The FAT Rangemaster NOS Siliconix 2N4964 Edition

Description

Description of Product

If you have always assumed treble boosters sound thin, sharp, or overly bright, this pedal exists for you.

One of the biggest misconceptions in guitar tone is hidden in the name itself.

The best Rangemasters were never really about treble.

They were about making an amplifier feel bigger, more vocal, and more alive.

This build takes that original British circuit and adds a simple feature that many players have asked for over the years.

The FAT switch.

Operated by a stainless steel push button, the FAT switch shifts the emphasis lower into the midrange, producing a thicker and fuller voice whilst retaining everything that makes a great Rangemaster special.

At the heart of the pedal is a New Old Stock gold pin Siliconix 2N4964 glob top transistor.

Whilst most players associate Rangemasters with germanium devices, the 2N4964 was chosen for a different reason. Of all the vintage silicon transistors I have experimented with over the years, this is one of the few that captures much of the response, feel, and character people often associate with good germanium devices.

Around it sits a collection of carefully selected vintage components including Mullard mustard capacitors, vintage WIMA capacitors of the type found in old Selmer Crocskin amplifiers, vintage resistors, and traditional tagboard construction.

Unlike many traditional Rangemasters, this pedal works happily from a standard centre negative 9V power supply.

No batteries.

No polarity issues.

No voltage inverter leads.

Just plug it into your pedalboard and play.

The enclosure is finished in aged Inca Silver nitrocellulose lacquer and features artwork inspired by Banksy’s famous Judo piece.

The aged silver finish sits naturally alongside the vintage construction inside, whilst the artwork reflects the slightly rebellious spirit that has always surrounded the best British guitar sounds.

Everything is wired, assembled, tested, and finished by hand.

Description of Sound

The easiest way to understand this pedal is to forget the words treble booster for a moment.

Into a clean amplifier it adds focus, presence, and clarity.

Into an amplifier that is already working hard it becomes something far more interesting.

Notes push forward.

The amp feels more responsive beneath your fingers.

Single notes develop extra harmonic richness.

Chords become larger and more dimensional without losing their character.

In the standard setting you get the familiar upper mid push that helped define countless British blues and rock recordings.

Press the FAT switch and the centre of gravity moves lower into the mids.

The result is thicker.

Fuller.

More muscular.

Particularly with brighter amplifiers, single coils, or players who have previously avoided Rangemasters because of the name.

The 2N4964 brings a slightly different flavour to the experience.

There is still plenty of attack and clarity, but with a smoothness and touch sensitivity that often surprises players who expect silicon to sound hard or aggressive.

The gain control allows everything from a subtle lift into an already cooking amplifier through to rich vintage overdrive, whilst remaining highly responsive to the guitar volume control.

This is not a pedal that sits on top of your amplifier.

It becomes part of it.

Real World Testimonials

“Excellent Rangemaster. One of the best and most useful ones I have played.”

Reverb feedback

This is a one off build.

The combination of New Old Stock Siliconix 2N4964 transistor, vintage components, aged Inca Silver nitrocellulose finish, Banksy inspired artwork, and hand built construction will not be repeated in exactly the same way again.

If this particular pedal speaks to you, it is available.