The TWA Fly Boys FB-01 Distortion is a small-format distortion pedal from TWA (Totally Wycked Audio), built around the sound of the Marshall JCM800. Godlyke, the maker's product page, says the FB-01 "nails the tight, focused distortion tones of one of Rock's most legendary amps, the Marshall JCM800," and serves that up in a pedal small enough to fit in a gig bag1. The pedal is discontinued: the maker's page carries the notice "SORRY, THIS MODEL HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED"1.
The JCM800 connection
The JCM800 is the amp this pedal is chasing. In JHS Pedals' history of distortion, the writer says the JCM800 was responsible for most of the big 1980s distortion sound, calling it one of the most iconic distortion sounds ever: "The JCM800 was responsible for most of that."5. Pedal of the Day's review describes the FB-01 as "Based around the sounds of a classic rock amp, the Marshall JCM800"3. When Guitar World covered the Fly Boys line at its introduction in November 2013, it described the FB-01 as a "Marshall-style Distortion with Drive, Tone and Level controls"4.
Controls and how it responds
The FB-01 has three controls, laid out differently in size to suit use on stage43:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive (Gain) | Sets the amount of distortion; a bigger knob that can be easily manipulated with your foot3 |
| Tone | Mini knob that shapes the treble character3 |
| Level | Mini knob that sets output volume3 |
Beyond the knobs, the maker says the pedal responds to playing dynamics: "More than just a shred machine, the FB-01 responds effortlessly to playing dynamics and can create a colorful palette" of semi-saturated tones by adjusting the guitar's volume1. That means rolling the guitar volume back cleans the pedal toward semi-saturated tones rather than only full distortion.
Enclosure and size
Pedal of the Day's reviewer found the FB-01 "encased in sturdy but lightweight aluminum enclosure"3, matching the maker's description of a pedal that fits in a gig bag1. The Fly Boys line was a series of these mini pedals; the FB-01 sat alongside siblings such as the TWA Fly Boys FB-05 Metal.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review (Mike B, 2015) was enthusiastic about the tones: "the tones that it produces will shock and awe you, and make you re-think your current overdrive setup"3. Guitar World's announcement framed the line as bringing Marshall-style distortion to a mini format4.
The FB-01 is discontinued, so used-market and remaining dealer stock are the ways players encounter it. TWA's later distortion pedals, such as the TWA SH9 Scott Henderson Signature Distortion, carry the line forward in different directions.
Videos
The Tone King
Godlyke Inc.
Mike Hermans
Questions
What amp is the TWA Fly Boys FB-01 based on?
The FB-01 is built around the sound of the Marshall JCM800. Godlyke, the maker's product page, says the pedal nails the tight, focused distortion tones of that amp, and Pedal of the Day's review likewise describes it as based around the sounds of the classic rock amp. The JCM800 is widely credited with much of the big distortion sound of the 1980s.
Is the TWA Fly Boys FB-01 still made?
No. The maker's product page marks the FB-01 as discontinued, so it no longer appears in current production. It was part of the Fly Boys line of small-format pedals that TWA introduced in 2013.
What controls does the TWA Fly Boys FB-01 have?
The FB-01 has three controls: Drive, Tone and Level, as described in Guitar World's announcement of the Fly Boys line. Pedal of the Day's review notes that the Tone and Level knobs are mini-sized while the Gain knob is bigger so it can be easily manipulated with your foot.
Can you clean up the TWA Fly Boys FB-01 with the guitar's volume knob?
Yes. The maker says the FB-01 responds effortlessly to playing dynamics and can create a colorful palette of semi-saturated tones by adjusting the guitar's volume, so it is not limited to full-on distortion.
What is the TWA Fly Boys FB-01 enclosure made of?
According to Pedal of the Day's review, the FB-01 is encased in a sturdy but lightweight aluminum enclosure, which suits a pedal small enough to fit in a gig bag.
Sources (5)
- FLY BOYS®, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- TWA Fly Boys FB-02 Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2015-08-11
- TWA Fly Boys FB-01 Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2015-08-10
- Godlyke Introduces TWA Fly Boys Mini Effect Pedals, Guitar World, 2013-11-14
- HISTORY OF DISTORTION PART 2, JHS Pedals
