Chase Bliss launches Billy Strings Wombtone, a US-only signature phaser

August 1, 2024 · 6 sources

Chase Bliss introduced the Billy Strings Wombtone in late August 2024, the company's first signature stompbox and a return of its discontinued Wombtone phaser¹². The pedal is a US-exclusive limited run of 3,000 units priced at $399, with orders shipping in September²³.

Chase Bliss calls it an "Analog EnveloPhaser" and describes it as collecting multiple styles of phasing in one place through an all-analog signal path⁴. The envelope follower responds to playing dynamics and can be routed to control any or several of the pedal's knobs⁴. The pedal has six knobs and four switches, according to Guitar World, including Feed, Depth, Rate, Volume, Mix and Form, plus a three-way switch for two, four or six stages³⁵. Chase Bliss lists these specifications⁴:

Guitar World reported the redesign adds increased headroom, a new Slow Mode and a Burr Brown op amp at the input stage³. Strings had been using an expression pedal to imitate envelope control, according to Chase Bliss⁶.

The US-only status stems from light-dependent resistors, or vactrols, which contain cadmium sulfide and are restricted under UK and EU RoHS rules¹³. Chase Bliss said the pedal "was already well into production as we began navigating all of this"³. The same component led the company to cease production of its Preamp MKII, Thermae, Dark World, Warped Vinyl HiFi and Condor HiFi¹².