Best flanger pedals: Add some swoosh to your guitar tone

Flangers are one of the oldest types of modulation effects. Similar to chorus pedals, it creates a copy of the signal and delays the copy by a small amount that constantly changes. The best flanger pedals come in analog and digital variations.

Most analog flangers use bucket brigade circuitry which provides a lush, organic sound. Digital flangers have different circuit topologies. More modern models use digital signal processing, but some use other kinds of digital technology. 

Flangers are a great creative guitar pedal, so let’s run down our favorites!

Best flanger pedal overall: Source Audio Mercury

The Mercury doesn’t offer a lot of flanger sounds, but the three that it does are intense, focused, and distinct. Each mode is selectable through a toggle switch in the center of the control layout.

Classic mode is a throwback to the bucket brigade flangers of the 70s and 80s, Shadow has the distinguishable jet engine sounds that put flangers on the map, and the Thru-Zero setting is a twisting and turning ride.

Just because there are only three settings on the surface, don’t let that fool you. The circuit underneath is just as powerful as other Source Audio stompboxes. Source Audio’s Neuro App is where the magic lies. 

Through it you can load on additional flanger, chorus, and even phaser sounds directly to the pedal. Parameters are extended too, and through the app you gain access to a parametric EQ, wet/dry mix, different options for routing your signal, and more. 

There is MIDI compatibility too if you sync it with the Neuro Hub, which lets you save up to 128 presets. There is onboard stereo I/O and switchable bypass modes. 

If you’re strictly looking for analog flanger sounds it might not be for you, but when it comes to versatility and depth of customization there are few flangers that compete.

Best analog flanger pedal: Electro-Harmonix XO Stereo Electric Mistress

Some flangers pull off the vibe, and some set the stage for models that came after them. Electro-Harmonix‘s Electric Mistress is the latter. It’s simple compared to newer digital flangers, but when it comes to analog modulation there are few that compare. 

It’s really a blend of flanger and chorus that work together to provide modulation in stereo. There are only three control knobs over depth of flanger, chorus, and rate of the effect. Because the flanger and chorus effects have their own controls you can blend them together to taste.

The input is mono, and the output can be mono or stereo. Because of this it’s not technically a true stereo pedal, but the sound is wide and authentic thanks to the all-analog circuitry.  

Best digital flanger pedal: Strymon Orbit dBucket Flanger

Strymon has pretty much cornered the market on full-fledged digital effects pedals in a pedalboard-friendly size.

With the Orbit they recreate some of the best sounds from vintage analog flanger pedals and package them in a digital format that’s less delicate. It runs on a high-performance DSP engine designed to provide realistic and reliable flanger sounds.

The dBucket algorithm the DSP runs on is an acute reproduction of the behavior of the bucket brigade chips that make classic flangers so desirable. Three types of flange feedback are on deck – positive, negative, and positive/negative. You can set the LFO type between logarithmic, linear, and through zero. 

There is a more extensive control set than flangers typically offer. Players can control the speed, width, regeneration, and manual of the flange signal with a wet/dry mix control for blending in clean signal.

As far as I/O, the input is mono but the outputs can be mono or stereo. There is an expression pedal input for real-time control, and footswitches to engage/disengage the effect as well as recall presets. 

It’s not the simplest flanger, but it’s not the most complicated either. If you need the benefits of digital control that mimic the sound of analog, the Orbit should be on your radar.

Best versatile flanger pedal: BOSS BF-3

Flangers are an effect that some consider a “one trick pony”. But in reality, it’s an effect that’s a mix of different types of modulation that can be really versatile if you find the right one.

BOSS’ BF-3 is a streamlined model that has a lot of sound options depending on how you dial it in. There are four distinct modes. Momentary engages the effect as long as you press the footswitch, perfect for throwing it into guitar lines a la Eddie Van Halen.

Gate/Pan adds some chop, Standard is a more subtle effect, and Ultra is a thicker effect. Tap tempo can be engaged in the usual BOSS way, by holding the footswitch down and then setting the BPM. 

There are inputs for guitar and bass. The bass input engages a different EQ circuit that complements the primary frequency range of the instrument. Mono or stereo outputs let you spread the sound between multiple amps. 

It’s not the vibiest flanger on the market, but its versatility makes up for it. For guitar players and bassists, this is a solid choice.

Best budget flanger pedal: TC Electronic SCF Gold Stereo Chorus Flanger

In tandem with the BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, there might not be a more mythical modulation pedal than this one. It originally came out in 1976 and was TC Electronic’s first product to come to market. It was manufactured until 2016 and has since become quite the collector’s item on the used market. 

TC Electronic answered the call and subsequently released the SCF Gold. It’s a combination flanger, chorus, and pitch modulator. The analog circuit runs on bucket brigade technology, which gives it the high-fidelity tone players like Eric Johnson have come to love in the best flanger pedals.

There is a built-in preamp with adjustable gain with a LED to let you know if it’s dialed in too hot and causing clipping. But unless you’re getting crazy with the settings there should be ample headroom. 

Each of the three settings are selected via a three-way switch, and controls for Intensity, Width, and Speed are simple but effective. As for I/O, like many other flangers it has a mono input with stereo output that gives the sound depth and dimension. 

Aside from the lush and versatile tones it offers, the price point is one of the most appealing things about it. You can grab it brand new for just under $84, so you can add one of the best flanger pedals to your pedalboard without having to pay the sky-high prices the original units fetch these days.

FAQ

What does a flanger pedal do, and how is it different from a chorus or phaser?

Flanger pedals create a swooshing, jet-plane-like effect by duplicating your guitar signal and delaying one copy by a small and continuously modulated amount. This creates a series of peaks and notches in the frequency spectrum known as a comb filter, resulting in a swirling, metallic tone. 

They may sound similar to a chorus or phaser, but flange is distinct in its intensity and movement. Chorus effects simulate multiple instruments playing together by adding subtle detuning and delay, phasers shift the phase of the signal to create a sweeping sound, and flangers are generally more dramatic and mechanical in tone.

Are analog or digital flanger pedals better?

It depends on your tone preference. Analog flangers typically have a warmer, more organic character because they use bucket-brigade chips. These produce a slightly degraded but pleasant sound. 

Digital flangers offer more precision, clarity, and versatility and often include extra features like tap tempo, presets, and deeper control over parameters. Some modern digital flangers even emulate analog characteristics. 

Where should I place a flanger pedal in my signal chain?

Traditionally flanger pedals are placed after gain effects but before time-based effects like reverbs and delays. This positioning allows the flanger to modulate a harmonically rich signal, enhancing its impact without muddying the time-based effects that follow. 

But some guitarists experiment with placing it before gain pedals in their signal chain for a more unpredictable, synth-like sound. There’s no absolute rule, your desired tone and pedalboard setup will ultimately dictate what works best for your sound.