POWER REQUIREMENTS

Utilizes included 12V DC power supply, 150mA, center negative.

Individual power supplies are provided for specific voltages
(100V, 117V, 230V, 240V) with corresponding plugs appropriate
for each country. For replacement Tech 21 power supply (Model
#DC3), please contact your local dealer/distributor, or Tech 21.
Maximum power consumption: approx 100mA.

WARNINGS:
* Attempting to repair unit is not recommended and may void
warranty.
* Missing or altered serial numbers automatically void warranty. For
your own protection: be sure serial number labels on the unit’s back
plate and exterior box are intact, and return your warranty
registration card or register online.

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to

comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant
to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radi-
ate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance
with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio commu-
nications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined
by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to
correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that
to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARRANTY:
ONE YEAR LIMITED. PROOF OF PURCHASE REQUIRED.
Manufacturer warrants unit to be free from defects in materials and
workmanship for one (1) year from date of purchase to the original
purchaser and is not transferable. This warranty does not include dam-
age resulting from accident, misuse, abuse, alteration, or incorrect cur-
rent or voltage. If unit becomes defective within warranty period, Tech
21 will repair or replace it free of charge. After expiration, Tech 21 will
repair defective unit for a fee.
REPAIRS:
ALL REPAIRS for residents of U.S. and Canada: Call Tech 21 for
Return Authorization Number. Manufacturer will not accept
packages without prior authorization, pre-paid freight (UPS preferred)
and proper insurance.

FOR PERSONAL ASSISTANCE & SERVICE:

Contact Tech 21 weekdays 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, EST: 973-777-6996.

Hand-built in the U.S.A. using high-quality components sourced

domestically and around the globe. OWNER’S MANUAL

T: 973-777-6996 • F: 973-777-9899
E: info@tech21nyc.com • www.tech21nyc.com
©2016 Tech 21 USA, Inc.
 TECH 21, THE COMPANY THE INS AND OUTS
Tech 21 was formed by a guitarist possessing the unusual combination 1/4” INPUT: 1megOhm instrument level. For normal operation, sig-
of a trained ear and electronics expertise. In 1989, B. Andrew Barta nal level to Input should be close to that of a standard electric guitar
made his invention commercially available to players and studios around (approx -10dBm / 250mV). The input is designed with the same sensi-
the world. His highly-acclaimed SansAmp™ pioneered Tube Amplifier tivity and loading characteristic as a tube amp.
Emulation in professional applications for recording direct and per-
forming live, and created an entirely new category of signal processing. !! WARNING !! DO NOT RUN THE SPEAKER OUT-
There have since been many entries into this niche, yet SansAmp contin- PUT OF ANY AMP directly into a SansAmp input.
ues to maintain its reputation as the industry standard. Severe damage to the amp and the SansAmp will result.
With a full line of SansAmp models, Tech 21 also offers effect pedals
and MIDI products, as well as “traditional” style amplifiers for guitar 1/4” UNIVERSAL OUTPUT: Unbalanced 1kOhm Low Z instru-
and bass. Each product is thoughtfully and respectfully designed by B. ment level output.This output can be connected to High Z guitar ampli-
Andrew Barta himself with the player in mind. Our goal is to provide fiers (or effects) as well as Low Z mixer and computer inputs. Output level
you with flexible, versatile tools to cultivate, control, refine and redefine is unity gain when pedal is in bypass mode. It also drives long cables without
your own individual sound. Tech 21 takes great pride in delivering con- loss of signal integrity, even in bypass.
sistent quality sound, studio to studio, club to club, arena to arena.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START
The Fly Rig 5 is more than a pedalboard. In a single pedal. And no board.
Less than 12 inches long and weighing just over 18 oz., this sleek, com-
pact unit embodies an entire rig. At its heart, is the all-analog SansAmp,
which makes it possible to go direct to a PA or mixer. For effects, you
have the essentials: a reverb, a delay with tap tempo, a powerful boost,
and a muscular distortion. No crackling patch cables, dying batteries or
ground loops. No stinkin’ van, heavy flight cases, cable spaghetti, and no
dead weight.

With the Fly Rig 5, you can relax. For fly gigs across the globe, jamming at
the local hang, and last minute sessions, you’ll be the first one ready to RELATIONSHIP OF THE LEVEL CONTROLS
go. You can stop stressing over what to pack and agonizing over what to
leave behind. You can stop dreading cheesy backline loaners and over- Signal flow is right to left, from the input to the output. Therefore, the
heating at the mere thought of your touring rig going down. Just pop Level controls follow in the same order, from Boost to BRIT Level to
your Fly Rig 5 into your guitar case and head for the door. (Be sure to SansAmp Level.
wipe that smile off your face when the rest of the band shows up sweat- Be aware that the “last” level in the signal path will determine the over-
ing and out of breath.) all output level. For instance, when the BRIT and SansAmp sections are
engaged, the SansAmp Level determines the overall output level of the
APPLICATIONS unit. If only the Boost and BRIT are engaged, the BRIT Level determines
As a PRE-AMP or STOMPBOX with a guitar amp. You can the overall output level of the unit.
connect the Fly Rig 5 in-line just as you would a standard distortion The DLA Level control only affects the mix level of the delay, not the
pedal. If the pre-amp of your amplifier is imparting too much of its own overall output level.
character on the pedal, plug into the low level input and set the pre-
amp as clean and neutral as possible. As most amps tend to be on the SET LEVEL CONTROLS FOR UNITY GAIN
bright side, you may need to start with High in the SansAmp section Set the level controls so you have the same volume coming from your
below 12 o’clock and adjust as necessary. speaker/monitor whether the pedal is active or in bypass. This ensures
the next device in the signal chain won't get slammed by a much hotter
Also, be aware that most tube amps have a tone stack. When every- signal than what would normally come from the instrument. Similarly,
thing is on max, they tend to cut the mid-range. So don’t be surprised you wouldn't want a drop in volume, either which would force the next
to find that the flattest sound is achieved with bass and treble at mini- device to struggle for enough signal.
mum, and mid at max. Since most tube amp passive tone stacks work in
a similar fashion, we recommend this as a good starting point and ad- NOTE: When running the Fly Rig 5 Output directly to the PA, set the
justing to taste. SansAmp Level fairly high to achieve the best signal-to-noise ratio.
You can also plug into the effects loop return (if the amp has one). This SET ALL OTHER CONTROLS AT NOON, just to get started.
will disable the entire pre-amp of the amp for a truer representation of
the sound.
CLIP WARNING
For DIRECT RECORDING or DIRECT to PA. All of the tone The Level control in the DLA section has a built-in clip warning. Like a
shaping and cabinet emulation needed is already incorporated into the VU meter, the DLA’s Level control will flash red to warn you if the cir-
SansAmp section of the pedal. The Fly Rig 5 automatically converts cuit is being over loaded.
your guitar signal to Low Z allowing you to plug into a variety of inputs
that would normally load down your guitar’s signal. It can be plugged You can then trim the corresponding control accordingly: Boost, BRIT
into mixers (live and studio), workstation/recorders, and even directly Level or SansAmp Level. Bear in mind that occasional blinks (peaks) are
into the sound card on a computer. okay and can be expected when you dig into your strings, but it should
not be continuously lit.
1 2
 GUIDE TO FUNCTIONS and CONTROLS
(in order of signal flow)
BRIT Section SANSAMP Section

Function #1: BOOST Function #3: Tube Amplifier Emulation

Boost kicks in up to 21dB of clean boost. While it is in the BRIT sec- The SansAmp technology enables the Fly Rig 5 to run directly into mix-
tion, it also works independently to boost the SansAmp and/or DLA ers of recording desks and PA systems, as well as augment your existing
sections and/or your amplifier. amplifier set-up. It can also be used to record directly to tape/disc and
enhance previously recorded tracks. The SansAmp section of the Fly Rig
5 focuses on clean tones within the tube amplifier sound spectrum. To
Function #2: BRIT Distortion dirty things up, you have the flexibility of using the Drive control, the
The BRIT Section is based upon our own British SansAmp Character Boost function, or you can add distortion from the BRIT section. Or all
Series pedal and inspired by the celebrated, crunchy vintage amps from three. Each method achieves different tones.
across the pond. While those hulking stacks are known to sound best
at ear-bleed levels, the BRIT section can painlessly transform your Speaker simulation is an integral part of the circuitry. It is designed for a
sound at the kick of a switch. You can completely change the personal- smooth, even response as would be achieved by a multiply-miked cabinet,
ity of a clean amp tone or use it as an instant mod with a dirty amp without the peaks, valleys, and notches associated with single miking.The
tone. shape of the speaker curve will not adversely effect or interfere with the
frequency response of your own cabinet. The speaker simulation works in
When you engage the Boost function, it’s like having an extra “12AX7” tandem with the EQ controls to custom tailor the overall sound.
pre-amp gain stage. Activated via its own footswitch, you can kick in up
to 21dB of pre-amp boost. The range allows you to go from a state of DRIVE: Adjusts the overall amount of gain and overdrive, similar to
mild overdrive to insane gain. when the output section of a tube amp is being pushed. The first half of
the rotation will increase the volume as well as the overdrive.
DRIVE: Adjusts the overall amount of gain and overdrive, similar to LOW, MID, HIGH: On-board post-EQ section gives you full con-
when the output section of a tube amp is being pushed. Highly interac- trol, like having a studio mixing board at your fingertips. Unlike passive
tive with the level of your guitar. For instance, you can clean up the tone controls that only cut, these active controls cut and boost. At 12
amount of distortion by decreasing the guitar’s volume (except in very o’clock, they are flat.
extreme settings) without having to change the setting on the pedal. LOW is tuned to ±12dB @ 120 Hz.
Conversely, you can increase the amount of distortion by simply in- MID is tuned to ±12dB @ 500 Hz.
creasing the guitar’s volume. HIGH is tuned to ±12dB @ 3.3 kHz.
TONE: Adjusts the hi-end content of the BRIT section. At max LEVEL: Adjusts the output level of the unit when the SansAmp sec-
(noted by the indicator), it’s flat. As you reduce the setting, it will de- tion is engaged. This control has an exceptionally wide range for maxi-
crease the high end. mum compatibility with a variety of equipment.
Level Tip: When running the Fly Rig 5 Output directly to the PA, set
LEVEL: Adjusts the output level of the BRIT section. the SansAmp Level fairly high to achieve the best signal-to-noise ratio.
Function #4: Reverb
This is like having a tube amp with a built-in reverb. It emulates the rich
NOTE: The BRIT section is an effect. It has no speaker ambiance of a vintage spring reverb, minus the annoying artifacts. This
emulation incorporated into the circuitry and is not de- single, continuously-variable control provides a smooth, full sweep to
signed or intended to be used alone going direct to a easily dial in the amount of reverb desired.
mixer or PA. Reverb Tip: When using the Reverb in front of an amp, the amp will
compress the signal and the reverb will become more pronounced.
Therefore, you will most likely need to have a lower setting than you
would if you went through an effects loop. For instance, a Reverb setting
at 10 o’clock through an effects loop may need to be adjusted to 8 o’-
clock through the front of an amp in order to get the same results.
3 4
DLA Section NOTEWORTHY NOTES
1) Knob Grippers. The Fly Rig 5 is shipped with four (4) “knob
grippers,” one on each Level control. They are intended to facilitate the
knobs you will adjust most often and can easily be moved around. If
desired, optional 10-packs are available for purchase. Please see our
website Accessories page for details.
2) Using the Fly Rig 5 with a Power Engine 60. Simply con-
nect the 1/4” output of the Fly Rig 5 to the 1/4” input of the Power En-
gine 60. Be aware the Power Engine 60 utilizes a ground independent
transformer, which may pick up hum from the auto-switching power
supply. Therefore, the XLR input of the Power Engine 60 should be
grounded. You can make your own grounding plug by modifying a male
XLR connector by soldering Pin 1 to Pin 3 and inserting into the XLR
input of the Power Engine 60 per the diagram below.
NOTE: If you’re not into soldering, a Tech 21 grounding plug is avail-
able for purchase. Please see our website Accessories page for details.

Function #5: Delay with Tap Tempo

Voiced for the sounds of a vintage tape echo and is based upon our own
Boost DLA pedal.

TIME: Controls the amount of delay. This single, continuously-variable

control provides a smooth, full sweep, ranging from 28 milliseconds up
to 1,000 milliseconds. At 12 o’clock, Time is approximately 300 mil- 3) Using the Fly Rig 5 with headphones. The Fly Rig 5 will drive
liseconds.You can easily dial in the exact amount of delay desired with average headphones at moderate volume. We recommend using a mono
one turn of the knob. Turning the Time control while playing will trans- 1/4-inch to stereo 3.5mm adapter plug so both sides are operational.
pose the pitch of your guitar note, just like a vintage analog delay.
4) Tech 21 controls are unusually sensitive and tend to per-
DRIFT: Rather than evenly modulating the delayed signal, Drift adds a form well beyond what would be considered “normal.” So you need
random, unpredictable element to the modulation that is more true to not set everything at max to get maximum results. For instance, to
a vintage tape echo. At minimum (7 o’clock), there is no effect. At brighten your sound, rather than automatically boosting High all the
maximum, there will be a drastic shifting of the pitch, which can be used way up, try cutting back on Low first.
for special effects.
5) To find the best settings for interacting with your other gear,
REPEATS: Feeds back the delayed signal to the input of the delay cir- you may need to use radically different settings for each individual way
cuit to generate the number of repeats. At minimum (7 o’clock), you will you use it. You need not be discouraged or suspect something is wrong
hear one repeat. As you increase the setting, the repeats will follow ac- with the unit. If you’ve got your sound, you’ve simply found the right bal-
cordingly until they are almost infinite. At max, it will self-oscillate. ance to complement each individual piece of gear. We recommend you
Repeats Tip: When using the DLA in front of an amp, the amp will start with the tone controls at 12 o’clock and cut or boost as necessary.
compress the signal and the repeats will become more pronounced.
Therefore, you will most likely need to have the setting lower than you 6) Tech 21 pedals have exceptionally low noise levels.
would when running through an effects loop. For instance, you may find a However, they may amplify noise emanating from the input source. To
Repeats setting at 10 o’clock through an effects loop will yield 3 repeats. minimize noise, we recommend active electronic instruments have the
However, through the front of an amp, you may find a setting of 8 o’clock volume set so that the clip light barely comes on when in Bypass, and
will give you the same results. have the tone controls positioned flat. If you need to boost, do so
slowly and sparingly. Also check for pickup interference by moving
LEVEL: Adjusts the output level of the DLA section only. Also func- your guitar or turning the volume off. Be aware single coil pickups are
tions as a clip warning (see page 2). more likely to generate noise.

TAP TEMPO: Dedicated footswitch makes it simple to just tap in 7) Placement notes: The Fly Rig 5 can be treated as an amplifier
the delay tempo you want during your performance. Tap Tempo will or preamp when it comes to setting up your signal chain:
override the Time setting (and conversely, turning the Time knob will Place the following effects BEFORE the Fly Rig 5:
override the Tap Tempo). The Tap Tempo works in Bypass so you can set Booster, Compression, Fuzz, Phaser/Vibe, Overdrive, Wah.
it ahead of time. A special feature of the Tech 21 Tap Tempo is that it
will not change the pitch of your guitar tone when you change the pace Place the following effects AFTER the Fly Rig 5:
from faster to slower or slower to faster. This provides a seamless tran- Delay, EQ, Flanger, Phaser (yes, after is good, too), Pitch Shifter, Reverb.
sition for on-the-fly adjustments if your drummer drifts.
8) Buffered bypass eliminates the shortcomings associated with
THE HIDDEN CHORUS “true bypass” (pops and clicks, and high-end loss when multiple pedals
You can create a chorus-like effect by turning up the Drift control are connected together), as well as signal loss associated with other
(refer to The Police-style sample setting). For a preview, use only the types of switching circuits.
DLA section and set Level at max, Repeats at min, Drift at noon, Time
at min. 9) Custom actuators. All Tech 21 pedals feature smooth, silent-
switching actuators that are licensed by other major manufacturers.
5 6
 Sample Settings for the BRIT and DLA sections will vary when using the Fly Rig 5 with an amp
(vs. the SansAmp section).
Sample Settings are an approximate guide to get you started. These were determined using a Fender
Telecaster and Gibson Les Paul, running the Fly Rig 5 direct into studio monitors.
Your results may vary.
Names of Sample Settings are intended for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as
an endorsement or affiliation with the companies, products, songs or artists named.