Your $.02 Worth = Best flanger?

Stu_Bass · #1 08-03-2009, 05:43 PM

Hope I don't get creamed by the "do a forum searchers" (I did and didn't find a singular thread addressing everything out there. And if I did miss it - point me in that direction and I'll go quietly) Hanging here recently has given me such GAS. Looks like I'll have to start selling off gear to finance my habit seein' as the economy is kicking my gASS!

J. Crawford · #2 08-03-2009, 05:44 PM

Man, where and how did you get a $0.02 flanger!

eBay must be down or something..

OptimusPrime · #3 08-03-2009, 05:44 PM

MXR. Hands down. It's the pedal I've had the longest. And it's not going anywhere.

Stu_Bass · #4 08-03-2009, 05:46 PM

I'll gladly pay you $.02 on Wed. for a flanger today!

StreamerDavid · #5 08-03-2009, 05:47 PM

Get a cheap one... No recording engineer will ever let you record with it, you'll use it on one song in a live setting, and the best ones are all owned by recording studios....

bassteban · #6 08-03-2009, 05:51 PM

I've diddled w/a few flangers(Boss High-Pass Flanger, DOD Bass Flanger and a couple others I can't recall)& the one I like the best is an ol DOD FX-75c Stereo Flanger. It's probably noisy & sucks tone- but I don't know that, & it *does it* for me.

Stu_Bass · #7 08-03-2009, 05:56 PM

I own an original BF-2 and a Guyatone FL3 and prefer the FL3. They both may have the Panasonic MN3207 chip, I don't know , but I like that little sucker. I'm wondering what else is out there and what you all think of them.

Higgie · #8 08-03-2009, 05:57 PM

Montgomery Appliances 77 Flanger. Fetches a pretty penny but man is it worth it!

bigchiefbc · #9 08-03-2009, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StreamerDavid

Get a cheap one... No recording engineer will ever let you record with it, you'll use it on one song in a live setting, and the best ones are all owned by recording studios....

Well if I ever encountered an engineer who was there to record my band telling me I couldn't use one of my pedals, we'd have (very heated) words.

Anyways, to the OP, there are a few I will suggest since flanger is one of my go-to effects, both live and on recordings. On the bargain end of things, I would go with the DOD FX72, which I personally think slays the Boss. They're discontinued, but pop up on eBay all the time for 40-60 bucks.

Up around the $100-150 level, the Electro Harmonix Stereo Electric Mistress is a fantastic flanger and chorus in one, and it is a VERY distinct flanger; no mistaking it for any other. The MXR gets good reviews as well, although I haven't personally tried it.

The next bump up (to around $200) will net you a Maxon FL-9, which also gets rave reviews, or the HBE Frostbite, which is a clone of the famous A/DA Flanger from the 70's, which is considered the quintessential flanger.

Hope that's useful for you.

Higgie · #10 08-03-2009, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

or the HBE Frostbite, which is a clone of the famous A/DA Flanger from the 70's, which is considered the quintessential flanger.

I forgot to say the Montgomery Flanger I mentioned is also a clone of this, with 2 speed knobs that are A/B selectable via footswitch, and the even/odd harmonics switch from the original as a footswitch. Absolutely awesome pedal!

**TheMutt** · #11 08-03-2009, 06:11 PM

The BOSS BF-2 or BF-3 aren't bad, but I found them to be subtle. Another subtle option is the Maxon FL-301. I used to use an MXR flanger which has a great sound and can go from subtle almost chorusing to all out crazy spaceship sounds (I even re-purchased one, but decided that I don't need it since I got my new go-to flanger). I recently replaced it with an Eventide ModFactor which sounds amazing and has more than enough flanging options for me (not to mention all the other modulation sims on this thing).

What type of flanging sound are you after?
Can you give us an example of what you want?
(note: Tool Forty Six & 2 is a BOSS BF-2

)

andvari7 · #12 08-03-2009, 06:22 PM

The DOD FX-75B was a freaking amazing flanger. If my brother hadn't sold his pedals, I'd use it to this day (and I would have spent considerably less money on all my effects in general). But, the Danelectro Psycho Flange is an unorthodox flanger, and well worth the $25 I spent on it (I should have paid less, as he was in the same city in which I live). As far as traditional flangers go, I now like my EHX Deluxe Electric Mistress quite a bit. The EHX Stereo Polychorus has a decent flanger function, but it's not as thick as either of the other two flangers I now own.

7XL · #13 08-03-2009, 06:26 PM

A/DA Flanger. The best one that I own.

takfar · #14 08-03-2009, 06:27 PM

I've been having a LOT of fun with my Stereo Electric Mistress.

WordIsBorn79 · #15 08-03-2009, 06:33 PM

I really like the Boss BF-3. The tap tempo mode is cool.

jufros · #16 08-03-2009, 07:14 PM

I've only used the BF-2 but decided that I needed a phaser more. It was a great sounding pedal though and I wish had room for both.

FenderAmpeg · #17 08-03-2009, 07:22 PM

I've got the BF-2 and the SEM. Gotta say I like the BF-2 better for bass.

nad · #18 08-03-2009, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Higgie

...and the even/odd harmonics switch from the original as a footswitch.

I really wish the Frost Bite had this, I constantly go back and forth between Even and Odd harmonics on that pedal, and it would be a lot more useful than the foot-spinny Enhance knob, which I usually leave most of the way up anyhow.

I love my Toadworks Barracuda and use it constantly, but really, for the price you can't beat the Boss BF-2. Under $50 and sounds awesome, how can you lose?

*insertcoolname · #19 08-03-2009, 07:50 PM

I'm a BF-3 guy. It sounds a little more "metallic" than some of its counterparts, but you can get the most intense swirly jet noises out of this puppy when you use the ultra mode. IMO of course.

fishtx · #20 08-03-2009, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OptimusPrime

MXR. Hands down. It's the pedal I've had the longest. And it's not going anywhere.

+1...the MXR M-117R (I believe) is a great flanger...