side.
Does the Flancher FL5.Bright accept an expression pedal?
Yes. The rear panel carries an Expression port alongside a 5V EXP control voltage port, and the pedal has 11 CV ports in total covering Double, Phase, Speed, Depth L, Time L, Depth R, Time R, Dry, Wet, Feedback and the 5V EXP connection.
Can the Flancher FL5.Bright self-oscillate?
Yes. According to Guitar Pedal X, the Feedback control takes the pedal all the way up to what the site called a very musical self-oscillation, where the repeats build on themselves into a sustained tone rather than collapsing into harsh noise.
How much current does the Flancher FL5.Bright draw?
The FL5.Bright runs on 9V DC center negative and draws 500 mA, with a minimum draw of 410 mA. That is well beyond what a battery or a shared daisy-chain supply can deliver, so it needs its own dedicated high-current power output.
Sources (1)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-06-10
