PastFX brings back the Ibanez PH99 Classic Phase in new and improved PX99 compact feature-extended edition

I’m still playing catchup with the most recent PastFX releases - where I’m almost back up to date! I say almost - while there are also 4 of my incumbent PastFX pedals that have since been updated with more features - so even when I turn in the PX-101 Moogy Lowpass Filter review at the end of this week - I still have a few more older, but updated editions to add to the reference collection!

This PX99 Classic Phase is my 3rd PastFX Phaser - after the Foot Phaser Deluxe and Rotary Phaser - all different and distinct. While I’m really loving this new variant!

Verlie has added a couple of new gears into the mix - and this pedal is fantastic at gearing up through the different degrees of texture - with the full on flavour - having a slight cocked-wah quack to it, no doubt helped by the new Bias and Q-Factor controls. You can also get a really superb pseudo Flanger voice - by applying the Feedback, Bias and Q controls somewhat diligently!

The control topology is really very straightforward with 4 main knobs, and then 3 switches and a variable Mini Bias control to ramp up the different levels of texture.

Controls - Speed, Waveform : Square / Sine, Depth, Feedback : Negative > Positive, Intense (Stages) : 6 (Red) / 4 (Green), Level, Phase Bias, Q-Factor / Focus / Sharpener push-button.

I’ve always professed a love for full-flavour effects - and this is certainly that - while you have plenty of controls to dial it down also - to be as subtle as you like!

For me I tend to wind the Speed right back (occasionally all the way up too), settle the Depth and Feedback @ 3 o’c, and then Level @ Noon. You then have the Wafeform, Intense, and Q-Factory switches and of course the Phase Bias to work your way up the gears. Obviously 4-Stage Sine-wave is more subtle with the Bias dialled back and the Q push-button off.

And then at the other end of the scale you set the Phaser to kill - on Square Wave, 6-Stages, Max Phase Bias, and Q-Factor Focus / Sharpener engaged. You get a very distinct sort of almost quacky modulation - really cool - and really full-on.

And you can easily step down a level or two and further adjust the depth to temper some of that incredible flavour.

I found the artwork a little odd which delayed my initial take-up - while it’s wholly true to the Ibanez original - but this Phaser is magic - and wholly beside its looks - whether you like them or not. It’s just an exceptional incredibly versatile and full-flavour phaser - expertly calibrated by Verlie! Yet another PastFX winner!

The PX99 Classic Phase is $209 USD for most of the world - from the PastFX Reverb.com Store. For those in Oceania and Asia Pacific you can order it from the PastFX Webstore - for $299 and equivalent.

I know the Ibanez PH99 was really well loved - but this PX99 is even better, more pedalboard friendly and more expansive - it really dials in beautifully and sounds divine!