The Warm Audio Jet Phaser is a six-mode analog phaser pedal with a built-in fuzz circuit, made by Warm Audio as a reproduction of the 1970s Roland AP-7 Jet Phaser12. Two of its six modes are clean phase settings; the other four, labeled "JET," combine phase with fuzz3. It runs on an included 18V adapter or two 9V batteries, and it carries an MSRP of $199143.
Warm Audio announced the Jet Phaser in August 2020 alongside the Foxy Tone Box, its first guitar effects, both replicas of vintage 1970s pedals41. The pedal was available for pre-order at $199 at announcement, with availability from September 20204.
A reproduction of the Roland AP-7
The Jet Phaser is Warm Audio's reproduction of the Roland AP-7 Jet Phaser, a pedal Warm Audio describes as "a popular six-mode phase & fuzz pedal made famous in the 1970s"12. The original AP-7 was unique for its time in putting a fuzz and phase circuit in one pedal, and it could achieve thick swirling phase and faux Leslie rotary speaker effects8. On the JHS Pedals YouTube channel, Josh Scott noted the original Roland Jet Phaser came in the first batch of those pedals in the mid to late 1970s9.
The "jet" fuzz stage of the AP-7 is the circuit best known from the Roland AF-60 Bee Gee, a standalone version of the AP-7's jet mode; in that adaptation the tone control was simplified into a two-position switch with only "full bass" and "full treble" settings, according to Aion FX's documentation of the circuit2. Warm Audio says its version "accurately recreates the tones of the original pedal"1.
An 8-stage phaser with a built-in fuzz
Under the hood, the Jet Phaser is an 8-stage, FET-driven phaser and fuzz, as Premier Guitar's reviewer John Bohlinger described it, calling the original design "a lovely but nasty fusion of 8-stage, FET-driven phaser and fuzz"5. The two clean phase modes are mellow and full-strength versions of the phaser5.
Bohlinger found the 8-stage phaser produces "beautiful, rich modulation tones," with slower rates in particular highlighting complex overtones5. He described the mellower phase voice as especially lovely, adding subtle animation and shimmer at the lowest resonance levels and a rotary speaker-style wobble with resonance up high5. Of the fuzz voice, he wrote that it has some of a Big Muff's mass, particularly in the midrange, and much of a Tone Bender's focus, with the resonance control yielding variations on cocked-wah, Bosstone and Fuzzrite sounds5.
The pedal sits in a robust custom metal enclosure with retro wood paneling, and Warm Audio says it uses premium components throughout, including carbon film resistors and film capacitors1.
The controls: Phase modes, Jet modes and Jet Level
The Jet Phaser has six modes, two labeled "PHASE" and four labeled "JET"3. Two footswitches handle the rest: EFFECT/NORMAL turns the effect on and off, and FAST/SLOW switches the phase speed64.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Phase modes 1 and 2 | Traditional phase sounds with depth controls; mode 1 has moderate modulation depth for subtle sounds, mode 2 increased depth for more exaggerated results16 |
| Jet modes 1-4 | Add fuzz, with bright and dark fuzz controls combined with deep and shallow controls for phase1 |
| Jet mode 2 | Bright fuzz with deep phase10 |
| Jet level knob | Governs the pedal's fuzz output when a Jet mode is in use7 |
| Slow level knob | Adjusts the slower phase rate6 |
| Fast/Slow footswitch | Covers the speed of the phase; the faster speed is ideal for replicating Leslie ramping effects56 |
| Effect on/off footswitch | True bypass6 |
The fast/slow footswitch lets you ramp the phaser speed up and down, Leslie-style, between your selected slow rate and a fixed fast setting, as Guitar.com's reviewer Richard Purvis explained11. Premier Guitar's Bohlinger found the faster speed an ideal departure or end point for a solo5.
Because the Jet control governs the pedal's output only when one of the Jet modes is in use, it can serve double duty as a boost for solos, as GuitarPlayer.com's Christopher Scapelliti noted7.
Power: 18V adapter or two 9V batteries
The Jet Phaser runs on the included 18VDC adapter or two 9V batteries3. The battery compartment is accessed on the pedal's underside7. Current draw is 9mA4.
The 18V requirement means this pedal will not run on a standard 9V pedalboard supply. Use the included adapter or the dual-battery option.
Size and weight
The Jet Phaser sits in a robust custom metal enclosure with retro wood paneling, closer in spirit to the vintage unit it reproduces than to a compact modern stompbox1. Single input and output jacks are on the back panel7, so everything connects from behind rather than the sides, as on some smaller pedals.
What reviewers said
Reviews across the press were largely positive about the pedal's tones and its fidelity to the original.
- Premier Guitar's John Bohlinger listed as pros the complex 8-stage phase tones, the rangeful resonance control, and the unique, characterful fuzz; his one con was that the fuzz could use a touch more output gain5.
- GuitarPlayer.com's Christopher Scapelliti wrote: "More than just a phaser, the Warm Audio Jet Phaser offers an intoxicating and authentic flavor of the 1970s."7
- Performer Mag's Chris Devine reviewed it as a modern take on the classic '70s phaser at a reasonable price, finding a quiet, true bypass phaser with six modes and fuzz at a $199 street price6.
- Guitar.com's Richard Purvis rated it 8 out of 10 and called it a fearsome floor-monster11.
"By itself, the 8-stage phaser produces beautiful, rich modulation tones. Slower rates in particular highlight complex overtones."
Related pedals
Warm Audio later added the Mutation Phasor II, a recreation of the Mu-Tron Phasor II, to its pedal lineup in 2023. Players comparing vintage-style phasers can also read about the original Roland AP-7 and the Roland Jet Phaser on their own pages.
Videos
Pete Thorn
Premier Guitar
Warm Audio
News
Questions
Is the Warm Audio Jet Phaser true bypass?
Yes. The effect on/off footswitch is true bypass, so with the effect off the pedal does not color your signal. Warm Audio lists true bypass among the pedal's features, and Performer Mag's reviewer confirmed it when testing the pedal.
How big and heavy is the Warm Audio Jet Phaser?
It is a large pedal. GuitarPlayer.com lists its dimensions as 10.25 by 6.4 by 2.25 inches (10.25 by 6.5 by 2.25 in a second listing) and its weight at 4.6 pounds. It will take a substantial slice of a pedalboard, so plan placement accordingly.
Can I use the Jet Phaser fuzz as a solo boost?
Yes. The Jet level control governs the pedal's fuzz output whenever one of the four Jet modes is engaged, so it can serve double duty as a boost for solos. Premier Guitar's reviewer did note the fuzz could use a touch more output gain.
Where is the Warm Audio Jet Phaser made?
It is built in China. The pedal sits in a robust custom metal enclosure with retro wood paneling, and Warm Audio says it uses premium components throughout, including carbon film resistors and film capacitors.
Sources (11)
- Warm Audio Roland Vintage Jet Phaser Clone Guitar, Bass, And Keyboards Effects Pedal, Warm Audio
- Antipode Vintage Fuzz / Roland Jet Phaser Fuzz, Aion FX, 2019-11-28
- Warm Audio Jet Phaser, Delicious Audio, 2021-07-29
- WARM AUDIO ANNOUNCES FOXY TONE BOX AND JET PHASER GUITAR PEDALS, MusicPlayers.com, 2020-08-17
- Warm Audio Jet Phaser Review, Premier Guitar, 2020-12-10
- Warm Audio Jet Phaser Pedal REVIEW, Performer Mag, 2021-05-04
- Warm Audio Jet Phaser Review, GuitarPlayer.com, 2021-01-18
- JFet Fuzz Phaser, PastFx, 1970
- Warm Audio Pedal Clones (Foxey Tone Box, ODD Box, Warmdrive, Mutation Phasor 2, Centavo, Jet Phaser), JHS Pedals (YouTube), 2023-07-13
- Warm Audio Jet Phaser, Pedal of the Day, 2021-01-23
- Review: Warm Audio Jet Phaser, Guitar.com, 2020-09-23
