Phasers - 4 stage vs 6 stage vs 10 stage vs 12 stage, etc

[Che_Guitarra]

I've currently got a Moog Phaser which is a beast of a pedal, but no matter what it can't nail the classic EVH Ain't Talking Bout Love phaser vibe... the one phaser tone by which I judge all others. It can get close, but for all the controls available to me I just can't simplify the phase sound enough to nail my fundamental desire. I'm guessing that's because the Moog is a 6/12 stage phaser, whereas the Phase 90 is a 4 stage. But maybe i'm way off the mark.


Anyway - i'm hoping someone out there can explain the stage count and it's relationship to the effect. I'm not looking for pedal suggestions, i'm looking for phaser theory, and good youtube examples of each type of stage count if you know of any.

 

[StratManKudzu]

I believe Ed uses an MXR Flanger on that track not a phaser.

 

[Che_Guitarra]

Did Ed use a Flanger on that song ATBL? Doesn't sound like a Flanger to me, but i've never used an MXR Flanger before either, maybe they're closer to a phaser in vibe than other flangers i've used

 

[Drak]

http://www.vhlinks.com/vbforums/aint-talkin-bout-t14443.html

 

[Che_Guitarra]

^ I just read that after a Google search. But read a few more threads and it seems EVH uses both flanger and phaser on that into riff.

 

[Whalestone]

Anyway - i'm hoping someone out there can explain the stage count and it's relationship to the effect. I'm not looking for pedal suggestions, i'm looking for phaser theory,

http://www.geofex.com/article_folders/phasers/phase.html

 

[Che_Guitarra]

http://www.geofex.com/article_folders/phasers/phase.html

Thanks for that link... now i'm more confused than ever

So a notch within the cycle creates two phases, thus a four-stage phaser has two notch cycles happening per 360º, and a 12-stage phaser has 6?

I need to read that article again with my thinking pants on.

 

[Don Rusk]

.....and the MXR 45 is a two stage phaser ......

One thing to remember hes playing a phaser INTO a dirty amp , so put your phaser into your dirt box not after .....

 

[hamerman55]

From what I've read, he only had the Phase 90 for the first two albums.

I've got both the Phase 90 and the Moog, and you're right about the number of stages. The number of stages gives a noticeably different sound. Two, four, six and twelve are all unique sounds. Flanging and phasing are sort of cousins in sound, although they produce their effects in different ways. The MXR Phase 90 Script has always had a certain sort of mojo, especially into an overdriven amp.