12 All-Time Favourite Modulation Pedals

Controls - Mix, ERA : 80’s (strongest) / 70’s (mildest) / 90’s (best balanced / goldilocks!), Rate, Level, 2nd Output Phase Inversion Button, 8-way Depth Rotary (3 = Low, 8 = High), Low Cut Button, Hi Cut Button, Internal Stereo Balance Trimmer.

PastFX certainly has made some formidable choruses over the years - all of its output is excellent - and each of them - the Chorus Ensemble Mini, PX65 Stereo Chorus, and New Division have been favourites of mine, while the Kurt's Cologne is somehow even more captivating. It really has the perfect complement of controls - and each of the 3 Era Modes has a different degree of intensity - so you get a vast mix of tones - from elegant and subtle to full on sea-sick warble. And it's stereo of course - really a perfect chorus in every way - would be nice to have it fully stereo in and out though!

Controls - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Mode : Standard / SDD-320

Supposedly the Rack version of this was the chorus sound on Prince's Purple Rain - so an essential for a Prince fan like me. This Shimmery phase Chorus is quite distinct from the regular varieties - it adds some extra nuance and movement into the modulation. And the 4 push-button controls are a really neat way to operate the device - where 2 can be used in combination - to double down on the intensity. Until the Kutt's Collogne came around - this was by far and away my most favoured chorus - where I now love those about equally.

Controls - Volume, Mode : Banks / Edit / User, Preset/Param, Select, Param R / Waveform, Param G, Param B, Edit Matrix, Tap Tempo Footswitch (Hold for Manual), Bypass Footswitch (Holt to Save preset).

The most formidable filter pedal I've encountered to-date where its 11 Modes - Envelope Filter, LPF Envelope, BPF Envelope, LFO, Step Filter, Multi LFO 1, Multi LFO 2, Tremolo, Phaser-ish, Fuzz / Synth, Oscillator Filters Multi LFO Sequencer - deliver so much more than just filtering - this is a veritable Multi-FX Monster!

Controls - Level, Oxidation (Stridency), Range, Feedback, + Positive / - Negative Feedback Type, Rate, Bypass Footswitch, Hold Footswitch - Speed Flutter, Internal Switch : Filter / Oscillator.

My favourite Flanger to-date - which has very stiff competitions from all 4 PastFX Flangers, the ThorpyFX Camoflange, A/DA PBF, and Boss BF-2 just to name but a few. The Airborn's combination of feature set and superior sounds just makes it perfect for me - I love the 2nd footswitch action for that Flanger flutter - this one truly sounds magnificent - and is an essential part of my EVH sound! Such a gorgeous voicing of flanger!

Controls - Balance/Rise Time, Shift/Harmony, Fall Time/Key, Mode : S-Bend/Detune/Pitch Shifter/minor/Major.

This is such a versatile pedal - you can use it for your Iron Maiden style harmonizing as well as your Tom Morello style Whammy action and much much more. A somewhat unappreciated pedal generally but a super versatile workhorse is so many ways - I love it! The Whammy action is not quite as elegant as on the DigiTech Whammy Ricochet but this PS-6 overall offers so much more than the Ricochet!

Controls - Phaser 1 Rate, Phaser 1 Depth, Phaser 2 Rate, Phaser 2 Depth, Ramp Speed, Ramp Shape : Phase 1 > 2 Stay / Phase 1 > 2 > 1 alternating directions / Phase 1 > 2 Momentary with immediate return, Preamp Gain, Resonance, Master Volume, Effect : Preamp / Phaser / Vibee, Tap/Ramp Footswitch (Tap for Tap Tempo / Hold for Ramping), Bypass Footswitch (Double Tap to Flip Phase 1 <> 2 Playback / Hold for Secondary / Alternative Parameters).

Beetronics has delivered the Phaser GOAT with its Larva Dual Morning Phaser - which is just everyway support. Even though the Vibe Mode is not quite as good as the core Phaser one - that Phaser voicing is just full-fat marvellous - and with the Morphing feature just the perfect take on phasing for my preferences and sensibilities. I can't conceive how anyone could make a more perfect phaser than this - it just exactly matches my needs - and sounds fabulous all the time - an absolute essential. If you didn't get the magic of phasing yet - then this is the one to convince you - all kinds of ways ingenious!

Controls - Speed, Mic : Front / Rear, Ramp : Slow / Med / Fast, Volume, Mic Distance. Horn Level, Preamp Drive, Dry, Slow/Fast Footswitch, On/Bypass Footswitch.

The most suitable Rotary Speaker effect for me to date - but not quite as full on Hammond syrupy as I would like. It does though have sufficient volume onboard to work well within my rig - which for instance the Keeley I Get Around does not - while that does have a slightly more syrupy sound overall. Generally though the Lex is the perfect form factor and feature set - it just needs a little more syrup to be perfect!

Controls - D (Depth), Mode : Up Harmonic / Down Amplitude, S (Speed), L (Level), Waveforms : Square / Sinewave / Reverse Sawtooth, M (Mix), Engage footswitch, Tap Tempo / Speed Ramp / x2 Speed. Press and hold both footswitches to change Tao / Speed Mode, and hold down Engage Footswitch on power-up to set default startup mode : On or Off.

I tend to favour Harmonic Tremolos, and both versions of the Harmonious Monk have been long-term favourites for me. Near Uni-Vibe intensity of Tremolo here - just the most full on and richly textured Harmonic Tremolo - there's nothing else out there quite like it. And it's Amplitude Tremolo voicing is pretty decent too - a wonderful sounding pedal - with just the right feature set too in the latest iteration!

Controls - Balance / Tempo, Attack / Duty, Variation 1-11, Mode : Single [1.2], Dual [3,4], Tremolo [5], Harmonic [6], SFX [7,8], Hold Footswitch for Tap Tempo, Hold + Tempo for FX Level, Hold on Power-Up for Output Modes.

I own a few Pattern Tremolos, and some more potent than this - like the Subdecay Tremcoder DLX and to some extent the Rounder Sounds Zebtra-Trem. While it's not alway just about the expansive feature set - but about ease of deployment too - and the SL-2 with its 8 x 11 pattern variations is very formidable indeed. Its only downside is how clunky it is to change its 6 stereo output mode variations. You need to do dial everything back and do the whole power-up routine to change those modes - which is super inconvenient. On the previous SL-20 model that was just a button selector - with what instant. Other than that the SL-2 is pretty much a perfect device - sounds great with its full stereo path, and is super capable overall.

Surface Controls - Intensity, Speed / Options, Mode : Chorus / Vibrato, Input Impedance : Custom / Bright / Original. 
 
Side Trimmers - Custom Brightness, Chorus Depth, Presence / Grit, Throb Adjust } Symmetry + Range, Volume / Output.

I have a number of favourite Uni-Vibes too of course - including from Fjord Fuzz, Formula B, Horrothia, JHS Pedals, Krozz Devices, ThorpyFX, and Tru-Fi. While the Vibe Machine really stands out for its combination of form factor, feature set, and quality of output. Note that you need to buy the set - which includes the F-1L Ramping Remote Footswitch - so you can do that Slow/Fast thing. You then have no less than 10 controls to tweak the output. 4 front-facing core controls, and then 6 externally accessible trimpots - 3 on each side - to additionally adjust - Custom Brightness, Depth, Presence, Throb, Range, and Volume Output. This is still the one to beat overall as far as I'm concerned!

Controls - Level, Speed, Chorus, Depth, Jazz EQ (High-Trim) : Subtle High-Trim / No-Trim / More Trim, Hold footswitch for Double Speed.

Another killer entry for this year - the return of the much loved Diamond Vibrato in the smaller compact enclosure. Another fantastic full-fat sounding Chorus/Vibrato - obviously leaning slightly more into the latter. I prefer the added warmth and richness of this one to the other commanding presence in this genre - the mega Boss VB-2W which has long been many player's favourite. Generally the Boss is sightly Brighter, in fact a lot of the Boss modulations have a certain inherent degree of brightness to them. While this Diamond Vibrato has a distinctly more warmer and slightly richer sounding profile which is a touch more to my liking. I love both - but I lean more towards the Diamond take!

Controls - Level, Mode : Auto, Fixed, Envelope Filter, Parameter B / Wave Shape : Ramp / Triangle / Pulse / Square, Frequency : Treble / Mids / Bass, Gain, Q Bandwidth : High / Medium / Low, Parameter A, Tap/Ramp Footswitch, On/Hold Footswitch.

There's a number of great Auto-Wah pedals out there - which is my preferred way to render Wah - versus the typically more traditional treadle pedal route. Over the years I've tried some really excellent ones - while this Hosta still manages to stand out in how it delivers those superior sounds. Alas it's been discontinued for a while now - where we will likely get a new variant of it before long. I still feel this one is worth seeking out, it's worked very well for me over those years.