The Ibanez PHMINI Mini Phaser is a compact analog phaser pedal, part of Ibanez's MINI pedal lineup. It was announced in January 2021 alongside the BTMINI mini booster, and it packs a full set of phaser controls into a miniature angled enclosure.1 For a player, it is a phaser in the smallest practical format: three knobs, one stage switch, and a footswitch, with the phasing circuit itself fully analog.1
A fully analog mini phaser
The PHMINI is an all-analog phaser. Delicious Audio's product page describes it as having "100% pure analog circuitry and a true bypass switch," and Guitar.com's launch coverage confirms the pedal is fully analog with a true bypass switch on its miniature angled enclosure.12 True bypass matters on a pedalboard because the phasing circuit is out of the signal path entirely when the effect is off.
The pedal is built to take up as little room as possible. Delicious Audio notes that it "delivers a multitude of analog Phaser features, while occupying minimal space on your pedalboard."1 The enclosure carries a red, white and black color scheme, which Guitar.com notes is fitting for a phaser.2
In terms of sound, Delicious Audio describes the range this way: "Through these controls, the Phaser MINI offers a variety of sounds ranging from subtle texture to deep saturation."1 That spread, from a light sweep to a heavy effect, is what the three knobs and the stage switch between them are there to cover.
The controls and the stage switch
The PHMINI keeps things simple with three knobs and one side-mounted switch.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | Sets the speed of the phasing effect1 |
| Depth | Sets the depth of the phasing effect1 |
| Feedback | Controls the feedback of the phase-shifting stages1 |
| Stage switch (side) | Toggles between 4-stage and 6-stage phasing1 |
The stage switch is a push button on the side of the pedal. gearnews.com describes it as a "push button on the side that toggles the number of stages between 4 and 6," while Guitar.com calls it "a discrete toggle switch on its side to choose between four-stage and six-stage phasing."32 The number of stages is the basic size of the phaser: more stages means a deeper, more pronounced sweep, which is exactly the difference the two modes give.
The two modes cover different territory. Delicious Audio describes them this way:
"4-STAGE mode delivers traditional Phaser tones, typically used in classic rock."1
"6-STAGE mode provides more intense and dramatic effect."1
That gives a player two distinct flavors from one small pedal: a four-stage mode that delivers traditional phaser tones, typically used in classic rock, and a six-stage mode that provides a more intense and dramatic effect. The switch between them comes from a stage switch offering 4-Stage and 6-Stage settings, so one compact pedal covers both sounds1.
Where it came from
Ibanez announced the PHMINI in January 2021 as a new addition to its MINI pedal lineup, launched alongside the BTMINI mini booster.132 The pedal was made in Japan, a point all three press sources noted.132
The UK list price at launch was £99, as reported by Guitar.com in January 2021.2
The £99 figure is the UK launch price as reported by Guitar.com in January 2021; the press coverage gives no US dollar list price for the pedal.2
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Questions
Is the Ibanez PHMINI true bypass?
Yes. The PHMINI features a true bypass switch, according to both Delicious Audio and Guitar.com's coverage of the pedal's 2021 launch. That means when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through the pedal without going through the phasing circuitry, which matters for keeping your clean tone untouched on a pedalboard.
Is the Ibanez PHMINI analog or digital?
The PHMINI is fully analog. Delicious Audio describes it as having 100% pure analog circuitry, and Guitar.com confirms the pedal is fully analogue. There is no digital processing involved in the phasing effect.
Where is the Ibanez PHMINI made?
The PHMINI is made in Japan. All three press sources covering the pedal's launch, Delicious Audio, gearnews.com and Guitar.com, report that the pedal, along with its companion BTMINI booster, was made in Japan.
What does the side switch on the PHMINI do?
The side switch toggles the pedal between 4-stage and 6-stage phasing modes. Four-stage mode delivers traditional phaser tones typically used in classic rock, while six-stage mode provides a more intense and dramatic effect, according to Delicious Audio's product page.
What does the Feedback knob do on the PHMINI?
The Feedback knob controls the feedback of the phaser's phase-shifting stages. Alongside the Speed and Depth controls, it shapes the character of the effect, and the pedal's controls together offer sounds ranging from subtle texture to deep saturation, per Delicious Audio.
Sources (3)
- Ibanez Mini Phaser PHMINI, Delicious Audio, 2021-01-19
- Ibanez launches two new mini pedals: a phaser and a booster, guitar.com, 2021-01-06
- Ibanez launches new Mini Phaser and Mini Boost pedals, gearnews.com, 2021-01-07
