What it is and what it was built for
The Small Stone is an analog phaser pedal made by Electro-Harmonix. It was designed by David Cockerell and released in 1974. It was built to generate moving, three-dimensional texture from a guitar or keyboard signal.
How it works, in terms a player would use
The Small Stone is a 4-stage analog phaser pedal. It uses a single knob to control sweep rate and a mode switch to select between normal and colour modes. Its signal path is all-analog, with no digital processing or presets.
What it does better than anything else
It delivers a uniquely liquid, organic phase sweep — warmer and less metallic than many 4-stage designs — especially at mid-tempo rates. Its simplicity forces expressive timing and touch.
What it does badly
It offers no modulation depth control. The colour mode adds intensity but cannot be blended or fine-tuned. It has no buffered bypass, so tone degrades in long cable runs or complex pedalboards.
What people made with it
Jean-Michel Jarre used it to shape the phased textures on his 1970s electronic albums. Players in stoner, psychedelic, and blues-rock contexts use it for undulating rhythm parts and lead swells.
Who should use it, and who should not
Guitarists and keyboard players who want one dedicated, musical phaser with immediate response should use it. Anyone needing recallable settings, multi-wave LFOs, or integration into a digital rig should not.
Is it worth your time
It is worth your time if you need a tactile, hands-on phaser that delivers rich, swirling motion without complexity. It is not worth your time if you need tap tempo, expression control, or stereo output.
