The Ghost Fax Phase Computer is a phaser pedal from Dwarfcraft Devices, a builder described as "not a company interested in rehashing what's done before"1. It is a phaser taken further than the usual design: up to 32 poles, four modes of operation, a dedicated Pause footswitch, and a Feedback control that takes it from subtle phase shifting to, in Delicious Audio's words, "full on electronic sound generation"1. Guitar.com called it "no ordinary phaser pedal"2.
Poles and the Poles knob
The Poles knob allows users to select the number of all-pass filters used in the phase effect1. The pedal has up to 32 poles, and Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio explains what that means on the dial: "The pedal has up to 32 poles, which means that audibly, there are sixteen different spots on the dial to visit"1. Guitar.com likewise reports that "The Ghost Fax has 32 phaser poles"2.
At high feedback settings, switching pole settings generates what Delicious Audio describes as "a unique, percussive sound reminiscent of a complex modular synth patch"1.
The controls and modes
The pedal has four modes of operation: Standard, Manual, Envelope Up, and Envelope Down1. The Action knob changes function with the mode: it "controls the Speed, Phase, or Depth, depending on what mode you are in"1. In the regular Envelope Up mode, Guitar.com reports, the Action dial controls the depth of the phase, fading out2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Action | Controls Speed, Phase, or Depth depending on the mode1; in Envelope Up mode it controls the depth of the phase, fading out2 |
| Poles | Selects the number of all-pass filters used in the phase effect1 |
| Feedback | Tunes in the "ringing" artifacts produced by the phaser, from subtle phase shifting sounds to full-on electronic sound generation1 |
| Pause footswitch | Pauses the motion of the phaser at any time and restarts it from where it left off1 |
Manual mode halts the "whooshes" of the phase at your preferred spot2. The Pause footswitch does the same temporarily on any of the other three modes: "Ghost Fax also includes a Pause footswitch, giving users the ability to pause the motion of the phaser at any time"1, and Guitar.com notes you can step on Pause to hold the phase at your preferred spot on the other three modes2.
What it sounds like
Deliberately, the Ghost Fax is pitched as a phaser that goes beyond the usual sweep. Delicious Audio describes it as "generating anything from subtle phase shifting sounds to full on electronic sounds"1, and notes that "it wouldn't be a Dwarfcraft phaser if we didn't add some new capabilities" to the traditionally analog effect1. For context on where it sits among modulation effects, see Phaser Pedals, Flanger Pedals, and Synth Pedals.
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Knobs
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Eirik Stordrange
Questions
How many poles does the Ghost Fax have?
The Ghost Fax has 32 phaser poles. The Poles knob lets you select how many all-pass filters are used in the phase effect, and because poles come in pairs audibly, there are sixteen different spots on the dial to visit, according to Delicious Audio.
What does the Pause footswitch do?
The Pause footswitch pauses the motion of the phaser at any time and restarts it from where it left off. In Manual mode it halts the phase at your preferred spot, and on any of the other three modes you can step on Pause to hold the phase temporarily at the spot you choose.
Is the Ghost Fax analog?
The phaser is traditionally an analog effect, and Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio notes that Dwarfcraft added new capabilities on top of that analog tradition, as it did with its other phasers.
What modes does the Ghost Fax Phase Computer have?
The pedal has four modes of operation: Standard, Manual, Envelope Up, and Envelope Down. The Action knob controls Speed, Phase, or Depth depending on the mode you are in, and the Pause footswitch works across all of them.
What does the Poles knob do?
The Poles knob allows users to select the number of all-pass filters used in the phase effect. With up to 32 poles available, that means sixteen audible dial positions, and at high feedback settings, switching pole settings generates a percussive sound reminiscent of a complex modular synth patch.
Sources (2)
- Dwarfcraft Devices Ghost Fax Phase Computer, Delicious Audio, 2020-05-04
- The Ghost Fax is no ordinary phaser pedal, Guitar.com, 2018-03-21
