The Guyatone FL-3 Flanger is an analog flanger pedal from Guyatone, a compact stompbox that adds sweeping, jet-like flanging to a guitar signal. Its circuit is based on the out-of-production Panasonic MN3207 analog IC chip, the bucket-brigade device at the heart of many classic modulation designs1. For players comparing flangers, it sits alongside pedals like the Maxon FL-9 Flanger and the Ibanez FL9 in the compact analog flanger tradition.
What it does
The FL-3 takes the guitar signal and sweeps a flanging effect across it, the through-zero-adjacent, jet-plane style modulation players use for everything from subtle thickening to dramatic sweeps. Two design points set it apart from other flangers1:
- Asymmetrical Rate sweep: the pedal features a unique asymmetrical sweep pattern tied to the Rate knob, so the speed and character of the sweep does not follow the even, symmetrical cycle of a typical flanger1.
- Three flanger modes: a Resonance switch selects between three different flanger modes, giving the player a choice of flanging intensity and character from a single switch1.
Because the circuit is analog and built around the MN3207 chip, the pedal belongs to the analog side of the flanger family, in contrast to digital designs such as the Ibanez DFL Digital Flanger or multi-mode digital units like the Strymon Orbit1.
Controls and power
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Rate | Sets flanger speed, with a unique asymmetrical sweep pattern1 |
| Resonance switch | Selects between 3 different flanger modes1 |
The pedal runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 15mA1. That current draw is modest, but as with any center-negative pedal it needs a standard 9V DC supply rather than a battery-only setup.
The FL-3's circuit is based on the Panasonic MN3207 analog IC chip, which is out of production. That makes the chip a defining part of the pedal's design1.
Videos
Corey Hamill
TETE
downburst
Questions
Is the Guyatone FL-3 analog or digital?
The FL-3 is an analog flanger. Its circuit is based on the out-of-production Panasonic MN3207 analog IC chip, the same kind of bucket-brigade device used in vintage modulation pedals. That analog path is central to how the pedal shapes the flanged signal.
What does the Resonance switch on the Guyatone FL-3 do?
The FL-3 has a Resonance switch that selects between three different flanger modes. Combined with the Rate knob, which features a unique asymmetrical sweep pattern, it gives the pedal a wider range of flanging textures than a simple two-knob design would suggest.
Sources (1)
- FL-3 Flanger by Guyatone, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
