Flatsons - Time Effects Guitar Pedal
Review for the Flatsons - Time Effects Guitar pedal
GEAR REVIEW
Introduction:
Getting caught up in the world of guitar pedals has never been my thing. I’m not interested in collecting a multitude of pedals or building a massive pedalboard. Simplicity is key in my setup. For my needs, a noise gate, overdrive, and a combination of delay and reverb for solos are all I require.
When navigating a market flooded with countless guitar pedals, I’m always searching for one that combines reverb and delay into a single unit. This approach streamlines my pedalboard, making it more manageable compared to using two separate pedals.
That said, I admire those who enjoy having a wide array of pedals to craft unique and complex sounds—that’s fantastic. However, I’m a guitarist who gravitates toward a minimalist approach. That’s how I discovered the Flatsons Time Effects pedal, which I’ll be reviewing based on my personal experience with it.
Flatsons:
Before diving into the specifics of the pedal, I like to step back and explore the company behind it. Recently, there's been a surge of new Chinese companies entering the Western market, and Flatsons is one of them. Like many other Chinese brands, Flatsons has a quirky name that might seem a little unusual. What does it mean? How did they come up with it? Who knows. This phenomenon always intrigues me, though it might simply be a cultural difference that resonates more with others.
On a positive note, I was pleased to find that Flatsons has a dedicated website available in English. The Flatsons brand is a subsidiary of a larger Chinese company called Flanger Music, and their site features a variety of other guitar-related gear under different sub-brands. For Chinese companies, having a well-maintained, English-language website is always a good sign. One of the first red flags for me is when I can’t find any online information about a brand I’m researching, so the fact that Flatsons has some online presence is definitely reassuring. Additionally, all the official specifications for this pedal are easily accessible on their site, so I won’t list them here to avoid wasting anyone's time.
Purchasing, Shipping, and Packaging:
An aspect often overlooked in reviews is the purchasing experience, so let’s dive into that. The Flatsons pedal is available on popular online shopping platforms like AliExpress and Amazon, and it’s quite affordable. However, I couldn’t find an official online store from Flatsons or Flanger, which is a bit worrying for me. Shopping from a brand's official store is always a bit more reassuring, as it often ensures better customer service and authenticity.
After opening the standard AliExpress bubble wrap envelope, I found that the pedal was safely packed inside a small cardboard box with a bit of protective foam at the top. The cardboard box itself is nothing fancy—just a bare-bones box with the Flatsons logo on the top and a bunch of scan codes stuck on it. I have no idea what they’re for. Inside the box, there’s nothing extra—no Velcro strips for pedalboards or anything like that. The only thing included is a small user manual, which is in both English and Chinese. The manual doesn’t look like it was hastily translated with Google Translate, which is another good sign.
In my case, I didn’t have to pay any additional taxes, but that could vary depending on your country’s import regulations. Even if taxes are applied, the low price of the pedal should keep the extra costs manageable.
My Setup:
Before diving deeper into the review, I want to briefly explain my setup and how I use this pedal so you can better understand my perspective. I play metal and heavier genres, and my setup is straightforward: I run a noise gate and an overdrive pedal in front of the amp, while routing my FX pedals through the amp’s FX loop.
I prefer to keep things simple, and the only time I usually activate the FX pedal is during solos. When I engage the FX pedal, I’m looking for a bit of delay—typically tape delay—and a touch of reverb—usually hall reverb—to add depth and ambience, especially on those high notes. It helps the solo blend better with the rest of the band and the song. Once the solo is over, I deactivate the FX pedal until the next one. Nothing too complicated—just enough to enhance the solo without overwhelming the mix.
Design, Durability, and Functionality:
At first glance, this pedal is impressive. It has the familiar mini-sized form factor, and the color finish is quite nice—though appearance is always subjective. I didn’t notice any imperfections or spelling mistakes, which can sometimes be an issue with Chinese products; everything looks neat and tidy. Weighing only 173.5 grams, the pedal feels surprisingly light. It’s impressive how they managed to pack so many features into such a compact, lightweight unit. The chassis material seems to be some kind of aluminum alloy, though I’m not entirely sure.
I’ve taken it to a few gigs and several rehearsals without any special protection—just tossed it in my bag with the rest of my gear—and it’s held up well, with no scratches or damage. However, since it has a screen and several digital components, I doubt it’s as sturdy as purely analog pedals. If I were to drop it carelessly (which, unfortunately, happens more often than I’d like), I’m sure something might break. But given the nature of this pedal, that’s somewhat expected. Overall, I’m impressed with the build quality so far.
In terms of usability, this pedal comes with some unique inputs and outputs, including a headphone input and a link output that allows you to connect your phone. Out of curiosity, I connected my headphones, and everything worked as expected. The headphone output is rated at just 10 Ω, which is worth mentioning. As for the link output, I haven’t tried it yet, to be honest.
Another unusual aspect of this pedal is that it doesn’t have the standard 9V or 12V DC input for power. Instead, it features a built-in lithium battery, though I couldn’t find any information on the battery’s capacity. It charges via a 5V USB-C input, with a small LED light indicator for battery life and charging. However, I’m not a fan of the input jack’s placement—I would have preferred it on the top rather than on the left side of the pedal.
The lack of a standard 9V or 12V power input might be a drawback for some users. If you’re accustomed to using a dedicated power supply, you’ll need to find a way to incorporate a USB-C cable and charger or power bank into your setup. Alternatively, you can rely on the lithium battery and hope it lasts through the entire show—just remember to recharge it after each use. Personally, I prefer a steady power source for my pedals, so this setup isn’t ideal for me.
Aside from these quirks, the pedal also features the classic guitar input and output jacks, a standard on/off switch, and an LED indicator light. Holding the switch for two seconds puts the pedal into tuner mode, cutting off the signal. Additionally, it has a screen and one large knob for controlling the effects displayed on the screen. The screen has an old-school mobile phone vibe, lighting up orange, and it’s easy to see and operate with the knob. This part of the design is well thought out and user-friendly.
Sound, Features, and Usability:
This pedal immediately caught my attention with its unique features and attractive price point. Without hesitation, I bought it, eager to see how it would fit into my setup. However, while everything seemed fantastic on paper, integrating it into my rig didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped.
Starting with the sound, both the reverb and delay deliver a decent, workable tone that I find satisfying. It’s not in the realm of high-end delay or reverb units, but given the price, it offers more than I expected. I didn't record any sound samples, so I'd recommend checking out some YouTube demos if you want to hear how its sounds.
When powering up the pedal—either by plugging in a cable or connecting the USB-C charger—the screen lights up, and you can navigate through two main tabs: "00 Echo" and "01 Rev." By holding the big knob for 2 seconds, you can access the submenu for the selected effect and tweak various parameters.
In the Delay tab, you can adjust the Level, Time, and Feedback settings. However, there's no option to choose between different delay types, which feels like a missed opportunity. The pedal also allows you to switch between Parallel or Serial routing, but that’s about it. The simplicity makes it easy to dial in a tone, but the limited options leave something to be desired.
On the Reverb tab, you can choose between three types of reverb: Room, Hall, and Spring. For my music, Hall reverb is the only one that fits. You can also modify the level and size of the reverb, and again, there's the option to switch between parallel and serial routing, which feels redundant. They could have added more useful features instead of repeating this option.
What bothers me most is that there's no way to activate both effects simultaneously with one push of the switch. You have to manually activate each effect one at a time, which completely disrupts my playing style. The only way to have both effects active is if one is already on when you switch to the other. This limitation is incredibly frustrating and goes against the purpose of having a combined delay and reverb pedal. The best I could do was use the delay or reverb independently during solos, which is far from ideal.
Another disappointment is the built-in tuner. It struggles to function properly, especially with lower tunings, making it essentially unusable. I was hoping to save some space on my pedalboard by using this tuner, but it falls short.
The battery life is another letdown. Although I couldn’t find the exact capacity, it seems small based on the pedal's size and weight. Initially, the battery lasted 3-4 hours on a single charge, but after nearly a year of use, it now only lasts about 10-15 minutes. To make matters worse, you need to use exactly a 5V USB-C charger; otherwise, it won’t charge correctly. There’s a small charging indicator light that turns off when fully charged, and the screen shows battery capacity. However, if the battery runs out mid-performance, it completely cuts your signal, which could be catastrophic during a live show.
Lastly, when using the pedal in front of the amp instead of in the FX loop, there’s a significant amount of noise. Since I usually run it through the FX loop, this hasn’t been a major issue for me, but it's worth noting for those who prefer to place effects in front of the amp.
Overall, my experience with this pedal has been quite disappointing. While it has some redeeming qualities, the drawbacks make it hard to recommend.
Conclusion:
If you're looking for a straightforward pedal to add ambiance to your solos with just one hit on the switch, this pedal isn’t the best choice. The battery issues alone make it hard to recommend.
Despite my disappointment, I commend Flatsons for stepping outside the norm and trying something different. It’s refreshing to see a Chinese company focusing on innovation rather than simply replicating existing designs. I hope they continue developing this concept and improve their future pedals.
Pros:
Affordable: The pedal is budget-friendly and offers decent value for its price.
Decent Sound Quality: Both the reverb and delay effects provide a workable tone, especially for the price point.
Build Quality: Despite its light weight, the pedal is sturdy and has held up well through gigs and rehearsals.
Unique Features: The pedal includes unusual features like a headphone input and a link output for connecting to a phone.
User-Friendly Interface: The screen and knob design make navigating the pedal’s functions straightforward and easy to use.
Innovative Design: The pedal has a lot of modern and innovative features.
Cons:
Limited Effect Options: Only three types of reverb and one type of delay are available, with minimal customization.
Separate Effect Activation: The inability to activate both reverb and delay simultaneously with one switch press is a major drawback.
Unreliable Tuner: The tuner struggles with low tunings, rendering it unreliable and essentially unusable.
Battery Issues: The built-in battery deteriorates quickly, holding a charge for only 10-15 minutes after nearly a year of use and cant be replaced easily.
Signal Cut-off: When the battery dies, the pedal cuts off the signal entirely, which could be disastrous during a live performance.
Noise Issues: Significant noise is introduced when the pedal is used in front of the amp rather than in the FX loop.
Disclaimer:
I purchased this pedal with my own money and have no connection or affiliation with Flatsons. All opinions expressed are my own, based on my personal expertise and experience as a guitarist. Please consider these views as reflective of my experience with the specific unit I own. It's also worth noting that the issues I encountered could be unique to my particular unit, given the variability in quality control, especially with some Chinese-made products.