The Spaceman Effects Explorer 6-Stage Phaser is a six-stage phaser with an all-analog signal path, using six stages of optically swept phase shifting. It is the compact version of the Explorer Deluxe, Spaceman's hand-built six-stage phaser, presented as a small form factor reissue of that classic circuit with all the deluxe features of the original1. Like all phasers, it belongs to the broader family of phaser pedals, where sweeping phase-shifted signal against the dry signal creates the familiar whooshing movement.
Controls
The Explorer carries a full set of knobs, each aimed at a different part of the phase effect1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| VOL | Dials in the perfect volume for your phase tone |
| MIX | Blends in additional dry signal for subtle phasing; at 100% wet its secondary function is pitch modulation |
| RANGE | Controls the low frequency extension of the phasing: lower settings phase only higher frequencies for vibrato and rotary speaker tones, higher settings reach very low frequencies for slow, deep phasing |
| RATE | Wide range allowing extremely slow and extremely fast modulation; in manual mode it controls the position of the sweep |
| RES | Adds feedback, which makes for those over-the-top phase tones |
| SHAPE | Five wave shapes: Sine, Ramp Down, Ramp Up, Triangle, and Square; the sixth position is the Manual setting |
The MIX control is worth singling out: being able to blend dry signal in means the phasing can sit under your playing rather than dominate it, and pushing it to 100% wet opens up a pitch modulation function instead1.
Modes and hidden waveshapes
The sixth SHAPE position, M, is a manual mode: it disconnects the LFO and freezes the phase sweep, and the Rate knob then controls the position of the sweep by hand1. That makes the Explorer usable as a swept filter as well as a modulated phaser, and it is also the mode where the CV/EXP input takes over the sweep position1.
There is a second layer of modes hidden on the pedal:
Six additional waveshapes are accessible by applying power to the Explorer with the footswitch depressed: three arpeggiated waveshapes, a stepped shape, an MW shape, and an inverted manually swept mode1.
Build and power
The pedal sits in a cast-aluminum enclosure topped with a durable, engraved vinyl faceplate and a jewel indicator light1. It is hand-wired and built in Portland, Oregon1. On power, the Explorer is up to 24V capable for high headroom use cases1.
The Explorer is built around a cast-aluminum enclosure with a durable, engraved vinyl faceplate and a jewel indicator light1.
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio, writing about the pedal, described its character in his own terms:
"Sometimes liquidy smooth, sometimes chewy and lush, the fluid frequencies squiggle and flourish like the unrelenting ebb and flow of the sonic tide"
Videos
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Questions
Is the Spaceman Effects Explorer true bypass?
Yes. The Explorer uses true-bypass relay switching with a soft-touch footswitch, so your guitar's signal passes through untouched when the effect is off. Relay switching also means no mechanical switch wear on the audio path itself, and the soft-touch footswitch gives a light, quick action underfoot compared with a conventional stomp switch.
What is the difference between the Explorer and the Explorer Deluxe?
The Explorer is a compact version of the Explorer Deluxe, Spaceman Effects' hand-built six-stage phaser. Spaceman describes it as a small form factor reissue of the original Explorer circuit that keeps all the deluxe features of the original, so the difference is mainly the enclosure size rather than the circuit or the feature set.
How do I get the extra waveshapes on the Spaceman Explorer?
Apply power to the Explorer with the footswitch depressed. That unlocks six additional waveshapes: three arpeggiated waveshapes, a stepped shape, an MW shape, and an inverted manually swept mode. They sit alongside the five standard shapes on the SHAPE control, which are Sine, Ramp Down, Ramp Up, Triangle, and Square.
Can I use an expression pedal with the Spaceman Explorer?
Yes. The Explorer includes a CV/EXP pedal input. In the normal LFO modes it controls the speed of the LFO, and in manual mode it controls the position of the phaser's sweep instead, letting you sweep the effect by foot.
Where is the Spaceman Explorer phaser made?
The Explorer is hand-wired and built in Portland, Oregon, by Spaceman Effects. It carries the same hand-built approach as the Explorer Deluxe it was derived from, in a smaller cast-aluminum enclosure.
Sources (1)
- Spaceman Effects Explorer 6-Stage Phaser, Delicious Audio, 2022-05-02
