The Subdecay Blueshift is a flanger pedal, sold by Subdecay as the "Blueshift, Short Line Flanger." It is an all analog design built around a shorter delay line than a conventional flanger, which the maker says pushes the effect to its limits. Subdecay's own tagline for it: "Blue Shift = Flanges to the stratospheric maximus. Always flange. Never chorus. Never bore us."1
Controls and LFO shapes
The Blueshift gives what Subdecay calls "full control over the range of the flanger sweep with dedicated manual, depth and regen controls." Those three knobs cover the classic flanger parameters: the center of the sweep, how far it travels, and how much of the flanged signal is fed back.1
Where the pedal sets itself apart is in its modulation options. It offers six LFO shapes1:
The step and sample/hold shapes move the sweep in discrete jumps rather than smooth waves, which is not something the typical flanger offers.1
Blueshift versus the Starlight
Subdecay describes the Blueshift as "similar to the Starlight, the Blue Shift is a flanger but with a shorter delay line pushing the effect to its limits." The SubDecay Starlight is the company's longer-running flanger line, and the Blueshift was a deliberate return to an earlier, more extreme circuit tradition.1
Availability, finishes and warranty
The Blueshift was a limited run pedal, available direct only from Subdecay for a limited time. Subdecay framed it as "a return to Prototype series and Tweaktronix line we built in the summers of 2007 through 2009," tying it to the company's earlier small-batch builds. The product page listed it as out of stock as of March 26, 2018.1
It came in three finishes, priced accordingly:
| Finish | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Unpainted | $129 |
| Blue | $139 |
| Black | $145 |
Subdecay noted the pedal could require 1 to 3 days to ship, and that Prototype series pedals include a one year warranty to the original purchaser.1
Because the Blueshift was a limited, direct-only run and is listed as out of stock, it is not a pedal you would expect to find at ordinary dealers. Subdecay's Starlight DLX and Starlight Quantum carry the flanger line forward.
For readers comparing flangers more broadly, the Flanger Pedals type page gathers the category, from the MXR Flanger to the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress.
Questions
What LFO shapes does the Subdecay Blueshift have?
The Blueshift offers six LFO shapes: Sine, Triangle, Triangle/Square, Random Sample/Hold, 8 Step and 16 Step. The step shapes give the sweep a sequenced, stair-stepped movement rather than a smooth glide, while the sample and hold shape jumps between values at random. Combined with the dedicated manual, depth and regen controls, these shapes cover a wide range of flanger sweep behavior.
How is the Blueshift different from the Subdecay Starlight?
Subdecay describes the Blueshift as similar to the Starlight, but as a flanger with a shorter delay line that pushes the effect to its limits. The company sums up its character as always flange, never chorus. The Starlight is Subdecay's longer-running flanger line, and the Blueshift was a limited-run pedal in the Prototype series tradition.
Is the Subdecay Blueshift still available?
The Blueshift was a limited run pedal, available direct only from Subdecay for a limited time, and the product page listed it as out of stock. It was a return to the Prototype series and Tweaktronix line the company built in the summers of 2007 through 2009, so it was never a standard catalog item.
What finishes does the Subdecay Blueshift come in?
The Blueshift was available in blue, black or an unpainted finish. The unpainted version was the least expensive at $129, with blue at $139 and black at $145, all as listed by Subdecay on the product page dated March 26, 2018.
Is the Blueshift's audio path analog?
Yes. Subdecay states the Blueshift has an all analog audio path, so the guitar signal itself is not converted to digital. The pedal weighs 12 oz and carries a one year warranty to the original purchaser, as with other Prototype series pedals.
What warranty does the Subdecay Blueshift have?
Subdecay states that Prototype series pedals include a one year warranty to the original purchaser. The Blueshift was sold direct from Subdecay and could require 1 to 3 days to ship.
Sources (1)
- Blueshift, Subdecay, 2018-03-26
