Strymon Zelzah

[Dave Bryce]

Any of y'all got one?  Lusting after one?  Had one and sold it?

 

 

dB

[Ivan May]

Wow…I want one! It would be perfect to own, I want a Zelzah Strymon and an MXR Phase 100 for Christmas this year.

[Dave Bryce]

22 hours ago, IMMusicRulz said:

I want a Zelzah Strymon and an MXR Phase 100 for Christmas this year.

 

What do you perceive as the main difference between them?  The phaser aspect, I mean....

 

I ask because I suspect I have too many phasers.  Love 'em to bits.  My MXR Phase 90 is a major fave.  Can't seem to quit it - the sound is awesome and I love the one knob simplicity.

 

The Moogerfooger also gets deep props, if for no other reason that that is has STUN and KILL settings. 😊

 

dB

 

 

 

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

5 hours ago, Dave Bryce said:

Any of y'all got one?  Lusting after one?  Had one and sold it?

 

 

dB

Lusting after one, as well as a Strymon Deco- to add alongside my Strymon Iridium, El Capistan, and Flint, among other pedals.

I've got some stellar modulation pedals (almost all of 'em all-analog, to boot); there are not too many that I'd be interested in adding to the fold. The Zelzah is one of them.

  
 

5 minutes ago, Dave Bryce said:

...if for no other reason that that is thas STUN and KILL settings.

[Winston Psmith]

I have to wonder why the Resonance control is a 3-position toggle switch? I'd also like to read more about the 30 different parameters the Voice control addresses. When I saw the TIME setting, I figured it was leaning towards a Chorus/Flanger effect, as there's no TIME setting on a Phaser.

 

I'm currently thinking about another Phaser, but I'd like something compact. I have the MoogerFooger as well, but that never leaves my Music room. Other than that,I have the Keeley Bubbletron, which I'm currently using for the Dynamic Flanger effect, and a Mojo Hand FX Nebula IV, which is very close to the classic Phase 90 sound.

[Dave Bryce]

5 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

 When I saw the TIME setting, I figured it was leaning towards a Chorus/Flanger effect, as there's no TIME setting on a Phaser.

 

You are correct, sir.

 

From the manual:

(The voice knob) sweeps smoothly from pure phaser voicings on the left to flanger tones past 12 o’clock and chorus tones on the right.

 

 

5 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

I have the MoogerFooger as well, but that never leaves my Music room. 

 Same with me.

 

dB

[Caevan O’Shite]

19 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

I'm currently thinking about another Phaser, but I'd like something compact. I have the MoogerFooger as well, but that never leaves my Music room. Other than that,I have the Keeley Bubbletron, which I'm currently using for the Dynamic Flanger effect, and a Mojo Hand FX Nebula IV, which is very close to the classic Phase 90 sound.

How 'bout one of those small-box, Nano or whatever EHX Small Stone phasers? A classic phaser, and notably different in character and LFO from a Phase 90.

Or, a JHS Series 3 Phaser? I haven't had one underfoot, but I bet you couldn't go wrong there, and a used one would probably be pretty reasonably priced, as they're $99 new, right?
 

 

14 hours ago, Dave Bryce said:

From the manual:

(The voice knob) sweeps smoothly from pure phaser voicings on the left to flanger tones past 12 o’clock and chorus tones on the right.

I'm thinking some interesting colors and textures can be found between 8:00 and 1:00 O'clock...
 

 

19 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

I have to wonder why the Resonance control is a 3-position toggle switch?

I'd prefer a continuous sweep there, myself... On the other hand, the venerable Electro-Harmonix Small Stone only had a two position Color switch for that- which, in my opinion, should always be in the up (or stronger) position, never the the tamer down position! There are a lot of other parameters going on with the Zelzah, I think the 3-position Resonance control would be fine. Plus, many players seem to set too much feedback/resonance/regeneration on pedals where that's available, and wonder why they don't like the sound or find it usable... maybe the 3-position switch prevents that.

[Winston Psmith]

@Caevan O’Shite- For some reason, the sound of the Small Stone series never appealed to me? Can't quite articulate it, but just not the sound I was listening for.

 

I have been curious about that stripped-down JHS 3 series, but not curious enough to try them out? Something about that Bathroom Tile White finish suggests "This pedal sounds as dull as it looks." YEMV, of course . . .

[Caevan O’Shite]

4 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

@Caevan O’Shite- For some reason, the sound of the Small Stone series never appealed to me? Can't quite articulate it, but just not the sound I was listening for.

I can understand and relate, in that I personally really like the Small Stone's sound, recognize that it's genuinely different from other phasers, and that it's bound to suit some, and not others. If it's not what you're seeking, it just isn't! It definitely has its own brand of swish and philter. 😉

 

4 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

I have been curious about that stripped-down JHS 3 series, but not curious enough to try them out? Something about that Bathroom Tile White finish suggests "This pedal sounds as dull as it looks." YEMV, of course . . .

I actually pretty much agree with you on its very generic appearance; though, judging by listening to various demo videos, it sounds both versatile enough and well within the Phase 90 ballpark to be very useful and satisfying. Better than merely 'serviceable', if you will. Its Width, F.Back, and Blend controls make for a wide range of character... For a compact phaser pedal, I think it seems pretty useful- AND quite affordable while still likely consistently reliable and high quality!

[Scott Fraser]

6 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

@Caevan O’Shite- For some reason, the sound of the Small Stone series never appealed to me? Can't quite articulate it, but just not the sound I was listening for.

I get that. A friend gave me his Small Stone maybe 40 years ago & it has never made it into my rig at any point since. OTOH another friend loaned me his MXR Phase 100 & it was on everything I did until I had to give it back. I have a Phase 45 which still gets occasional use. Much more subtle than the Small Stone.

[Caevan O’Shite]

2 hours ago, Scott Fraser said:

I get that. A friend gave me his Small Stone maybe 40 years ago & it has never made it into my rig at any point since. OTOH another friend loaned me his MXR Phase 100 & it was on everything I did until I had to give it back. I have a Phase 45 which still gets occasional use. Much more subtle than the Small Stone.

Subtlety wasn't a characteristic I was looking and listening for in a phaser; and with the Color switch up to its more extreme setting, the Small Stone delivered.

Now, I had an all-original 1979 vintage 'Stone, the "Bootsy Collins" one according to some; I chose it from five or six old '70s Small Stones in a store, it was the best one. No matter what I did with it, it sounded PERFECT- slow, fast, clean or dirty, any pickup selection. More than one person commented that it made my "guitar sound like a reggae organ". It certainly did.

Long story short- I got ripped off and no longer have it. Such are the shifting phases of our lives.