The Valco Five-O is a multi 3-in-1 pedal containing independent overdrive, tremolo and reverb sections, built with the goal, as Delicious Audio put it, of "creating the perfect pedal for surf music"1. It was conceived originally for giving "surf in a box" tones in the Dick Dale and Ventures vein, and it was Valco's latest release when Delicious Audio profiled it in August 20211.
The three effects sit in vertical sections, each with its own footswitch, so you can run drive, tremolo and reverb in any combination or one at a time1. Pedal of the Day found that this makes it work two ways: "it can easily give you a one-pedal setup at a gig or session, or add a whole host of extra sounds and versatility to your existing rig/pedalboard"2.
What each section does
The drive section is based on the drive circuit from the earlier Valco BloodBuzz, but with increased gain1. Its Volume, Tone and Drive knobs "give you a wide range of tones to choose from," in Pedal of the Day's words2. The Tone control works as an EQ roll-off that is neutral at 12 o'clock; adding high end rolls off bass frequencies, which Delicious Audio says enables "biting" rhythm and lead sounds1.
The tremolo section is an analog 4-wave design based on the original Fulltone SupaTrem circuit1. The four waveforms are sine, triangle, square and random square1. Pedal of Day describes the short square wave as allowing "sharp/staccato sounds" while the sine wave "offers mellow/gentle sounds," with triangle and square rounding out the four2. Rate and Depth controls are present as well2.
The reverb section is voiced at its core as a spring reverb with an added plate character, and both Delicious Audio and Pedal of the Day report it is usable at all knob position extremes12.
| Section | Controls | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Drive | Volume, Tone, Drive | Based on the BloodBuzz drive circuit with increased gain1 |
| Tremolo | Rate, Depth | Analog 4-wave, based on the Fulltone SupaTrem circuit12 |
| Reverb | Level | Spring voiced at its core with added plate reverb2 |
Each section has its own status LED: red for drive, amber for tremolo and green for reverb, with an amber LED for the "pre" button as well3.
Power, bypass and size
The Five-O runs on a 9-volt battery or a mains supply, which is not supplied with the pedal3. It is true bypass3. The enclosure measures 200 x 180 x 87mm3, and Delicious Audio describes it as a "bombproof enclosure"1. That size is the pedal's main practical drawback: Guitar.com's reviewer, Richard Purvis, concluded that it is "Not exactly pedalboard-friendly, but a cute concept, and all three effects sound great"3. The review rated it 8 out of 102.
"Not exactly pedalboard-friendly, but a cute concept, and all three effects sound great."
Where it came from
The Five-O's wedge shape is not a retro guitar-amp reference. Guitar.com notes that Valco's pedals take "their main design cues from a more recent source: the great wedge-shaped Lovetone pedals of the late 90s"3. At the time of that review there were three pedals in the Valco range3.
The line started with the BloodBuzz, a dual fuzz and overdrive pedal that was the first pedal in the series4. It was a tribute to the rare Lovetone Cheese Source of the 90s, which stacked gated fuzz with a warm overdrive5. Like the Five-O, the BloodBuzz is made in Canada, runs on a battery or standard 9V power, and treats its effects as independent blocks: each effect "is independent and is designed to be used on their own or in any configuration, thanks to separate input output jacks"5. The Five-O carries that same independent-effects thinking into a three-effect format, with the drive circuit carried over and given more gain1.
Valco itself is a Canadian company that, as Delicious Audio observed when the BloodBuzz appeared, "doesn't seem to have a web presence"5. Pedal of the Day credits the Five-O to Valco FX and Eastwood Guitars2.
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Questions
Is the Valco Five-O true bypass?
Yes. Guitar.com's review lists true bypass among the pedal's features. Each of the three effects, drive, tremolo and reverb, has its own footswitch in its own vertical section, so you can switch each one in and out independently.
Does the Valco Five-O run on a battery?
Yes. The Five-O is powered by a 9-volt battery or a mains power supply, which is not supplied with the pedal. That battery option is shared with the earlier Valco BloodBuzz, which runs on a battery or standard 9V power.
What tremolo waveforms does the Valco Five-O have?
The tremolo section is an analog 4-wave design based on the original Fulltone SupaTrem circuit. The four waveforms are sine, triangle, square and random square. Pedal of the Day describes the short square wave as sharp and staccato and the sine wave as mellow and gentle.
Where is the Valco Five-O made?
The Five-O is made in Canada, as Guitar.com's review states. The earlier Valco BloodBuzz was also made in Canada with what Delicious Audio called high quality, road rugged components.
How big is the Valco Five-O?
The enclosure measures 200 x 180 x 87mm, according to Guitar.com's review. That size, plus its wedge shape, led the reviewer to conclude it is not exactly pedalboard-friendly, even though all three effects sound great.
Can you use the three effects on the Valco Five-O separately?
Yes. The Five-O organizes its drive, tremolo and reverb into vertical sections, each with its own footswitch, so each effect can be engaged on its own. The BloodBuzz took a similar approach with separate input and output jacks for each effect.
Sources (5)
- Valco Five-O Drive/Tremolo/Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2021-08-12
- Valco FX Five-O Drive Tremolo Reverb, Pedal of the Day (pedal-of-the-day.com), 2021-10-22
- The Big Review: Valco Five-O, Guitar.com, 2022-01-20
- Valco KGB Fuzz Review, GuitarPlayer, 2021-12-17
- Valco BloodBuzz, Delicious Audio, 2020-10-14
