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Pros:
- Extremely affordable
- Well-built
- Wide range of sound
Cons:
- Might be a bit loud
- Will not replace your go-to ‘80s flanger
When you think about affordable brands, the first thing that comes to mind is that they are Chinese. You rarely expect any other country to produce inexpensive devices that still work beautifully. But such an assumption is not exactly accurate. There are companies that are based in USA (they still build pedals in China but who doesn’t?), which, for some reason, raises the bar immediately and forces you to have higher expectations. One of those is definitely Nady.
I don’t think that too many people are aware of this one, but they undoubtedly have a lot to bring to the market. This manufacturer became famous for their wireless systems which quickly turned into a ubiquitous hit and found their place in countless applications. As time passed by, they incorporated newer units into their electronic collection and eventually, they started building effects pedals as well.
Their stompboxes tend to be in the affordable price range and always strive to maintain nice quality – be it the body or the sound itself. They shine a bright light in the bulk of cheap pedals with their colorful lines and let you enjoy the appearances as much as you will enjoy the performance. FL-10 is an amazing piece for the price and you should stay with me to find out the reason why. Let’s begin!
Features
If you are looking for something extraordinary, you have to look elsewhere, my friend. Nady FL-10 is just a typical flanger that knows how to do its job. It does not have any bells and whistles and properties that will blow your mind. Rather, it offers something you know will work and tops it with a huge amount of control. This baby is housed in the orange shell that brings joy to any pedalboard. For some reason, its design makes me feel positive each time I look at it but that might be just my personal opinion.
Though the body has a weird shape that might not attract everyone. More importantly, FL-10 has all the typical features that are essential for creating a full-bodied flange. It has side-mounted inputs and outputs, as well as a top-mounted DC jack that powers this thing up. If you prefer batteries, you have that option as well. This baby has an LED that will display, whether the unit is on or off and pair as a check indicator as well. It will dim out when battery starts draining so that you can take precautionary measures.
FL-10 offers a subtle, yet defined flange that becomes more pronounced as you pair it with some sort of distortion. The speed ranges from 100mS-20S, while the delay time is between 0.3mS and 14.5mS. These are typical and mean that this fella has a wide variety of options to choose from. The build quality is solid, which means you can stay assured that it won’t fall apart with the first stomp. But there is something I always say about these affordable pedals: take care of it and you will be fine. Even some higher-end models cannot handle vigorous usage so we cannot ask that much from such cheap ones. All in all, this baby is a wonderful option in its price range – if not the best.
Controls
Surprisingly, Nady FL-10 has all the encoders you would want to see in a flanger pedal. It comes equipped with “Fantastic Four” – and that is everything you will ever need. It will take you just a glance to figure out what is what and then you can dive into the performance itself right away. But I still think I should provide you with some insight in the control section.
The first star of the panel is Manual. It enables you to move the effect up and down the frequency lane. You can maintain it in the bottom end or shift higher and concentrate it on the trebles. Then comes Rate that simply speeds up or slows down the effect. Depth determines how deep the sweeps in LFO are and, thus, messes around with intensity. The last knob we have here is, of course, Resonance. This small encoder lets you adjust the amount of feedback and emphasize the character of the flange even more (after all, that very feature sets it apart from other modulation effects). Finally, we have a small footswitch mounted on the bottom part of the pedal. It is a “clicky” type and makes it possible to switch the pedal on easily.
Nady Flanger Sound
When it comes to the sound of Nady FL-10, right off the bat it can be said that you should not expect anything too dramatic here. The effect it provides is subtler compared to other pedals on the market, yet it retains clarity all the time. It shows off its character particularly well when you pair it with distortion or overdrive. This way its texture becomes more pronounced and rich, allowing those swirls to shine. This pedal offers a wide range in terms of control, which is mind-blowing considering the price.
It is not as diverse as its expensive rivals though its sonic properties are more than enough for an occasional flange wonder. If you set it improperly, it might develop some noise but you can easily work your way around it. FL-10 is an easy way to create something that has depth and distinctive essence so that your pieces can be unique. When such difficult effects become easy to nail, there is nothing else you need for beautiful and interesting performances.
Conclusion
To sum up everything we mentioned above, Nady FL-10 is a great affordable option. Its sonic quality can easily outplay that of its rivals, which sets it apart from the competition a great deal. It is not nuts like some other flangers out there, but its subtlety is what makes this one so special. If you have the right expectations, this baby won’t disappoint you. Go online, search some more, scrape for demos and let your ears make the final decision. After all, choosing the perfect pedal is always a matter of trial and error. Good luck!
Click here to view more from 10 Best Flanger Pedals.
