The Boss PH-2 SUPER Phaser is a phaser pedal, first released in 1984 and described by Pedal of the Day as "a staple in the phase shifting community since its release in 1984"1. It sits in the Boss compact stompbox line alongside the earlier Boss PH-1 Phaser and the later Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter, and it belongs to the wider family of phaser pedals. Pedal of the Day summed it up as "An incredible stock pedal, and a killer modded one, it's hard to beat the PH-2 SUPER Phaser as one of the all-time greats"1.
Controls and modes
The stock PH-2 SUPER Phaser features Rate, Depth and Res(onance) control knobs, along with a Mode selector that gives you 2 different options1. Pedal of the Day describes the two modes this way: "Mode I is a more mellow and broad phase shifter" while "Mode II is bolder and more in-your-face, so to speak"1. The pedal is described as "bringing every phaser tone for mellow and light to deep and pulsing"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Rate | Sets the speed of the phase sweep1 |
| Depth | Sets the depth of the effect1 |
| Res(onance) | Sets the resonance of the phase sweep1 |
| Mode selector | Switches between Mode I (mellow, broad) and Mode II (bolder, deeper)1 |
Players and settings
In a BOSS interview, James Sharpe and Rod Brakes discussed Dave Greenfield's use of the PH-2: "The PH-2 has two modes [I and II], and he had it set to mode II, which produces a deeper phase sound." Sharpe also noted, "He set the Rate knob high, so it sounded like a fast-spinning Leslie speaker"2.
Premier Guitar's rig rundown of Incubus, speaking with Chris Kies, Mike Einziger and Ben Kenney, noted "two Boss PH-2 Super Phasers (one set traditional phaser, the other more extreme, almost flanger-like)" in the band's setup3.
The ShredShack mod
Pedal of the Day reviewed a PH-2 that had been modified by ShredShack Repair, with several additions to the stock circuit1:
- PSA mod: converts the power supply from 12V ACA to 9V PSA1
- Output Gain mod: "corrects the volume loss from the wet signal while simultaneously pushing the phase sweep a little bit harder"1
- Upper left switch: disables the LFO, turning the pedal into a sort of Filter EQ1
- Lower right switch: adds a pulsating wave through the phase signal, canceling the effect at a particular point set via the Rate knob1
- Top left corner LED: added to track the pulse1
- Green Bypass LED: added as a bypass indicator1
The PSA mod changes the power requirement from 12V ACA to 9V PSA, which matters if you are fitting a modded unit to a shared pedalboard power supply1.
Even with the mods, the reviewer found the pedal holds up unmodified: "Even with the added Mod switches, you can still run this gem stock, and it sounds simply fantastic"1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict on the modded unit was that it is "hard to beat the PH-2 SUPER Phaser as one of the all-time greats," incredible in stock form and killer when modded1. Players have made their own use of it: Dave Greenfield's mode II, high-Rate setting for a Leslie-like sweep2, and Incubus running two units, one traditional and one pushed toward flanger territory3.
Videos
Pepe Music
Reverb
Ioannis T.
Questions
What is the difference between Mode I and Mode II on the Boss PH-2?
Mode I is described as a more mellow and broad phase shifter, while Mode II is bolder and more in-your-face. In an interview with BOSS, James Sharpe noted that Dave Greenfield of The Stranglers had his PH-2 set to mode II, which produces a deeper phase sound. The Mode selector gives you two different options on the front of the pedal.
Is the Boss PH-2 SUPER Phaser analog?
The sources on this page do not state whether the PH-2 circuit is analog or digital, so that cannot be confirmed here. What is documented is that it is a phaser with Rate, Depth and Resonance controls, two modes, and a reputation among reviewers as one of the all-time greats in its field.
What does the PSA mod do on a PH-2?
The PSA mod, fitted by ShredShack Repair on the unit reviewed by Pedal of the Day, converts the power supply from 12V ACA to 9V PSA. That means the pedal can run from a standard Boss PSA-style 9V supply rather than the older ACA-style 12V supply, which matters when fitting the pedal to a modern pedalboard power setup.
How did Dave Greenfield set the Rate knob on a PH-2?
According to a BOSS interview with James Sharpe and Rod Brakes, Dave Greenfield set the Rate knob high, so it sounded like a fast-spinning Leslie speaker. He also had the pedal set to mode II for a deeper phase sound.
Can the PH-2 sound like a flanger?
Premier Guitar's rig rundown of Incubus described two Boss PH-2 Super Phasers in Mike Einziger's and Ben Kenney's setup, one set as a traditional phaser and the other more extreme, almost flanger-like. So yes, pushed to its more extreme settings the PH-2 can sit close to flanger territory.
Sources (3)
- Boss PH-2 SUPER Phaser (ShredShack Mod), Pedal of the Day, 2021-12-06
- Behind the Board: James Sharpe with Sam Smith, Gary Numan, and The Stranglers, BOSS (articles.boss.info), 2026-09-25
- Rig Rundown, Premier Guitar, 2012-09-12
Reeves Gabrels
