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The best phaser flanger pedals for most players are the MXR Phase 90 for classic phaser swirl and the MXR M117R Flanger for dramatic jet-plane sweeps. A phaser creates a smooth, watery whoosh. A flanger is more intense and metallic because it adds a very short, moving delay. If you want both on a budget, start with the Phase 95 Mini and the BOSS BF-3.
Phasers and flangers are modulation effects, so they belong to the same family as chorus and tremolo. This roundup is part of our complete guide to building a guitar pedalboard, where you can see how modulation fits with the rest of your board.
Below you’ll find the best phaser pedals and flangers, a comparison table, a clear phaser vs flanger explanation, and tips on where they go in your guitar pedal order.
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Send My Cheat Sheet →Best Phaser Flanger Pedals at a Glance
| Pedal | Type | Best for | Key controls | Skip it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MXR M101 Phase 90 | Phaser | Classic rock swirl | Speed | You want depth control |
| MXR M290 Phase 95 Mini | Phaser | Two phasers in a tiny box | Speed, 45/90 switch, Script switch | You need a full-size knob |
| EHX Nano Small Stone | Phaser | Funk and vintage textures | Rate, Color switch | You want a modern, subtle phaser |
| MXR M117R Flanger | Flanger | Jet-plane sweeps | Manual, Width, Speed, Regen | You want a compact pedal |
| BOSS BF-3 Flanger | Flanger | Versatility and stereo | Modes incl. Ultra, Gate/Pan, momentary | You want analog warmth |
| EHX Neo Mistress | Flanger | Budget flanger | Rate, Feedback, Filter Matrix | You need stereo |
Phaser vs Flanger: What’s the Difference?
The phaser vs flanger question comes up all the time because both effects sweep and swirl. They create that motion in different ways.
- A phaser splits your signal and passes one copy through a series of filters called all-pass stages. When it’s mixed back with the dry signal, some frequencies cancel and create notches. As the notches sweep up and down, you hear a smooth whoosh.
- A flanger mixes your signal with a copy delayed by just a few milliseconds. The delay time moves constantly, which creates many evenly spaced notches, called a comb filter. The result is stronger and more metallic, like a jet plane passing overhead.
| Phaser | Flanger | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | All-pass filter stages | Very short, modulated delay |
| Notches | A few, unevenly spaced | Many, evenly spaced (comb filter) |
| Sound | Smooth, watery, vocal | Intense, metallic, jet-like |
| Feedback (regen) | Adds resonance | Adds a ringing, robotic edge |
| Classic uses | Van Halen’s early records, funk, 70s rock | Van Halen’s “Unchained” intro, psychedelic and 80s rock |
Here’s an easy way to remember it. A phaser is subtle enough to leave on for rhythm parts. A flanger is more of a special effect for intros, bridges and big moments. Many guitarists own one of each.
Flanging gets its name from the early studio trick of pressing a finger on the flange (rim) of a tape reel to slow it down. Chorus works on a similar idea with a longer delay, so if you like flanger you may also like the pedals in our best chorus pedals guide.
The Best Phaser Pedals
1. MXR M101 Phase 90: Best Phaser Pedal Overall
The MXR Phase 90 is the most famous phaser ever made. It has one knob, Speed, and a warm four-stage analog circuit. Slow settings add gentle movement to chords, and fast settings give a bubbly, Leslie-like warble.
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