SIB FatDrive

very easy!

it sounds very fat, bright , sparkling
more than chorus, so sometimes i use it instead of chorus
drive knob made your sound very versatile, dynamic
i use it with varidrive
guitar- hotcake -barber burn unit2 - varidrive-fatdrive- honda sound works denchimen amp
so, i can easily make sound of dream theater..
very punch , beautiful drive sound like mesa triaxis sound

foot switch is bad , so i changed it with fulltone 3pdt switch myself

i can't touch with SIB.

i'm very disapponinted with them with customer support.
but, the sound compensate everything...
very very impressive pedal...
its not just pedal but like preamp...
finally ,i found a box for my life

Fairly easy to use. The knobs are EFFECTIVE. Small tweaks make a large difference in the color of the drive. Swapping tubes is easy enough. Takes a little work to get things just right, but it has an incredible potential. It can make amps do things you didn't know possible, and it's pretty easy to make that happen.

I have been floored at what this pedal can do tonewise. It is amazing in front of a good tube clean channel. From light crunch to heavy stupid noise, it's all VERY convincing. This pedal commands authority. There are no weak and wimpy sounds, it's pretty beefy. The best I thing I ever did with this pedal was change the tube. It is a great pedal to test tubes with, because it will tell no lies, and the chracther of the tube is pretty easy to hear, as there is only one tube in the thing, making it a great test bed to "hear" a single tube. I like using 12AT7's or 12AU7's, because you can get NOS ones cheaper than NOS 12AX7's, and this thing still makes a lot of drive even with the lowest gain tubes. The only reason I give it a 9 instead of a 10. The character of this pedal is heavy, solid, present, and rich. Very modern sounding. If you want very true classic Marshall type tones, the Budda Phatman is a better bet, but it is much less versatile than the Fatdrive.

I've had trouble with the footswitch. It is very touchy and intermittent. I need to replace it. I've heard that this part is a common failure point, and the only weak link on the Fatdrive.

I talked to the guy about getting a new footswitch shipped to me. He tool all my info, and said he'd send it out. Never saw it. But honestly, the guy sounded to be in another world, chemically induced, so I don't think he remembered telling me anything...

It's one of the best tube overdrive's I've played, and I've played and owned a bunch of them. Very cool, versatile, and convincing. Put this in front of a Fender Twin, and stand back!

Sure the pedal has its basic knobs but for me to dial in my sound took about 2 hours. But was it worth it!! Didn't need a manual, easy enough to use...straight forward.

It took my about 2 hours two find my sound but am I glad I dinkered! This thing has beautiful tone. Nothing weak about this pedal it has a ballsack that is to be reckoned with. Gave me just the PHAT sound I was looking for. My setup is...Boss TU-2, Boss GE-7 (truly amazing for fine tuning your sound), Barber Ltd Overdrive, SIB Fat Drive and Fender Blues Deluxe 180W. As for sound of my favorite artist...not trying at all. I'm after my own unique tone and it's a killer fat tone but doesn't sound like anybody I've heard. I could play all day of course at the expense of pissing my wife off!

This thing does have a tube but overall is built like a brick house. Very solid and durable. Would absolutley gig with this pedal.

Haven't had to deal with customer support. No opinion here amigos.

I play blues, rock and a touch of jazz. This pedal is awesome and is highly recommended, in my opinion, for someone who looking to enrichen, fatten and deepen your tone. But do take the time to zero in your sound. It's not going to come automatically and the more gizmos in your chain, the longer it will take. Truly amazing.

Works just like an amp, drive adjusts input level, volume adjusts output level. Passive 3-band EQ with bright switch. 1 12AX7 preamp tube. Thats pretty much all you need.

I am primarily a bass player and this thing will make any bass super super warm and vintage like. In some cases it was a little too warm with my custom Warmoth bass, even with the bright switch on. However, this thing is an absolute godsend for acousic guitars. Makes first position chords bloom and takes away any harsh brittleness often associated with most acoustic preamps. Made my guitarists lousy Crate head sound noticably better but definitely works best with a good tube amp. Awesome unit.

Dropped on my driveway once and only dislodged the tube. Chassis is made from thick steel, is about the size, shape and weight of a large brick. Tough rubber feet keep it from wandering. Top notch construction.

Never dealt with them.

Expensive but worth it. Hasnt found its home in my bass rig just yet but when it does, im sure it will be irreplaceable. Very very useful for recording just about any instrument, particularly acoustic guitars. The only thing I wish it had is a cup holder, but im workin on that.

Very easy to get a good sound out of it. Your basic Treble,Mid,Bass EQ. it has a gain knob for input volume and a volume knob for output volume to your amp. Also has a bright switch that makes it more trebly when needed. Works like an amp. So not hard to get around.

I use a Fender American Deluxe Stat into the FatDrive then into a VOX AC30 Custom Classic reissue amp. The unit is not noisy. Just your normal hiss you get from your amp. It produced a bigger guitar sound. It can do this without altering your tone as well. Recommneded use is with a Tube amp with good tubes in it. Works great in that scenario. I use it to overdrive my amp and it does a very good job of that.

Seems to be built like a tank. I don't see this thing breaking anytime soon. Maybe the footswitch. That's about it.

N/A

I play blues based music. Works great for this type of music into a tube amp. It helps to warm up your sound if needed. I've been playing for over 20 years now. Own and have owned lots of pedals. This is a top notch one. I would buy it again it lost or stolen. If you want to hear some of what this pedal sounds like, check out http://insurrectiononline.com. Peace.

As simple as any other stomp box effect.....easy.

I bought this preamp as a direct box for my acoustic guitar (Taylor 714ce) I have tried dozens of things including the usual suspects (acoustic guitar preamp/EQ/direct boxes and various chorus pedals etc...) all in an effort to 'warm' up and give the acoustic a natural tone instaed of the brittle nonsense I was getting running direct to most PA boards. The Fatdrive arrived from Musictoyz with a broken tube rattling around in the chassis interior...at first I was a little upset and then realized I was going to change the tube anyway to a NOS tube (JAN Philips 12ax7 in my case). Once I cleaned the glass debris off of the components and installed the new tube I was good to go. The Fatdrive is absolutely silent in operation (I'm sure some of it is due to the JAN tube) and enhances my acoustic guitar level and tone in exactly the way that I had hoped! The 'bright' switch on the side doesn't seem to add or subtract much to my ears. I run the 'level' and 'drive' at 12 o'clock the bass around 8 o'clock and the mid and treble around 3 o'clock (I'm sure that different tubes will require different EQing) then I run my Fishman pre on the guitar relatively 'flat'(I blend in only a hint of 'microphone' between the two pick-ups in the guitar (mostly saddle PU)) and the tone, feel and dynamics are what I was looking for. I get a lot of compliments on my acoustic sound and owe most of it to the Fatdrive in front of the guitar. Chain: Guitar---Fatdrive---direct box---PA. I tried this in front of my Fender Vibrolux amp between a 54'strat and it definitely adds warmth and FATTNESS....It definitely belongs on the end of an electric guitar chain (right before the amp) But I primarily use it for acoustic guitar and it rocks!

Been using it for 6 months and flawless....

Don't know.....

I recommend it for someone looking for a fat warm sound.

As long as you match the amp signal level w/ the effect level your set to go! Not a complicated effect. This unit is an easy upgrade!! This is a mild overdrive unit. But I think it's best in front of a nice tube amp to add a nice thick class A tube tone to your existing sound that doesn't need more gain.

I'm not using this as an overdrive. I think the SIB Varidrive is what you want if you need more gain. This is just like a preamp to any amplifier. I'm getting a very thick Class A sound now out of my amps. It sounds so good that the clean tone no longer needs a chorus. It's very satisfying! But my high gain tones are killer too. My main amp now is a Diezel Herbert.

Built like a tank!

This is an easy way to upgrade ANY existing tone. This pedal is a keeper! They're a steal at $200!!!! Sounds better than a 10!

I did the 9/16/2003 review below. I'm still using it, it's killer. I'm just wondering if anyone has any idea what unity is for the EQ section. Meaning, where would you set the knobs of the EQ section so that they have no effect on the sound? I might like to boost the mids a tad but would rather have the highs and lows come out exactly as they went in. I'm using it for a volume boost for solos. If you know you can shoot me an email at dblank3@webtv.net. Thanks.

Very cool indeed. Very easy to use. 5 chicken head nobs and one bright switch on the left side. No manual ... but you don't need one. Plug in turn nobs and play. The "volume" nob boosts your sound from the guitar and the "Drive" nob pushes the tone into the amp. The 3 tone nobs (Treble, Mids and Bass) color the sound like having a tube EQ and compressor made spiciffacly for electric guitar and acoustic instruments all in one. (simple discription)

Gibson Les Paul DC > Boss GT-5 (Switching only) > SIB VariDrive > SIB FatDrive > Fender 64 Vibroverb or 65 reissue Super Reverb.

There is no noise from this unit at all.


It boosts all my sounds because it is the last item before the amp
It sounds great with true bypass but it is always on

My VariDrive has been around for almost 6 years with no problems.

One call o Rick 5 years ago. Very helpfull

I play mostly blues and R&B with some country rock. I have been playing for35 years + or - and this unit fits all styles of music.

I also have a rack guitar system = Guitar > Mesa Boogie Formula Pre amp > a TC electronics G Major effects > a Peavey Custom 50-50 tube power amp for Guitar > 2, Fane Loaded (out of an old Hiwatt 4X12 cab), > 2X12 open backed cabs. I may sell this rig because I went back to Combo amps

I love the way the FatDrive sweetens up the sound. I thought the Super Reverb sounded the best of any amp for clean tones but the FatDrive kind of coaxes a sweet tone that is both compressed and Fat (thus the name).

I don't think I could or would want to play without it so I would replace it.

I have had a long career and now finally towards the end I get the best sound. Some of my old fenders from a long time past came close to this (Band Master,

This is the older, non-bright switch model.

I haven't used it much yet. I'm putting it in bewteen my preamp and power amp. I was using a 15 band graphic EQ to sculpt the sound a bit. But I stuck this thing in it's place and holy moley! I couldn't believe how much warmer it sounded! The graphic EQ sounded, as they say "cold & sterile". Tube warmth finally dawned on me. Plus it just sounded bigger. Bit of added hiss/hum though.

i'm not going to rate it, it's too soon. if i'm still using it 2 years from now I'll update.

If you know how to run a master volume guitar amp, you will know how to run this.

See overall rating.

See overall rating.

Answered my email about the shock risk (tubes / capacitors) quickly.

I wanted to elaborate on my original review (it's the first one).... in addition to being the ultimate tone-sweetner for piezo pickups and acoustic instruments, this is an amazing tone-sweetner for any studio situation. I have been using this in conjunction with a Mackie board preamp and a Rode NT-1 microphone (a pretty harsh combination, but hey, that's what I can afford), and it sounds absolutely sweet- deepens the lows and tames the harsh highs. The EQ is subtle, but completely useful in the studio application. The tube compression is subtle, but it really polishes the levels, really a "right there" sound. Awesome on vocals. I'm not an engineer, but I think the transformer may have as much to do with the sound as the tube itself. Any rate, this $300 pedal saved me from buying a $1000 mic preamp, and may even sound better than a $1000 preamp.

The Fatdrive has five knobs and is extremely easy to use. This is essentially a tube preamp in a stompbox format. It does not come with a manual, but there is no need for it. It sounds great right out of the box.

I am a touring/session musician in Nashville. I use the Fatdrive with my violin, mandolin, and acoustic guitar. The sound is warm and fat, not to mention it takes the "edge" off of my piezo pickups. It is true bypass and blows away most of the rackmount tube preamps that are in some of the studios down here. A true gem that sweetens tone.

The Fatdrive is very well-built. I have used it on the road and have never had any problems. I do not use a backup.

Rick has answered my questions very quickly via email. He seems very friendly and was helpful with my inquiries.

I've been playing for 21 years, and play all musical styles. The Fatdrive gives me the sound I've had in my head. It fattens up my violin and makes it sound rich and smooth. When I turn it off, there is a HUGE difference in sound quality. I would definitely replace it if ever lost or stolen. I highly recommend this pedal.

The FatDrive has five knobs: Volume, Drive, Bass, Mids and Treble. It also has one footswitch and an light indicating whether or not it is engaged. It runs of regular AC power, just like the amp, and most things in the world.

There is no manual for the box, nor is anything printed on the underside like on other SIB boxes. Some explanation about the difference between Drive and Volume might have been helpful because at first it's hard to tell the difference.

That having been said, it is extremely easy to use. The manufacturer markets it as a clean boost that delivers tube saturation, compression and tone control in a fat sounding package. In order for any box to do all these things some experimentation is necessary. Fortunately, experimenting with this box is a lot of fun!

Typically, I'm playing with a Fender Strat (Lace Sensors) and a 2001 Custom Shop Historic Re-issue of the '59 Flame-top into a variety of amps. I'm also using a Martin HD-28 and a James Olson SJ, each equiped with a Baggs Micro-Duet system. Between the electrics and the amps are a variety of pedals (SIB Varidrive, SIB EchoDrive, Analogman Clone Clone Chorus, MJM London Fuzz and an Analogman TS9/808 mod looped through a Boss loop pedal to mix the clean with the dirty). Overall, a very nice setup with lots of subtle shadings and flexibility.

Sound? Sweet mother of tone! This box is something. It's dead quite when it's on and completely transparent. I got it for the clean boost, but it's really so much more. This box gives a walloping boost, if so desired, with very respectable control of the Bass/Middle/Treble aspects of the sound. In a sense this can be very much like (though not exactly) a mid boost or a treble boost by using the tone controls. It can also slam the front of an amp for some exquisite tone.

But even at lower drive and volume levels this is a useful box. It definately fattens up the sound of the guitars and gives them warmth. I tried this out in front of a SS amp I keep in my office and with the SS PA using the acoustics mentioned above. This box is beautiful, absolutely beautiful in those situations. The sound of the guitars came alive with fat, round, glistening and responsive tone. All harshness and muddiness was gone. Essentially this is a very cool tube preamp in a footpedal.

It has exceeded all of my expectations.

Like all SIB stuff, it's built like a tank. The bass knob was hit hard enough to break the plastic, but the pot and the box still works, that seems to indicate to me that it will stand up to the test of time.

I've only dealt with them about the broken knob, via email. The got back to me the same day.

I've been playing for nearly 30 years, rock, blues, folk mostly. I've played a lot of acoustic stuff over the years and that's made me very very particular about guitar tone, especially clean tone. What I like about this is that it really enhances and sweetens the sound much more than I expected.

Losing it or stealing it will be difficult because I don't think it will every be turned off, let alone unplugged.

I love the sound of this pedal and how it makes me want to play more, what more can I ask of it?

I compared it to most of the popular boosters (Sweet Sound, Fat-Boost, etc.) and settled on this one because I thought the tone controls would be useful and I liked the idea that it might be a good buffer for the acoustic guitars going into the PA. I think I made the right choice.

You must check out this box, it's gorgeous.

Five Knobs - Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume and Drive (increases saturation/compression). All are highly interactive and each pot has detents to make locating the "sweet spot" easier. The FATDRIVE does not come with a manual - why would you need one?

I have a pretty basic setup: Don Grosh Retro Classic Strat with Dimarzio Virtual Vintage pickups, a custom pedal board with Fulltone Fuldrive, Supatrem, Way Huge Analog Chorus, Way Huge Compressor, and now the FATDRIVE (an SIB ECHODRIVE and Fulltone ChoralFlange are "on the way"). This goes into a Dr. Z Maz 18 Jr 2x10 Combo.

OK The fact is this the QUIETEST Pedal I've heard ... period.

The tone is Stellar. I've owned and played several Vintage, BooTeek, and "Modern Swiss Army" Amps. The SIB Fatdrive is kinda like a Matchless in a Box. It perfects complements my Dr. Z.

To my ear - there is not a bad sound in this box. Bear in mind that the Fatdrive is *not* a Distortion box. It's designed for clean boost, compression, and saturation. In my rig I use it to boost up the mids and bass (I like to run the MAZ "mid-scooped" for traditional Strat rhythm playing). This gives the neck PU of my Grosh an almost Les Paul quality. More Drive Knob = More Saturation.
Very touch sensitive too. This unit promises to be a great recording preamp.

This thing is very "brick-like" in size and shape. It dwarfs the other pedals on my board. Again it's like a Matchless in a box. The unit is heavy - DO NOT DROP ON FOOT! I've cooresponding with Rick Hamel via EMAIL and from what he told me about his construction techniques I think it would take a minimum of a C4 shape charge to take this thing out.

Rick Hamel is very friendly and available. See Above.

I'm in a backup band for a Christian Recording Artist on the East Coast. We mainly play small ministry-related venues and are working on a CD. I've played guitar for 27 years - stlyles include Classical, Jazz, Pop, and R&B. My tonal references are Steve Cropper, early Larry Carlton, and more recently Drew Zing. In addition to the equipment already mentioned, I own a G.V. Rubio Classical, a Lowden 0-32 Jumbo Acoustic, a Fishman Performer Pro Acostic Amp, and a custom Kendrick Amp.

5 Knobs- Drive, Volume, Hi, Mid, Low. Very basic, one input, one output.

Fat and clean- see below for comments

The pedal is built like a tank. I'm pretty sure it can survive a drop on concrete (though I wouldn't try myself). Self cleaning switch. Case is a very high guage steel.

Haven't dealt with them.

This is a very interesting pedal. Unlike the other tube pedals out there, this doesn't do any overdrive or distortion. All it does is work on the tube saturation and fatness.
But that is the beauty of this pedal. The pedal makes anything through it warmer, with more tube sheen, and acts like a very musical compressor.
Two great uses:
* direct recording- I actually use it *after* a SansAmp to give it a tube recording preamp quality- works great using an amp simulator live as well- signal totally comes to life.
* preamp/compressor for acoustic guitar. I have used it as a buffer for my acoustic setup, and it's a godsend for harsh piezo signals. Not only does the tone get sweetened, the compression quality is a real lifesaver when switching between lead, strumming and fingerpicking styles (I do all 3). Because the tube warms up the tone so much, I actually cut down on the low and mids quite a bit, while keeping the hi at 12'o clock.
I haven't tried recording with it, but it sounds very quiet and very, *very* sweet. Can't wait to use it- I'll probably use this pedal as much as the Dust Brothers used a SansAmp on Beck's Odelay album.
A very welcome addition to my signal chain.
I bet this is just as cool as a Joe Meek compressor, but without