Our Top Picks for Swirling and Funky Phaser Tones

Phaser pedals are a staple in many pedalboards. This modulation effect can deliver everything from swirling, funky vintage tones to modern, experimental textures. Whether you’re chasing that tasteful, classic funk sound, or creating ambient soundscapes, the right phaser can transform your playing.

Nowadays, there are several phaser options on the market. From classic-inspired pedals such as the Warm Audio Jet Phaser and the MXR 90, to modern takes on the effect as seen with the NativeAudio Midnight, there’s a lot of ground to cover.

In this article, we explore a carefully-crafted selection of the top 10 phaser pedals in 2025 so you can find the one that will be a perfect match for your pedalboard. Let’s get started!

In a hurry? Check out our quick guide with all of the featured pedals at the end of the article.

What Are Phaser Pedals and How Do They Work?

The phaser effect creates a sweeping, swirling sound by altering the phase of your audio signal and splitting it into two paths. While one part of the signal remains unchanged, the other goes through an all-pass filter, which produces that characteristic, jet-plane-like effect.

On most phaser pedals, you will find three common parameters: Rate, which controls the speed of the effect, Depth, for determining the effect’s intensity, and Feedback, which enhances the peaks and notches of the filter to produce a more dramatic effect.

Different phaser pedals have different modes of operation. For example, an opto-based pedal will sound different than a JFET-based one. Another feature that can change the tone a lot is the number of phase stages. Phaser pedals with 6 or 8 phasing stages, will sound more pronounced than those with 4 stages, for example.

On and on, phaser pedals have been a staple in many music genres. From the psychedelic funk of the 1970s to the hard rock of the 1980s, the effect is very versatile, and can be used not only on guitar, but also on bass, keys, and on whatever you decide. We highly recommend you explore different options to find the perfect match for your tone.

Best Phaser Pedals in 2025 - In-Depth Review

Warm Audio Mutation Phasor II

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Main Features

• Classic electro-optical phaser
• Based on the classic Mu-Tron Phasor II from the 1970s
• Rate, Depth, and Feedback knobs
• Built with premium, hand-selected components

The Warm Audio Mutation Phasor II is inspired by one of the quintessential phaser pedals of the 1970s: the Mu-Tron Phasor II. This unit delivers the same wobbly, vintage funky sound of its vintage counterpart at a much more affordable price.

This pedal’s operation is very intuitive, as it features three parameters that work very well no matter where you set them. The Mutation Phasor II sounds good on any instrument, including guitars, bass, and keys.

What’s impressive about this pedal is that, while the vintage Mu-Tron pedal is very expensive and rare to come across, Warm Audio was able to replicate it perfectly with the Mutation Phasor II, featuring premium, hand-selected components at a very low price. If you’re for a classic phaser unit, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Mojo Hand FX Mr O

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Main Features

• Classic, vintage-inspired phase shifter pedal
• Two phase stages modes: four and six stages
• Speed, Depth, and Color knobs

The Mojo Hand FX Mr O is a small yet powerful phase shifter pedal, inspired by the first phaser units from the 1970s. This updated version of the Mr O features two, very versatile and great-sounding operating modes: four and six stages.

While the mode is set to four stages, the Mr O sounds like the most classic and traditional phasers from the 1970s, an excellent pair for funky riffs. At six stages, you get a thicker, psychedelic-esque tone that gets experimental very quickly.

The Mr O also has some unique, subtle features: when you change the speed of the effect, the shape of the waveform will change slightly, and the Color knob is very responsive, controlling the amount of feedback regeneration and letting you choose between a warmer or grittier, more resonant effect.

EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter

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Main Features

• 4-stage OTA-based phaser/vibrato pedal
• Three-way Rate toggle switch
• Phase/vibrato toggle switch
• Sweep, Rate, Depth, and Resonance knobs

The Grand Orbiter, by EarthQuaker Devices, is a 4-stage phaser with added vibrato capabilities. This pedal is a more modern type of phaser than its counterparts, featuring OTA-based phase shifting and several parameters to tailor your sound.

One of the main features of this pedal is the three-way toggle switch that changes the rate of the speed control. You can choose between slow mode, fast mode, or set it in the middle so the Grand Orbiter acts as a fixed resonant filter, which gives you an effect that sounds quite different from most other phasers.

If you’re also after a vibrato or univibe effect, the Grand Orbiter can also do that. Interestingly, you can adjust how much vibrato you want in your sound by turning the Resonance knob down, allowing for lots of experimentation.

Warm Audio Jet Phaser

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Main Features

• 8-stage, FET driven phaser and fuzz
• Based on the Roland AP-7 Jet Phaser from the 1970s
• 2 traditional phase modes and 4 fuzzed-out Jet modes
• Dedicated Fast/Slow footswitch

The Warm Audio Jet Phaser is heavily based on one of the most unique modulation pedals to ever exist, the 1970s Roland AP-7. This unit combines the phaser effect with a fuzz circuit to deliver funky tones by the likes of Sly and the Family Stone.

This pedal features six modes, with two delivering a more traditional phaser effect, and four dedicated to producing fuzzed-out, jet-like tones. Each parameter is extremely responsive, and as a bonus, you can ramp the effect’s speed up or down on the fly with the dedicated footswitch, making it act like a Rotary Speaker.

As the vintage Roland AP-7 is becoming increasingly hard to find, Warm Audio did an excellent job at replicating it down to the most minute detail, for a price that’s very, very low for everything that this pedal features.

IK Multimedia AmpliTube X-Vibe

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Main Features

• Multi-modulation pedal including 5 different phaser effects
• 16 effects based on real analog pedals
• 5 cabinet impulse responses
• 300 preset slots
• Plugin connectivity

We included the IK Multimedia Amplitube X-Vibe on our list since among its 16 analog-based effects, it includes 5 different phasers, many other modulation options, and several modern, convenient features.

Among the phasers on the X-Vibe, you will find recreations of legendary pedals such as the Phase 90, the Small Stone, and the fOXX Foot Phaser. This pedal is a modulation powerhouse, so if you’re unsure of what phaser pedal to go with, definitely have a look at the X-Vibe.

As a bonus, it has many useful features such as 5 built-in cabinet impulse responses (allowing you to connect it directly to a PA system), plugin connectivity for in-depth customization, and also doubles as an audio interface.

MXR Phase 90

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Main Features

• Classic FET-based phaser pedal
• Four-stage operation
• Hand-matched FET transistors
• Single, highly-responsive Rate knob

The MXR Phase 90 is one of the most popular and famous phaser pedals to ever exist. Present in the setup of several legendary guitar players such as Eddie Van Halen and Dave Grohl, this minimalistic phaser is a solid choice for any pedalboard.

Featuring a single, yet highly-responsive Rate knob, the beauty of the Phase 90 lies in the fact that it’s very easy to get a great tone with it. When you pair it with a distortion or an overdrive, you get that quintessential 1980s hard rock tone that’s perfect for lead lines and solos.

The Phase 90 operates on a four-stage mode, which is the way that most traditional phasers work. While it might not be the smartest choice if you’re looking for something more experimental, it is undoubtedly the best pick if you want a set-it-and-forget-it phaser effect to thicken your tone.

Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone

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Main Features

• Classic six-stage phaser pedal
• Based on the vintage Bad Stone from the 1970s
• Variable feedback
• Manual shift mode

The original Electro-Harmonix Bad Stone was among the first phasers pedals to hit the market in the 1970s. This reissue is an exact replica of its vintage counterpart, featuring the unique manual shift mode that the unit is known for.

Back in 1974, the Bad Stone was also the first phaser pedal to employ variable feedback and six-stage phasing, quickly becoming a staple with psychedelic rock musicians. The manual shift mode is also unique to the Bad Stone and when engaged, it allows you to freeze the phase at any point determined by Manual Shift knob.

If you like the Phase 90 or the Phase 100, but would like a phaser with more parameters while still retaining its compact form, the Bad Stone is a perfect choice. If you like this one, make sure to also have a look at its brother, the EHX Small Stone, which features four-stage phasing.

NativeAudio Midnight

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Main Features

• JFET-based phaser with traditional analog design
• 5 waveform options
• Tap and Ramp modes
• Dedicated Control footswitch

The NativeAudio Midnight is a solid choice if you want to explore all that the phaser effect can offer. While it’s JFET-based and inspired by analog design, it features digital controls that lets you play with parameters such as waveform and select between two operating modes.

The waveform selection is pretty extensive, including five different options: sine, ramp up, triangle, ramp down, and random mode. Depending on which you choose, you can go from the classic, vintage phaser tone to full-blown experimental effects.

Another very interesting feature of the Midnight is the Tap and Ramp modes. When on Tap mode, you can use the Control footswitch to tempo-sync your phaser rate to the song you’re playing, while the Ramp option lets you use the switch to emulate a classic rotary speaker cabinet.

OBNE Visitor Parallel Multi-Modulator

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Main Features

• Dual modulation pedal
• Runs two modulation in parallel to create unique combinations
• Expression jack

The OBNE Visitor Parallel Multi-Modulator is a dual modulation pedal that allows you to create unique combinations. As the two modulations run in parallel, you can combine a phaser effect with tremolo and chorus, for example, to achieve highly-experimental tones.

This isn’t a traditional phaser pedal, so we recommend the Visitor if you’re looking to explore creative phasing tones and to create ambient soundscapes. This pedal is perfect for lush chords and textured riffs.

The OBNE Visitor doesn’t only feature a phaser though. On the primary modulation section, you can select between tremolo, chorus, and phaser, while the secondary one allows you to throw in a tremolo or a chorus into the mix.

Aguilar Grape Phaser V2 (For Bass)

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Main Features

• Compact analog phaser designed for bassists
• Four-stage phase shifter
• Two-knob dynamic operation
• All-analog circuit

Last but not least, we have a phaser pedal specially designed for bassists, the Aguilar Grape Phaser V2. This bass modulator is an excellent pair for a variety of playing styles, including slap and fretless, and can deliver tones reminiscent of the 1970s funk music.

With a four-stage operation and only two knobs, this pedal is very minimalistic and simple while also being highly responsive and dynamic. While the Rate knob naturally controls the speed of the modulation, the Color control feeds your signal through the phase circuit to create unique, funky tones.

This pedal is hands-down the best option if you’re a bassist looking for a phaser that can preserve your low end’s impact while providing you creative phasing effects to spice up your playing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between a Phaser and a Flanger?

While both are modulation effects, phasers use phase shifting to produce a sweeping, filtered sound, whereas flangers use a short delay to create a more metallic, jet-like effect.

Where Do I Place a Phaser in My Signal Chain?

Phaser pedals are typically placed at the middle of your pedal chain, before delays and reverbs but after gain-based effects like overdrive or distortion. This allows for a clean, pronounced modulation, however, make sure to get creative and experiment with different positionings.

What Does “Stages” Mean on a Phaser Pedal?

The term stages refer to how many phase-shifting filters the pedal features. While traditional phasers usually feature four, more stages will often result in a deeper and more complex phasing effect. Some pedals offer multiple stage options.

What’s the Difference Between Analog and Digital Phaser Pedals?

Analog phasers offer warm, vintage-style tones, while digital phasers provide more precise control, versatility, and sometimes additional features such as waveform selection.

Conclusion

Phaser pedals are a versatile effect for any guitarist looking to add movement, depth, and texture to their tone. From subtle vintage sweeps to bold modulations, the right phaser can be an excellent addition to your pedalboard.

Whether you’re a fan of classic rock, funk, or experimental soundscapes, there’s a perfect phaser out there for you. Explore the options we’ve highlighted, and let your sound take on a whole new dimension in 2025!

Thank you for reading our article! Here is a recap of all the pedals mentioned in this blog post:

You can check these and many other pedals in our store!

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