The Tech 21 Richie Kotzen RK5 Fly Rig v2 is a multi-effects pedal that packs an entire guitar rig into a slim, all-metal box: a SansAmp tube amplifier emulator, Kotzen's signature OMG overdrive, a boost, a tape-echo-style delay, a reverb, and built-in amp and cabinet simulation. Tech 21 describes it as a unit that "embodies an entire rig on its own"1. It is the signature version of the Tech 21 Fly Rig 5 v2, built with solo artist and former Poison guitarist Richie Kotzen, whose overdrive section was tuned to his specs23.
The v2 update arrived in 2019, nearly five years after the original Tech 21 RK5 debuted in 201424. It shipped for $3295. The signal path is all analog, with the reverb and delay mixed in parallel, and the pedal can go into a guitar amp or straight into a PA, mixer or recording interface1.
What v2 added over the original RK5
The original RK5 combined a SansAmp, reverb, delay, boost and Kotzen's OMG distortion in one unit6. V2 kept that core and added a layer of practical features aimed at players who fly light:
- A chromatic tuner2
- A headphone output and a DI output in XLR format, useful for both stage and studio work2
- A Leslie-style rotary speaker effect, new modulation for anyone who missed it in V12
- A separately switchable reverb2
- Fuzz mode for the OMG overdrive2
- A switchable FET-based compressor in the Boost section, in the style of the 50s and 60s2
- The SansAmp footswitch changed to an on/off push-button5
The controls, section by section
The SansAmp section sits at the heart of the pedal. It is a tube amplifier emulator pre-voiced for clean tones, with 3-band active EQ plus Level and Drive controls, and it is what lets the RK5 run direct to a PA or mixer1. In v2 it gets an on/off push-button instead of a footswitch5. Pete Thorn found that set flat and engaged, the SansAmp does not noticeably affect the tone going into the front end of an amplifier7.
The OMG overdrive is based on Richie Kotzen's signature OMG pedal and brings in the organic distortion of a single power tube Class A amp1. It includes Level, Tone and Drive controls1. Thorn called it Kotzen's signature distortion sound, distinct from the distortion on the other Fly Rig version, and found it "does sound really good run right to my clean channel on my PT100 amp" with plenty of drive and sustain on tap at halfway boost and drive settings7.
"the OMG or oh my God section is Richie's signature Distortion sound, sounds much different than the distortion on the other"
The Boost, within the OMG section, kicks in up to 21dB of pre-amp gain and can be used independently to push the SansAmp and OMG sections13. In v2 it also carries the switchable FET-based compressor2.
The DLA delay is based on the Boost DLA pedal and voiced for vintage tape echo sounds1. Its controls:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets delay level |
| Time | Sets delay time |
| Repeats | Sets number of repeats |
| Drift | Adds a random element to the modulation for authentic textures1 |
| Tap Tempo | Dedicated footswitch for tapping in delay tempo during a performance1 |
Thorn described the delay as sounding like a clean digital delay with the ability to add modulation, with Drift acting like a depth control for a slow, medium-rate modulation; above about 2:00 it gets pronounced, and at about halfway it gives a subtle chorus-like effect7.
The reverb, within the SansAmp section, is based on the Boost RVB pedal and emulates a vintage spring reverb1. In v2 it is separately switchable2. The housing is all metal with metal footswitches and jacks and silent-switching, custom footswitch actuators1. Earlier versions shipped with 4 knob grippers, one on each Level control, with additional grippers sold in packs of 101.
Power
The RK5 v2 runs on the included 12V DC power supply, 150mA, center negative1. Tech 21 shipped it with the Model #DC3-A supply in North America and the Model #DC3-D internationally, an auto-switching, self-adjusting 100V-240V unit1.
The 12V DC requirement means the RK5 v2 cannot run on a standard 9V pedal supply. The later RK5 v3 moved to a 9V DC supply8.
The Killer Wail v2 wah from Tech 21 is phantom operable via the RK5 v2, but only with a modification to the Fly Rig9.
What reviewers said
Pete Thorn demoed the original RK5 in 2017, running his signature guitar into a Polytune tuner, then the RK5, then the clean channel of a PT100 amp, and used it for all the distortion, delay and reverb sounds on the full demo track7. On direct use, he was emphatic:
"I can't overstate enough that it's really cool that you can use this as a direct device"
Who uses it
Richie Kotzen, a solo artist and former guitarist of the glam metal band Poison, endorses the RK52. Tech 21 says he primarily uses his RK5 live in conjunction with his standard amp rig1. The pedal was developed with his input; Thorn noted Kotzen spent good time tweaking the distortion section to get his sound7.
The RK5 v2 and the v3
The RK5 v3, anticipated for January 2025, retains the same SansAmp section, Reverb/Delay/Roto section and Kotzen's signature OMG overdrive4. New in v3 are a switchable Pre/Post Boost and an effects loop8. The v3 also changes the power arrangement to an included 9V DC universal supply (Tech 21 Model #DC9, 200mA, auto-switching 100V-240V) with interchangeable international prong assemblies, and measures 12.5" long against the earlier unit's 11.5", weighing 20.7 oz versus 18.6 oz81. Its ROTO mode turns the delay into a rotating speaker effect with Tap Tempo controlling speed, and Drift controlling the virtual mic distance8.
Videos
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Questions
Does the RK5 Fly Rig v2 have a tuner?
Yes. A chromatic tuner was added in V2, along with a headphone output and an XLR DI output. The tuner was one of the headline changes Tech 21 made when it updated the original 2014 RK5 for 2019.
Can the RK5 v2 power a Tech 21 Killer Wail?
Yes, with a catch. Tech 21 says the Killer Wail v2 wah is phantom operable via the Richie Kotzen Signature RK5 v2 Fly Rig, but only with a modification to the Fly Rig. The same applies to the Fly Rig 5 v2.
Does the RK5 Fly Rig v2 have a headphone output?
Yes. V2 added a headphone output alongside a DI output in XLR format, which reviewers noted is useful for both stage and studio work. The XLR output also lets the pedal run straight into a PA or mixing desk.
What is the difference between the RK5 v2 and v3?
The v3, anticipated for January 2025, keeps the SansAmp, Reverb/Delay/Roto and OMG sections but adds a switchable Pre/Post Boost and an effects loop, moves to a 9V DC power supply, and is slightly longer at 12.5 inches versus 11.5 inches for the earlier unit.
Can the RK5 v2 overdrive be used as a fuzz?
Yes. In V2 the OMG overdrive, based on Richie Kotzen's signature OMG pedal, can also be used in Fuzz mode. The OMG section otherwise covers a wide range of overdrive, from clean to aggressive.
Sources (9)
- RK5 v1 - Tech 21 NYC, Tech 21 NYC, 2019-06-24
- Tech 21 updates Richie Kotzen RK5 Signature Fly Rig to V2, gearnews.com, 2019-02-13
- Tech 21 Intros Kotzen Signature Fly Rig 5, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2014-12-01
- Richie Kotzen RK5 Signature Fly Rig V3 by Tech 21, Premier Guitar, 2024-12-21
- Tech 21 announces V2 versions of Fly Rig 5 and Richie Kotzen RK5 multi-effects pedals, MusicRadar, 2019-02-14
- SansAmp FlyRig RK5 V1 by Tech 21, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- TECH 21 RK5 Richie Kotzen Flyrig, demo by Pete Thorn, YouTube (Pete Thorn channel), 2017-07-01
- RK5 - Tech 21 NYC, Tech 21 NYC, 2026-01-19
- Killer Wail v2 Wah, Tech 21 NYC, 2025-07-30
