The Carl Martin Axis Flanger is a compact, feature-rich flanger pedal in a psychedelic purple finish, built as a redesign of the company's Classic Flanger. Carl Martin describes it as delivering the full control of the Classic Flanger in a pedalboard-friendly smaller footprint, covering the full spectrum of flanging effects, from subtle chorusing textures to extreme jet-plane swooshes and psychedelic oscillations1.
Controls
The Axis Flanger keeps its controls to a minimum: a Feedback knob, which shapes the characteristic hollow flanging sound and can achieve controlled oscillation, plus a buffered bypass footswitch with an LED indicator1. Carl Martin describes the pedal as delivering the full spectrum of flanging effects, "from subtle chorusing textures to extreme jet-plane swooshes and psychedelic oscillations"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | Adjusts sweep rate, from slow wide stretches to fast Vibe/Leslie effects1 |
| Depth | Controls effect intensity, from subtle to extreme1 |
| Feedback | Shapes the characteristic hollow flanging sound and can achieve controlled oscillation1 |
| Pre-Delay | Sets the tonal flavor by determining frequency emphasis1 |
| Bypass footswitch | Buffered bypass for on and off control, indicated by an LED12 |
The Pre-Delay knob is the control Carl Martin singles out as unique. It adjusts the short delay time that defines the flanger's operating range, controlling which frequencies are accentuated or attenuated as the sweep passes. In practice, that makes it the tone-shaping control: where it is set decides whether the flanging reads as swirly and chorus-like or leans toward the sharper, hollow jet sound1.
Power and bypass
The Axis Flanger requires a regulated 9V DC power supply and consumes a modest 25mA, with a 52dB signal-to-noise ratio1. The bypass footswitch is buffered rather than true bypass: Carl Martin says the premium buffer circuitry maintains signal integrity and prevents tone loss across your pedalboard1.
The Axis Flanger is buffered bypass, not true bypass, and it runs on a regulated 9V DC supply. Unlike the Classic Flange, there is no battery option listed for it, so it needs a powered supply output on your board13.
How it compares to the Classic Flanger
The Axis Flanger is a redesign of the Carl Martin Classic Flange, which Carl Martin describes as a versatile vintage-style flanger pedal in the iconic Vintage Series, delivering authentic vintage flanging with modern versatility3. The Classic Flange offers dual footswitchable speed modes and four controls, and powers via a 9V battery or a recommended regulated power supply, with high-quality buffered bypass to maintain signal integrity3.
The Axis Flanger keeps the full control of the Classic Flanger but condenses it into a smaller machined aluminum case measuring 60mm x 115mm x 50mm1. For players choosing between them, the difference comes down to footprint and power: the Classic Flange is the larger Vintage Series format with battery power and dual speed modes, while the Axis Flanger is the compact version that trades the battery option for a smaller board presence13.
Delicious Audio covered the redesigned pedal, describing it as a compact reissue of the classic Carl Martin flanger, with the circuit condensed into a smaller machined aluminum case measuring 60mm x 115mm x 50mm and finished in psychedelic purple1.
Videos
Carl Martin
TheGuitarGeek
EytschPi42
Questions
Is the Carl Martin Axis Flanger true bypass?
No. Carl Martin says the Axis Flanger uses premium buffer circuitry rather than true bypass, which the maker says maintains signal integrity and prevents tone loss across a pedalboard. The bypass footswitch is buffered and carries an LED that shows when the effect is on. Players who prefer true bypass switching should know this before adding it to a board.
What does the Pre-Delay knob do on the Axis Flanger?
Pre-Delay sets the short delay time that defines the flanger's operating range, which in turn determines which frequencies are accentuated or attenuated as the sweep moves. Carl Martin describes it as the control that sets the tonal flavor of the effect. Turning it changes the character of the flanging from swirly, chorus-like textures toward other tonal colors.
Can the Axis Flanger self-oscillate?
Carl Martin says the Feedback knob shapes the characteristic hollow flanging sound and can achieve controlled oscillation. That means pushing Feedback up can send the pedal into a regenerating sweep, the psychedelic oscillation the maker lists at the far end of the pedal's range, though it is described as controlled rather than runaway.
What power does the Carl Martin Axis Flanger need?
The Axis Flanger requires a regulated 9V DC power supply and draws 25mA. There is no mention of battery power for this pedal, so plan a supply output or daisy-chain capacity accordingly. The pedal also carries a 52dB signal-to-noise ratio according to Carl Martin's specifications.
How is the Axis Flanger different from the Carl Martin Classic Flanger?
The Axis Flanger is a redesign of the Classic Flanger, delivering the same full control in a smaller, pedalboard-friendly footprint. The Classic Flange is a larger Vintage Series pedal with dual footswitchable speed modes and can run on a 9V battery, while the Axis Flanger condenses the circuit into a 60mm x 115mm x 50mm machined aluminum case and requires a 9V DC supply.
Sources (3)
- Axis Flanger, Carl Martin, 2026
- Carl Martin Axis Flanger, Delicious Audio, 2023-03-03
- Classic Flange, Carl Martin, 2026
