Discomfort Designs releases Phantom Limb delay and looper pedal
August 3, 2024 · 2 sources
Discomfort Designs released the Phantom Limb Delay Looper, a compact pedal combining a delay and a looper, Pedal of the Day reported on August 3, 20241. Guitar Pedal X described it as a mono pedal combining nine simultaneous randomized microloopers with digital delay2.
The looper side is nine separate loopers with individual random playback triggers, and their probability of triggering is controlled by a knob called Chance1. A Length knob determines the length of the loops1. According to Guitar Pedal X, the nine playback operators are two at 1x speed, two at 2x, two at 1/2x, two at a harmonic fifth and one at 4x, fired off randomly once per second, with playback direction flipping between forward and reverse each second2. The Length knob controls how much of the buffer is accessed, and turning up Chance grabs older snippets from the buffer2. A x2/x1/x4 multiplier switch extends buffer playback from 15 to 30 and 60 seconds2. Press-holding the loop footswitch gives a freeze hold of up to 10 seconds2.
The loop buffer can be locked, replaying portions of the last few moments; when locked, the Length and Chance knobs scan through the buffer and change the length dynamically1. The summed looper output feeds the delay, which has three modes: clean, drifting modulation and pitch shifted12. Guitar Pedal X lists delay time from 1 to 2000 milliseconds, a Regen control for feedback and repeats, and a mode switch for modulation, clean digital delay and upward pitch-shifting delay2. Press-holding the delay footswitch clears and resets the buffer2. A master level knob and a three-way band pass, low pass and high pass filter shape the output2.
The Phantom Limb retails for $295, according to Guitar Pedal X, which cited the Reverb listing and noted an additional $45 shipping cost to the UK plus import duties and taxes2.
"The looper side is actually nine separate loopers with individual random playback triggers."
Guitar Pedal X wrote that the pedal has scant documentation and that it is the kind of effect that needs to be experienced2. It also noted the pedal lacks stereo ins and outs2. Pedal of the Day called it "a wacky machine" that opens a new avenue of exploration1.