Dano Fabs do some time-travelling

[Mark Hammer]

I was just at the Danelectro web-site, and it would appear that they have added several time-based FX to their $19 "Fab" line.  Among them are an analog delay, a chorus, and a flanger.  Nineteen bucks?!  Are these things going to show up in cereal boxes at some point, the way older games on CD are now showing up?  And just what the heck do the retailers pay for them, or is this some sort of loss-leader promotion?  You know, "Come to the store for the $19 delay, and stay for the $400 crappy amp and $500 music lessons".

[Transmogrifox]

I should purchase one.  I'll bet they can be made to sound decent.  If the analog delay is truly an analog delay it probably has some BBD chips in it, and there's not much you can do to screw up an anolog delay unless they're clocking it extra slow and low-pass filtering real low to get more delay for less BBD--or omitting the low-pass antialiasing filters and output smoothing filters altogether, then it may be a little noisey and lo-fi.

I'll bet I could have an ok sounding analog delay if I perfed some peripheral circuitry and tapped into the Danelectro PCB for its useful parts--stick it in a more durable DIY enclosure.

[cd]

I should purchase one.  I'll bet they can be made to sound decent.  If the analog delay is truly an analog delay it probably has some BBD chips in it, and there's not much you can do to screw up an anolog delay unless they're clocking it extra slow and low-pass filtering real low to get more delay for less BBD--or omitting the low-pass antialiasing filters and output smoothing filters altogether, then it may be a little noisey and lo-fi.

I'll bet I could have an ok sounding analog delay if I perfed some peripheral circuitry and tapped into the Danelectro PCB for its useful parts--stick it in a more durable DIY enclosure.

Yeah, but then the price doesn't make sense.  If you need to add an enclosure, jacks, pots, knobs, more parts, etc. and just re-using the PCB... jeez, $19 for a crap PCB with SMT parts and the chips?  Might as well buy the raw parts from Small Bear - the Beijing 3208 equivalent is what, $5, same for the clock driver, you're only at $10, and have $9 free to play with.

[puretube]

hardware/assembly/shipping makes the price...

[petemoore]

I should purchase one.
  I 'would purchase one, I could use a 'nice' analog delay, I think. I know if I'd seen one today, at that price, at GC on the way home, I'd be trying it out right now.

[petemoore]

  Flanger Clip sounded PDCool for a '20$ item clip'...'nice' flange at that.
  Echo...no time control, kinda cool, price becomes less of an issue for me when considering power supply and cable hookups and room on the Pboard vs ability to have increased time and time control on an echo.
  Chorus ain't bad either!
 

[Stevo]

Went to the sight no material about analog delay, just echo from yesteryear....Did anybody see an explanation intending it was analog or is it a simple echo??...Is this right?  Does it have to be analog...I am going to look at my grocery store for effects in the boxes of cereal....

[Hal]

wow, $19...and music123 has the three distortions for $15.  I wonder if they will also have the other pedals at that price.

I could go for a deep echo, I wonder if it'll fit the bill :-D.  Or I guess a good sounding subtle echo, and leave my amp set for the deep sound...hmm...

[Mojah63]

They are all SMT. I have one of the mini's and I think the SM ceramic capacitors they use really suck the tone out. For LoFi I'm sure they'd work but I'd rebox one and add a hard bypass at least. SMT by its self isn't a bad thing BUT it can be a real pain esp if you want to upgrade components .

[Mark Hammer]

I suspect the reason they went for a short/slapback delay was that faster clocking of whatever the delay component is in there results in less need for lowpass filtering.  It also results in one less pot, and at those prices, the cost of the pot and the extra transistor, 2 caps and three resistors needed for another 2-pole filter are probably the difference between turning a profit or not.

[Arn C.]

Anyone know where I can purchase a couple of these pedals at that price?
I went to their site and no where to purchase them.   I think I will get the flange and the echo.

Thanks,
Arn C.

[Peter Snowberg]

Manufacturers will usually quote SRP (suggested retail price) at 200% of wholesale. Music stores in my area at least want to put product on the shelf at 60% above wholesale.

In the end I'm sure it would be cheaper and better to just scratch build, but it would take quite a bit longer. For lots of people, the ability to start with a working circuit and the amount of time saved will make it very worth it.

If I ever run across a Dan-Echo or a PB&J, I just may pick it up as a breadboarding accessory.

[jrc4558]

These cirquits will definitely be SMT, so not all that easy to make 'em sound 'decent'. But for the money - its already good. Thanks for the info, Mark!