You can imagine it. The dim blue of a stage spotlight focused only on you while you play through a silky smooth solo. The audience is held captive by your artistic expression and it is all due to you picking up the best phaser pedal you could find.
In all seriousness, we've all had the rockstar fantasy of "speaking" to people through our playing. In my personal opinion, the phaser (and the flanger, for that matter) allow your guitar to give that kind of expression.
We have reviewed our top 9 best phaser pedals so that you can spend less time researching and more time perfecting that captivating solo.decide for yourself.
The Best Phaser Pedal
Here is our number one pick, in case you don't want to go through each choice.
The Best Sounding Phaser Pedal
Our top pick from this list is the Fender Lost Highway Phaser Effects Pedal.
This pedal has so many different ways you can control your sound. You can shape the wave of the phase. You can control it's speed. There are options to manipulate the dry and processed signal. This pedal has everything and more you could want from a phaser!
Our Top Picks
Best Budget Pedal
1. Joyo Jf-06 Vintage Phase Guitar Pedal
2. Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser
Best Mid-Range Pedal
6. Fender Lost Highway Phaser Effects Pedal
7. Earthquaker Devices Grand Orbiter V3 Phase Machine
Best Premium Pedal
8. MXR EVH Eddie Van Halen Phase 90
Best Phaser Pedal Review
As you can see, we've split this list into three categories; best budget pedal, best mid-range pedal, and best premium.
Best Budget Pedal
1. Joyo Jf-06 Vintage Phase Guitar Pedal
Description: Joyo packs a lot of awesome sound and quality into a very small package and price tag. If you want something that is easy to use, doesn't take up a lot of space, and will give you that classic rock phaser tone, this is the pedal for you!
The Joyo JF-06 is a true bypass pedal. You don't have tpo worry about excessive noise when the pedal is disengaged. It is also super simple to use with only a single control knob for speed.
Features: true bypass, replicates vintage 70s/80s phaser sound, simple interface, sturdy design
Dimensions: 4.7 x 2.8 x 2.3 inches
Weight: 10.1 oz
True Bypass? yes
Input: 1 x ¼"
Output: 1 x ¼"
Pros:
- single knob for simple sound adjustment
- true bypass
Cons:
- reports of being a little noisy
2. Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser
Description: The Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser was modeled after the classic, higher priced, phaser pedals of the 70s and 80s. It features three-dimensional phase shifting achieving sounds from a jet fly-by to a Leslie Cabinet style rotary speaker.
This pedal is true bypass for a decrease in non-use noise. A single rate knob allows you to easily control the speed of the phase while a color/tone switch gives you more fine-tuning options.
Features: 3 dimensional phase shifting (rapid rotary to jet plane), designed to sound like higher end pedals, rate control, color switch, true bypass
Dimensions: 5.59 x 3.07 x 3.39 inches
Weight: 13.4 oz
True Bypass? yes
Input: 1 x ¼"
Output: 1 x ¼"
Pros:
- sturdy build
- good sound
Cons:
- reports of volume drop when activated
Best Mid-Range Pedal
3. EHX Small Stone Nano
Description: The Electro-Harmonix Small Stone Nano is the pedal that Behringer was thinking of when they designed their VP1. The Small Stone is wildly popular for it's size, tone, simplicity, and durability.
You can reduce annoying hums when it isn't in use since it is true bypass. The single rate knob gives you fine tuning control of the phasing sweep. The color switch is really where the Small Stone gains it's reputation.
In the down position, the pedal will give you a rich, vibrant, full phasing sound. When switched in the up position, the phase effect is much more pronounced. It sounds like the pedal has hollowed out the signal.
Features: true bypass, variable rate control, color switch thins comb filters
Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.3 x 4.3 inches
Weight: 1.3 lb
True Bypass? yes
Input: 1 x ¼"
Output: 1 x ¼"
Pros:
- wide range of speeds
- true bypass
- small size save pedal board room
Cons:
- reports of volume boost when activated
4. BOSS PH-3 Phase Shifter
Description: No discussion of guitar pedals is ever complete without BOSS making an appearance. Their PH-3 Phase Shifter pedal is a top notch addition to any pedal board.
While it may lack true bypass, it more than makes up for it with the amount of control and sound options it delivers. You have your standard rate, depth, and resonance controls. The real magic happens with the stage, or mode, knob.
You get 7 different stages to drastically alter your sound; 4, 8, 10, 12, fall, rise, step modes. Each successive stage increases in tone and intensity from 4 to 12. When you get to rise, fall, and step you get a noticeable change.
In the fall stage what you play creates a gradual falling sound, instead of the typical waves you are used to hearing. Rise does the same thing only it ascends instead of descends.
Step offers some extreme notched modulation. You get the up and down phase pattern but instead of a smooth wave, you get noticeable, almost robotic, steps. It is a really cool function that, no doubt, can open up some new creative options for you.
Features: vintage and modern phasing effects, "rise" and "fall" modes, tap tempo, multi-stage phasers with selectable stages
Dimensions: 2.87 x 5.08 x 2.32 inches
Weight: 14.8 oz
True Bypass? no
Input: 2 x ¼" (1 instrument, 1 optional expression pedal)
Output: 1 x ¼"
Pros:
- multiple modes
- wide range of possible sounds
- BOSS is high quality
Cons:
- reports of volume drop when activated
5. TC Electronic Helix Phaser
Description: The bright yellow TC Electronic Helix Phaser will immediately jump out at you on a pedal board. It is small in size so you're not wasting any pedal board real estate.
You get a ton of great options in a super compact pedal. Fine tune your sound with this four knob setup; speed, depth, feedback, and mix. Mix is really cool because you can adjust how much of the altered signal comes through versus the dry, unfiltered signal you hear.
You also get a 3-way mode toggle switch. The modes are Vintage, Smoth, and Toneprint. Vintage is going to have the classic rock phaser sound; think Eddie van Halen's "Eruption". Smooth will have a more modern phase effect. Toneprint is the real show here.
You can use the free Toneprint app to customize your own unique phaser settings or browse the Toneprint library for an existing one from the many Tomeprint artists; guitarists like John Petrucci are contributors to the library.
Features: true bypass or buffered bypass, Toneprint enabled, Stereo in/out
Dimensions: 5 x 3 x 3.3 inches
Weight: 12.3 oz
True Bypass? yes
Input: 2 x ¼"
Output: 2 x ¼"
Pros:
- Toneprint access
- mix control
Cons:
- reports of short battery life (power adapter sold separately)
6. Fender Lost Highway Phaser Effects Pedal
Description: The Lost Highway Phaser from Fender is the top pick on this list. You get a classic analog design and sound but controlled with all of the modern features.
At first glance, this pedal can seem a little intimidating. It has seven knobs, two toggles, and another two foot switches. However, all of these controls are pretty simple to use and understand and give you an unbelievable amount of control over every aspect of your sound.
The two sets of rate and depth controls give you the option to dial in your sound in both sets and then morph in between them. The blend knob works like a mix knob so you can adjust the amount of dry versus filtered signal in your mix.
The feedback knob controls the amount of resonance you have in the phase effect. You can give the phase a bit more of a deeper sound. The two toggle switches control the different mode options.
The first switch toggles between four and eight stages of phasing while the second switch controls whether the pattern is triangle or sine. The triangle option is a bit more smooth and even while the sine option tends to stay a little longer in the peaks and valleys of the modulation.
Finally, the sensitivity knob controls how slow or fast the phase effect goes. The pedal will detect the intensity of your playing and adjust the phase effect from there.
Features: toggle for fast and slow speeds, multiple rate and depth controls, Wave switch chooses sine or triangle waves, 4-8 stage phasing
Dimensions: 3.75 x 4.9 x 1.75 inches
Weight: 1.2 lb
True Bypass? yes
Input: 1 x ¼"
Output: 1 x ¼"
Pros:
- with the right settings can be used as a harmonic vibrato
- sensitivity control is great
Cons:
- LED is extremely bright which can make it hard to see controls in dark spaces
7. Earthquaker Devices Grand Orbiter V3 Phase Machine
Description: EarthQuaker Devices is a fun boutique pedal company. They believe that pedals should sound good and be easy to use. They really deliver on both fronts with the Grand Orbiter V3.
The center of this pedal features a 3-way toggle switch that changes the rate at which the phase takes effect. Rate 1 gives you a slow sweeping sound. Rate 2 actually cuts out the LFO and is just a fixed resonant filter. Rate 3 gives you a fast sweeping sound, the opposite of rate 1. The rate knob controls the speed for each of those choices.
The other rotary controls are sweep, depth, and resonance. Sweep allows you to set how high the peak of your frequency will go. Depth plays double duty. It lets you choose how much phasing is mixed with the dry signal. When the pedal is in vibrato mode, depth acts as a volume control. Resonance either increases or decreases the regeneration of the phased signal.
You also have a 2-way toggle for phase or vibrato modes. Phase is the dry signal mixed with the filtered signal. Vibrato mode completely eliminates the dry signal so you only get the phased sound.
Features: 4-stage OTA based phaser, 3-way mode toggle (slow sweep, fixed resonant filter, fast sweep), master rate control, switch from Phase/Vibrato to Vibrato mode (no dry signal), switch between traditional latching and momentary operation, analog, true bypass, hand built
Dimensions: 6 x 3 x 3 inches
Weight: 11.3 oz
True Bypass? yes
Input: 1 x ¼"
Output: 1 x ¼"
Pros:
- blends well with other pedals for great sound
- sounds great with guitar, bass, and synth
- controls are simple to use
Cons:
- vibrato could use a little more body
Best Premium Pedal
8. MXR EVH Eddie Van Halen Phase 90
Description: While the phase shifter has been used since the 60s, it was Eddie Van Halen in the 80s who introduced it to a more widespread and mainstream audience. His groundbreaking performance of "Eruption" showed the world what a phaser could do and, an arguably, brand new way of approaching guitar playing.
It is only natural that EVH and Dunlop would work together to recreate his signature sound. This pedal is the product of that collaboration.
You will immediately notice that it boasts the signature "Frankenstein" color scheme of EVH's guitar. You will also notice that the face is otherwise pretty plain. You will only fine a foot switch, a speed knob, and a "Script" logo mode button.
The specifics of EVH's tone are baked into the pedal itself. You can control the speed but the rest of the sound has already been dialed in for you. You can switch between "Script logo" and "Block logo" modes. "Script logo" is a bit of a more subtle phase sound while "Block logo" is a much heavier, more wobbly, phase effect.
Features: designed by Eddie Van Halen & Dunlop, switch between "Script" (vintage) and "Block" (modern) phase tones
Dimensions: 5.8 x 4.5 x 2.8 inches
Weight: 11.2 oz
True Bypass? no
Input: 1 x ¼"
Output: 1 x ¼"
Pros:
- designed by Eddie Van Halen and Dunlop
- can switch between vintage and modern phaser sounds
Cons:
- volume swells can be annoying if that is not the sound you want
9. Empress Effects Phaser
Description: The Empress Effects Phaser offers you an insane amount of customization and features. You can switch between a 2 stage or 4 stage mode. You can also play in Empress' exclusive 3 stage mode.
This pedal is fantastic at giving you a vintage analog sound because it uses an all-analog signal path. However, because it is processed with a microprocessor, it is able to offer a wide range of modulation and sound control.
The Empress Effects Phaser really stands out due to it's eight automodes. On the back of the pedal is a chart for all of the automodes available as well as their waveform. Automodes 1 through 4 are envelope filters and offer more gradual, wavelike waveforms.
Automodes 5 and 6 are trigger filters with really high peaks and immediate drops or immediate peaks with gradual drops in the waveform. Automode 7 is a more rhythmic filter that is controlled with the sensitivity knob. It features a more step like waveform pattern but responds to the intensity of your playing.
Finally, automode 8 is the direct control submode. You can use this setting to control the sound with a tap switch or expression pedal.
Features: choose between 2-stage, 4-stage, or an exclusive 3-stage phaser mode, 8 different waveforms, digitally controlled analog technology, optional expression pedal, external audio control, MIDI, true bypass
Dimensions: 5.9 x 5.2 x 2.6 inches
Weight: 1.05 lbs
True Bypass? yes
Input: 2 x ¼" (1 instrument, 1 expression pedal)
Output: 2 x ¼" (1 instrument, 1 control)
Pros:
- does not suck tone
- wide variety of phase options
- pure analog signal path controlled by a microprocessor
Cons:
- price
How To Choose The Right Phaser Pedal For You
Your pedal board is a very personal piece of your artistry as a guitarist. What goes on it determines how you will sound when you play. Here are some factors you should consider when figuring out what phaser is the right one for you.
What Is A Phaser, What Does It Do, And How Does It Work?
A phase shifting device, or phaser, is a stompbox style guitar pedal effect. You have a footswitch that, when stomped (hence the name), activates the intended effect.
A phaser is a time delay effect. Simply put, it takes your audio, duplicates with a slight delay, and layers it back. The phaser effect comes from notches added into the audio signal. The depth of those notches is generally adjustable by the player.
The way it works is your audio is split into two parts, a wet and dry signal; dry just means the signal was unaltered. The wet signal goes through an "all-pass filter", is processed, and anything that is "out of phase" with the original signal is canceled out. That is what gives the phaser it's iconic swooshing sounds.
On many pedals you will find a mix or ratio control that will allow you to adjust the wet and dry signal ratio.
What's It Sound Like?
A phaser has a warm, organic tone. It will often add a sweeping and swooshing sound to your guitar. It is similar to the sound of a flanger but less of a robotic, jet noise.
Why Do You Want A Phaser Pedal?
Obviously the right answer is because it sounds badass. When I picked up my first phaser, I wanted to sound just like David Gilmour sliding his way through Shine On You Crazy Diamond.
Why do you want a phaser? Is it to utilize an existing sound. Do you want to explore the options and "find" your personal sound along the way?
What To Look For
Picking out a phaser isn't hard, but you will want to think through a few factors before making your decision.
Features
Depending on the pedal you pick, they will carry a varying amount of features. Some pedals will have a single footswitch and rate knob. Others will have a full four or five knob setup with a 3-way toggle switch for different phase modes.
You will want to think about how often you will be using your phaser, what specific sound you want, and how many features you really need.
Quality
We tried to make sure each of the pedals above were from reputable manufacturers with high production quality standards. You will want to make sure where ever you get your pedal lives up to the standards that you want.
Nothing is worse than plugging up to a new pedal, ready to rock out and explore new sounds when a cheaply made circuit board burns up. Make sure the quality is there and you will be happy with your new pedal.
Price
The pedals above fall into almost anyone's budget. You will want to consider what you can afford and what sound you like best and see where that takes you.
Common Questions
Anything involving effects and your sound chain can inspire some questions. Here are some of the more common questions around the phaser.
Where Does A Phaser Go In My Sound Chain?
That's a matter of personal taste. If the pedal has a true bypass function, you should be able to put it wherever you want it since you won't get any interference from it. If it is not, then it should probably go toward the end of your sound chain.
What Is The Difference Between A Phaser And A Flanger?
Phasers and Flangers sound fairly similar. If you hear a side by side comparison, or if you have experience with them both, you can tell a difference. The simplest way to tell a difference is, while they both have that familiar, swirling sound, the flanger will also have the jet fly-by sound.
Both devices rely on time delay effects. All that means is they each take an original signal, your guitar, then duplicate that signal. They will then layer the duplication on top of the original signal with a slight delay. That's why they are called time delay effects.
Both devices add notches within the frequency. Those notches then sweep up and down in a varying range, generally determined by the depth knob. Where those notches are placed is the real key difference between both pedals.
If you are really interested in the science behind these sounds, you can check out Sound on Sound. They have a pretty in depth breakdown of how the signal is duplicated and then altered.
Is It Analog Or Digital?
It depends on the pedal. Older pedals are usually analog. Most modern phasers contain a digital processor. However, many also offer an emulated analog sound.
How Do You Sync Your Tempo?
Most modern pedals have a function called "tap tempo". They vary in how they work but essentially, you activate the function and then literally tap the tempo you want to play on the foot switch.
What Songs Use A Phaser?
Eruption by Van Halen
Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd
Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel (on a Fender Rhodes Electric Piano)
Jewel of the Summertime by Audioslave
The Rover by Led Zeppelin
Hole In My Life by The Police
Overall Top choice
Again, our top pick for best phaser pedal is the Fender Lost Highway Phaser Effects Pedal. It has a ton of options to mold your sound and get the vibe that you really want.
Conclusion
Take your playing into outer space with an awesome new phaser pedal. There are more than enough options above to cover both your artistic taste and your budget. Enjoy your new pedal!
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