Ace Tone FM-2
Ace Tone FM-2 A Deadstock Miracle!
A Deadstock Miracle!
Ace Tone FM-2 Awakens from a 50-Year Slumber
One sunny afternoon, a brief inquiry arrived in the shop's mailbox.
It came from a distant, unknown country across the sea.
"Would you consider purchasing this pedal?"
Seeing the photo attached to those words, I gasped. There it was: Japan's world-renowned vintage fuzz treasure, the Ace Tone FM-2 FUZZ MASTER. And in numbers I'd never seen before.
The FM-2 is legendary among Ace Tone fuzz pedals, exceptionally popular and renowned for its ferocious yet sensual sound that has captivated countless guitarists.
"This might be something incredible..."
I sensed it intuitively. Imagining it was likely contact from an enthusiastic overseas collector, I immediately sent a reply.
Prologue: The Unbelievable Truth Revealed by a Single Photo
As I exchanged emails with the sender, astonishing facts began to emerge one after another. He lived in Jakarta, Indonesia, and was the drummer for a well-known local rock band. He was someone who shared our love of music, having even released an album in Japan before.
And then he told me the decisive information.
"Every single one of these FM-2s is 'unused deadstock'."
The additional photos sent with those words left me speechless once more. Mountains of stacked FM-2s. Each one wrapped in what appeared to be the vibrant, original packaging from the time of release. In perfect condition, as if shipped from the factory yesterday.
"No way, that can't be..."
It was a scene hard to believe at first glance. After decades had passed, why did such a massive amount of dead stock exist in distant Indonesia?
According to him, all of these had lain dormant for decades, unknown to anyone, in the warehouse of a Jakarta music store that once existed called "Irama Megah."The moment I heard those words, a strange sensation—a mix of calm and excitement—rushed through my entire body. I felt I might be witnessing a historic discovery.
Chapter One: An Indonesian Music Store and the Soul of Japanese Craftsmanship
We began our investigation to unravel the background of this miracle.
"Irama Megah" was a musical instrument store that opened in 1970 on Gajah Mada Street in Jakarta. Remarkably, it is said this store did not carry local instruments, specializing instead primarily in imported goods from Japan and China.In Indonesia at that time, alongside Yamaha Electones and Hammond products, this Ace Tone Effector likely also adorned shop windows as the latest musical equipment arriving from across the sea. The store's former site is now a shopping mall, but in the dim light of its basement warehouse, the FM-2s quietly waited for their moment to shine.
The fact that these precious early Japanese fuzz pedals were exported as far as Indonesia back then. And the rock bands that existed in Jakarta at that time.
"Perhaps local guitarists there also felt their hearts race at the extreme sound produced by this black box."
Thinking this, I felt my heart tremble at the invisible historical connections woven by the common language of music.
Advertisement for "Irama Megah" from that era
Current "Irama Megah"
Chapter 2: Roar Beyond Time
The sound of FM-2, now plugged in for the first time
And finally, after a long journey, the FM-2s that had been sleeping in Jakarta arrived at our location. The moment we opened the box, the distinctive scent of old paper and electronic components filled the air. The black chassis, with its substantial embossed (textured) finish, radiates an authority reminiscent of Maestro's fuzz pedals.
With trembling hands, we connected the cables and flipped the amp switch. Breaking decades of silence, the FM-2 unleashed its sound for the first time.
"BEEEEE!!"
What burst from the speakers was a fierce yet beautiful distortion, containing an upper octave that sent shivers down your spine.
- Controls: The 'VOLUME' knob doubles as the power switch, the 'FUZZ ADJ.' controls the distortion, and the tone selector switch defines the sound character. Even at its lowest setting, the FUZZ ADJ. delivers earth-shaking distortion; as you turn it up, harmonics saturate, and a growling sustain overflows.
- Sound: That quintessential Japanese vintage fuzz rawness, with its "beep-beep" and "gee-gee" character. The melancholy upper octave added to this creates a lustrous, deep sound that transcends mere violent distortion.Play chords and it crushes them delightfully, delivering a bold, forward sound. And the tone selector deserves special mention. Flip it ON, and it transforms into a bass-heavy, treble-enhanced "boom-bap" sound, spitting out an astonishingly metallic, aggressive tone.
This is not just a Effector. It is a time capsule packed with the passion of Japanese craftsmanship.
Chapter 3: The Lineage of FUZZ MASTER ~FM-1 and FM-3~
To gain a deeper understanding of this miraculous FM-2, let's also touch on its siblings.
・Ace Tone FM-1 FUZZ MASTER: The predecessor to the FM-2 and Ace Tone's first fuzz pedal. It closely resembles the Maestro FZ-1A in its enclosure and even shares the same specifications, including operation with two AA batteries. However, the sound is entirely different. In contrast to the slender FZ-1A, it features a strong gated feel, a boomy character, and a sound that relies on sheer volume.As an aside, it's said that when developing this fuzz, Mr. Hashi actually based it on the sound of the shamisen, a traditional Japanese instrument. That unique concept is precisely the core of the Ace Tone sound.
shogun-image-content-v3 shogun-image-content-not-linked">
・Ace Tone FM-3 FUZZ MASTER: The successor to the FM-2. This model evolved into a 2-in-1 design combining fuzz and booster.It delivers a thick, raw sound reminiscent of the BIG MUFF, yet feels more refined than the FM-2. Its enclosure design and specifications hint at the lineage leading to the later Roland BeeBaa, making it a fascinating unit that seems to narrate Mr. Hashi's journey of sound exploration.
Now, far from here in Indonesia, the FM-2s have awakened from their long slumber. Japanese vintage fuzz pedals, quietly enduring time unknown to anyone, are about to shine once more through the hands of music lovers.
This is not merely the "discovery of old gear." It is the moment when a small life, which might have been buried in history without ever producing sound, begins to beat powerfully again after decades.
The spirit of craftsmanship embodied by Ace Tone and its founder, Ikutaro Kakehashi, transcends eras and borders, still stirring our hearts and igniting our creativity today.
We can't help but hope these miraculous fuzz pedals, arriving from Jakarta, will produce magnificent sounds at their new owners' feet, brightly illuminating the future of music's boundless journey.