phasers

wbfree · Post by **wbfree** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 2:41 pm

Hi all,
Lackof knowledge about phasers has me confused-I bought a MXR Phase 90 and it sucks. I want a phaser that doesn't sound like it is coming thru a piece of tin but I can't find any sound samples of the 103 which I think might be a better phaser than most. You guys or some of you actually have jobs as musicians with far more experience with these effects. Are these 103's worth the money, are there better phasers-tone is everything to me, even though I am not a proficient guitar player yet and I want the best phaser I can get within reason i.e. I am not blessed with unlimited amounts of money.

Thanks
Burnie

OLFAudio · Post by **OLFAudio** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 3:18 pm

Hi Burnie-

Tone is a pretty subjective thing so no one can really tell that the 103 is going to be the sound you want.

That being said, I've used my 103 on a lot of instruments and find the sound to be fantastic. I bought it in 2001 and have not looked for another since that time.

There is a lot more available to you on the 103 than on the MXR (which I've never played) so you have greater control over the phasing effect you get. Some people love this and others prefer the simplicity of a single knob.

Yes, the 103 is worth the money if you like the sounds you get with it.
Buy it from a dealer that has a fair return policy and try it out with your guitar rig. It's really the only way to know.

Good luck.

Ezra

"If its got the wood, its got to be good!"

wbfree · Post by **wbfree** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 5:41 pm

Ezra,
Thanks for the reply. I am a huge fan of Frank Zappa and I know he didn't necessarily use a phaser all the time but he did use them frequently, and I love the phaser sound. I am going to buy one today and take my chances. I am not a proficient player but I see many possibilities for sound with the 103, too put it mildly I am very excited about getting this pedal. Have you ever heard the song by Frank-Pink Napkins or Ship Ahoy both in the Shutup and Play Your Guitar 3 cd series-really good examples of phaser and envelope follower and beautiful music. I was thinking that maybe in the future of running my voice through it for some stuff I want to do.
Thanks again
Burnie

wbfree · Post by **wbfree** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 7:43 pm

One more question-what does LFO stand for-I asume that it is some kind of envelope follower but don't know for sure.
Thank You
Burnie

wbfree · Post by **wbfree** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 11:52 pm

Okay, searched this forum some more and found the answer to my LFO question-Duh. I called my friendly Musicians Friend and bought a 103. I want to say thanks for the forum. the manipulation of sound electronically, is fascinating and I had not really found a place where that was discussed as an important part of making music, with guitar in my case, I love effects, and what they do makes playing music that much more inspiring, which makes one tend to play better

So thanks all,
Burnie

OLFAudio · Post by **OLFAudio** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 3:52 am

Burnie-

I hope you enjoy your phaser. My most favorite thing about it is, just when I think I've found a great sound or setting to stick with, I end up turning another knob and a whole new "world" is revealed to me. As with most Moog devices, It's not a five minute pedal, it's a five year courtship.

Good luck with your new investment and remember; "If things in life seem to get a bit out of phase, try the dual outputs."

bbbodie · Post by **bbbodie** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:15 pm

I'd be more inclined to say nearing a 50 year courtship

...I dreamed of owning a Minimoog back in 1972 at the tender age of 12...I was the son of a hard working dad that could barely afford a $40 Sears guitar...so it was so far out of reach...

For many years, I've played synths and toyed with a Moog when I could find one to play, always unattainable price wise. I actually had an early Moog Liberation, but the weight of almost 20 plus pounds was enough to sell the single oscillator synth...so a Moog was unattainable until Bob launched the Voyager...

I had the distinct pleasure to meet Bob in January at NAMM and it reaffirmed my feelings, this was indeed the synth to own...and low and behold, I had the privelege to hear Rick Wakeman at NAMM demo YAMSS (yet another Moog Software Synth) the MiniMonsta from GMedia is due for release any day now...but the fact that it was designed like the MiniMoog, yet again cemented my determination.

I own both of Arturia's Moog creations and it has indeed kept me focused on the dream of one day owning the hardware

.

I was home less than 4 days from Namm and was in a near fatal car accident, only recently am I up and about...but after having my insurance pay off my car and being left with a little bit more...here's where the dream finally comes true

I am now (as of tomorrow when it arrives) the proud owner of my first Minimoog, the Voyager AE...and an MF-101, MF103 and Control Processor. I plan to finally add the MF102 and MF105 in 10 more days.

Long story, but as you can tell...this is one kid from the 70's that has always had a love for Moog and all things Moog (almost 40 years later). Moog equipment has always been the pinnacle of synthesis for me. Thanks to Bob and all those synthesis artists that kept this kid's dream alive!

Bodie

wbfree · Post by **wbfree** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 12:10 am

Hey Bodie
Sorry about the accident but it looks like it was the good and the bad. I am waiting on a 103 which is my first experience with moog, I can imagine your excitement after waiting so long and then finally being able to buy what you have always wanted. I love the way you can manipulate sound with this stuff-have fun.
Burnie

spacefuzzz · Post by **spacefuzzz** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 2:23 am

hey burnie! i just got my mf-103 and i linked it to my mf-102 and OH MY GAWWWD!!! crazy F'n sounds. i had the murf and it didnt really do anything with the RMod. i know ill get flack for this but whatever, so i took
the murf back(the people at TrueTone music in Santa Monica were so helpful!) and got the phaser. Linking these two together is so exciting. i almost got S/H step phasing,envelope phasing, just alot of crazy and im not exagerating "CRAZY" modulations. i should mention i use this with my strat through a tiny silvertone tube amp then the mf-102/103/deluxe memory man/boss ps-3/maxon sd-9/fuzz factory then my 80's rat. im thinking of getting the boss loop station and then one more pedal. i dont know what the last one will be but we shall see. anyway, take care and have fun!

bbbodie · Post by **bbbodie** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 8:30 am

Hey Spacefuzz!

highly recommend the 101. I've used it in Protools (software version) for the last 6 months and the effects are nothing short of amazing.

I've always been pleased with the sonic results, but will be amazed (I'm sure) once I can patch them together using the VC inputs.

Bodie

Oh yea...I'm now the owner of Voyager AE0646

We had fun last night tormenting the neighbors and the dogs.

wbfree · Post by **wbfree** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 12:02 pm

Hey All,
I don't know what s/h sound is, you will have to educate me-but I know that the 101 and the 102 would be pedals I will eventually buy. I just got my 103 last night and hooked it up in the effects loop by itself and on the front side I have a keeley comp., Banzai fireball II, into a Maz 38. My guitar is a Dean Tonic-don't laugh it is awesome, I sold an Sg and Kept this. The sound, with nothing else on was amazing, I turned on the comp with 9:00 comp. and it was more amazing, I turned on the boost side of the fireball and went to aural heaven. I think I lose volumn hooking up in the effects loop but I am not sure, I have an old silvertone 1484 head that I can run the aux into, or can I run out to a speaker direct, two speakers separating the signal to stereo is going to be fun. I will probably have lots of questions as I am on the up slope of a steep learning curve with guitar playing and the quest for the sound I am looking for. I am not a young man like some of you young wippersnappers but we share a common goal-Music, which by the way, in many ancient cultures was at the core of creation, i.e. music is the root of all things-no wonder it affects me so deeply. You guys are great, and thanks for the place to talk about what music, which is everything positive in a crazy world-Music, as I say at the bottom of this post, is the best-part of a qoute from Frank Zappa, my favorite guitar player and musician-all the best
Burnie

spacefuzzz · Post by **spacefuzzz** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 1:50 am

well i dont know if youd concider 31 to be a whippersnapper but thats cool.
s/h(sample&hold) is the sound on the zappa song "ships ohoy". now, its not a real s/h effect i can get with the 102 and the 103 but its close. yeah i think i will get the 101 as well. but it doesnt stop there! then its on to the cp-251 to get even more fucked up. now that piece has the s/h effect on it. go to the moogerfooger section of the site and click on the cp-251 and listen to the sample's. by the way my favorite zappa album is " one size fits all"
george duke's synth/keyboard playing is the bleep! take care!

wbfree · Post by **wbfree** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 3:29 am

Spacefuzz-double your age and add a year you young wippersnapper-

Thanks for the info I will check that out because I happen to really like that particular song Ship Ahoy-lately I have been listening to the Shut up and Play Your Guitar cd's over and over and every time I listen to Franks music I hear something I didn't hear before. As far as I am concerned he is one of those rare people that only come around once in a blue moon, a truly innovative musician who's music does not get stale, and I love what he does with guitar. I will check out Mr. Duke too.
Burnie

endo23 · Post by **endo23** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 7:59 pm

That Zappa "enveloped-phase" sound is arguably my favorite tone in ALL of guitar history, which is saying a lot... I even tracked down an old EH PolyPhase in an attempt to nail it, but alas... the pedal is so old and the power supply so shoddy it's not really practical for live use-- too noisy.

I have a MuRF and love it, now thanks to you guys I'm contemplating the phaser as well... CURSES!

hieronymous · Post by **hieronymous** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 11:11 pm

"Ship Ahoy" and "Pink Napkins" are favorites of mine as well, but I think it's misleading to refer to the sound as "envelope-phased" - my guess is that it's sample-and-hold applied to some kind of filter. I think you're more likely to get that sound with the MF-101 (low-pass filter) than the MF-103 (phaser), but take that with a grain of salt - I haven't played with the phaser and sample-and-hold much (the CP-251 comes with sample-and-hold by the way).

Also, I associate Frank Zappa with flanging more than phasers - during the early-90's he had two flangers going in opposite directions - you can hear the sound really well on AS AN AM from the "Beat the Boots" series...

But the MF-103 phaser is really amazing - such a thick 'n' rich sound - makes anything sound good!

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