The Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter is a Maestro phaser pedal. Close alternatives include the SolidGoldFX Aurras Optical Vibraphase and the Spaceman Explorer 6-Stage Phaser. It pairs well with the Fender Prosonic and the Dumble Steel String Singer.
Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter
Maestro · pedal
The Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter is a vintage analog phaser introduced in 1971, prized for one of the lushest, warmest phase sounds ever produced. Rather than a sharp modern sweep, it delivers a warm, organic, and often subtle swirl with three speed settings, including a distinctive braking transition between fast and slow that sounds like a jet engine winding down. It defined classic 1970s phasing, heard on the electric piano of Led Zeppelin's No Quarter and on recordings by Steve Howe and Ernie Isley. It suits psychedelic, classic rock, and vintage tone enthusiasts who want immersive, lush movement. Some high-end loss occurs when engaged, easily corrected with a buffer upstream.
What stands out
“Strengths are tonal warmth, lush analog character, and that signature winding-down transition”
— from the reviews
“Even at subtle settings it adds organic dimension, and it flatters clean and crunchy classic-rock tones alike”
— from the reviews
“The Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter is a vintage analog phaser introduced in 1971, prized for one of the lushest, warmest phase sounds ever produced”
— from the listing
“It defined classic 1970s phasing, heard on the electric piano of Led Zeppelin's”
— from the listing
“some high-end loss occurs when engaged”
— from the listing
Trade-offs
“which a buffered pedal upstream resolves”
— from the community notes
“immersive analog phasing that modern digital units struggle to match”
— from the community notes
- lush
- classic rock
- organic
- analog
- vintage
- phaser
- high end
- psychedelic
Genres the Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Rock
- Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Ambient
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter
Fender Prosonic
amplifier
29% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)
Fender Prosonic's warm balances out the bright tone
Comes later in the signal chain
Dumble Steel String Singer
Dumble
28% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
Run Dumble Steel String Singer after it and the bright edge settles into something more smooth
Comes later in the signal chain
EBS Magni 502 115
Ebs
20% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter after EBS Magni 502 115 in the signal chain, clear of EBS Magni 502 115's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Orange Amplifiers AD30HTC 30W Tube Guitar Amp Head
amplifier
14% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Orange Amplifiers AD30HTC 30W Tube Guitar Amp Head's high headroom voice out front: Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter goes after Orange Amplifiers AD30HTC 30W Tube Guitar Amp Head in the signal chain so its lush voice doesn't muddy it
Comes later in the signal chain
Plush P1000 70's USA All-Tube Amp Head
amplifier
13% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter after Plush P1000 70's USA All-Tube Amp Head in the signal chain, clear of Plush P1000 70's USA All-Tube Amp Head's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Laney Digbeth 30W 1x10 Bass Combo
Laney
13% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter's lush voice goes after Laney Digbeth 30W 1x10 Bass Combo in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Laney Digbeth 30W 1x10 Bass Combo's own gritty character
Comes later in the signal chain
Gallien-Krueger GK Fusion 112 Bass Combo
Gallien Krueger
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter after Gallien-Krueger GK Fusion 112 Bass Combo in the signal chain, clear of Gallien-Krueger GK Fusion 112 Bass Combo's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Fuchs ODS II Custom 25/50 Combo
Fuchs
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter after Fuchs ODS II Custom 25/50 Combo in the signal chain, clear of Fuchs ODS II Custom 25/50 Combo's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
See all 15 amps that pair with the Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter →
Pedals that stack with the Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter
Electro-Harmonix XO Deluxe Memory Man
Electro-Harmonix
28% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter after Electro-Harmonix XO Deluxe Memory Man in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Electro-Harmonix XO Deluxe Memory Man — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte
Caroline Guitar Company
27% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte's pristine voice out front: Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter goes after Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte in the signal chain so its lush voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Ibanez Tube Screamer
Ibanez
26% matchPush the PS-1A's lush, organic phase sweep with the Screamer's mid-forward boost and the phasing has more gain to move through.
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Ibanez TS10 Tube Screamer Classic
pedal
25% matchIbanez TS10 Tube Screamer Classic's own harmonically rich character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
MXR Analog Delay
MXR
23% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep MXR Analog Delay's warm voice out front: Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter goes after MXR Analog Delay in the signal chain so its lush voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Maxon AD-9 Pro Analog Delay
Maxon
22% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter after Maxon AD-9 Pro Analog Delay in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Maxon AD-9 Pro Analog Delay — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
T-Rex Replica Delay
T Rex
22% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter after T-Rex Replica Delay in the signal chain, where it won't crowd T-Rex Replica Delay — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Dunlop Echoplex All-Analog Dry Path Delay
Dunlop
22% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter after Dunlop Echoplex All-Analog Dry Path Delay in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Dunlop Echoplex All-Analog Dry Path Delay — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
See all 106 pedals that pair with the Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter →
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
SolidGoldFX Aurras Optical Vibraphase
Solidgoldfx
61% similarityShared character: phaser, subtle, smooth
Spaceman Explorer 6-Stage Phaser
Spaceman
61% similarityShared character: phaser, subtle, simple
Maestro Orbit
Maestro
58% similarity“directly inheriting the warm, smooth, mid-focused phasing of the vintage Maestro PS-1”
Boss TR-2 Tremolo
Boss
56% similarityShared character: high end, digital, subtle
MXR EVH90 Phase 90
MXR
55% similarityShared character: phaser, subtle, simple
Carl Martin Two Faze
Carl Martin
55% similarityShared character: phaser, analog, subtle
Mojo Hand FX Nebula Redux
Mojo Hand Fx
55% similarityShared character: phaser, analog, warm
T-Rex danisch tremster
T Rex
53% similarityShared character: analog, subtle, simple
Walrus Audio Monumental Stereo Harmonic Tremolo
Walrus Audio
53% similarityShared character: subtle, warm
Electro-Harmonix Bad
Electro-Harmonix
53% similarityShared character: phaser, subtle, vintage charm
Providence ADC-4 Anadime Analog Chorus
Providence
53% similarityShared character: analog, subtle, warm
Ibanez PH Mini Phaser Mini
Ibanez
52% similarityShared character: phaser, analog, subtle
See all alternatives to the Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter?+
The closest matches in character are the SolidGoldFX Aurras Optical Vibraphase, the Spaceman Explorer 6-Stage Phaser, the Maestro Orbit.
What pairs well with the Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fender Prosonic, Dumble Steel String Singer, EBS Magni 502 115 — Fender Prosonic's warm balances out the bright tone.