Amped Bitesize Review: Boss FDR-1 Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb

Amp in a box, but does it sound like the original amp?   08-Mar-13

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The Boss FDR-1 is a pedal which aims to model the sound of the Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb amplifier. In many ways, it's a useful bit of kit, it manages to fit reverb, vibrato, and distortion into one compact pedal.

It's the eighth pedal we looked out in our Boss bitsize review feature, where we filmed bitesize reviews of 30 Boss pedals, with the aim of providing our readers with a quick way to reference one Boss pedal against another.

The Boss FDR-1 Fender '54 Deluxe Reverb pedal is a fairly easy one to review, it either sounds like the original amp, or it doesn't. So what did reviewer and Amped Editor Rich think?

Rich's verdict - "I like having the Boss FDR-1 in an effects chain, for the pure reason that when you are sitting at home trying to come up with parts for songs, it's sitting there ready to provide with reverb, vibrato, and a decent overdrive sound. I don't think it's as close to sounding like a '65 Deluxe Reverb amp as some people have said it is, but you can certainly hear the similarities. For a start, the gain sound is a bit too modern, and there's more of it than you'd expect, but it's good to have the ability to have more gain. I like the vibrato sound, it's agressive in all the right ways, and the reverb is subtle but very useable, especially in solos. The quality of the tones you can get from the pedal are very good, and if you're that desperate to get the '65 Deluxe sound with utmost accuracy, you'll buy one, or a modern equivalent. If you're on a budget, then this is the option for you."

RRP - £115

More info - Boss FDR-1 info page