FX22 Vibro Thang

The first two cosmetic versions of the FX22 Vibro Thang: early 1996 (left) and early 1997

The FX22 Vibro Thang was introduced at the Winter 1996 NAMM meeting. Its circuit was innovative in that it provided both phase shifting and vibrato effects, each tied to the same Speed control, which could then be combined to simulate a rotary speaker effect. While the FX22 was a versatile and musical-sounding effects pedal, initial sales likely suffered due to its name and odd control names, and the abundant typos in its instruction manual probably made some folks feel stupid just for buying it. In 1998, the FX22 was one of the pedals given a cosmetic "facelift" before production moved to China with the VFX series.

• Controls: RPMs (speed), Drop (vibrato depth; vibrato is off when turned ccw), Intensity (amount of phasing; phaser is off when turned ccw), Image (phasing regeneration)
  
  
• From the manual: "The FX22 Vibro-Thang is a specially-designed vibrato that has special phasing circuitry. This special phasing circuitry adds dimension and color much like a rotary speaker. The Vibro-Thang, can give you tones from honky-tonk, rock-a-billy, to guitar sound that is produced in Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter". You obviously haven't settled for any old vibrato pedal, so get full use of the FX22 by reading this manual (before operating it). Thank yo'all [sic] and safe pickin."
  
  
• Image of original box and manual
  
  
• Notable IC chips: Two LM13600N dual OTAs (for a 4-stage phaser), one JRC 2904D CMOS analog switch (for the vibrato circuit?)
  
  
• Circuit revisions: The lone example of the 'original' graphics FX22 we have seen did not permit a fast vibrato effect, while both examples of subsequent versions we have examined did. If the difference was intentional, it was not noted on its circuit board ID number ("P/N# 80-1022-A0" for all versions we have examined).
  
  
• Second LED: All three of the FX22s we have examined included a second LED (labeled as D6) on its circuit board. This LED is always on (when power is supplied and a 1/4" plug is inserted into the Input jack) and pulsates with the Speed control, and as such might have been useful in a live setting if it was visible from above the pedal.
  
  
• Related circuit: FX20C (loosely based)
  
  
• External links:
  • @ DOD.com
  • @ discofreq's FX site
  • @ harmony-central.com
  • @ jfrankcarr.com
  • @ noiseguide.com
  
  

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