The Red Witch FALCOR is a limited-edition analog chorus pedal, one of a run of just 60 pieces, each hand-built by Ben Fulton at his home workshop in New Zealand1. It is an all-analog chorus built around a NOS MN3007 bucket-brigade chip, the same class of delay line used in classic analog chorus and flanger circuits2. What sets it apart from a standard chorus is its Resonance control, which feeds part of the modulated signal back into the input stage and lets the pedal move beyond chorusing into flanger and, at the extremes, almost ring-modulation tones12.
The FALCOR is sold out, and because it was a one-time run of 60 one-off pedals, no two are alike1.
A bucket-brigade chorus that reaches into flanging
The FALCOR is a chorus at heart: an all-analog, chorus-styled modulation device featuring a NOS MN3007 BBD, as Premier Guitar described it at launch2. Bucket-brigade chips pass the signal down a chain of capacitors a step at a time, which delays it slightly; modulating that delay time is what produces chorus, and pushing the delay time shorter and feeding signal back is what produces flanging.
That feedback path is the FALCOR's distinguishing feature. The Resonance control sends some of the modulated signal back into the input stage, which expands the pedal beyond standard chorusing into flanging and, at its furthest reaches, almost ring-modulation sounds1. MusicRadar described the same mechanism in plainer terms: feeding some of the signal back into the effect to allow the chorusing to take on the qualities of a flanger, with Red Witch saying there are some ring-mod tones to be teased out of it3.
"Falcor offers a unique resonance control allowing owners to shift the response of the chorus pedal into the realms of flanger and almost ring modulation tones."
For a player, that means one knob spans a wide stretch of modulation territory, from a conventional chorus sweep toward flanger edge and, at the extreme, textures closer to a synth-like ring modulator213.
The controls
The FALCOR keeps its control set small, four knobs and a footswitch1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Velocity | Sets the rate of the modulation pulse, from very slow to very fast1 |
| Depth | Sets the depth of the modulation1 |
| Mix | Blends wet and dry, from a faint hint of modulation to a full drenching1 |
| Resonance | Feeds modulated signal back into the input stage, moving from chorus into flanging and near ring-modulation tones1 |
The footswitch is true bypass and engages the effect, and the LED pulses in time with the modulation, so the light itself shows the rate you have dialed in1. The right-hand jack socket is the input and the left-hand jack socket is the output1.
Power comes from a 9-volt DC supply with a 2.1mm socket, tip negative, drawing 24mA1.
The FALCOR's 9V DC, tip-negative, 2.1mm power requirement is the common pedalboard standard, but the maker's page does not mention a battery option, so plan on a mains or isolated supply.
A limited run of 60 one-off pedals
The FALCOR was a limited production of only 60 pieces, and each one is a "one of one" pedal with its own unique art and its own unique circuit1. Red Witch says each FALCOR has a unique blend of components, which results in each pedal having its own specific internal modulation delay time, tonal response and overall flavor1. MusicRadar put it the same way: 60 units in total, each featuring unique artwork, each with a slightly different take on the same BBD circuit3.
The artwork has a personal origin. Guitar World reported that the casings come in different colors, each printed with a different stylized watercolour-style photo of Ben Fulton's late father, each photo recreated in watercolour style4.
"Each photo is recreated in a watercolour style and printed onto different colored casings."
Every pedal was hand-built by Fulton at his New Zealand workshop4, and the maker's page lists the run at 599 USD per pedal1. The run is now sold out1, so the FALCOR is only found on the secondhand market, and because each of the 60 is a one-off circuit, two FALCORs will not sound quite identical.
Players looking at Red Witch's other modulation pedals can compare the FALCOR against the Red Witch Empress Deus Chorus, the Red Witch Medusa Chorus Tremolo, and the Red Witch Xyolia Choral Phase.
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Questions
Is the Red Witch FALCOR still available?
No. The maker's product page lists the FALCOR as sold out. It was a limited production of only 60 pieces, each a one-off pedal with its own unique artwork and its own unique circuit, so no two units are alike and no further runs were announced.
Who designed the Red Witch FALCOR?
Ben Fulton, founder of Red Witch Pedals. He describes the FALCOR as crafted by hand at his home workshop, and Guitar World reported that each Falcor pedal would be hand-built by Fulton at his New Zealand workshop.
Is the FALCOR true bypass?
Yes. According to the maker's product page, the footswitch uses true bypass switching and engages the effect. The LED pulses in time with the modulation, giving a visual read of the rate setting.
What chip is inside the FALCOR?
A NOS MN3007 bucket-brigade device (BBD). Red Witch describes each FALCOR as 100 percent analog, built around a new-old-stock MN3007 bucket-brigade chip, the classic approach for analog chorus and flanger circuits.
What power does the FALCOR use?
A 9-volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm socket, tip negative (center negative). Current draw is 24mA. The maker's page does not mention battery operation, so plan on a standard center-negative pedal power supply.
Where is the FALCOR built?
In New Zealand. Ben Fulton hand-builds each pedal at his home workshop there, and each of the 60 units gets its own unique artwork and a slightly different take on the same BBD circuit.
Sources (4)
- FALCOR - Limited Edition Modulator - Red Witch Pedals, Red Witch Pedals
- Red Witch Releases the New FALCOR Pedal Collection, Premier Guitar, 2023-12-19
- “This pedal is my tribute to my Dad”: Red Witch unveils the Falcor Modulator, a special limited run of analogue BBD modulation pedals, each wholly unique, MusicRadar, 2023-12-19
- Red Witch releases 60 one-of-a-kind Falcor pedals, Guitar World, 2023-12-19
