Billed as paying tribute to days gone by while still looking to the future, it is no doubt the coolest-looking pedal we’ve seen in a long time. Featuring four knobs and a three-way toggle switch, the Calavera phaser from Alexander Pedals is both user-friendly and very versatile. The knobs control Rate, Intensity, Mix, and Tweak. The Tweak knob has different functions depending on which mode the pedal is in. The three modes are: Suave, Dynamica, and Loco. Suave mode is rich, wet, and full. If you’re looking for some classic phase tones, this is a good place to start, but there is a lot more going on here than a Phase 90 or Small Stone. In this mode, the Tweak knob determines the amount of regeneration in the phase signal. Dynamica, as the name implies, is a touch sensitive mode. The Tweak and Rate knobs are interactive with one another, and the phaser responds to the overall volume of your guitar signal. Set the Rate knob high and your guitar volume high, and listen as the speed decreases. Turn the Rate knob to a lower setting, and the speed increases when you increase your guitar volume. This mode takes some getting used to, but it is pretty rad, and could be the missing link in a transition passage of a song. Loco mode is just plain crazy. The Tweak knob controls feedback in the phaser and this mode is linked to a ring modulator for wacky and over-the-top sounds. If you want a phaser that stays in one place and never moves, this probably isn’t the one. But, if you have a sense of adventure, and want to discover new tonal textures and landscapes, this is right up your alley.
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