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HorrorshowMusic « Solid Flanger and Then Some »
Published on 04/04/11 at 23:18The AF2 comes with two modes, the first of which is Taxi; this is just your standard flanger, and is 80's-tastic. In case you were wondering if you could relive "the good ol' days with this," you can, whether we like it or not. The second mode is Takeoff, which can best be described as the dubstep remix to a dying elephant. If that needs any further explanation, you can just stop reading now, this one ain't for you.
UTILIZATION
The Taxi mode is straightforward and pretty applicable to most situations if so inclined. I loaned it to a guitarist for a show and he left it on for like half the set, if that's any testament. All of the knobs give a good range and you can pull all of the basics out of this side, but don't expect anything way out there. Takeoff is a whole different story, this monstrosity, or masterpiece, (I have yet to decide which) is really designed for those who need a little extra dose of crazy, but aren't ready to drop $150 on something as useless as a Whammy. I've yet to find a legitimate use for it; I'm probably too much of a traditionalist for it, but I'm sure someone will make it useful, I hear Paul Gilbert is pretty into it.
SOUND QUALITY
Despite my well documented predisposition to phasers, I quite like the sound of the AF2. It can sit back in the mix or make giant wooshing noises, which always make for a good intro when you're feeling lazy. While the Takeoff seems like it would be utterly useless in any situation excluding "I'm bored, let's see how long I can do this before someone calls the cops," (which, while being a noble cause, doesn't seem to be enough reason to buy a pedal) it really does sound quite cool, so I guess that's something to say for it. If you're gonna make stupid noises, make sure they're awesome.
OVERALL OPINION
Is half of this pedal totally useless? Yes. Does that make it any less fun? Not at all. If you're into noisemakers, it's a fun one for the budget, and the fact that you can easily switch between reasonable effect and Courtney Love is a definite plus. It's fun for a few hours, but I'm sure most people, like myself, will flip it and move on to something that really specializes in a specific sound, rather than making a decent tone in conjunction with something useless. But to each his own, give it a try, see if it strikes your fancy.
UTILIZATION
The Taxi mode is straightforward and pretty applicable to most situations if so inclined. I loaned it to a guitarist for a show and he left it on for like half the set, if that's any testament. All of the knobs give a good range and you can pull all of the basics out of this side, but don't expect anything way out there. Takeoff is a whole different story, this monstrosity, or masterpiece, (I have yet to decide which) is really designed for those who need a little extra dose of crazy, but aren't ready to drop $150 on something as useless as a Whammy. I've yet to find a legitimate use for it; I'm probably too much of a traditionalist for it, but I'm sure someone will make it useful, I hear Paul Gilbert is pretty into it.
SOUND QUALITY
Despite my well documented predisposition to phasers, I quite like the sound of the AF2. It can sit back in the mix or make giant wooshing noises, which always make for a good intro when you're feeling lazy. While the Takeoff seems like it would be utterly useless in any situation excluding "I'm bored, let's see how long I can do this before someone calls the cops," (which, while being a noble cause, doesn't seem to be enough reason to buy a pedal) it really does sound quite cool, so I guess that's something to say for it. If you're gonna make stupid noises, make sure they're awesome.
OVERALL OPINION
Is half of this pedal totally useless? Yes. Does that make it any less fun? Not at all. If you're into noisemakers, it's a fun one for the budget, and the fact that you can easily switch between reasonable effect and Courtney Love is a definite plus. It's fun for a few hours, but I'm sure most people, like myself, will flip it and move on to something that really specializes in a specific sound, rather than making a decent tone in conjunction with something useless. But to each his own, give it a try, see if it strikes your fancy.