Not For Sale
Model Description:
The DOD FX10 Bi‑Fet Preamp was one of the first DOD FX Series pedals manufactured between 1982 and 1995. It superseded DOD’s Fet Preamp 210 ‘first series’ pedal. It was originally designed to act as an active preamp for acoustic instruments such as transducer‑equipped acoustic/electric guitars. While some used it for its intended purpose, the FX10 found favour with guitarists who used it as a clean boost. It also acts as a buffer – a very helpful utility for driving pedalboards and long cables. The ‘Tone’ control, in particular, provided either a bass boost or treble boost, when set either side of the centre ‘flat’ setting. The ‘Level’ control sets the output volume (up to 17dB of gain). For the technically minded, the ‘Bi’ refers to Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT) used to regulate current in first stage amplification. The ‘Fet’ refers to the ‘Field Effect Transistors’ used to regulate voltage in higher gain amplification. In the FX10, the Bi‑Fet amplifier acts as a dual operational amplifier (op‑amp), with half used for controlling ‘Tone’ and the other half for controlling ‘Level’/buffer. Bi‑Fet is a very common piece of electronics frequently used in boost or preamp circuits. A pedal like the FX10 isn’t ‘sexy’ as it doesn’t ‘do’ much, unlike more trendy effect pedals. However, it can be a very useful as an ‘always on’ tool early in a signal chain in the same way as, say, a compressor. The FX10 can be used as a signal conditioner to boost, stabilise and shape a guitar’s signal before it hits other pedals and/or an amplifier. While other pedals may come and go in terms of trendy popularity, utility pedals like the FX10 don’t go out of fashion and are great for managing gain, signal integrity and dynamic response. It has a pretty solid reputation for what it does as well. The FX10’s original list price in 1983 was $59.95. It can be picked up for less than that on the vintage effect market in the 2020s. Bargain.
Pedal Description:
This feature focuses on a low profile but very useful piece of kit, especially for guitarists who use complex pedalboards and/or long cables in their rigs. The pedal in question is a demure metallic grey and silver 1987 DOD FX10 Bi‑Fet Preamp. It is not a pedal that really needs to stand out on a pedalboard. Guitarists often use pedals like this to clean up, contour and boost a guitar’s sound, usually placed at or near the front of a signal chain. While it doesn’t constitute an overdrive in and of itself, it can be used to overdrive the inputs of subsequent pedals/amps. The Bi‑Fet nature of the circuit is supposed to blend seamlessly into a setup, and to enhance and flatter the dynamics and sensitivity of a guitar’s output. This example is in pretty good all‑original condition with just a few scuffs. It doesn’t come with either its box or any of its documentation, unlike many DOD pedals, suggesting that it has seen more use over the years than some of its counterparts. Eagle‑eyed viewers may notice the slightly different graphic aesthetic From CRAVE Effects’ other DOD FX series stomp boxes – the screen printed brand and model lines. It also has a lower control count that was more common on the early FX pedals, just simple ‘Tone’ and ‘Level’ knobs to play with. The base plate is also covered in ridged rubber, rather than flat. Tonally, it does what it is meant to do with very little fuss or bother. It can be used as a preamp for a passive acoustic guitar transducer/pickup. It can also be used by a guitarist as a boost (particularly a treble boost) for a solo, to balance a thin‑sounding pickup (bass boost) or induce some natural sounding overdrive in other components, which it does very well. Whether it is switched in or out or used ‘always on’ is entirely up to the user. The FX10 can help to increase the low output of some single coil pickups or to help with the single‑note tracking of octave/pitch‑shifting effects. As mentioned above, it may not be a ‘showy’ in‑your‑face effect but it can act as an essential low‑profile device in a guitarist’s arsenal. Handy.
Features:
- Made by DOD in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. in 1987
- The ‘Tone’ knob controls the amount of bass (counter‑clockwise) or treble (clockwise)
- The ‘Level’ knob controls the output volume
- The treadle‑style footswitch controls whether the effect is on or off
- Standard ¼” input and output mono jack sockets
- LED status indicator to show when the effect is in use
- 9V DC power supply input or 9V battery
- Dimensions: 5” x 3” x 2” – 127mm x 76mm x 51mm (L x W x D)
- Weight: 1.2 Lbs – 550g
- No box or instruction manual
Detail Gallery:
