Seymour Duncan launches the Polaron, an analogue phaser pedal

Seymour Duncan has announced the Polaron, an analogue phase shifter pedal with extensive control over various filter modes.

The core of the pedal is the multi-stage analogue filter array, which is adjustable between 2 and 16 stages, ranging from subtle modulation to more drastic Leslie-esque, flanger, and deep-sweep phase sounds.

Controls often not seen on the simpler modulation pedals, but present here, are the resonance and tune knobs – these are often relegated to the filter sections of expensive synthesisers. Adding in these stages here lets the Polaron achieve some authentically analogue vintage filter sounds.

While the signal path is 100 percent analogue, the Polaron uses a digital processor to manage its LFO and envelope filters. When operating in LFO mode, the pedal functions like a traditional phaser, with the opening and closing of the filter either set by the rate knob or the tap-tempo footswitch. The amount of modulation is controlled by the depth knob.

In envelope mode, the dedicated sensitivity control will change how much the filter opens and closes in response, while the depth control will set the maximum amount the filter opens. This allows for talkbox-esque and auto-wah settings. Because the controls for the LFO and ENV modes are digital, the Polaron has a bank of presets, recallable using the secondary function of the tap-tempo footswitch.

The Polaron lists for $229. Find out more at seymourduncan.com.