Nano Small Stone Review

The Nano Small Stone generates the traditional, thick, sweeping phase shifting with liquid transparency and tingling feedback control.

Ease of Use:	9
Sound:	9
Reliability:	8
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	8.8
Users rating:	10
Comments:	8

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: Steve BP, on february 01, 2008

Purchased from: Long & McQuade

Ease of Use: The Nano Small Stone Phaser is very easy to use. It has a rate dial and a "colour" toggle that allows you to switch between deeper or more subtle phasing effects. It is very easy to dial in your sound right away. The typical one-page EHX manual did not come in the box when I purchased mine. // 9

Sound: I'm using this effect with my Yamaha Pacifica 112 (fat strat clone) and Mesa Boogie Express 5\:25 amplifier. It sounds good both in front of the amp and in the effects loop, although I usually keep it in the loop. The sound of the Nano Small Stone is very lush and organic. With distortion, I think it sounds a little better with the colour Switch down (more subtle), and with clean tones it sounds more rich with the colour Switch up. The Nano Stone is ideal for David Gilmour tones, funky muted chording, palm muted power chords, and immitation Leslie speaker swirls. It also adds some roundness to lead tones. If you really listen for it, there is a tiny bit of a hiss when activated, but it is relatively silent. The pedal is responsive to Pick attack, providing a more pronounced "whoosh" or "wah" with strong attack. // 9

Reliability & Durability: The Nano Small Stone comes in a sturdy metal casing. I've babied the pedal, so I haven't truly tested it's durability. Since I'm not a gigging musician, others will need to comment whether they would gig without a backup. Since nothing has gone wrong with it yet. // 8

Impression: I use this pedal for 70s Pink Floyd tones, NWOBHM soloing tones, palm muted overdriven power chords, and making fun wacky noises. I have been playing guitar for just over a year. I also own an EHX Deluxe Memory Man, but I rarely use both the phaser and the DMM at the same time. I chose this unit over the MXR Phase 90 because it sounded more lush and organic, the rate dial had a broader sweep, the colour switch made it more versatile, I preferred the tone, and it was 2/3 the price. The Boss Super Phaser seemed more complex to use, it was more than I needed in a Phaser. // 9

Comments

[aether3089]

awesome review, am going to try and get one of these soon

[philjay]

I tried this thing, you can get some interesting sounds when the rate is part audible oscilation levels.

[elliot_3]

very nice. tried it out at the local guitar store, sounded awesome.

[We Remain]

nice review, you sounded a lot more intelligent than most with your level of experience

[Rock Boy]

How is it compared to the MXR Phase 90?

[SweetFancyMoses]

I have this pedal. I personally think its better than any Phase 90 ive ever played. It's always stuck in my chain right before a chorus and right after a compressor. Good piece of gear. Doesn't have too much of that EHX hum either so bonus on that. Good pedal though.

[quo]

i like the regular sized one better myself...its basically the same...but i thought it sounded better...it sounded weird in my loop so put it in front but after my distortion pedal...it makes a more dynamic sounding phase for some reason that way...wither way you cant go wrong with EHX

[lorrythebassguy]

Im with SweetFancyMoses, the Nano Stone is IMO better than the Phase 90, and you get better bang per buck. It just sounds more natural