Analog effect pedals company Red Witch has announced an extremely limited-edition chorus pedal, the Falcor.
In what is a uniquely sweet tribute to the founder’s father, the 60 one-of-a-kind pedals will each feature a different stylized photo of founder Ben Fulton’s late father, taken across various stages of his life. Each photo is recreated in a watercolour style and printed onto different colored casings.
Featuring a NOS MN3007 BBD, the Falcor is an all-analog chorus-inspired modulation pedal. With a resonance control that allows players to shift the pedal’s response towards flanger-esque sounds and what the company calls “almost ring modulation tones”, Red Witch has sought to create more than just an aesthetic tribute here.
The pedal offers control over velocity, depth to determine the blend of wet/dry and mix, going from a subtle touch to what it calls "an all-out drenching".
Its standout feature is its resonance control. This sends some of the modulated signal back into the input stage of the pedal. This, Red Witch says, allows for played to “expand beyond the realms” of what you'd expect a typical chorus to do.
Each pedal will also have an internal master delay time setting and tonal response unique to that specific build.
To keep the focus of the pedal’s look on Fulton’s father, who passed away earlier this year, its four control knobs are placed at the top side of the pedal. The only thing included on the top face of the pedal is its footswitch.
Continuing that personal touch, each Falcor pedal will be hand-built by Fulton at his New Zealand workshop. They will be numbered and signed and come with a certificate of authenticity and a lifetime warranty.
In doing so, Red Witch has created a tribute pedal that Fulton proudly says “no one else will ever have”. He adds that his father “was always a great advocate and supporter of Red Witch. I think he'd be pretty chuffed to see this pedal.”
Of the story behind the new pedal, Fulton says: “Some folks will be aware that my dad passed away in September. He was a lovely, kind man. When my kids were little they called him Falcor after the luck dragon in the film The Never Ending Story. I designed this pedal as a tribute to him.
“Every Falcor has a unique iteration of the circuit and its unique artwork. The collection of 60 pedals is genuinely one-of-a-kind. No one else will have the same sounding or looking Falcor.”
Founded in 2003, Red Witch has carved out a name for its boutique effects pedals. Its creations include fuzzes, overdrives, chorus vibratos and a guitar synthesizer, the Synthotron.
A seasoned musician - and Jimmy Page obsessive – Fulton is part of the tribute band Lead Zeppelin. That obsession gave rise to his desire to craft pedals that draw upon the tones of classic ‘60s and ‘70s guitar playing.
Steve Lukather and Steve Vai are among the players to have dropped a Red Witch pedal on their 'boards. To prove that not only Steves are endorsees, Billy Corgan, Andy Summers and Bootsy Collins are on that list, too.
The Falcor is only available from the Red Witch website and costs $449.
For more information, head to Red Witch Analog Ltd.
