The Mr. Black FwonkBeta is an envelope filter pedal: it listens to how hard you play and opens and closes a low-pass filter in response, producing the auto-wah and quack sounds associated with funk playing. Mr. Black describes it as a "Touch responsive envelope filter" and calls it an "Envelope/Low-Pass filter," adding that it delivers "Serious low-end thump when called upon."1 It sits in the wider family of filter pedals, alongside wah-wah pedals, which sweep a filter with a rocker pedal rather than with picking dynamics.
Controls
The pedal's named control is the "Fwonk" control, which Mr. Black says "further intensifies filter" behavior, pushing the filter effect harder than the standard setting.1 Because the filter is touch responsive, playing dynamics shape the effect: picking harder drives the filter further, and backing off lets it close.
Power and impedance
The FwonkBeta runs on 9VDC through a 2.1mm negative center-pin connector, the common standard for pedal power supplies, and draws about 59mA at 9VDC.1 Its input impedance is approximately 470K ohms and its output impedance is approximately 2K ohms, figures that suit a passive guitar feeding the input and the rest of a pedal chain taking the output.1 When the pedal is bypassed, True-Bypass switching takes the circuit out of the signal path entirely.1
B-stock units
Mr. Black sells the FwonkBeta in B-stock form at $149.95 USD, against the regular price of $199.95 USD.1 The maker describes what B-stock means and what carries over:
"While B-stock units have minor cosmetic defects, the internal components are the same as a standard pedal"
B-stock units carry the standard 1-year Mr. Black warranty, but all B-stock sales are final: Mr. Black states "NO RETURNS/EXCHANGES/REFUNDS. ALL B-STOCK SALES FINAL!"1
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Questions
Is the Mr. Black FwonkBeta true bypass?
Yes. Mr. Black lists the FwonkBeta as a True-Bypass pedal, so when it is switched off your guitar's signal passes straight through without going through the filter circuit. That matters on a pedalboard where several pedals sit in the chain, since buffered pedals can each add their own loading to the signal path.
What power supply does the FwonkBeta use?
The FwonkBeta runs on 9VDC with a 2.1mm negative center-pin connector, the standard polarity used by most pedal power supplies. It draws about 59mA at 9VDC, so a typical pedalboard power supply with enough current per output will run it without trouble.
Does the FwonkBeta take a battery?
Mr. Black's product page specifies 9VDC 2.1mm negative center-pin power and does not list battery operation, so plan on using a power supply rather than expecting an internal battery option.
What are the input and output impedances of the FwonkBeta?
Mr. Black lists the input impedance at approximately 470K ohms and the output impedance at approximately 2K ohms. The high input impedance suits passive guitar pickups, and the low output impedance helps the signal drive the rest of a pedal chain cleanly.
Do B-stock FwonkBeta pedals come with a warranty?
Yes. Mr. Black states that B-stock units carry the standard 1-year Mr. Black warranty. B-stock pedals have minor cosmetic defects, but the internal components are the same as a standard pedal. Note that all B-stock sales are final, with no returns, exchanges or refunds.
Sources (1)
- FwonkBeta B-stock, Mr. Black