The Chase Bliss Billy Strings Wombtone is an analog, envelope-controlled phaser pedal, and the first signature pedal Chase Bliss ever made123. Built with bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings, it revives the long-discontinued Chase Bliss Wombtone, a pedal that had become something of a cult classic since it left the market2. It was announced in late August 2024 as a limited run of 3,000 units, priced at $399 and sold only in the United States23.
What sets it apart from a standard phaser is its envelope mode. Chase Bliss describes it plainly: the pedal follows the loudness of your playing and uses it to manually control the phase4. With the ENV switch off, it works like any regular phaser5.
The Billy Strings Wombtone has been discontinued by Chase Bliss4. It was a limited edition of 3,000 units sold only in the US, and because its circuit contains an LDR (a light-dependent resistor, or vactrol), it was never sold in the UK or EU1.
What it does: a Wombtone phaser with an envelope mode
At its core this is a phaser, a modulation effect that sweeps notches through your tone. Pedal of the Day's reviewer described it as collecting "multiple styles of phasing in one place, using a rich, all-analog signal path," covering "classic and modern phasing, envelope filtering, out-of-this-world modulation and more"8.
The headline feature is the envelope-triggered mode, an entirely new addition requested by Billy Strings, activated through an ENV switch on the side panel5. When it is on, the pedal's envelope follower tracks your input signal and drives the phase movement from your dynamics: as Gearnews put it, "you can now control the phasing directly with your playing, for responsive and tightly-synced movement"18. With the mode off, the pedal behaves like a conventional phaser with rate set by the knob5.
The controls
The front panel keeps the Wombtone layout simple, with the deeper options on the sides of the case.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Rate | Sets the speed of the modulation1 |
| Feed | Turns up the phaser's feedback, intensifying the phasing effect1 |
| Volume | Determines the output volume1 |
| Stage switch (three-way, lower left) | Selects two, four, or six stages of phasing1 |
| ENV switch (side panel) | Activates the envelope-triggered mode5 |
| Sensitivity and Release switches (two three-way switches, opposite side) | Shape the envelope follower's reaction to the input signal, active when envelope mode is on51 |
The envelope's Sensitivity can be set Low, High, or Medium, and its Release Slow, Long, or Medium5. The pedal also offers tap tempo with subdivisions, with external tap supported8.
MIDI, expression and CV
Like other Chase Bliss pedals, the Billy Strings Wombtone is built for deep external control. The maker lists MIDI (program change and control change), expression control, and CV control among its features4, and Delicious Audio grouped these together as its "advanced connectivity and customization options"5.
Presets are part of that picture: two internal presets you can toggle between, and 122 available over MIDI4. The original Wombtone already worked this way at its 2014 launch, with Premier Guitar's press release noting "analog presets, MIDI capability, and ramping or expression control on any parameter"9. I/O is mono8.
"Thankfully, the Wombtone has two presets, so you can toggle between your most demented setting and the lush familiarity"
History: the Wombtone and the Billy Strings edition
The original Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone arrived over ten years ago, announced in August 2014 as a digitally controlled analog phaser for players who "demand analog processing in their signal chain"9. It was discontinued at some point afterward1, and Guitar World later called it a cult classic2.
The Wombtone itself is no longer in production: the original Chase Bliss Wombtone came on the market over ten years ago and was later discontinued15. Chase Bliss then reissued it as a Billy Strings limited edition, described by the builder as "Wombtone is back with some new tricks"5. The Billy Strings edition keeps the stage-selection idea on a three-way switch on the lower left, which switches between two, four, and six stages1.
The Billy Strings edition, announced in late August 2024, was Chase Bliss's first-ever signature model36. Chase Bliss's Joel Korte wrote that the project began with conversations about "the possibility of bringing Wombtone back"6. The run was limited to 3,000 units at $399, exclusive to the US, with pre-orders shipping in early to mid September 202423.
The US-only restriction is a regulatory matter rather than a marketing choice. The pedal contains an LDR (a light-dependent resistor, also called a "vactrol"), which makes it unsuitable to be sold in the EU and the UK1. That is why the Chase Bliss Billy Strings Wombtone is only available in the U.S., at $39913.
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Questions
How many Billy Strings Wombtones were made?
The Billy Strings Wombtone was a limited edition of 3,000 units. It was sold only in the United States, and Chase Bliss has since discontinued it, so no more will be made.
Is the Billy Strings Wombtone sold outside the US?
No. It was a US-exclusive release of 3,000 units. The pedal contains an LDR (a light-dependent resistor, or vactrol), which makes it non-compliant with UK and EU market access rules, so it was never sold in Europe.
What is the difference between the Billy Strings Wombtone and the Wombtone MkII?
The Billy Strings edition adds an envelope-triggered mode activated by an ENV switch, a new Slow Mode, increased headroom, and Burr Brown op-amps. The MkII offered switching between 2, 4 and 6 phase stages, which the Billy Strings edition keeps via a three-way switch.
Does the Billy Strings Wombtone have presets?
Yes. It has two internal presets you can toggle between, and 122 presets available via MIDI. The original Wombtone also had two presets plus MIDI capability.
Is the Wombtone analog or digital?
The signal path is fully analog, with digital control. Chase Bliss describes it as an analog, envelope-controlled phaser, and reviewers note its digitally controlled, 100% analog signal path.
Sources (10)
- Chase Bliss Billy Strings Wombtone: U.S. only signature Phaser, www.gearnews.com, 2024-08-27
- “It's an honor to do this”: Billy Strings loved Chase Bliss' discontinued Wombtone so much he started collecting them, Guitar World, 2024-08-28
- “If there's a phase sound you're dreaming of, it's probably in here”: Chase Bliss launches its first ever signature pedal with the limited edition Billy Strings Wombtone Analog EnveloPhaser, MusicRadar, 2024-08-28
- Billy Strings Wombtone, Chase Bliss
- Chase Bliss Billy Strings Wombtone Phaser, Delicious Audio, 2024-10-23
- Billy Strings Wombtone, Chase Bliss
- “There's so much we are working on, I'd rather keep my eyes forward. We'll ultimately emerge stronger”: Why Chase Bliss has been forced to discontinue 5 of its finest pedals, Guitar World, 2024-09-19
- Chase Bliss Billy Strings Wombtone Analog EnveloPhaser, Pedal of the Day, 2024-09-28
- Chase Bliss Audio Unveils the Wombtone Analog Phaser, Premier Guitar, 2014-08-06
- Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone Review, Premier Guitar, 2014-12-11
