The Tech 21 Fly Rig5 Cali is a multi-effects pedal in the Fly Rig5 line, built around Tech 21's SansAmp circuitry. It is one of two variants Tech 21 added to the line in late 2016, alongside the Fly Rig5 Brit, each putting a different amp flavor into the same stompbox format1.
What it does
The Cali's defining change is in its drive section. Where the original Fly Rig5 carried a distortion circuit, the Cali replaces it with a Transatlantic tone section. Tech 21 describes the tones behind it as mid-'70s boutique amp sounds, taken from the Cali and US Metal SansAmp Character Series pedals1.
That heritage matters for players: the Character Series pedals are standalone SansAmp preamps, so the Cali folds that kind of amp voicing into the all-in-one Fly Rig5 format rather than asking for a separate pedal on the board. The SansAmp section, the core of every Fly Rig, remains part of the design1.
Where it came from
MusicRadar reported the news on 31 October 2016, describing the Cali and Brit as fresh takes on the Fly Rig5 design. Both were listed at $249 each, with availability set for mid-November 2016 and preorders open at Tech 21 NYC at the time1.
The Fly Rig5 line has since grown into a family of variants, including the Richie Kotzen RK5, the Paul Landers Fly Rig PL1 and the SansAmp Bass Fly Rig V2 for bass players, each tailoring the same multi-effects concept to a different player or instrument.
Questions
How does the Fly Rig5 Cali differ from the original Fly Rig5?
The Cali replaces the original Fly Rig5's distortion circuit with a Transatlantic tone section. Its tones are drawn from the Cali and US Metal SansAmp Character Series pedals, aimed at mid-'70s boutique amp sounds. The rest of the Fly Rig5 concept, including the SansAmp section, carries over, and Tech 21 released it alongside a Brit variant with the same approach.
When was the Fly Rig5 Cali released and what did it cost?
MusicRadar reported the news on 31 October 2016. The Fly Rig5 Cali and its Brit sibling were listed at $249 each, available in mid-November 2016, and were up for preorder at Tech 21 NYC at the time of the announcement.
Sources (1)
- Tech 21 gives Fly Rig5 multi-effects pedal Brit and Cali makeovers, MusicRadar, 2016-10-31
