Manufacturers
Guitar Pedals from VFE
Welcome to your ultimate guide to VFE's guitar pedals. This catalog serves as your starting point to explore and compare all pedals crafted by VFE. Designed for easy navigation, we hope you can quickly find detailed information on each pedal, including specifications, user reviews, and demo videos. Whether you're searching for the latest releases, seeking to expand your pedal collection, or exploring options for a specific sound, hopefully Stompbx can assist you in finding exactly what you need.
Compression/Sustain
White Horse
The White Horse by VFE is an optical compressor pedal designed to provide transparent mild compression while maintaining the natural dynamics of the input signal. The pedal features a blend control that allows for longer, sustained notes without excessive squashing. Additionally, the unique drive threshold technology enables touch-sensitive effects, responding to the intensity of picking and adding grit as playing intensity increases. The White Horse is equipped with additional controls to fine-tune the punch and feel of the compressor, making it suitable for a wide array of instruments and playing styles. The pedal incorporates a drive circuitry, adding versatility to its functionality. The pedal's technical specifications include the following: \- Enclosure dimensions: 2.37" W x 4.37" L x 1.16" H (60 x 111 x 29mm) \- TrueSoft Bypass \- The pedal is made in the United States For detailed documentation and design files to build the White Horse, a digital download of a ZIP file containing schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, assembly files, and templates is available for personal use.
Bumblebee
The Bumblebee by VFE is a combination swell and compressor pedal designed to create ambient textures and unique effects. It features a wide attack and decay range, yielding bowed guitar, reverse delay, and slow, synth pad-style effects. The pedal can be blended with the optical compressor for a unique "blooming" effect or used to tighten up tone by isolating the compressor section. It is also suitable for use with bass guitars. Key Controls: \- LEVEL: Sets the amount of gain in the output section. \- SUSTAIN: Sets the gain/sustain of the optical compressor. \- ATTACK: Sets the speed of the swell effect. \- MIX: Blends between the swell and compressor output sections. \- TRIGGER: Adjusts the sensitivity of the swell effect. \- S-F-M: Sets the range of swells that the ATTACK control can achieve. \- TBASS: Balances the sensitivity of the swell from low to high notes. Technical Specifications: \- FX Type: Compressor / Swell \- Enclosure Size: 1590B \- Current Draw: 36mA \- DC Supply: 9.42v One Spot The pedal is available for purchase as a digital download of a ZIP file containing all the documentation needed to build the Bumblebee. This includes schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, assembly files, and templates for drill holes. If you intend to build and sell the Bumblebee as a commercial product, you can become an authorized VFE builder. For further technical details and to access the documentation for building the Bumblebee, please visit the VFE Pedals website.
Distortion
Dragon Hound
The Dragon Hound by VFE is a dual overdrive + distortion pedal that combines the core circuits from the Alpha Dog and Pale Horse into one unique dirt box. Each circuit has a dedicated drive control, and the blend control can dial in saturated distortion tones that retain the clarity of an overdrive. Controls: \- A DRIVE: Sets the gain of the Alpha Dog distortion circuit, offering thick, vintage distortion that is dynamic and responsive. \- P DRIVE: Sets the gain of the Pale Horse overdrive circuit, offering smooth, transparent drive with better top-end clarity. \- LEVEL: Sets the gain of the mix stage, providing additional boost capability. \- INTERNAL CONTROL: The internal COMP trimpot sets the compression of the mosfet clipping section in the Pale Horse. \- FAT: A dual-gang control affecting the low-end response of both the Alpha Dog & Pale Horse sides simultaneously. \- FILTER: Controls the post-gain, post-mix treble response, allowing for adjustments to the top-end clarity and bite. \- MIX: Blends between the Pale Horse overdrive and Alpha Dog distortion circuits, enabling the dialing in of a saturated tone with improved clarity and dynamics. Technical Specifications: \- FX TYPE: Distortion \- Enclosure Size: 1590B \- Current Draw: ~33mA \- DC Supply: 9.42v One Spot The Dragon Hound is designed to provide a versatile range of overdrive and distortion tones, making it suitable for a wide variety of musical styles and playing techniques. It offers the ability to blend different drive characteristics and control the level of saturation while retaining clarity and dynamics. For detailed assembly and technical documentation, including schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, assembly files, and templates, a digital download of a ZIP file with all the necessary documentation is available for personal use. For further technical assistance and support, users can access the VFE Pedals website and forum for additional information and resources.
Triumvirate
The Triumvirate by VFE is a unique multi-band distortion pedal designed to separate the guitar signal into three pathways (lows, mids, and highs) using a second-order crossover network. Each pathway then goes through its own distortion engine, with full control over the amount of gain in each band. The pedal offers independent mixing of each band at the end, making it suitable for a wide array of instruments, including guitar, bass, synths, and even cellos. Key Features and Specifications: \- Controls: The Triumvirate features individual volume controls for each distortion band (Bass, Treble, Mid), gain control for the individual bands, and trimmers for adjusting high-end cut and input gain. \- Band Specific Controls: The pedal provides specific controls for each frequency band, including cutoff frequencies and gain ranges for Bass, Mid, and Treble bands. \- Internal Control: The sole internal trimpot controls the pre-gain of the Triumvirate, allowing users to adjust the clipping characteristics for a milder overdrive or a harder distortion-fuzz style. \- LED and Transistor Specifications: The pedal uses 3mm LEDs for the mid band and 1N4002 silicon diodes for the treble band, each with specific clipping thresholds and gain ranges. \- Power Supply: The Triumvirate operates on a standard 9VDC, negative-tip power supply. The pedal's design and functionality make it suitable for a wide range of musical applications, offering musicians the flexibility to achieve various distortion effects across different frequency bands.
Pedals Alpha Dog
The VFE Pedals Alpha Dog is a versatile distortion pedal designed to offer a wide range of tonal possibilities. It is based on the ProCo Rat™ and features several enhancements to expand the available distortion tones. The pedal offers the following controls: 1\. LEVEL: A passive attenuator for output volume control. 2\. FILTER: A simple treble cut filter to adjust the tone. 3\. GAIN: Sets the gain of the LM308N op-amp, providing a smooth sweep from light-gain overdrive to raging fuzz-stortion. 4\. FAT: Boosts gain and bottom end, adding a full-range gain boost for a thick modern drive tone. 5\. SOFT: Utilizes Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the op-amp, offering asymmetrical germanium sweetening or dynamic, smooth mosfet drive. 6\. HARD: Uses Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the post- gain stage, providing dynamic twin stacked silicon distortion or vintage distortion bite with compression and sustain. The pedal also features custom pots for fine control over the clipping type, with W taper and center detents. The Variable HCC circuitry allows for fine- tuning of harmonics, compression, and clipping character. The Alpha Dog is a single supply design, and the voltage inverter and associated components are omitted from the Switch Board. The pedal is designed for DIY use, with complete documentation available for building the pedal.
Merman
The VFE Merman is a boutique pedal designed as a take on the Klon Centaur, offering unique features and controls. The pedal is designed and manufactured by VFE Pedals, a boutique pedal company based in Puyallup, WA, owned and operated by Peter Rutter and his brother. Key Technical Specifications: \- FX Type: Overdrive \- Enclosure Dimensions: 2.37"W x 4.37"L x 1.16"H (60 x 111 x 29mm) with knobs & jacks \- Power Requirement: Standard 2.1mm, negative-tip 9V DC Features and Controls: \- DRIVE: Sets the gain of the drive signal path, working in conjunction with the COMP control to set the level of harmonic saturation. \- TREBLE: Controls the amount of treble boost or cut in the tone stage. \- LEVEL: Sets the output volume of the Merman. \- COMP: Dials in the precise amount of compression and harmonic saturation, with the range increasing with more gain added. \- WARM: Controls the volume of the warm, clean signal pathway, adding dynamic body back to the drive tone. \- BOTTOM: Controls the volume of the pathway passing through the bottom end of the guitar, adding clean punch even when the drive control is cranked. Use Cases: The Merman is suitable for guitarists looking for a versatile overdrive pedal with unique tonal shaping capabilities. It offers a wide range of control over gain, compression, and tonal characteristics, making it suitable for various musical styles and playing techniques.
Alpha Dog
The Alpha Dog by VFE is a vintage distortion pedal that combines the warmth and sag of tube saturation with the teeth of a modern distortion pedal. Derived from the classic Rat distortion pedal, the Alpha Dog expands its tone options by adding VFE's unique HCC circuitry. The pedal offers several excellent tweaks to expand upon the tonal range of distortion available. The Alpha Dog features the following controls: \- LEVEL: A passive attenuator for output volume control. \- FILTER: A simple treble cut filter for adjusting the tone. \- GAIN: Sets the gain of the LM308N op amp, providing a smooth sweep from light-gain overdrive to raging fuzz-stortion. \- FAT: Boosts gain and bottom end, adding a full-range gain boost for a thick modern drive tone. \- SOFT: Utilizes Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the op amp, offering options for asymmetrical germanium sweetening or dynamic, smooth mosfet drive. \- HARD: Uses Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the post- gain stage, providing options for dynamic twin stacked silicon distortion or vintage distortion bite with compression and sustain. The pedal is built on the LM308N chip and offers a range of harmonics and clipping characteristics. The Alpha Dog is a single supply design, omitting the voltage inverter and associated components from the Switch Board. The pedal's enclosure dimensions are 2.37"W x 4.37"L x 1.16"H (60 x 111 x 29mm) with knobs and jacks, and it can be powered with a 9V up to 18V power supply. For detailed technical specifications, including schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, assembly files, and templates, a digital download of a ZIP file with all the documentation needed to build the Alpha Dog is available for purchase from the manufacturer's website.
Dragon
The Dragon by VFE is a dynamic overdrive pedal designed to provide precise control over the pre-gain bass cut (HPF) and post-gain treble cut (LPF). This allows users to tighten or fatten up the low end, smooth out the top end, or add sparkle to their tone. The pedal offers a range of functionalities and features, including: \- True bypass with a buffered bypass option via an internal switch \- A massive amount of boost to push any amp \- Internal trimpot to adjust the compression of the gain stage \- Cut filters that can be set to 6dB or 12dB for more extreme EQ cuts Technical Specifications: \- Enclosure dimensions: 2.4" W x 4.4" L x 1.4" H (60 x 111 x 35mm) \- With knobs & jacks: 2.4" W x 4.6" L x 2.2" H (60 x 117 x 56mm) \- Power: Industry-standard 2.1mm, negative-tip DC power supply \- Standard: accepts 9V up to 18V (recommended) \- Charge pump mod: accepts 9V (recommended) up to 12V \- Input impedance: 1.8M-ohm \- Current draw: \- Standard: ~15mA off, ~45mA on @ 9V, ~25mA off, ~55mA on @ 18V \- Charge pump mod: ~30mA off, ~60mA on The Dragon by VFE offers musicians the ability to tailor their overdrive tone to their exact preferences, making it a versatile and powerful tool for guitarists and other musicians.
Fuzz
Fiery Red Horse
The Fiery Red Horse VFE is a versatile fuzz pedal designed to offer over-the- top saturation and sustain, as well as big, dynamic fuzzstortion tones. The pedal features a range of controls and functionalities, making it suitable for various use-cases. Here are the technical specifications and features: \- Power: The pedal can be powered with a standard 9V power supply, with the circuit being fed 3V up to 16V. When using a 15V power supply, the circuit is fed 3V up to 27V. \- Gain: The gain control sets the strength of the signal fed to the gain stages, affecting the distortion and volume. \- Level: This passive attenuator sets the output volume of the pedal. \- Compression (COMP): The variable HCC circuitry controls the compression and harmonic character of the fuzz. It allows for adjustments from a grittier, biting silicon fuzz to a warm, ultra-saturated germanium fuzz. \- Bass and Treble: The pedal features active Baxandall EQ controls for bass and treble, allowing users to boost or cut the respective frequencies. \- FX Type: Saturated Fuzz Additionally, the pedal offers a power control to simulate a dying battery, as well as dual gain stages for enhanced versatility in tone. The dimensions of the pedal are 2.17” W x 2.025” H. For detailed assembly and technical information, including schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, and assembly sheets, the manufacturer provides a digital download of a ZIP file with all the documentation needed to build the Fiery Red Horse.
Pedals Alpha Dog
The VFE Pedals Alpha Dog is a versatile distortion pedal designed to offer a wide range of tonal possibilities. It is based on the ProCo Rat™ and features several enhancements to expand the available distortion tones. The pedal offers the following controls: 1\. LEVEL: A passive attenuator for output volume control. 2\. FILTER: A simple treble cut filter to adjust the tone. 3\. GAIN: Sets the gain of the LM308N op-amp, providing a smooth sweep from light-gain overdrive to raging fuzz-stortion. 4\. FAT: Boosts gain and bottom end, adding a full-range gain boost for a thick modern drive tone. 5\. SOFT: Utilizes Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the op-amp, offering asymmetrical germanium sweetening or dynamic, smooth mosfet drive. 6\. HARD: Uses Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the post- gain stage, providing dynamic twin stacked silicon distortion or vintage distortion bite with compression and sustain. The pedal also features custom pots for fine control over the clipping type, with W taper and center detents. The Variable HCC circuitry allows for fine- tuning of harmonics, compression, and clipping character. The Alpha Dog is a single supply design, and the voltage inverter and associated components are omitted from the Switch Board. The pedal is designed for DIY use, with complete documentation available for building the pedal.
Alpha Dog
The Alpha Dog by VFE is a vintage distortion pedal that combines the warmth and sag of tube saturation with the teeth of a modern distortion pedal. Derived from the classic Rat distortion pedal, the Alpha Dog expands its tone options by adding VFE's unique HCC circuitry. The pedal offers several excellent tweaks to expand upon the tonal range of distortion available. The Alpha Dog features the following controls: \- LEVEL: A passive attenuator for output volume control. \- FILTER: A simple treble cut filter for adjusting the tone. \- GAIN: Sets the gain of the LM308N op amp, providing a smooth sweep from light-gain overdrive to raging fuzz-stortion. \- FAT: Boosts gain and bottom end, adding a full-range gain boost for a thick modern drive tone. \- SOFT: Utilizes Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the op amp, offering options for asymmetrical germanium sweetening or dynamic, smooth mosfet drive. \- HARD: Uses Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the post- gain stage, providing options for dynamic twin stacked silicon distortion or vintage distortion bite with compression and sustain. The pedal is built on the LM308N chip and offers a range of harmonics and clipping characteristics. The Alpha Dog is a single supply design, omitting the voltage inverter and associated components from the Switch Board. The pedal's enclosure dimensions are 2.37"W x 4.37"L x 1.16"H (60 x 111 x 29mm) with knobs and jacks, and it can be powered with a 9V up to 18V power supply. For detailed technical specifications, including schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, assembly files, and templates, a digital download of a ZIP file with all the documentation needed to build the Alpha Dog is available for purchase from the manufacturer's website.
Woodchipper
Overdrive and Boost
Dragon Hound
The Dragon Hound by VFE is a dual overdrive + distortion pedal that combines the core circuits from the Alpha Dog and Pale Horse into one unique dirt box. Each circuit has a dedicated drive control, and the blend control can dial in saturated distortion tones that retain the clarity of an overdrive. Controls: \- A DRIVE: Sets the gain of the Alpha Dog distortion circuit, offering thick, vintage distortion that is dynamic and responsive. \- P DRIVE: Sets the gain of the Pale Horse overdrive circuit, offering smooth, transparent drive with better top-end clarity. \- LEVEL: Sets the gain of the mix stage, providing additional boost capability. \- INTERNAL CONTROL: The internal COMP trimpot sets the compression of the mosfet clipping section in the Pale Horse. \- FAT: A dual-gang control affecting the low-end response of both the Alpha Dog & Pale Horse sides simultaneously. \- FILTER: Controls the post-gain, post-mix treble response, allowing for adjustments to the top-end clarity and bite. \- MIX: Blends between the Pale Horse overdrive and Alpha Dog distortion circuits, enabling the dialing in of a saturated tone with improved clarity and dynamics. Technical Specifications: \- FX TYPE: Distortion \- Enclosure Size: 1590B \- Current Draw: ~33mA \- DC Supply: 9.42v One Spot The Dragon Hound is designed to provide a versatile range of overdrive and distortion tones, making it suitable for a wide variety of musical styles and playing techniques. It offers the ability to blend different drive characteristics and control the level of saturation while retaining clarity and dynamics. For detailed assembly and technical documentation, including schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, assembly files, and templates, a digital download of a ZIP file with all the necessary documentation is available for personal use. For further technical assistance and support, users can access the VFE Pedals website and forum for additional information and resources.
The Scream
The Scream by VFE is an overdrive pedal based on the classic TS808 overdrive circuit, with additional controls for customizing the tone. The pedal features the following technical specifications and functionalities: \- Dimensions: 2.37" W x 4.37" L x 1.16" H (60 x 111 x 29mm) \- Controls: \- TONE: Active boost/cut of frequencies above the threshold set by the internal FREQ trimpot. Stock setting @ 3.2kHz. \- DRIVE: Sets the gain in the drive section, ranging from clean boost to cascading layers of high gain saturation. \- LEVEL: Sets the output level of The Scream, affected by the EQ and HCC settings. \- FILTER: Post-gain treble cut for smoothing out or adding gritty, bright top end to the tone. \- FAT: Sets the pre-gain bass response and overall gain character, acting as a variable mid/treble boost. \- IMP: Sets the input impedance via an internal trimpot, influencing dynamic response and adding sparkle to the top end. \- FREQ: The FREQ trimpot sets the corner frequency from 1.2kHz up to 7.2kHz, functioning like a treble or presence EQ. \- S - L - A: Uses Variable HCC technology to transition between different drive tones and shades of compression. \- Additional Features: \- 3PDT true bypass footswitch \- Extended gain range (higher & lower) \- Internal FREQUENCY control for customizing boost/cut from the TONE control \- Internal SMOOTH control for softening compression and increasing overall output \- Original W20K potentiometer for TONE control \- 5% carbon comp resistors in the signal path for vintage vibe \- 1% metal film resistors elsewhere for tight tolerances & low noise \- 5% metal film capacitors and 2% silver solder for pure signal flow \- Switchcraft enclosed jacks \- Water-clear green LED \- JRC4558D op amp installed with gold plated socket \- Power: \- Accepts standard Boss-style negative tip power supplies, from 9-18V \- Can be powered internally via 9V battery The pedal is designed to allow users to recreate classic TS808 sounds and discover new tones with the twist of a knob, offering a wide range of tonal possibilities beyond the mid-hump tone of the original TS808 circuit.
Pedals Alpha Dog
The VFE Pedals Alpha Dog is a versatile distortion pedal designed to offer a wide range of tonal possibilities. It is based on the ProCo Rat™ and features several enhancements to expand the available distortion tones. The pedal offers the following controls: 1\. LEVEL: A passive attenuator for output volume control. 2\. FILTER: A simple treble cut filter to adjust the tone. 3\. GAIN: Sets the gain of the LM308N op-amp, providing a smooth sweep from light-gain overdrive to raging fuzz-stortion. 4\. FAT: Boosts gain and bottom end, adding a full-range gain boost for a thick modern drive tone. 5\. SOFT: Utilizes Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the op-amp, offering asymmetrical germanium sweetening or dynamic, smooth mosfet drive. 6\. HARD: Uses Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the post- gain stage, providing dynamic twin stacked silicon distortion or vintage distortion bite with compression and sustain. The pedal also features custom pots for fine control over the clipping type, with W taper and center detents. The Variable HCC circuitry allows for fine- tuning of harmonics, compression, and clipping character. The Alpha Dog is a single supply design, and the voltage inverter and associated components are omitted from the Switch Board. The pedal is designed for DIY use, with complete documentation available for building the pedal.
Pale Horse
The VFE Pale Horse is a dynamic overdrive pedal designed to provide smooth, transparent, and dynamic overdrive tones. It offers a range of features and functionalities to cater to various use-cases. Here are the technical specifications and details for the Pale Horse: \- FX Type: Overdrive \- Dimensions: 2.17” x 2.025” H \- Controls: \- TONE: Active boost/cut of frequencies above the threshold set by the internal FREQ trimpot. \- FREQ: Internal trimpot to make the tone control a treble boost/cut or higher up like a presence boost/cut. \- DRIVE: Sets the gain in the drive section, from clean boost to cascading layers of high gain saturation. \- LEVEL: Sets the output level of the Pale Horse. \- IMPEDANCE: Sets the input impedance via an internal trimpot. \- COMP: Uses Variable HCC technology to transition between a sweet, asymmetrical drive tone to a dynamic mosfet drive. \- HIGH: Post-gain treble cut for tonal adjustments. \- LOW: Pre-gain bass cut for tonal adjustments. \- Additional Features: \- Variable HCC circuitry allows fine-tuning of harmonics, compression, and clipping character of the tone. \- Bass-friendly overdrive functionality. \- Components: \- Utilizes various resistors, capacitors, transistors (2n5484, BS170), and operational amplifier (OPA2134a). \- Power Supply: Requires a split-rail supply. \- Documentation: The Pale Horse dynamic overdrive files are available for download, including schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, assembly files, and templates for drill holes. The Pale Horse is designed to offer a wide-ranging overdrive that can cover a variety of tonal bases, making it suitable for guitarists seeking versatile overdrive tones with dynamic and transparent characteristics.
Merman
The VFE Merman is a boutique pedal designed as a take on the Klon Centaur, offering unique features and controls. The pedal is designed and manufactured by VFE Pedals, a boutique pedal company based in Puyallup, WA, owned and operated by Peter Rutter and his brother. Key Technical Specifications: \- FX Type: Overdrive \- Enclosure Dimensions: 2.37"W x 4.37"L x 1.16"H (60 x 111 x 29mm) with knobs & jacks \- Power Requirement: Standard 2.1mm, negative-tip 9V DC Features and Controls: \- DRIVE: Sets the gain of the drive signal path, working in conjunction with the COMP control to set the level of harmonic saturation. \- TREBLE: Controls the amount of treble boost or cut in the tone stage. \- LEVEL: Sets the output volume of the Merman. \- COMP: Dials in the precise amount of compression and harmonic saturation, with the range increasing with more gain added. \- WARM: Controls the volume of the warm, clean signal pathway, adding dynamic body back to the drive tone. \- BOTTOM: Controls the volume of the pathway passing through the bottom end of the guitar, adding clean punch even when the drive control is cranked. Use Cases: The Merman is suitable for guitarists looking for a versatile overdrive pedal with unique tonal shaping capabilities. It offers a wide range of control over gain, compression, and tonal characteristics, making it suitable for various musical styles and playing techniques.
Alpha Dog
The Alpha Dog by VFE is a vintage distortion pedal that combines the warmth and sag of tube saturation with the teeth of a modern distortion pedal. Derived from the classic Rat distortion pedal, the Alpha Dog expands its tone options by adding VFE's unique HCC circuitry. The pedal offers several excellent tweaks to expand upon the tonal range of distortion available. The Alpha Dog features the following controls: \- LEVEL: A passive attenuator for output volume control. \- FILTER: A simple treble cut filter for adjusting the tone. \- GAIN: Sets the gain of the LM308N op amp, providing a smooth sweep from light-gain overdrive to raging fuzz-stortion. \- FAT: Boosts gain and bottom end, adding a full-range gain boost for a thick modern drive tone. \- SOFT: Utilizes Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the op amp, offering options for asymmetrical germanium sweetening or dynamic, smooth mosfet drive. \- HARD: Uses Variable HCC circuitry to set the drive character of the post- gain stage, providing options for dynamic twin stacked silicon distortion or vintage distortion bite with compression and sustain. The pedal is built on the LM308N chip and offers a range of harmonics and clipping characteristics. The Alpha Dog is a single supply design, omitting the voltage inverter and associated components from the Switch Board. The pedal's enclosure dimensions are 2.37"W x 4.37"L x 1.16"H (60 x 111 x 29mm) with knobs and jacks, and it can be powered with a 9V up to 18V power supply. For detailed technical specifications, including schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, assembly files, and templates, a digital download of a ZIP file with all the documentation needed to build the Alpha Dog is available for purchase from the manufacturer's website.
Dragon
The Dragon by VFE is a dynamic overdrive pedal designed to provide precise control over the pre-gain bass cut (HPF) and post-gain treble cut (LPF). This allows users to tighten or fatten up the low end, smooth out the top end, or add sparkle to their tone. The pedal offers a range of functionalities and features, including: \- True bypass with a buffered bypass option via an internal switch \- A massive amount of boost to push any amp \- Internal trimpot to adjust the compression of the gain stage \- Cut filters that can be set to 6dB or 12dB for more extreme EQ cuts Technical Specifications: \- Enclosure dimensions: 2.4" W x 4.4" L x 1.4" H (60 x 111 x 35mm) \- With knobs & jacks: 2.4" W x 4.6" L x 2.2" H (60 x 117 x 56mm) \- Power: Industry-standard 2.1mm, negative-tip DC power supply \- Standard: accepts 9V up to 18V (recommended) \- Charge pump mod: accepts 9V (recommended) up to 12V \- Input impedance: 1.8M-ohm \- Current draw: \- Standard: ~15mA off, ~45mA on @ 9V, ~25mA off, ~55mA on @ 18V \- Charge pump mod: ~30mA off, ~60mA on The Dragon by VFE offers musicians the ability to tailor their overdrive tone to their exact preferences, making it a versatile and powerful tool for guitarists and other musicians.
Focus
The Focus by VFE is a versatile mid-boost pedal designed in collaboration with Adam "Nolly" Getgood from Periphery. It offers variable bass and treble cut filters for precise control over top-end grit and low-frequency saturation. The pedal's features and technical specifications are as follows: \- TIGHT: Sets the frequency roll-off point of the variable bass cut, with a range of 70Hz to 1.5kHz. \- SMOOTH: Sets the frequency roll-off point of the variable treble cut, with a range of 320Hz to 7.2kHz. \- LEVEL: Sets the gain of the output stage, providing up to 26dB of extra clean boost. \- MIX: Blends between the dry signal and the EQ signal, allowing control over the strength of the bass and treble cuts. \- SLOPE: Toggles each band between a 1-pole and 2-pole cut filter, with more poles resulting in a sharper frequency roll-off. \- INTERNAL CONTROL: The internal MAKEUP trimpot sets the makeup gain of the dry signal path, allowing for the adjustment of the relative volume of the EQ and dry signal paths or the addition of more clean boost to the dry signal path. The pedal's dimensions are 2.17” W x 2.025” H. It utilizes various components such as resistors, capacitors, op-amps, and switches, with specific values and types listed in the build guide. The pedal is designed to be a powerful tool for enhancing guitar or bass sounds, offering a wide range of applications for musicians seeking to shape their tone effectively.
Standout
The Standout by VFE is a precision mid booster designed to address common tone problems. It offers a range of features and specifications: \- Enclosure dimensions: 2.4" W x 4.4" L x 1.4" H (60 x 111 x 35mm) \- With knobs & jacks: 2.4" W x 4.6" L x 2.2" H (60 x 117 x 56mm) \- True bypass with buffered bypass option via internal switch \- More EQ range & less noise than the original Focus pedal \- Dry blend for dialing in a less pronounced "mid hump" \- Filters can be 6dB or 12dB for more extreme EQ cuts \- Industry-standard 2.1mm, negative-tip DC power supply \- Standard - accepts 9V up to 18V (recommended) \- Charge pump mod - accepts 9V (recommended) up to 12V \- Input impedance: 1.8M-ohm \- Current draw: \- Standard: ~15mA off, ~45mA on @ 9V, ~25mA off, ~55mA on @ 18V \- Charge pump mod: ~30mA off, ~60mA on The Standout is designed to sculpt tone and push an amp or another pedal into its unique sweet spot, making it a valuable tool for taming high-gain amps, especially in the studio.
Tremolo
Old School Tremolo
The Old School Tremolo by VFE is a vintage-inspired tremolo pedal designed to replicate the luxurious tremolo sounds of vintage tube amps. It features a rugged diecast aluminum enclosure and TrueSoft + DualMode true bypass switching for reliable performance. The pedal is hand-built in Puyallup, WA, USA, and incorporates industrial-grade Carling switches, Neutrik audio jacks, and Alpha pots soldered directly to the PCB. Key Controls: 1\. SPEED: Sets the speed of the tremolo effect. 2\. DEPTH: Adjusts the depth of the tremolo effect. It can be turned counterclockwise to remove the tremolo and use the pedal as a clean boost. 3\. LEVEL: Sets the output volume of the pedal. 4\. STARVE: Adds chop and grit to the tremolo effect, reducing the headroom of the circuit when turned clockwise. 5\. MODE: Selects the parameter controlled by playing dynamics. "S" accelerates the tremolo with stronger playing, "D" decreases the depth with stronger playing, and "OFF" disables dynamic control. 6\. SENS: Sets the sensitivity of the selected parameter change. 7\. RESP: An internal trimpot that sets the speed at which the parameter changes with playing dynamics. Additional Features: \- Extended Headroom: Up to 22V for enhanced performance. \- DualMode Switching: Converts the footswitch into momentary operation. \- Components: Utilizes 5% WIMA film capacitors, 1% metal film resistors, and Cardas Audio ultra-pure, eutectic silver solder. \- P3 System: Phantom-power compatible. The Old School Tremolo offers a versatile range of tremolo effects and is suitable for guitarists seeking vintage-inspired tremolo sounds with modern features and reliability.
Old School
The Old School by VFE is a vintage tremolo pedal that offers a range of features and high-quality construction. The pedal is designed to recall the luxurious tremolo sounds of vintage tube amps, with added functionality to enhance the user experience. Key Features: \- Rugged diecast aluminum enclosures \- TrueSoft + DualMode true bypass switching \- Industrial-grade Carling switches & Neutrik audio jacks \- Alpha pots soldered directly to PCB \- 5% WIMA film capacitors & 1% metal film resistors \- Cardas Audio ultra-pure, eutectic silver solder \- P3 system phantom-power compatible \- Extended Headroom (up to 22V) and DualMode Switching, which converts the footswitch into momentary operation \- Two unique circuits - one to starve the circuit to add grit & chop, and another that can adjust the voicing of the tremolo effect The pedal is hand-built in Puyallup, WA, USA, ensuring high-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. The Old School pedal is suitable for guitar and other electronic instruments, providing a versatile and reliable tremolo effect. For detailed technical documentation and design files, including schematics, Eagle files, Gerber files, assembly files, and templates, a digital download is available for personal use. Additionally, individuals interested in building and selling the Old School as a commercial product can become authorized VFE builders.
