Tulpa FX Bunyip Review: A Silky Smooth Phaser That’s More Subtle Than Straightforward

Tulpa FX has crafted a versatile phaser that sounds great, especially when used to layer textures in lieu of pulsating waveforms.

Meet The Bunyip

The latest entrant to Tulpa FX’s family of cryptid guitar pedals is the Bunyip Phaser, a versatile and striking pedal to add to the modulation section of your board. The Bunyip’s name comes from a creature of the aboriginal mythology of Australia. This creature is said to lurk in swamps or creeks, serving as an amphibious creature that was rumored to survive on crayfish, or unsuspecting victims. Luckily, this pedal is not amphibious, nor is it lurking in water waiting to feed on you.

Instead, it may lurk on your pedalboard, offering up its smooth phaser tones to add some warble and waves to your signal path. The Bunyip Phaser is very simple to use, with dedicated depth and rate knobs, and an accompanying toggle for each which lets you choose between slow/fast modes. Thus, you end up with very sensitive control knobs to provide a wide range of phaser tones. Don’t expect some standard MXR Phase 90 clone however, as this Tulpa FX creation has a lot less of that in your face phaser tone, but in a good way!

Demo Video

I’ve got the Bunyip running into my trusty UAFX Dream ’65, Walrus Canvas Stereo, and Volt276 interface. By now you know the drill, this is my standard pedal demo rig for the 2025 season, and the guitar is my new (and much loved) Player II Modified Telecaster. Check the video and let me know what you think!

My Thoughts On The Bunyip

I’m an unabashed phaser lover, having grown up listening to The Clash’s “London Calling” on repeat. Despite my typical preference for more flashy, in-your-face phaser sounds, I found myself using the Bunyip as more of an always-on pedal. It’s slow, shallow phaser sounds are brilliant for adding just a touch of texture to rhythm guitar playing. Tulpa FX built a very useable phaser, not some outrageous noisemaker. While it may seem counterintuitive to use this pedal in such a subdued manner, that’s actually why I think the Bunyip has a lot of staying power. It’s not a one trick pony either, as it’s really musical and powerful in terms of the range of sounds.

You can crank the toggles towards the faster modes for rate and remove the dry signal mix from the depth for a vibrato-like tone. So you do have lots of tone shaping with simple controls! But I really love using this with the dry mix engaged and the depth on the shallower side. I may be biased because I’ve been on a Grateful Dead/Dead & Company binge, but I’m all about adding these little bright swirls around my playing.

Another pro to consider is how much fun this pedal is, as I found myself getting a little lost just playing little melodies and arpeggiated passages while doing the demo. It may not make for the most loud or wild phaser demo out there, but fun factor is one of the most important traits for any pedal to possess. I have been having a lot of fun with Tulpa’s Bunyip, and that’s a key justification for why you should jump on the small batch they’re launching today. If a fun, and highly functional phaser from a great boutique builder and musician is on your wish list, go check them out ASAP!

I’d also recommend checking out my friend Matt Foy’s demo to see another, louder size of the Bunyip to the more mellow side I showcased! Want to see some more fun from Tulpa FX? Go check out my review and demo of their Owlman noisemaker!