MSL The Night Witch is a handbuilt pedal that combines a fuzz and a phaser, made by MSL. It takes the Roland Jet Phaser as its starting point but reworks the concept rather than copying it: Premier Guitar's review says it "eschews perfect authenticity to address the shortcomings in the original Jet Phaser design," sharing just three controls with the original circuit1. It sits in the territory of fuzz pedals and phaser pedals at the same time, and the two effects can be switched independently of each other1.
What it does
The main change from the Jet Phaser is independence: "It makes the fuzz and phaser independently operable," so either effect can be used alone or stacked1. The phaser itself is switchable between 4 and 8 stages, which changes the depth and character of the sweep1.
A resonance knob handles the pedal's most extreme territory. Premier Guitar's reviewer found it "effective at taming fuzzy peaks and shaping the pedal's most extreme sounds," which makes it the control to reach for when the fuzz side gets unruly1.
Build and price
The Night Witch is handbuilt, and the construction is aimed at repairability: components are readily replaceable, and the footswitches and jacks are all mounted independent of the circuit board itself1. Premier Guitar noted it is not inexpensive, at 300 bucks1.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's verdict was favorable on both practicality and character:
"It's a much more practical manifestation of the Jet Phaser concept."
Premier Guitar, review of MSL The Night Witch1
The same review calls it "a much nastier take than the original overall design," positioning it as a reworking of a classic idea rather than a reproduction of it1.
Videos
MSL Pedals
MSL Pedals
MSL Pedals
Sources (1)
- Wicked Phase Meets Wickeder Fuzz, Premier Guitar, 2021-05-17
