2015 FMP Inc.
Manual Version 1.0
What is it?
The Fulltone 2B is an amazing boost pedal, born from the “Boost” channel in our FD3 pedal. Soon after the FD3 came out I started getting a
steady flow of emails asking if I could “please make that into a single channel Boost pedal!” So I crammed the circuit into the smallest
possible enclosure 4.5" x 2.1" x 2.3" with battery tucked tightly inside and even engineered space-saving rear-mounted IN, OUT, and DC
power jacks, and added an important feature not offered in the FD3.
Why does a guitarist need a “Boost” pedal?
A boost pedal is not only used to kick up your volume when it’s time for your solo! A good booster can also solve a lot of problems in the
modern guitarist’s rig, because today’s pedalboards average 8 or more pedals, with each of those pedals requiring: a guitar cable--->jack-
-->more wire--->footswitch--->circuit--->footswitch again--->jack--->more wire--> and on to next pedal. It’s a wonder there’s any signal left
after all the stuff we put our signal through. Ever played through a 10’ guitar cable straight into a great tube amplifier? The feel, the dyna-
mics, the fat tone...makes you want to play! Then you connect to your overpopulated pedalboard and suddenly the sound is tiny, thin, with
diminished lows, cardboard mids, and scratchy thin highs. This is where a good booster comes in handy, because all that wire and all those
connections reduce your signal by a measurable amount with each passing effect in your signal chain. Add a good booster and you can
recoup a lot of that lost gain, tone, and reactive interplay between you and your lovely tube amp. Suddenly the “touch” is back
What happens when the 2B is turned OFF?
That’s the problem with other boosters…once they’re OFF, they cease to offer a high quality unity-gain buffer to drive the long cables, so you
end up having to buy TWO boosters, one set to “unity gain” and the other set to do your Volume changes! A better solution is the 2B, its
unity-gain JFET amp buffers your signal when the pedal is turned OFF…and when the 2B is turned ON; the only difference is now the GAIN
knob comes into play allowing you to set the desired boost up to 20dB! This is what differentiates the 2B from the FD3’s Boost Channel…the
FD3 is true-bypass whereas the 2B has the added benefit of being buffered-bypass.
Why is the 2B a great booster?
Because I go the extra mile and buy the best JFET opamp, in my opinion….certainly the one that sounds the best to my ear. The problem
with other boosters is that the more you turn them up, the more highs they add. Not the case with the 2B, there is a subtle roll-off of the
harsh ultra-high frequencies as you roll the LEVEL knob clockwise past 12 o’clock. It’s subtle, you may not hear it, but you WON’T hear that
shrill top end that other boosters can impart!
What’s the DYNAMICS knob?
The 2B offers something completely unique in the world of Boost pedals; a DYNAMICS knob. A subtle Germanium diode Limiter circuit that
(as you turn the min-knob clockwise) starts to slightly alter the feel of the notes being played as well as subdue the harsh transient spikes
which can overload your amp’s input. Those spikes can be fatiguing to your ears, to the amp, and to its speakers! Similar to using a limiter
on the mix down of a song in the studio, the 2B’s DYNAMICS feature helps you keep your place in the live mix.....like a very smart compres-
sor. This feature can make even an “ok” amp feel responsive and juicy, and will keep you from distorting the amp’s input, a problem plaguing
most booster pedals.
Enjoy your new Fulltone 2B!
Michael Fuller / President
Congratulations on the purchase of your
