[Made in Japan] A thorough explanation of the Phantom FX! A comprehensive guide to the wildly popular fuzz and drive effect pedal [Features and user reviews]

There's a legendary brand that burst onto the scene like a comet during the second boutique effects pedal boom of 2007, quickly gaining a passionate following.

This is the project run by professional guitarist Kenji Todaka.

Phantom fx

Many of the iconic machines created in the early stages of their career sold out instantly, and even during their long hiatus after 2013, they continued to be deified among geeks.
Even now, having made a sudden comeback in 2020, their unique sound and sophisticated look continue to captivate many players.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of Phantom FX, showcasing its uncompromising parts selection and the sensibilities of a professional musician, along with a thorough explanation of its representative pedals.

What is Phantom FX? Exploring the essence of the brand.

Phantom fx is a Japanese pedal brand founded by Kenji Todaka (Toddy), a leading guitarist in ART-SCHOOL and MONOEYES. Its greatest strength lies in the fact that active professional musicians rely on their own ears and sensibilities to pursue the ultimate sound that is truly usable in live performance settings. Since its founding in 2007, it has maintained a production system that is completely handmade using rare parts, and has quickly become a legendary presence with its overwhelming sound quality and unique design sense.

After a long silence since 2013, the brand made a dramatic comeback in 2020 with a new lineup, welcoming Mr. Egawa of Sara Pedals as the production manager. Its sophisticated exterior design, inspired by music and everyday scenes, is a distinctive feature, and the heavy-duty casing made of iron and aluminum, along with its unique paintwork, will elevate the player's spirits just by being placed on an effects board. It's not just a simple vintage clone; it possesses a strong presence and a cutting tone that never gets lost in the band's sound, which is the main reason why it continues to be coveted by so many guitarists.

A comprehensive explanation of the noteworthy Phantom FX pedals.

Sabbath

The Sabbath is a legitimate evolution of the one-knob fuzz pedal that appeared as the brand's first model in its early days and made the Phantom FX name known to the world. Going beyond the simple category of a loud, muff-type pedal, it features a perfect balance of violent low-mids and fast-paced high-mids.

While adhering to vintage parts, the impedance issues have been resolved using transformers to make it easy to integrate into modern systems. This pedal is a signature piece of the brand, embodying Mr. Todaka's desire to "not disappoint those who love Sabbath."

SABBATH Bliss

SABBATH Bliss is a made-to-order, high-end model that takes the concept of the brand's debut product, the one-knob fuzz pedal "Sabbath," to the extreme.

This isn't just a simple roaring fuzz; it's been redesigned to allow you to create a wide range of soundscapes using only your picking nuances and guitar volume control. The exquisite tone produced by the highest quality vintage parts, chosen regardless of cost, positions this pedal as one of the pinnacles of fuzz pedal design.

SABBATH Black Gaze

The model name "Black Gaze" is a portmanteau of black metal and shoegaze, and as the name suggests, it was developed to create a wall of heavy and fantastical sound.

While retaining the raw energy of early Sabbath, this is an iconic model of the reborn Phantom FX, evolving into a practical pedal that can be flexibly integrated into modern, complex systems by incorporating a transformer that solves the impedance problems inherent in fuzz.

MOTHER

MOTHER is a landmark fuzz pedal that was released in 2020 when Phantom fx made its comeback after a hiatus of approximately seven years. As its name suggests, reminiscent of Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother," it features a grand, wall-of-sound drive.

It brilliantly overcomes the weakness of conventional Big Muff-style pedals, which was that the sound would get lost in an ensemble. It is positioned as a new generation high-gain fuzz pedal that produces a roaring sound while still allowing the constituent tones of chords to be clearly heard.

MTR

The MTR is a pedal based on "MOTHER," a representative fuzz pedal from the revived Phantom fx, but with a more edgy tuning specifically tailored for alternative rock.

While inheriting the excellent separation and ease of use that are the strengths of MOTHER, this pedal allows for precise control of the low frequencies with its internal Bottom trimmer. Positioned as a new type of drive pedal that offers a more practical and aggressive approach for players who seek a solid core strength in their roaring sound.

Phantom EVR series

The Phantom EVR is the ultimate high-end series, born from a miraculous collaboration between Kenji Todaka of Phantom fx and Shun Nokina of Leqtique.
The use of a special MOSFET, unprecedented in previous effects pedals, and a completely original circuitry demonstrate the uncompromising pursuit of sound that both builders have poured into this product.

The fusion of Phantom FX's point-to-point wiring and Leqtique's precise formatting produces an exceptionally high-resolution, lustrous, and supreme tone.
Combined with their beautifully hand-painted casings, these pedals offer both overwhelming sound and a sense of ownership akin to a work of art, making them an extremely rare and highly valuable collection.

#1 Bleu OD

The Bleu OD is the first overdrive pedal from the "Phantom EVR" brand, a fusion of sound production by Kenji Todaka and circuit design by Shun Nokina, who has created numerous legendary pedals. This collaboration marks their first since "Bells" in 2011, and after years of planning, it has been released to the world as a "drive pedal with a completely new texture."

Its greatest feature is the coexistence of an exquisite touch response, like when you turn down the volume on a fuzz pedal, and the rich midrange characteristic of an overdrive. It has a unique tone that sets it apart from transparent pedals, being "processed yet extremely natural," and is positioned as a masterpiece that fundamentally elevates the sound of your pedalboard, whether as an always-on preamp or a superb gain booster.

#2 Cliffs

Cliffs is a discrete distortion pedal with a completely original circuit, developed as a counterpart to the Bleu OD. Rather than a well-behaved distortion that is an extension of overdrive, it is designed to produce a very raw and wild tone, combining the saturation of a tube amp with the rawness of fuzz.

The perfect balance between Mr. Todaka's desire for "a thickness that can be used in live settings" and Mr. Shun Nokina's "uncompromising parts selection" results in a pedal that maintains chord separation even when heavily distorted. From high-gain leads to crunch tones controlled at your fingertips, this is the ultimate drive pedal with incredible versatility and expressive power.

Summary | The appeal of combining individuality and practicality

The Phantom fx is a fusion of the sensibilities of Mr. Todaka, a currently active professional musician, and Mr. Egawa's outstanding manufacturing skills.
Although they once fell silent, their current lineup, now revived, consists of nothing but uncompromising, supreme pedals.
While certainly not cheap at first glance, its strong individuality and practicality make it understandable why it remains so difficult to obtain.
Find the perfect pedalboard that will bring overwhelming presence and inspiration to your own pedalboard.