About This Item
Description
The Full-Drive 2 V2 is a 'one pedal for any gig' choice: a two-channel overdrive that goes from light, open drive to thick, singing lead tone via its two clipping switches and a second Drive 2 channel with its own volume.
The Full-Drive 2 V2 is built around the JRC4558 chip and the 1990s Full-Drive circuit in a smaller enclosure: about 30% smaller than the FD2-MOS and 15% smaller than the FD3. It keeps the three-voice Comp-Cut / Flat-Mids / Vintage selector and adds a second switch (Wide / Standard / Half-Clipped). The right footswitch selects the Drive 2 channel, which adds its own distortion and jumps to its own Drive 2 Volume setting; set Drive 2 to zero and it becomes a pure volume boost at the same gain. Half-Clipped mode clips only the top of the waveform, keeping the bass solid and the highs sustaining.
Why guitarists choose the Full-Drive 2 V2
- Two footswitches: true-bypass on/off with Fulltone's Anti-Pop circuit, and Drive 1 / Drive 2 channel select
- Left switch: Comp-Cut (CC), Vintage (V), Flat-Mids (FM)
- Right switch: Wide / Standard / Half-Clipped (HC); the clipping settings apply to both channels
- Drive 2 channel with its own Drive 2 knob and Drive 2 Volume mini-knob, which can go above the main volume for leads
- About 30% smaller than the FD2-MOS: 4.45 x 4.2 x 2.5 in, top-mounted jacks
- JRC4558 op-amp, full-size audiophile-grade capacitors and Fulltone's own 3PDT footswitch
- 16-gauge cold-rolled steel enclosure, built in the USA
Controls and switches
- Volume: master volume (Drive 1 channel)
- Tone: active treble boost/cut for both channels; around 12-1 o'clock is roughly neutral
- Drive 1: amount of overdrive on the main channel
- Drive 2: amount of overdrive on the Drive 2 channel
- Drive 2 Volume (mini-knob): output level of the Drive 2 channel
- Left 3-way switch: CC / V / FM
- Right 3-way switch: Wide / STD / HC
- Left footswitch: on/off (true bypass); right footswitch: channel select
Clipping modes
- CC (Comp-Cut): removes the clipping diodes for a mostly clean, open sound that gets dirtier as the chip is driven harder; not a clean boost. The right switch has no audible effect in this position
- V (Vintage): traditional, slightly asymmetrical diode clipping with strong midrange
- FM (Flat-Mids): feeds signal back to the clipping diodes to remove the mid hump for a more open sound
- Wide: mixes MOSFETs and Schottky diodes for more clarity, more bass and less compression
- STD (Standard): the slightly asymmetrical clipping of the 1990s Full-Drive 2, softer and more compressed
- HC (Half-Clipped): clips only the top of the waveform for solid bass and sustaining highs
Power and pedalboard compatibility
- Power: 9 V battery (not included) or 9-18 V DC, 2.1 x 5.5 mm barrel plug, center-negative
- Current draw: about 10 mA
- The DC jack disconnects the battery when an adapter is plugged in
- Battery access via two thumbscrews; use carbon-zinc or alkaline 9 V batteries, not lithium or rechargeable
Technical specifications
| Brand / model | Fulltone Full-Drive 2 V2 (FD2 V2) |
|---|---|
| Effect type | Analog two-channel overdrive |
| Circuit | JRC4558 op-amp, 1990s Full-Drive circuit, two 3-way clipping switches |
| Controls | Volume, Tone, Drive 1, Drive 2, Drive 2 Volume, CC/V/FM switch, Wide/STD/HC switch |
| Footswitches | 2: on/off (true bypass, Anti-Pop), channel select |
| Bypass | True bypass, Fulltone 3PDT |
| Jacks | 1/4" input and output, top-mounted |
| Power | 9 V battery or 9-18 V DC, 2.1 x 5.5 mm, center-negative |
| Current draw | about 10 mA |
| Dimensions | 4.45 x 4.2 x 2.5 in (113 x 107 x 64 mm) |
| Enclosure | 16-gauge cold-rolled steel |
| Made in | USA |
FAQ
What's different between the FD2 V2 and earlier Full-Drives? The V2 is about 30% smaller than the FD2-MOS and 15% smaller than the FD3. It keeps the CC/Vintage/FM voicings and adds the Wide/Standard/Half-Clipped switch and a Drive 2 channel with its own Drive and Volume controls.
How does the Drive 2 channel work with the main drive? The right footswitch switches between Drive 1 and Drive 2. Drive 2 adds its own distortion and jumps to its own volume level, which can be set louder than the main channel for solos. With Drive 2 at zero, it works as a pure volume boost at the same gain. Both channels share the Tone control and clipping switches.
What do CC, Vintage and FM voicings sound like? CC removes the clipping diodes for an open, mostly clean sound that breaks up as you dig in. Vintage is traditional, slightly asymmetrical diode clipping with strong mids. FM reduces the mid hump for a more open, transparent tone.
What does the Wide/Standard/Half-Clipped switch change? Wide mixes MOSFETs and Schottky diodes for more clarity, more bass and less compression. STD is the classic 1990s Full-Drive 2 clipping, softer and more compressed. HC clips only the top of the waveform, keeping the bass solid and the highs sustaining.
What power does it need? A 9 V battery (not included) or a 9-18 V DC center-negative supply with a 2.1 x 5.5 mm plug. It draws about 10 mA; 18 V gives more headroom.
Is the FD2 V2 a Tube Screamer-style pedal? It belongs to the same family: it uses the JRC4558 chip found in early-'80s 808-style overdrives, but adds Comp-Cut and Flat-Mids modes, a second clipping switch (Wide/Standard/Half-Clipped) and a second drive channel, so it goes well beyond a stock TS-808 or TS-9.