N(m)PD Not My Pedal Day

[DeepEnd]

I was looking for a Christmas present for our daughter's boyfriend and I found out he wanted a phase pedal. I checked eBay yesterday and I just won a Mod Tone Atomic Phaser for just under $32 bucks shipped. They're normally $55 or so. It should arrive this week. I hope he likes it 'cause it's not returnable.

 

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[Mikeo]

Hopefully he will like it. It's nothing I would own either.

[DeepEnd]

I hear you. First, I'm mainly an acoustic guy and second I rarely use effects beyond a touch of reverb. I guess it's like any other effect, best in small doses. I asked about getting him a nice leather strap but she said he's been wanting a phaser pedal. At least I got a decent deal and it does look cool. Plus, I've seen some positive reviews.

[Phil O'Keefe]

A phaser was one of the very first pedals I ever owned... but hey, it was the 70s, and they were really popular back then.

 

Don't tell anyone, but I still like them, even though they're not as en vogue as they once were.

[DeepEnd]

A phaser was one of the very first pedals I ever owned... but hey' date=' it was the 70s, and they were really popular back then. . . .[/quote']

Speaking of the 70's, the first time I heard a phaser used live it was in 1974 or so with a Univox electric piano. Very cool sound but not something I'd use in large doses.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Speaking of the 70's, the first time I heard a phaser used live it was in 1974 or so with a Univox electric piano. Very cool sound but not something I'd use in large doses.

 

Oh I totally agree that phase shifting can be over-done, but I don't always use it in such an obvious, up-front way. I like really glacially slow phase shifting and other more subtle uses - it gives the sound a little something extra without drawing too much attention to itself as an effect.

 

 

[DeepEnd]

Oh I totally agree that phase shifting can be over-done' date=' but I don't always use it in such an obvious, up-front way. I like really glacially slow phase shifting and other more subtle uses - it gives the sound a little something extra without drawing too much attention to itself as an effect.[/quote']

Yeah, I think any effect can be overdone. And I was a little surprised that some phasers only have one knob like the Joyo Vintage Phase. Seems like it would be harder to get a good sound that way. IMHO, the Mod Tone was worth a little more cash for that aspect alone.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Yeah, I think any effect can be overdone. And I was a little surprised that some phasers only have one knob like the Joyo Vintage Phase. Seems like it would be harder to get a good sound that way. IMHO, the Mod Tone was worth a little more cash for that aspect alone.

 

Absolutely - I'm right there with you regarding single knob phase shifters. I've never really been a big fan of them, although that may put us in the minority - a lot of people love pedals like the Small Stone or Phase 45 / Phase 90 that only have one knob...

[DeepEnd]

Absolutely - I'm right there with you regarding single knob phase shifters. I've never really been a big fan of them' date=' although that may put us in the minority - a lot of people love pedals like the Small Stone or Phase 45 / Phase 90 that only have one knob...[/quote']

Yeah, once again, I'm not an effects guy. I had to think in terms of what seemed reasonable to me, someone who doesn't use pedals, and "more/better control" stuck out in my mind. I do wish it had a battery compartment but I'm assuming he has a power supply available. I may try to rig something so I can test it and make sure it works. Anyway, he's living with my daughter and I haven't objected (too loudly) so any Christmas present beyond that is gravy IMHO.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Chances are the pedal has both a 2.1mm center-negative power jack, and an internal 9V battery clip. Just remove the four screws holding the bottom plate on the pedal and you should see the battery clip - a regular 9V alkaline battery will allow you to power up the pedal for testing purposes.

 

I think it's a very nice gift - he should like it.

 

[DeepEnd]

Chances are the pedal has both a 2.1mm center-negative power jack, and an internal 9V battery clip. Just remove the four screws holding the bottom plate on the pedal and you should see the battery clip - a regular 9V alkaline battery will allow you to power up the pedal for testing purposes.

 

I think it's a very nice gift - he should like it.

Ah, thanks. I don't have the thing in front of me--it just shipped today--and I wasn't sure. I looked at pics online and didn't see a battery door so I just assumed it didn't have that provision.

[WRGKMC]

I first used them back in the 70's too. I first used a Maestro PSA-1A I had borrowed for a gig.

 

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Then I bought a Small Stone which gave you two different settings.

 

Then I traded that for one of these which I used till it wore out on me. The thing that was cool about this one is it worked like a Leslie cab and would speed up and slow down gradually.

 

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[DeepEnd]

I first used them back in the 70's too. I first used a Maestro PSA-1A I had borrowed for a gig. . . .

Yeah, I know they're still being used but for whatever reason a phaser brings the 70's to mind when I hear one. I guess I'm showing my age.

[onelife]

A phaser was one of the very first pedals I ever owned... but hey' date=' it was the 70s, and they were really popular back then. [/quote']

 

indeed..

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Don't tell anyone, but I still like them, even though they're not as en vogue as they once were.

 

Your secret's safe with me - but this is a public forum.

[WRGKMC]

It was their over use that made them unpopular. Envelope filters were another effects burnt out in the disco years. Much of its overuse was because envelopes were used heavily with synths so using it on guitar had a much shorter lifespan.

 

With the right type of phaser you can get some very cool sounds out of them. Something like a Univibe will always remain a popular sound because they were used by Hendrix to get his sound and they are still the only way you can really get that sound. Likewise Early Van Halen used an Phase 90 to get his throaty lead tones.

 

A phase shifter is actually closer to a Wah in the way it shifts the tone and has an advantage over other LFO effects. Since most have no time delay it can be used before or after drive pedals without produce string beating like a Chorus will.

 

I usually use chorus instead of a phaser. It has similarities because it adds movement to the sound but its ability to add ambiance and pitch shifting produces a fatter, doubled sound. The few times I do use a phaser is to produce what you'd can a lazy mans Wah sound. Problem is its rarely times with the music tempo. What they need to do is come up with a tap tempo so you can time it to the beat.

[DeepEnd]

Update: Well, rats. The pedal came Thursday and I got a chance to test it and it doesn't work. The indicator light comes on but there's no audible effect even with the "Depth" control all the way up. The only thing I can detect is a slight reduction in gain when it's engaged. It shipped with a battery installed and I took it out and tested it but it's good so that's not the problem. I contacted the seller earlier today but haven't heard from him. At this point, daughter's boyfriend may end up with a gift card.

[WRGKMC]

Be sure to file a claim with EBay and let them contact the seller. If they fail to respond EBay reimburses you for the purchase.

[DeepEnd]

Be sure to file a claim with EBay and let them contact the seller. If they fail to respond EBay reimburses you for the purchase.

I already contacted the seller. He refunded my money and told me to keep the pedal. I made an offer on a Rocktron phaser but it was rejected. I could "Buy it now" but it would be over my budget. Looks like I make a trip to Guitar Center and buy a gift card. There's also a local shop called "Pete's Pedals" that does mods and repairs, and I may ask if the Modtone is worth fixing.

[badpenguin]

The only phaser I have, is the MPC module that I have with my Electra MPC X310. Any time I use it, I feel like I am channeling Zappa... (on a REALLY bad Zappa day, I might add! )

[DeepEnd]

Well, the story may have a happy ending. I took the pedal to Pete's Pedals yesterday and the guy says it's fixed. $25 labor, so even less than what I originally paid for an essentially new pedal, plus time and gas.

I was a little dubious at first. The guy connected it to a power supply, plugged in a Strat, pressed the switch, strummed a chord, and said, "I thought you said it didn't work." I said, "It's not producing an effect. That means it doesn't work." "Oh, right, yeah." Not exactly inspiring confidence but it looks like he came through.

Anyway, I'll pick it up tomorrow and ask him what was wrong with it. If it really does work it will almost be a Christmas miracle.

[WRGKMC]

I bought a Dumbler drive pedal a couple of weeks ago. Plugged it in, it passed a signal and produced drive but the drive knob didn't do anything.

 

It was a given the pot had a cold solder joint so before contacting the seller I popped it open and reheated the connections and it worked fine after that. had it running properly in the time it took me to heat up the soldering iron and saved me the hassle of sending it back.

 

 

[DeepEnd]

I bought a Dumbler drive pedal a couple of weeks ago. Plugged it in, it passed a signal and produced drive but the drive knob didn't do anything.

 

It was a given the pot had a cold solder joint so before contacting the seller I popped it open and reheated the connections and it worked fine after that. had it running properly in the time it took me to heat up the soldering iron and saved me the hassle of sending it back.

I suspected something along those lines but it turns out I was wrong. The guy told me there's a trim pot that was out of adjustment. He suspects someone fooled with it trying to make the effect more pronounced since it's fairly subtle compared to some other models. But the pot apparently has a "sweet spot" and it was 'way off from where it should have been set. He also suggested I put a new battery in it because the existing one is kinda weak, another sign someone spent some time playing with the pedal. I picked up a CVS branded 9V alkaline battery and I'll put it in later this evening. And I still haven't spent as much as the original purchase price, except for time and gas. I essentially bought a $55 pedal for around $30. Anyway, all's well that ends well. All I have to do now is put a battery in it and gift wrap it.