The Mr. Black Shepard's End Sub-Zero is a flanger pedal, and a specific kind of flanger at that: Mr. Black calls the Shepard's End design the world's first Barber Pole Through-Zero Flanger1. Instead of the repeating sweep of a conventional flanger pedal, the Shepard's End sweeps continually in one direction, up or down, and can pass through the zero point along the way. Mr. Black puts it plainly: "this flanger does not have a beginning, or an end to its cycle"2.
What barber pole through-zero flanging does
A normal flanger sweeps up and then back down, so you hear the effect cycle. A barber pole flanger keeps going: Mr. Black describes the Shepard's End as sweeping continually up or down with no cycle point, and passing through the zero point depending on the control settings21. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described the same behavior in his 2019 look at the original Shepard's End: "It goes up, continually. It goes down, continually. It can even go through the zero-point"3. Mr. Black describes the original pedal as "just raw through-zero flanging at its finest as you have heard on so many recordings"4.
The Sub-Zero edition
The Sub-Zero is a special edition of the Shepard's End that features subtractive TZF, according to Mr. Black's product page2. The standard Mr. Black Shepard's End carries the same barber pole through-zero design and the same Speed control1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Regen | Sets both positive and negative regeneration: Mr. Black describes positive regeneration as "swishy, phaser-y sounds" and negative regeneration as "tubular, hollow, sucking-into-itself sounds"2 |
| Speed | Sweeps the flanger speed "From draggingly slow to space-ray-gun fast"14 |
Price
Mr. Black lists the Sub-Zero at a regular price of $219.95 USD, with a sale price of $199.95 USD, on its product page as of October 20262. For comparison, the standard Shepard's End lists at $199.95 USD regular, with a sale price of $199.95 USD and a B-stock price of $149.95 USD14.
Videos
collector//emitter
Frank Abruzzo
Donderjong
Questions
What is a barber pole flanger?
A barber pole flanger sweeps its flange effect continually in one direction, up or down, without a beginning or an end to its cycle, the way the stripes on a barber pole appear to climb forever. Mr. Black calls the Shepard's End the world's first Barber Pole Through-Zero Flanger, and says the effect has no cycle point where the sweep resets.
What does through-zero flanging sound like?
Through-zero flanging passes the sweep through the zero point, where the delayed signal and the dry signal momentarily align. Mr. Black describes the Shepard's End as raw through-zero flanging as heard on many recordings, and Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio noted it can go through the zero-point for an over the top sound.
Where is the Mr. Black Shepard's End Sub-Zero made?
Mr. Black states on its product page that the Shepard's End Sub-Zero is proudly made in the U.S.A.
What does the Regen control do on the Sub-Zero?
The Regen control sets both positive and negative regeneration. Mr. Black describes positive regeneration as swishy, phaser-y sounds, and negative regeneration as tubular, hollow, sucking-into-itself sounds.
How much does the Shepard's End Sub-Zero cost?
On Mr. Black's product page, the Sub-Zero lists at a regular price of $219.95 USD, with a sale price of $199.95 USD, as of October 2026.
Sources (4)
- Shepard's End, Mr. Black
- Shepard's End Sub-Zero, Mr. Black
- Mr. Black Shepard's End, Delicious Audio, 2019-04-10
- Shepard's End B-stock, Mr. Black
