Feedback Checkpoints; Using The Acoustic Fly Rig With Headphones; Note On Pedals; Placement Notes - Tech 21 The Acoustic Fly Rig NYC Owner's Manual

NOTEWORTHY NOTES
1) Guitars with on-board pre-amps. Set the tone controls on
your guitar flat and start with the guitar's volume level halfway. Turn up
the guitar volume until you see the clip light flashing in the E. Level con-
trol. Lower the guitar volume accordingly until the clip light stops flash-
ing. If you get to max volume on your guitar without the clip light
flashing, you're good to go. Then balance the guitar's level with the Vol-
ume control of the SansAmp section.
Be aware that if the output of your guitar is too high, it can cause distor-
tion. If your guitar is at full volume and the Acoustic Fly Rig's Volume is
set low and you encounter distortion, back off the volume of the guitar
and bring up the Volume of the SansAmp section as needed. If you still
have distortion and want to avoid smacking yourself in the head when
you contact us, check the battery in the pre-amp of the guitar.
2) Compression. If the output of your guitar is very high, even low
compression settings will sound very compressed. Also, be aware that
higher settings can contribute to feedback.
3) EQ and Distortion. Be mindful that when Mid is in a high boost
position, it can contribute to distortion. For a cleaner sound, try cutting
back on the Mid control.
4) Reverb. Too much reverb can contribute to feedback.We recom-
mend using just enough to give you a full sound, but not so much that
you lose definition.

5) Feedback Checkpoints.

a) After setting the tone controls to your liking, turn up the
Volume of the SansAmp section incrementally. If feedback starts
to creep in before you reach the desired level, push the Phase
Flip switch in to reverse the phase. If that doesn't correct the
problem, return the Phase Flip switch to the out position.
b) Engage the Notch switch and turn the Notch control from
low to high to find the spot where the offending frequency
ceases.Then increase your volume as desired.
c) Check the COMP setting. Since higher settings can contribute to
feedback, disengage the COMP section to see if it stops.To elim-
inate the problem before it starts, you can artificially generate
compression feedback and use the Notch filter to locate the
frequency; then decrease COMP as desired.
d) Check the Reverb setting.Again, higher settings can contribute
to feedback.
6) Using the Acoustic Fly Rig with headphones. Settings
may sound brighter through the headphones, so simply adjust the con-
trols accordingly. Remember to disengage the switch when going direct
to a mixing board or amplifier, as it will easily clip the signal.
7) Tech 21 controls are unusually sensitive and tend to per-
form well beyond what would be considered "normal." So you need
not set everything at max to get maximum results. For instance, to
brighten your sound, rather than automatically boosting High all the
way up, try cutting back on Low first.
8) To find the best settings for interacting with your other gear,
you may need to use radically different settings for each individual way
you use it. You need not be discouraged or suspect something is wrong
with the unit. If you've got your sound, you've simply found the right bal-
ance to complement each individual piece of gear. We recommend you
start with the tone controls at 12 o'clock and cut or boost as necessary.
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9) Tech 21 pedals have exceptionally low noise levels.
However, they may amplify noise emanating from the input source.To
minimize noise, we recommend active electronic instruments have the
volume set so that the clip light barely comes on when in Bypass, and
have the tone controls positioned flat. If you need to boost, do so
slowly and sparingly. Also check for pickup interference by moving
your guitar or turning the volume off. Be aware single coil magnetic
pickups are more likely to generate noise.
10) Placement notes: The Acoustic Fly Rig can be treated as an
amplifier or pre-amp when it comes to setting up your signal chain:
Place the following effects BEFORE the Acoustic Fly Rig:
Phaser/Vibe, Overdrive,Wah.
Place the following effects AFTER the Acoustic Fly Rig:
Delay, EQ, Flanger, Phaser (yes, after is good, too), Pitch Shifter, Reverb.
11) Buffered bypass eliminates the shortcomings associated with
"true bypass" (pops and clicks, and high-end loss when multiple pedals
are connected together), as well as signal loss associated with other
types of switching circuits.
12) Custom actuators. All Tech 21 pedals feature smooth, cus-
tom, silent-switching actuators.
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