The Alexander La Calavera is a phaser pedal from Alexander Pedals, built into a standard 125B-sized enclosure with a street price of $1891. Alongside the usual speed and depth controls, it offers a tweak knob whose function changes by mode: in suave mode it adjusts the amount of feedback, the resonant edge that increases the effect's intensity and impact1. There is also a not-so-standard wet/dry mix control: at noon it gives classic phase colors, the dry side yields subtler effects, the wet side favors the modulated signal, and all-wet gives pitch-shift vibrato flavors1.
Three modes: suave, dinámica and loco
A toggle on the top panel selects between three modes: suave, dinámica, and loco1. Each mode is a different phaser design, and the Tweak knob changes job in each one.
| Mode | Phaser design | What it does | Tweak knob sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suave | Ten-stage "studio" phase shifter | Lush, retro-sounding phasing with adjustable depth and feedback12 | Feedback amount, the resonant edge that increases intensity and impact1 |
| Dinámica | Four-stage "stompbox" phaser | Envelope-triggered modulation: the intensity of your touch controls the sweep rate12 | Sensitivity1 |
| Loco | Six-stage phaser with adjustable ring modulator | Mild ring modulation added to the mix, yielding complex pulsations and surreal sweeps and burbles12 | Feedback amount, as in suave1 |
In dinámica mode the rate knob determines the maximum speed rather than a fixed sweep rate, since the actual speed follows your playing dynamics1.
The controls
Four knobs control Rate, Intensity, Mix and Tweak2.
- Rate: A wide-ranging control offering speeds "from glacial to ray-gun"2. In dinámica mode it sets the maximum speed1.
- Intensity: Controls the phaser sweep range2.
- Mix: A wet/dry mix control. At noon it gives classic phase colors, the dry side gives subtler effects, and the wet side favors the modulated signal. All-wet yields pitch-shift vibrato flavors1.
- Tweak: Controls a different set of parameters in each mode, as described in the table above12.
How it sounds
Premier Guitar's reviewer found that suave mode "provides lush, retro-sounding 10-stage phasing," and that the tone is not far removed from vintage ten-stage phasers such as the Boss PH-2: complex and immersive, with an edgy resonance that cuts through a mix1. The reviewer found this especially impressive given that the modulation is digital rather than analog1.
"That's especially impressive given that it's digital modulation, courtesy of the popular Spin FV-1 chip."
Inside the pedal
The circuit board is tidy, with mostly small surface-mount components and a few larger through-hole parts1. The pedal runs on conventional 9V power through a standard DC input, and there is no battery compartment, so it needs a mains adapter or a pedalboard power supply12.
The 2015 announcement described buffered bypass switching with a soft-touch footswitch2, while the 2023 review unit had a silent relay footswitch1. The switching design appears to have changed over the pedal's run, so a used unit's bypass may differ depending on its age.
Where it came from
The La Calavera comes from Alexander Pedals, a maker that gave the pedal its stylized skull theme and built it into a standard 125B-sized enclosure1. Its control layout reflects the company's approach of pairing familiar phaser controls, such as the wet/dry mix control that shifts from classic phase colors at noon to pitch-shift vibrato flavors when set all-wet, with mode-dependent tweaks like the feedback adjustment on the tweak knob in suave mode1.
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Questions
Is the Alexander La Calavera analog or digital?
It is digital. Premier Guitar's review describes its modulation as digital, generated by the Spin FV-1 chip, the reverb and effects processor used in many compact pedals. The circuit board is mostly small surface-mount components with a few larger through-hole parts.
What do the suave, dinámica and loco modes do?
Suave is a ten-stage studio phaser with adjustable depth and feedback. Dinámica is a four-stage stompbox-style phaser whose sweep speed responds to your touch. Loco combines a six-stage phaser with an adjustable ring modulator for complex pulsations and surreal sweeps.
Does the La Calavera take a battery?
No. Premier Guitar's review notes there is no battery compartment, and the pedal runs on conventional 9V power through a standard DC input, so it needs a power supply or an isolated output on a pedalboard power brick.
What chip does the La Calavera use?
It uses the Spin FV-1 chip, a popular DSP for digital modulation in compact pedals. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the vintage-style phasing impressive given that the effect is digital rather than analog.
Does the La Calavera have a buffered or silent footswitch?
The 2023 review unit had a silent relay footswitch. The original 2015 announcement described buffered bypass switching with a soft-touch footswitch, so the switching design appears to have changed over the pedal's run.
Sources (2)
- Alexander La Calavera Phaser Review, Premier Guitar, 2016-08-08
- Alexander Pedals Launches La Calavera & Jubilee Drive, Premier Guitar, 2015-12-28
