New TC Electronics guitar pedal range: High quality at low prices?
A new series of analogue effects from Denmark
5,0 / 5,0 | 
TC Electronics unleash a new series of analogue guitar effects pedals · Source: TC Electronics
TC Electronics has announced a new range of low-priced analogue pedals including distortion and overdrives, phaser, chorus, delays and a compressor. Given TC’s heritage as a premium brand focussed on digital products, this seems quite a departure. How much ‘Behringer’ is in these new TC-badged effects?
Cheap and Cheerful?
I’m just putting this out there, but ever since Behringer purchased the TC Electronics brand I have been waiting for something like this to happen. It looks like I didn’t have to wait very long.
These cheap and simple new pedals all look pretty good. They are also all analogue (except the digital delay, of course). This is a departure from TC’s recent TonePrint pedal range, as these analogue effects are a move away from digital technology. Hopefully, the new range benefits from the input of both companies. Think great circuit designs, but on a budget.
Users on the popular UK-based the fretboard forum say they look too similar to previous Behringer designed pedals from the past in terms of the housing and circuit design (although the Behringer branded ones usually had plastic cases. However, if they sound good and are well made, I really see no problem.
To be fair, those earlier Behringer-designed units were not the greatest. TC has traditionally stood for pretty good quality stuff over the years and these may be completely new designs by the TC team rather than by the developers responsible for the Behringer stuff.
TC Electronics unleash a new series of analogue guitar effects pedals · Source: TC Electronics
The Lineup
The new pedals all have a simple control layout as well as top-mounted jacks for input and output. That makes them an easy fit on your pedal board. The enclosures are metal, cast in two parts. The knobs look big and easy to tweak, and a nice set graphics round out the look for the series.
- Skysurfer Reverb
- Grand Magus Distortion
- Tailspin Vibrato
- Fangs Metal Distortion
- Afterglow Chorus
- Rush Booster
- Cinders Overdrive
- The Prophet Digital Delay
- ForceField Compressor
- Thunderstorm Flanger
- Echo Brain Analog Delay
- Rusty Fuzz
- Blood Moon Phaser
All pedals are true bypass and run either from a 9V battery of power supply.
You could be looking at some potential bargains here, as long as they have the quality that TC is renowned for and aren’t just cut down or re-badged generic effects. I’m hoping that these will offer good-sounding, well-priced analogue guitar effects that are simple and effective.
See the official TC demo videos below for an overview of some of the new lineup of pedals.
UPDATE: Interview with TC Electronics
We talked to Tore Mogensen, the pedal designer from TC and the guy in the videos. He told us that 11 of the 13 pedals are redesigned Behringer circuits. The Rush Booster and Fangs Metal Distortion units are new. They updated the circuits and various parts, added or reduced some pots, including some of the parameter ranges of them. They also added true bypass switching. This would make it a collaborative effort between Behringer and TC Electronics. We’re looking forward to hearing the comparisons between these new pedals and the existing Behringer effects.
More infos
- RRP USD $49.99 or EUR €49.99
- For full specifications and details head over to the TC Site here
Blood Moon Phaser
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Echo Brain Analog Delay
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ForceField Compressor
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Afterglow Chorus
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Grand Magus Distortion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXdk4UB4Dtg
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