MOOG
MOOGERFOOGER
MF-108M CLUSTER FLUX
BY MATT HOLLIMAN
It’s difficult to describe the impact Bob Moog’s products have had on the music
industry. From his company’s humble beginnings as a Theremin-kit builder, Moog Music
grew to build synthesizers that were nothing
short of revolutionary and featured prominently on groundbreaking records from the Beatles’
Abbey Road to the Doors’ Strange Days. And
while the popularity of his creations waxed
and waned in popular perception, they have
remained sonic fixtures of ’70s prog, hip-hop,
and contemporary electronica, ambient, and
experimental music.
When they debuted in 1998, the
Moogerfooger series of pedals were a run-away success. They packaged some of the
most desirable features from Moog synths
into units like their Low Pass Filter and Ring
Modulator that made more sense to guitarists
and musicians on the go. The newest addition
to the family is the MF-108M Cluster Flux,
a relatively more conventional, multi-effects
unit that offers Flange, Chorus, and Vibrato
effects with the ability to tweak them wildly.
Six LFO
waveforms
Chorus and
Flange modes
Tap Tempo
function
Keepin It Retro
It’s hard to imagine any serious gearhead
navigating the populous forest of stompboxes
without being intrigued by a Moogerfooger.
While they might be overlooked by many
tone-traditionalists, they are things of beauty.
They more likely resemble the interior of a
Rolls-Royce than your standard, gloss-painted
effects box. They’re big and heavy—the hardwood sides are made of walnut—and even
smell like a luxury car when you pull one out
of the box (save for the plush leather).
At the core of the MF-108M Cluster
Flux’s circuit are a set of high-voltage
Panasonic bucket-brigade devices (BBDs).
Seven knobs and a rocker-switch on the
front panel tailor the output from the BBDs.
The left-hand, Delay section controls the
delay Time and Feedback, which goes from
0 at the middle setting to + or - infinity in
the counterclockwise and clockwise direc-
tions, respectively. The LFO (low-frequency
oscillator) controls include a rotary switch
for selecting Sine, Triangle, Square, Ramp,
Saw, or Random wave shapes. Rate controls
oscillation speed, while Amount adjusts LFO
modulation of the delay time.
The Real Deal
With a Fender Stratocaster and a ’ 68
Fender Bassman running into a 4x12 cab
with V30 Celestions on either end of the
Cluster Flux, the Moog was as rich-sound-ing as the classy exterior suggests—kicking
out oscillations in deep waves with controllable, bubbly chaos. The suggested setting
for a Vibrato in the manual was super,
comfortable, and gave off a gooey and rapid
pulse—very warm and vintage—if a bit on
the bright side. Rolling off the Time and
