Poison Noises' The Lighthouse Photo-Vibe is an all-analog pedal that produces vintage vibrato and phasing sounds. Released in April 2023, it uses photocells to recreate the classic phasing sound of the late 60s, the light-controlled approach behind the throbby, whirling modulation players associate with that era.1
What it does
The pedal sits in the vibe family: it modulates your signal to produce both vibrato, a wobbling pitch movement, and phasing, a sweeping shift in tone. Pedal of the Day describes it as providing "gorgeous vintage vibrato and phasing sounds," and notes that the circuit is built around photocells rather than digital processing.1
The core of the design is what the review calls an "incredibly tweakable LFO," the low-frequency oscillator that drives the modulation. With that much control over the LFO, the reviewer found that "finding that throbby whirling sound you remember will be a breeze."1
Controls
The review highlights the Drive knob as the pedal's main shaping control:
"Use the Drive knob to throttle the peak of the waveform, allowing for everything from smooth sailing to an intense storm of texture."
In other words, Drive sets how far the waveform swings: low settings keep the modulation gentle and smooth, while higher settings push it into heavy, textured territory.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict on the pedal, published when it was newly released, was positive across the board1:
"With intuitive controls and wonderful modulated tones, this is a classic-sounding effect that will get your creativity flowing."
Where it fits
If you are comparing vibrato pedals, The Lighthouse Photo-Vibe's photocell design places it among the analog, vintage-styled options rather than the digital ones: Poison Noises describes it as an all-analog circuit that uses photocells to recreate that classic phasing sound of the late 60s1. Other pedals in this lane include the EarthQuaker Devices Aqueduct, the Diamond Vibrato, and the JHS Pedals Unicorn V2. For a wider look at the category, see the Vibrato Pedals page, and for the phasing side of its character, the Phaser Pedals page.
Videos
Poison Noises
Pedal of the Day
Collar City Guitars
Questions
What does the Drive knob do on The Lighthouse Photo-Vibe?
According to Pedal of the Day's review, the Drive knob throttles the peak of the waveform, taking the effect from smooth sailing to an intense storm of texture. In practice it sets how pronounced the modulation becomes, from a gentle sweep to a heavy, dramatic throb.
Is The Lighthouse Photo-Vibe analog or digital?
It is an all-analog circuit. Pedal of the Day notes that it uses photocells to recreate the classic phasing sound of the late 60s, which is the same light-controlled approach associated with vintage phasing and vibrato designs.
Sources (1)
- Poison Noises The Lighthouse Photo-Vibe, Pedal of the Day, 2023-04-17
