Boss Super Phaser PH-2

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $169.50

Boss

Submitted by Jon from Huntsville, AL (496 points) on Jul 19, 2008
A good pedal for fucking up loops and freaking out glitchy/octave-type effects. it's uses are bit limited outside of thise as far as making loud, abrassive noise goes. I got this today in an unclaimed baggage store, and it seems the previous owner was NOT kind to his/her pedals... The thing is dirty as hell, but it seems to be in perfect working order-- The DD-3 was not quite so lucky. there was also a GE-7 with a dented-in control panel (made it hard to adjust sliders) They wanted 50 fucking dollars for it, so I just left it. Still, both the pedals I bought work fine-- I'm sure the partially crushed GE-7 would work too...
Good Points: Boss construction, much more flexible phaser than most single-control "classic phasers"-- a wide variety of sounds, though some people (butt rockers) aren't too fond of them. Can do cool things in FB loops. Worth buying if you can find one cheap... It can do more for loops than most typical chorus/flange effects. It was cheap!
Bad Points: Limited noise applications. Not much about this that really stands out.
Price Paid: US$21.00
Purchased At: Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro
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Submitted by AULOS from Hereford Uk (488 points) on Jun 4, 2008
This really is a great pedal. When you click it in it just sounds so thick and meaty. It has a click switch on the right which is "I" or "II". The I setting kind of circles around the peak levels and has a nice jet-plane kind of circular peak with a really bassy low end. The II setting goes all the way to your true tone. You can oscillate this really well too. I run this before a DD-5 and after an Octave. Run all 3 and you get a boosted sweeping delay which is out of this world.
Good Points: II Modes, Oscillates Nicely, Built tough, Thick like gravy. Used by - Fall Of Troy, Incubus, Jive Stick.
Bad Points: Not so great with distortion, but can be achieved mildy
Price Paid: US$82.00
Purchased At: Ebay
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Submitted by Nic from Monterey, CA (90 points) on Jun 16, 2007
In short, I love this pedal. Kinda digital sounding, but it's compact and sounds cool.
Good Points: synth-y and 80's cool-sounding.
Bad Points: a bit digital sounding sometimes.
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At: borrowed
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Submitted by spit + smudge from Savannah, GA (214 points) on Feb 2, 2004
Received this pedal (assumed dead by the owner) through a trade for one of my RMODs. Noticed the sheild plate was missing, replaced it and was totally amazed at the sound this ugly neon green pedal can make. Few days later I used it for a show at a club. This can definately make the awesome jet phaser sound. Both mode I and II are really nice, each have their own uses for noise. The controls are fairly straight forward, no learning curve involved, just plug and chug agay.
Good Points: The sweeps with the "res" set high is just damn amazing. Haven't had a chance to use it in a power electronics setting but for pedal noise, it was a blast to use. I can't wait to try vocals out with it. The rate on this is nice and fast unlike some pedals that I tend to get a hold of.
Bad Points: None at all. Period.
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At: trade for an rmod
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Submitted by Mike from Rochester, NY (310 points) on Dec 31, 2003
I had a lot of fun with this pedal when I still owned it. Standard phaser, but the MODE II makes it worth it! Set Mode I to where you like it and then crank the knob to II. Insane!! Wish I still had it around for noise applications...I think I would have benefited from keeping it. Oh well, I hope I come across another. Otherwise, I'll just grab a DOD Super Phaser because they are more available and probably cheaper.
Good Points: solid construction, two modes of operation, well highlighted knobs for stage use
Bad Points: probably not too available now and pricey if you do find one (it IS a BOSS!!), never was fond of the battery compartment
Price Paid: US$0.00
Purchased At: got it from a friend
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Submitted by Yves from Ottawa (172 points) on May 29, 2003
A neat trick is to use => two <= of them to create vocal formants when simulating Inuit throat-singing and grunting noises. By setting one to a slow shallow sweep in mode two and the other to a slightly faster and deeper sweep in mode one, noise and synth drones are very effectively transformed. I usually run them in parallel, using a Boss splitter and some form of micro mixer (like Dod's). To create a funky but very usable comb filter effect, adding an analog delay pedal before <!> the phasers is quite the hoot. One alone can be used in parallel with a "clean" signal to enhance bowing and scrapping noise.
Good Points: Relatively inexpensive and solidly built. Road worthy. Mode two has a strong, instantly recognizable effect.
Bad Points: LFOs lowest setting is still too fast to my taste. LFO can't be stopped, even on the new PH-3--on the PH-3, an expression pedal can be used to control the speed of the LFO.
Price Paid: US$70.00
Purchased At: Steve's Music, years ago
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Submitted by K. from Sealy, TX (528 points) on May 24, 2002
I've been raggin' on phasers for quite some time and have no intention of stopping now. The Boss PH-2 has the standard phaser contols - rate, depth, and regeneration - the one thing which sets this unit apart from all the others is it has a mode switch which allows switching between two different phasing sounds. Actually mode II just increases the resonance of the effect, nothing dramatic. This unit saw little use and was recently auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Good Points: Mode switch allows switching between two phaser effects.
Bad Points: It's a phaser, mode II is just a more resonant version of mode I
Price Paid: US$35.00
Purchased At: some pawn shop
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