Spaceman Effects Explorer Analog Phaser
Spaceman Effects brought their classic Explorer phaser back in a smaller enclosure and somehow gave it more features, not fewer. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Spaceman Effects Explorer 6-Stage Analog Phaser takes center stage — running straight into the front of my Benson Amps Vincent 2x12" cab with my Prisma Guitars Sunset loaded with Lollar Gold Foil pickups, across clean, pushed, and dirty tones.
Named after Explorer 1 — the first satellite the United States put into orbit in 1958, and the first circuit Spaceman ever launched — the Explorer is an optical, photocell-based 6-stage analog phaser. Hand-wired and built in Portland, Oregon, in a compact cast-aluminum enclosure with engraved vinyl faceplate, true-bypass relay switching, and soft-touch footswitch. 9-24V capable for high headroom applications.
Six knobs, each with a specific purpose. VOL sets output level. MIX blends dry signal — at 100% wet the MIX control shifts into pitch modulation mode. RES adds feedback for over-the-top, resonant phase tones. RANGE controls the low frequency extension of the phasing — at low settings only high frequencies are phased (vibrato and rotary speaker territory); cranked, the phaser extends deep into low frequencies for slow, cavernous sweeps. RATE spans from glacially slow to extremely fast. SHAPE selects five LFO waveforms: Sine, Ramp Down, Ramp Up, Triangle, and Square — plus a sixth Manual position that disconnects the LFO entirely and freezes the phase sweep, turning the RATE knob into a manual frequency control.
The CV/EXP input is the performance secret: in LFO modes it controls speed in real time; in Manual mode it sweeps the phaser directly, essentially turning the Explorer into a wah-style phase sweeper when combined with the Resonance control.
This is the balance Spaceman consistently gets right — comprehensive enough for deep exploration, coherent enough to dial in quickly. Exceptional work.
🎛️ Spaceman Effects Explorer: https://spacemaneffects.com/products/explorer
🎸 Prisma Guitars Sunset: https://www.prismaguitars.com/collections
🎸 Lollar Gold Foil Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/gold-foil
🔊 Benson Amps Vincent: https://www.bensonamps.com/amps/vincent
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🎸 Prisma Guitars Sunset | Lollar Gold Foil Pickups
🎛️ Spaceman Effects Explorer | 6-Stage Optical Phaser | 5 Wave Shapes | CV/EXP
🔊 Benson Amps Vincent 2x12"
