FSK 101 or 401...

[TheYoungGuitarist]

Hey,
I am looking into buying a Fernandes Sustainer for my JEM and Im not which kit does the harmonic mode because some websites say both have it and others say only the 401 have it. I just need a straight answer
Thanks!

[Ryan350DX]

- The FSK-101 -
1. Humbucker sized driver
2. Standard & Harmonic Mode
3. Not Pre Wired

- FSK-401 -
1. Single coil sized driver
2. Standard, Mix & Harmonic modes
3. Pre Wired

They both use the same chipboard

Heres your main choice,

do you want a humbucker driver or a mix mode more, I have the 401, Im wishing I got the 101.

[TheYoungGuitarist]

I see. With the harmonic mode does it gradually become a harmonic or is it played as a harmonic straight away?

Why did you get the 401 instead of the 101 anyway? What was the main factor?

[Ryan350DX]

Well if you have the guitar plugged in and the sustainer on, and lets say you hit the 9th fret, G String, and harmonic switch, it will go from the the note you hit to a 5th harmonic in the matter of seconds, depending on how much drive you have adjusted from the Trim Pots on the chipboard and how much intensity you have from the knob (Fsk-401). Well long story short.. To answer your question....

9th note G string + Flick to harmonic mode = 1 - 2 second harmonic.

I wanted the 401 Because I wanted the knobs, selector switch, pre wired.

Come to find out the pots are ****, selector switch is quieter (which is better).

If your happy with your pots & knobs, selector switch and you dont mind dropping a little more cash in to get the system wired, buy the 101, (oh and if you don't care about a mix mode)

To tell you the truth I barely use mix mode.

[Lordiesel]

Originally Posted by Ryan350DX

- The FSK-101 -
1. Humbucker sized driver
2. Standard & Harmonic Mode
3. Not Pre Wired

- FSK-401 -
1. Single coil sized driver
2. Standard, Mix & Harmonic modes
3. Pre Wired

They both use the same chipboard

Heres your main choice,

do you want a humbucker driver or a mix mode more, I have the 401, Im wishing I got the 101.

Hey Ryan
Why do you regret the 401. I went with the 401 but haven't installed it yet. What don't you like about it? Does the 101 actually sound like a humbucker when used as a pickup?

Themi

[albee1952]

Yes, the 101 driver does sound like a humbucker when used as a pickup. Lots of folks don't realize that the way these things work, when you turn the sustainer on, you get the bridge pickup only as it bypasses the pickup selector.

[tchopper]

I apologize for the revive, but I've been looking into fitting my Jem with one of these and from the research I've done on Vai's forum, it seems to indicate that he uses the 401 in Flo (with a dummy single coil next to it, I guess for aesthetics).

I'm torn between purchasing the 101 and dropping in the humbucker version of the driver, vs. purchasing the 401, which presumably would be a closer set-up to Flo.

Not to come across in any seemingly antagonistic way, but if Steve uses a 401, is it really all that bad (Understanding that there are obviously differences in taste)?

I guess part of my confusion is that I'm still not entirely sure what all the driver does in the Sustainer - is it ONLY the magnetic field that keeps up the sustain, or is it also a pick-up that "picks-up" the sound/signal as the driver is projecting whatever it is that it projects to continue the vibrations...

thanks for all your help