The Tech 21 Brit Fly Rig 5 is a multi-effects pedal that gathers five of the pedals Tech 21 thinks a working player needs, distortion, boost, reverb and delay built around a SansAmp preamp, into a single enclosure. The maker pitches it as a way to "Get 5 'must-have' gigging pedals for 1/3 the cost at 1/3 the size, without sacrificing pro quality tone."1
The five sections
The pedal is built around a SansAmp tube amplifier emulator, pre-voiced for clean tones, with a 3-band active EQ plus Level and Drive controls. The Drive control adjusts the overall amount of gain and overdrive in that section.1
The distortion section is where the Brit version differs from the original Fly Rig 5. Tech 21 replaced the original's distortion circuit with a Transatlantic tone section based on its own British SansAmp Character Series pedal, which was inspired by vintage British amps. MusicRadar reported the same when the Brit and Cali versions were announced in 2016.2
The remaining sections are drawn from other pedals in the Tech 21 line:
- Boost: up to 21dB of pre-amp boost, activated by its own footswitch, described by Tech 21 as like having an extra "12AX7" pre-amp gain stage. The range, the maker says, "allows you to go from a state of mild overdrive to insane gain."1
- Reverb: based on the Boost RVB pedal, emulating the rich ambiances of a vintage spring reverb.1
- Delay (DLA): based on the Boost DLA pedal, voiced for vintage tape echo sounds, with Level, Time, Repeats and Drift controls. Drift adds a random element to the modulation for what Tech 21 calls authentic textures.1
- Tap Tempo: a dedicated switch for tapping in the delay tempo during a performance.1
Power and connections
The Brit Fly Rig 5 runs on an included 12V DC power supply rated at 150mA with a center negative connector. For North America the supply is Model #DC3-A; for international use it is Model #DC3-D, which auto-switches across 100V to 240V. Connections are a 1/4-inch high-impedance input and a 1/4-inch low impedance output.1
The Brit Fly Rig 5 uses silent-switching, custom footswitch actuators rather than conventional mechanical switches, so there is no audible click when engaging or bypassing a section.1
Brit or Cali: what changed
The Brit and Cali versions arrived in 2016 as two flavors of the same Fly Rig 5 design. Both swap the original's distortion circuit for a Transatlantic tone section, and both carry the same onboard boost of up to 21dB. The difference is the voicing: the Brit takes its character from vintage British amps via the British SansAmp Character Series pedal, while the Cali takes mid-'70s boutique amp tones from the Cali and U.S. Metal SansAmp Character Series pedals.2 Paolo De Gregorio of Delicious Audio, covering the launch at the LA Stompbox Exhibit, put it this way: "They feature two circuits from the Tech 21's Character stompbox series in lieu of the Plexi in the overdrive section."3
The Brit Fly Rig 5 pairs its SansAmp tube amplifier emulator, pre-voiced for clean tones, with a 3-band active EQ plus Level and Drive controls, and Tech 21 says the Boost range lets you go "from a state of mild overdrive to insane gain." It sits in an all-metal housing in a gunmetal finish with metal footswitches and jacks, and uses silent-switching custom footswitch actuators.21
Settings and practical details
Tech 21's owner's manual includes sample settings for the BRIT section aimed at recognizable styles: Mississippi Queen, Bluesbreakers, Cult/Sanctuary, NWOBHM Iron Maiden, Oasis, The Shadows/Apache, Keef/Brown Sugar and Zep/Communication.1
The pedal ships with four knob grippers, one on each Level control, with additional packs of 10 sold separately.1
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Questions
Is the Tech 21 Brit Fly Rig 5 an analog pedal?
Yes. Tech 21 specifies an all analog signal path, with the reverb and delay mixed in parallel rather than in series. The pedal's delay and reverb sections are modeled on older technologies, a vintage spring reverb and a vintage tape echo, but the signal itself stays analog from input to output.
Does the Brit Fly Rig 5 come with a power supply?
It does. The pedal runs on an included 12V DC power supply rated at 150mA with a center negative connector. For North America the supply is Model #DC3-A, and for international use it is Model #DC3-D, which auto-switches across 100V to 240V mains.
Does the Brit Fly Rig 5 have tap tempo?
Yes. The delay section has a dedicated Tap Tempo switch, which Tech 21 describes as a simple way to tap in the delay tempo you want during a performance.
How much boost does the Brit Fly Rig 5 provide?
The Boost function provides up to 21dB of pre-amp boost, which Tech 21 compares to having an extra 12AX7 pre-amp gain stage. It is activated by its own footswitch, and the range runs from mild overdrive to what the maker calls insane gain.
What is the difference between the Fly Rig 5 Brit and the Fly Rig 5 Cali?
Both are versions of the same Fly Rig 5 multi-effects pedal, differing in the distortion section. The Brit draws on vintage British amps via Tech 21's British SansAmp Character Series pedal, while the Cali draws on mid-'70s boutique amp tones via the Cali and U.S. Metal SansAmp Character Series pedals.
Sources (3)
- Brit Fly Rig 5, Tech 21 NYC, 2019-06-24
- Tech 21 gives Fly Rig5 multi-effects pedal Brit and Cali makeovers, MusicRadar, 2016-10-31
- Tech 21 Unveils Fly Rig Brit And Fly Rig Cali At LA Stompbox Exhibit, Delicious Audio, 2016-11-30
