Moog MF-103 MoogerFooger 12-Stage Phaser

It has 6 knobs and two switches (excluding the wet/dry-switch) so you don't learn how to use it in 2 minutes. It takes a little while, but there's nothing odd about that.

The knobs are LFO-amount, LFO-rate, Phaser-sweep, Phaser-resonance, Drive and Output level. The switches are LFO-rate-lo/hi and Phaser-6-stage/12-stage.

Once you've learned how to use it, it's easy to get a good sound of it. As you probably understand - the more knobs you have, the more you can adjust the sound!


The manual is VERY good! It explains how a phaser works, how to use the MF-103 and some typical setups.

I use it as an aux send on my mixing board.

Does not produce much noise.

I'm gonna keep it short: it sounds exactly like I want it to. I haven't had a lot of phasers before this one but it sounds like the classic phasers, and can easily compete with the Bi-Phase.

I've had it for a year or so and haven't had any problem with it. Very heavily built, feels sturdy.

Never dealt with them.

Great sounding and reliable phaser with lots of opportunuties to adjust the sound just the way you want it.

With a very nice manual that explains a lot it's very easy to get great sounds out of it. It might be a little difficult if you need to change its sound very often but it's analog. On the other hand almost every sound it makes is usefull and wont ever let you down. Also has lots of inputs for expression pedals and ControlVoltages.

Some say that you can not get the sound of any artist. I say that this pedal gets exactly the sound of only one artist. Of the one that tweaks it. Almost every effect that makes KILLS...!!! From 60's-70's phasing effects to ring modulating phasers they all sound great and beyond!
I am using an American Fat strat -> Boss foot Wah -> MF-103 ->peterson strobostomp -> Messa Boogie Nomad 45 ->(effectLoop) boss DD5 delay for my guitar and it is great. I've also used it with a fender twin verb and a messa boogie dc-3 and the results are tha same.
I am also using it as an insert effect on my novation X-station analog modeling synth and it sounds like pure analog. It's also great as an effect on DAW recorded tracks. The gain stage is great for analogue squashing sounds...
NO noise or weak effects. NO WAY. If some noise comes to the input with the LFO high the pedal becomes something like a Theremin...
The auxiliary-stereo output is great for extra wide stereo sounds.

No problem with reliability yet. I dont use very mutch the external control witch would require up to 4-5 expression pedals... The unit is solid and the switch is easy to press by foot or finger. Very nice looking too.

I play basicly rock with many electroacoustic-electronic music elements and i make a lot of noize. It just fits everything i play from clean melow-ing to non guitarist percussive sounds. I might not play like that without it.
I am using it for about 6months and i am very satisfied with it to the point that i am thinking of getting a few other moogerfoogers as well!!!!!!!!!!
The best thing about it is that it does'nt have the usual "rate"-"depth" controls of every phaser but goes beyond that with gain, level, LFOspeed-amount, resonance, sweep, 6 or 12 stage switch and low-high LFO speed switch.

Surprisingly easy given all the knobs and switches. Once you get a feel for it through the manual, you understand how well this was designed for a musician to use

I wan't to be critical, but this is in fact the best sounding phaser I have ever played. It makes a Small stone sound rather small and the other higher end stuff seem not quite there. What surprises me most is that this pedal is much more than a phaser and does a fantastic rorating siumlator thing that will blow you away - and then you kick in the 12 stage knob and go to 11. There is some sound dampening in certain combos of pedals so I will shave off a point.

Only had it a few months. Bit clumbsy looking and the bottom is bendable. Everything I hate about this pedal is the size, shape, clumsy appearance, and not built in a robust case - but after going back and back and back to the store to try it out I just had to have it - it sounds that good.

nada

OK - sum it up - the box is totally stupid looking , size blows and I had to get a special cable to power it up with my voodoolab PP2 (thank you voodoo lab!) - but honestly this pedal sound fabulous and I can't imagine a better sounding phaser that is so usable on the market. Infinitephase is swell but too hard to get a usable sound - this guy gives you what you need and you can know how to get there fast. The rotating speaker is just lush. It also works well with other pedals to really create that analog synth / unpredictable swell that makes you guitar sound underwater at time. If you can overcome the size, shape and box construction you will learn that this pedal was well worth $300. it is no way a one trick pony like many other phasers on the market and is quite easy to play. Love it!

If you're Moog inclined this product should be pretty basic. I have my standard setting but I've found this phaser to be exceptionally easy to use and extremely entertaining for noise improv. Hit Hi-Fi and blast off with alien modulations and tweak with ease.

When turned on and the volume low or off you will still hear the phaser phasing. If it's bothersome just turn it off.

The sound quality is very lush. There really aren't words to describe how superb this 'pedal' sounds.

It seems a bit fragile. This is a pedal you need to handle with care... after spending $300 on a pedal I don't think this should be a concern I should have.

This pedal is the perfect match for what I play. Psychedelic, space rock, shoegaze, noise. When used sparingly the pedal is mind-warping and adds a certain sheen to any song. Another aspect is feedback, if you want this pedal can create to stellar feedback, couple with a nice delay pedal, a wah, some distortion - you really begin to feel like an intergalactic war hero. Um. Yeah.

I got this product because it's a MOOG phaser! It's exactly what you'd expect and I'm sure those of us who actually expect what we're expecting from it are expecting more - and it does deliver more than you're expecting.

$300 is a bit steep, this product should be in the $200-250 range (I know it has a lot of components but sheesh).

The MF-103 is not the type of pedal that you pull out of the box, plug in and go...it does require some reading of the manual and trying different settings. The manual is very good, and the MF is not difficult to work with...but more work than most folks are used to (I think).

I usually use a Gibson Chet Atkins SST (acoustic / electric) through a Fender Steel King (200 watt w/ 1 - 15") combo. I have been playing without effects for a LONG time (20 years?) and finally decided to get back into pedals. The MF is VERY quiet and there are some amazing sounds to be had with this pedal. The pedal is not completely tranparent, though - as I am hearing soem additional low end emphasis when the phase is on. Could just be where the phase is in its cycling. I think this pedal is better as the wilder phase sounds than the subtle ones. I have a nice light phase setting I am using - but there are many more choices of heavy phase sounds.

I like the look and feel of the MF a lot; it seems very sturdy. I won't bring a back-up but I won't bring this pedal to every gig.

The MF is a very high quality phaser with lots of options and flexibility. It is unique looking and has some cool features (gain control, etc..). It is expensive, though - and is not a plug and play.

Well, undoubtedly this is a great phaser. I love it. I would just like to get the whole 'this is the best phaser ever' bit out of the way. It is the best phaser I've used (and I've owned the small stone, and used a couple of MXR phasers, and a wierd old phaser in a Cambridge amp) BUT it is far from simple (a bunch of dials, a bank of jacks and some rocker switches.
Having said that all the sounds it produces are good, and it does A LOT of sounds.
Other phasers are simple, speed and depth knobs and thats it. Also most phasers are 6 stage - this one is 6 or 12.
For this reason, I found it tricky to get the sound I wanted at first, cause I was just getting extreme sounds and enjoying them. Now I know my way around I can get any sound I want. Cool, mellow almost rem type sounds to flange sounds. It is also has the nice feature of being able to use it as a phase-wah (if you get an expression pedal.
The Manual is very helpful. If I had read it in the first place I probably wouldn't have struggled at all.
Also, if something is difficult to start with, it is probably going to last you a while.

The quality of sound is amzing. It is anaolgue and warm. It is almost indescribable. It is so lush. I love it to bits. It does a very good small stone impression - but with better clarity. It will flange (kind of). You can set the speed super slow, so slow you hardly notice the oscilation. You can get it to ring modulate. You can control any of the dials with an expression pedal, so you can get some really amazing expression effects. You can do anything, almost, in terms of modulation, and it all sounds ace.
I find it best just adding a little movement to a clean signal. It might seem a bit of a waste to do so but it sounds incredible, and totally worth the expense - if you like modulation.
I literally can't think of a bad thing to say (in terms of sound quality) I mean, you can even use it to overdrive your amp as it has a gain control.
It is so versatile, but not in a crappy modulation modeling pedal kind of way, I cant do without it now I have it.
I will give it a 10 and I never give anything a 10.

Erm, I've had no real problems (apart from one time when it stopped working for a couple of minutes, and then started working again) but, and this is a big but, it is flimsy as hell. It is NOT your standard stomp box. In fact DON'T stomp on it, tread lightly or you'll be very upset.
I don't think this pedal is ideal for a gig - it is more of a studio effect.

Never dealt with them.

Brilliant. I think I have said it all. It is a great pedal with tons of features - all of which are useful. Having 12 stage phase and 6 stage gives a great deal of options. Also, not many people use 12 stage, so you can create more original sounds - or not, as you can still use the 6 stage (which is not at all tacked on like some extras on effects). In addition to this, I would get an expression pedal (although the moog one is a piece of plastic crap) so you can get some really spacey or spooky sounds out of it, or just get your phase in thime to the music.
A great pedal, but not a gigging pedal, in my opinion.

this thing is pretty damn easy to use, input vol output vol, 4 controls and 2 switches. all of which are pretty easy to understand. the 2 controls and switch on the left control the LFO depth and speed. on the right are the phase settings, the pitch of the sweep can be adjusted as can the amount of resonance. the control voltages are the reason this gets an 8 while they are really cool they

the moogerfooger has the deepest most chewy phasing I've ever heard. I rarely use the ring mod type stuff it does (probably cuz my roommate has a moogerfooger ring mod) but the phasing is extremely lush sounding. the CV inputs make this thing even better, connecting moogerfoogers together makes some of the craziest sounds. (we have all the moogerfoogers in my house including the control processor) while this phaser is amazing on its own, if you add some other moogerfoogers it can become mind bending.

no problems ever but its not the sturdiest pedal ever, footswitch is kinda weak feeling

I have never talked to anyone from moog

I was basically comparing this to a lovetone doppelganger and a infinitphase cuz I own them too which should make me a pretty good judge. the moogerfooger is not as versitile as either straight out of the box but with some CVs it becomes a totally different device capable of way more than just regular phasing.

Its a little bit more involved than your average phaser, but I prefer to have a few different tools at my disposal (which is why I didnt get a Phase 90). Controls for Rate (with Speed LED), LFO Amount, Sweep, Resonance, selectable 6 or 12 stage, a speed range switch and controls for input and output gain. Two colour LED for bypass indication (the MF is NOT true bypass) and a Three colour LED for input gain. The back is just as involved, with no less than 10 jacks, including an input, two outputs, power jack (for supplied adaptor) and all the expression pedal inputs. Manual is very good, with indepth information on both the product, and how phasing in gerneral works. 4 suggested settings that are all very different from one another.

Overall impressions in this category are very good indeed. There are many sounds available, with wide variations. The 12 stage setting introduces an almost "wah-ooo" effect. The 6 stage setting is much more standard sounding, but with a beutiful analog warmth. The speed settings go from very slow, to spawning clangerous ring modulation effects (with the LFO knob full). Very cool. Covers all bases, from classic to apocalyptic very well indeed. Another interesting feature, is the ability to stop the phaser. Set the speed switch to fast, and crank the rate knob. Make sure the LFO knob is around 9 'o clock, and keep the resonance knob below 12 'o clock. Now, if you turn the Sweep knob slowly, it sound like a regular phaser. You can get some strange sounds by leaving the control where it is, that are usable. I like how you can leave a chord sustaining, and bend down and twist the knob around. Its not noisy at all. If you want to hear this effect in use, check out the RHCPs new album, By The Way. Most notably on the song "Throw Away Your Television", during the chorus. Sounds good with distortion, although it doesnt get on with wah wah at all. It just smothers the wah effect. This also functions as an overdrive effect, with the drive control maxed, though this is not switchable.

Looks solidly built. The wooden sides are very thick, and the top paneling seems to be very rigid. My only concearns are the underside of the unit, the plastic jack sockets and the plastic pot shafts. I would use it on a gig without a backup.

Ive sen them two emails, and they've always sent a helpful, courteous reply back within a week. I'll knock a point off because it was'nt same day, like Robert Keeley, or Zachary Vex ect.

I've gotten really attatched to this thing now, and it fits in well with the rest of my setup which goes:

Maverick SF1 Custom>Crybaby Wah>Visual Sound Jeckyll and Hyde>MF Phaser>Carl Martin Delayla>Digitech Whammy RI>Marshall DSL 100

There are a few settings where it becomes unusable, but apart from that, a fantastic sound is just a twist or switch flick away. The added feature of EP inputs is a great idea, and could be really useful in a live situation. I dont know if I would buy this again if it got stolen (its kinda expensive, one of those "you only live once" purchases), but it certainly is my favourite phaser, and is an exellent alternative to the thousands of Phase 90s and Small Stones across the globe. Its quite big, but it looks really cool amidst my other pedals. My favourite feature is the switchable phase stage. This adds so much to the sound. You can flip it during a song with your toes, if your nimble enough! I chose this product because it is different. Sure its big, and needs a couple of hours to find your main-stay settings, but it is worth it. I cant imagine my feelings in this review diminishing over the next few years. This ones a keeper.

The manual is very good and describes in detail what the different parts and controls of the phaser does. But it's not the easiest pedal to learn to use, since you can control several parameters with an expression pedal, set the base frequency for the sweep etc.

This is where it gets a little complicated...I bought this phaser unheard. I'd read about the Moogerfoogers, drooled over web pages, and when I saw a whole pile of them at the Mesa/Boogie store in Hollywood whilst on vacation, I took the plunge. Incidentally I went for the phaser, it could have been any one of them.
I took it home, plugged it in and started grooving away. A very cool pedal, and so many options! Nice, fat, analog sound. There it is, that word...nice... After having the pedal on my board for about a year, I started growing tired of it. You can get cool pseudo-ring-modulator sounds, ridiculously slow sweeps, chorusy 12-stage sounds, but in the end it sounds just, you know...nice. I'm with the guy who said that the sound lacks "balls", "character" or whatever it is. It's analog, smooth, fat and all that, but it sounds too polite for my taste. That doesn't mean you can't get wacked-out sounds, but the basic sounds of this phaser is a little sterile to my ears.
What it does give you is a ton of options. One of my favourites was to set a semi-fast phase sound, and sweep the center of the phase with the expression pedal. In the end, though, I decided I didn't need all the options, and sold it. I will eventually get a Maxon PH350 Rotary Phaser, which is more basic but offers the options I need. If you want tons of control options, you're probably even better off with Prophecy Sound's Infinitphase.
Lastly, one very annoying thing is the loud pop you get when switching the pedal on and off. It also has low impedance out and buffered bypass, which means you can't use it before a Fuzzface, Tonebender, Fuzz Factory or similar. I put it in a bypass loop, but the pop was still there in the loop switch. This happened with several bypass loopers I tried, so it must be because of the Moogerfooger's design.

Never had any trouble with it. I'll take a point off since it seems a little fragile on the outside (particularly those rocker switches), but the inside looks very well built.

For the money, I think you can do better. If you want a classic phase sound with 4-, 6- or 10-stage options, go for the Maxon PH350. Or if you want options, switches or knobs galore, try the Prophecy Sound Infinitphase.

Not the easiest in the world to figure out, but it's also not rocket science...... The manual is fairly comprehensive; enough to get you going. It has a myriad of great sounds and probably about as many nonsense noises as well.

This is arguably the best sounding and most versatile phaser on the market. It is obvious that the quality of this unit is heads above nearly every other pedal maker out there. It reminds very much of a piece of studio equipment (which it can be used as). Therefore, it is very quiet, except, of course at extreme gain and volume settings. You can mimic (and surpass) the sounds of classic phasers (small stone, phase 90) and create many other new sounds on your own, and even create great ring modulation effects with the resonance set high. It even creates a great leslie simulation which is astonishing with two amps. I even found that it makes a great distortion boost (with phase effect minimalized)with a very unique sound as well. But I use it with my clean amp primarily. I also bought the expression pedal, but don't use it too much, except when I want to create a subtle change in mood. This is an excellent piece of equipment. If anything deserved a 10, this would be it.

Seems sturdier to me than others percieve it to be. Of course, you don't want to take it and throw it around, but I don't do that to any of my equipment. Because I take care of my equipmen, I allow it as a mainstay on my pedalboard.

I play a lot of different music; basically all western music except for country and have been playing roughly 10 years. If it were lost or stolen, I would buy another. Don't really hate anything about it. It's a great product.