Phasers- what's all the jargon?

Gassage · September 2023

So, as a Foo-Approved™ guitarist, I was wondering- what's all the jargon with Phasers?

What's the difference between Peak, Notch and Linear?
What's the difference between 4,8, 12 stages?

School me....

jellybelly · September 2023

I have always wondered this too. Anything that isn't a Small Stone or a Phase 90 has left me running scared.

That said, does one need something more than a Small Stone or Phase 90??

Lebarque · September 2023

I have no idea. Just get a Phase 95 and you're set.

monquixote · September 2023

The more stages essentially the more filters it creates and so you get a more pronounced and thicker sound.

Perfect example is Phase 45 (2 stage) vs Phase 90 (4 stage)
If you have a Phase 95 you can try both sounds.

Personally I find phasers with loads of stages get a bit gloopy and unusable.

Ddigger · September 2023

Fender have a Waylon Jennings phaser.

It appears to have been released in the last month.

Not mini sized, range/rate/feedback controls, three selectable stages (2, 4 & 6), top mounted jack's, £119...

Fishboy7 · September 2023

I like the one Billy Corgan used on Sianese Dream, whatever that was

Lebarque · September 2023

Fishboy7 said:

I like the one Billy Corgan used on Sianese Dream, whatever that was

EHX Small Stone

ICBM · September 2023

Boss PH-1R

Translation - best simple phaser ever made.

Gassage · September 2023

ICBM said:

Boss PH-1R

Translation - best simple phaser ever made.

I'll raise you the TC Phaser XII. Studio level in a pedal.

Keefy · September 2023

This Wikipedia article explains what a phaser is and how it works: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaser_(effect)

It explains where the references to peaks and notches come from, and the number of stages. I’ve never heard the term ‘linear’ applied to a phase shifting effect, but there is such a thing as Linear Phase EQ, which seems to be a form of EQ control that ensures that all parts of the signal remain in phase when the EQ is applied.

Lebarque · September 2023

Lebarque said:

Fishboy7 said:

I like the one Billy Corgan used on Sianese Dream, whatever that was

EHX Small Stone

I got one due to loving the Radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins tones, but have ended up with a Phase 95. Go figure.

Sassafras · September 2023

Fishboy7 said:

I like the one Billy Corgan used on Sianese Dream, whatever that was

Wasn't that a Mutron Bi-Phase?

Ddigger · September 2023

I couldn't find a working Fender video of this last night, but there is an official video on the G4M link below...

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Fender-Waylon-Jennings-Phaser/5T0F?origin=product-ads&msclkid=f44a20c5b11b15326acd45d37596bfe3&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PLA%20Shop%20%7C%20Margin%20FGH%20%7C%20Smart&utm_term=4584482476118480&utm_content=Margin%20FGH

01:44 to 05:08 of the video covers the controls. The way the Range control works is interesting and there is an explanation of what the "sweet" switch does.

Can't say I will be trying to re-create Waylon's sound, but £109, decent pedal size/form and lots of features not available anywhere else - I have just ordered one.

Voxman · October 2023

Gassage said:

So, as a Foo-Approved™ guitarist, I was wondering- what's all the jargon with Phasers?

What's the difference between Peak, Notch and Linear?
What's the difference between 4,8, 12 stages?

School me....

You forgot about stun, vaporise, and disrupter settings!

Actually, it's a good question, as I've never been quite sure myself. I think stages are essentially additional layers that make the sound thicker and more complex.. kind of like looping the underlying 2 stage increasingly multiple times for a girthier sound. I'm sure that's technically wrong as I think it's about the filters, but it's how my feeble 3 brain cells can understand it!

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Phasers- what's all the jargon?

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