ThorpyFX takes the 4-Stage Phaser to the Next Level with its Superbly Innovative Pulse Doppler Analog Multi-Mode Phase-Shifter, Vibrato, and Pulsating Tremolo Pedal
Of course the Pulse Doppler is another fantastic Dan Coggins collaboration, follow-up and heir to the 1995 Lovetone Doppelgänger Phaser/Vibrato. Dan and Adrian have done a fantastic job of delivering the best of vintage style phaser with modern extended feature set.
Controls - Enhance (Feedback/Resonance), Manual (Phase Shift Notch Filter Frequency), Depth (LFO Intensity), Blend (Dry>Wet Mix), Bi-Directional / Dual Phase Mode, Inverted Phase / HPF Tremolo / Additive Phase, Rate (LFO Speed / Frequency), Vibe/Phase Footswitch (Wet/Dry flip), Engage Footswitch.
The Pulse Doppler carries no less than 5 selectable Modes / Playback Options via dual-toggle-switches - the first of which allows you to toggle between Bi-Directional (figure of 8) and Dual Phasing. While the second selects between Inverted Phase, HPF Tremolo, and Additive Phasing Modes - giving you the ultimate in versatility and variety. Those 5 Modes are married to 5 wide-ranging control knobs which allow you to mold and shape every aspect of the phase texture.
With its extra Modes this delivers something somewhat significantly different to the average phaser. And extra to the previous Classic, Vintage-style Thorpy Deep Oggin Chorus/Vibrato and Camoflange Flanger Modulation Pedals. And where the Pulse Doppler delivers both Vintage and Modern tones to the next level.
Apart from having presets onboard, I can’t see how you could make this format much better. In a year of exceptional new phaser pedals - this for me is most definitely the top dog of all of those. And while for Flanger I will be deploying the Spaceman Aurora in rotation with the Camoflange to give me the best of Modern and Classic/Vintage Flange Flavours - while that latter classic Camoflange will of course remain as my mainstay and principal Flanger. For Phasing, the Pulse Doppler would seem to cover all my needs, and I don’t see my rotating that one much at all - it is surely the prime and principal resident of slot #33 now and has been in residence for almost a month already.
The only proviso here is quite how flexible this pedal is with its many options and alternative modes of deployment - and where you would be best to start with all its different possibilities. To those ends I have included a number of suggested presets / sample settings - my own GPX defaults, as well as the official Jamie Harrison selections. Covering many of the key flavours - both Classic and Modern, Conventional and Unusual/Unique.
With quite these many options available I feel it’s highly necessary for this particular pedal to have a significant number of reference points to help you get into the full potential of the pedal. Obviously at a basic level this is a sort of Phase 90 variant - but so much more. I would imagine this would remain one of the very best choices of Phaser for many years to come. It certainly hits the spot for me!
Here follow some serving suggestions - personal and officiall :
Presets / Serving Suggestions!
GPX Default
Textured Slow Phase
Settings : Enhance 3 o'c, Manual 9 o'c, Depth 9 o'c, Blend 12 o'c, Bi-Directional, Normal, Rate 7:10 o'c.
GPX Throbby-Trem
Throbby Pulsating style of Tremolo - Flip first mode switch up for more Subtle Tremolo
Settings - Enhance Max, Manual 11:40 o'c, Depth 1:50 o'c, Blend 12:30 o'c, Dual, Pulse, Rate 11 o'c.
GPX Bi-Fly
Strong Bi-Directional Flavour
Settings - Enhance 2:50 o'c, Manual 11:40 o'c, Depth Max, Blend 11:40 o'c, Bi-Directional, Normal, Rate 11 o'c.
GPX Inversion
A Cool Inverted Phase Variation
Settings - Enhance 3 o'c, Manual 11:40 o'c, Depth Max, Blend 12:30 o'c, Bi-Directional, Invert, Rate 11 o'c, Both Footswitches On.
Classic Phase
Classic Slow Phase with sort of Phase 90 / Small Stone-is tones, and with nice bloom
Settings : Enhance 3:30 o'c, Manual 11:10 o'c, Depth 10:05 o'c, Blend 11:20 o'c, Dual, Normal, Rate 8:20 o'c.
Sound FX
Similar to cutoff/resonance on synthesizer depth manipulation - yields different flavours
Settings - Enhance 5 o'c, Manual 1:40 o'c, Depth 1:40 o'c, Blend 11:40 o'c, Dual, Normal, Rate 2 o'c, Both Footswitches On.
Thin / Hollow
Thinner/Hollowed out tone with full range pulsation in/out
Settings - Enhance 5 o'c, Manual 8 o'c, Depth 3:10 o'c, Blend 2 o'c, Dual, Pulse, Rate 9 o'c, Both Footswitches On.
Faux Trem
Green Day Boulevard of Broken Dreams style tones
Settings - Enhance 12:20 o'c, Manual 11:10 o'c, Depth 10:05 o'c, Blend 12:40 o'c, Bi-Directional, Normal, Rate 2 o'c.
Fat Pulse
Rounder fat pulsing phase with tails
Settings - Enhance 1:50 o'c, Manual 10:30 o'c, Depth 11:20 o'c, Blend 1:50 o'c, Dual, Invert, Rate 12 o'c.
Slow Vibrato
Slow Vibrato Tone - change the rate knob for seasick tones, faster rate delivers Nirvana/Come as you are
Settings - Enhance 9 o'c, Manual 10:10 o'c, Depth 11 o'c, Blend 1:50 o'c, Dual, Invert, Rate 8:40 o'c, Both Footswitches On.
Demos
Final Thoughts
I can't see how you could find a better realised version of Phaser than this - Adrian and Dan have created another instant classic which delivers the very best of what a Phaser is capable of. In the one unit you get the best mix of Classic / Vintage and Modern Style Phasing with so many cleverly realised extras - while overall the pedal itself remains fairly straight-forward in its topology - and absolutely producing the best possible range of tones with the fewest number of controls for all those different possibilities.
My two main uses of Phaser are typically for EVH and Prince (Let's Go Crazy etc.) style tones - while the Pulse Doppler gives you inroads into all manner of other different varieties - including more Avantgarde and Experimental tones.
For a pure Analog phaser I don't see how you can improve on this - bar for sticking in a digital control layer which allows you to select a variety of onboard presets, rather than having to dial in a new variation each time.
As always the fit and finish and overall quality of build here is exceptional - and I would struggle to see how anyone could be in any way disappointed with owning one of these.
Today May 27th is the official release date, and while Adrian has built up quite a reasonable stock for launch - I nevertheless expect these to fly out very quickly - so you best get your skates on! The Pulse Doppler is available right now on the ThorpyFX Webstore for the very reasonable price of £265. Go get yours now!
