Phase Shifter for that Buddy Sound

Roger Miller · Post by **Roger Miller** » 6 Oct 2018 10:10 am

Just wondering which Phase Shifter is or was the choice of many players? Kind of looking for something with a slight Big E sound on a ballad. I have several but just wondering what is a good one for the steel.

Dwight Harman · Post by **Dwight Harman** » 6 Oct 2018 10:15 am

Buddy was fond of the Phase shift built into the Session 500.

Ron Funk · Post by **Ron Funk** » 7 Oct 2018 2:42 pm

At one time, BE was fond of the MXR Phase 90

'thinkin I heard that phase shifter in Peavey Session 500's were modeled after the Electro Harmonix Smallstone...... I'm sure Mike Brown would know for sure.

Drew Pierce · Post by **Drew Pierce** » 7 Oct 2018 3:15 pm

If the question relates to "that Buddy Emmons phase shifter sound", I can't speak to that. But if the question relates to the Buddy Emmons sound generally, I don't think of phase shifters. They have their place, but that back and forth swooshing sound never really appealed to me unless I was smoking something besides cigarettes. But hey, that was a long time ago. LOL.

When I think of the "Buddy Emmons sound", I think big reverb, a touch of delay and monster playing.

Kevin Fix · Post by **Kevin Fix** » 7 Oct 2018 4:22 pm

I remember the phase shifter on the Session 500. I liked it. It had it's place.

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 9 Oct 2018 5:35 pm

Would suggest going to a guitar store that has lap steels in stock (or bring your own) and try several they have in stock - from the simplest with a switch and speed knob to ones with variable speed, intensity, waveform and tone.

Listen, play around with settings and figure out what you like. It would be a bit silly to buy a very dated solid-state amp just for a single feature, so it will likely take some experimentation to find out what works best for you. If you're really not that familiar with specific pedals it'd be best to buy from a place with a decent return policy, so you ill have maybe a couple of chances to return something that just isn't right.

Also listen to sound samples on YouTube. They won't usually be pedal steel samples but you can still get a pretty good idea,

Jay Coover · Post by **Jay Coover** » 9 Oct 2018 11:41 pm

Maybe one of these? It does a great emulation of a lot of stuff, including the Phase 90 and Uni Vibe. Great chameleon pedal. I have two of the minis I got on Reverb dot com for around $120 each. Hours of fun, and not nearly just phase stuff.
http://xtomp.com/

Ron Hogan · Post by **Ron Hogan** » 10 Oct 2018 4:15 am

Buddy like to add suttle chorusing to give it a fatter sound.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 11 Oct 2018 6:57 am

definitely an MXR man

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