MXR Phase 90

This pedal is one of the simplest pedals on the market couldnt get any easier.

My set-up usually is my 80's Hamer standard-->Electra 602 C compressor-->MXR phase 90--> Marshall MG series 15 watt amp but it varies depending on tunings and what I'm playing. I have the MXR-P90 at 11 o' clock the effects sound amazing at all times. I can get tons of the EVH sounds, country, funk,and some cool metal ones too... sound great if teamed up and looped with a Boss CE-3 rate 2.5 o'clock depth 2 o'clock stereo mode at the left dot.

I can depend on it so much i would put my life on it. But just in-case a freak accident i would have a back up.

I haven't had to deal with MXR yet.

I mostly play Metal and this is a great match especially for those tapping solos!But i do play all kinds of music I feel this pedal is pretty universal.
I have been playing for around 5 yrs now and I am the proud owner of 5 guitars all electric all 6-string.90's ibanez,Zakk Wylde Gibson LP w/guitar heads active p-ups switched them to put the EMG's in my Jackson RR,80's Hamer, and a Dean VMNT Dave Mustaine w/ live wire actives.
Pedals - Electra 70's 602 C compressor - MXR Phase 90 - Boss CE-3, Dunlop Cry baby GCB-95 - Digitech Death metal - Boss DS-1 keely moded - Boss OD-2.

If this were lost I would go right out and buy another in a heart beat.
I love this pedal because it is simply the best phaser I have ever heard and it helps me create music.

If you are thinking about getting a phaser get the Phase 90.

MXR's gear is built to really last.

It's extremely easy to use: You've got one knob. If you can't figure this one out you're retarded.

This is where it gets shaky...
I have a 1980 Phase 90 that I bought off a friend. I like it a lot, but when I turn it on, it sucks out my treble and gives it a very muffled sound. The effect itself sounds great! But the fact that it sucks out so much tone is very disappointing, but I guess that's what you should expect from a 30 year old pedal.

It's very reliable. I have had no issues with it not working. My only worry is that it has no power plug, so the only way to power it is with a 9v, which I just don't trust. I've had the same battery in for about 6 months now, and the pedal still sounds great, but I just don't like that it could quit on me at any time.

Never had to deal with them.

I play a lot of blues/rock, but I have gotten into some psychedelic Pink Floyd like stuff, so the Phase 90 is great for that.
I play through 60th Anniversary Strat-Boss TU2-Line 6 DL4-Ibanez DE7-Phase 90-Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. It sounds great for what I use it for, but something I don't use often, and would trade for something else if given the opportunity.

Like many have said before, it doesn't get easier than this. 1 Knob, 1 on/off switch. So dead easy to get a good sound then? Theoretically, yes...

This is my setup:

Fender MIM Tele - Crybaby - RAT II - Little Big Muff - BBE Orange Squash - Boss ME50 (For the stuff I can't afford seperately! :D) - Phase 90 - Boss RV5 - Orange Crush 30R Hughes and Kettner Edition Blue 60R.

So, first I tried it solo, just guitar-phase-orange.


Biggest disappointment ever.

There is a horrible boost effect when the MXR is activated. Not the useful kind of boost - the pedal makes everything louder, but muffled and overly bassy. This effect occurs no matter what speed setting you use. This is NOT what anyone wants from a pedal.

So then, in the vain hope it might do something else, I put it on my pedal board and tried again. Exactly the same sound as before. It was clear that for clean use it was PATHETIC, but what about with overdrive on? I turned on the RAT. Where before the sound had been sharp and snappy with just od, the phaser made everything sound... I think mushy is the best word to describe it - unusable sound. Then I tried it with the compressor and the Muff - same thing again, just slightly different volumes obviously. Somehow, I made a pretty passable attempt at the phaser guitar sound at the start of "This is the place" (RHCP), although there was still that horrible gain boost there.

Can I depend on it? Yes. It's definately tough, I'll give 'em that. I would use this on a gig with no backup, except of course I wouldn't want to hurt the crowds' ears with such an awfull sound!

Never dealt with MXR - while reading reviews on the internet after a few hours of frustration, I discovered that this was what it was meant to sound like. I would consider doing the mod which everyone says works a treat, but I wouldn't know where to start and would probably break it.

I play anything from Bloc Party to White Stripes, Chili Peppers, Arctic Monkeys etc etc. I have been playing 3 1/2 years. If this was stolen, I would go straight out and buy another (hopefully decent) phaser pedal - just not this one! I love nothing about this pedal - it was a waste of ??70. Can't believe they charge so much for a piece of junk like this. I didn't compare it to anything else - wish I had now - as I reckoned that, this being MXR's (probably) most famous pedal, it had to be gopod, right? WRONG. Anything I wish it had? Decent sound is first on the list.

DO NOT BUY THIS PEDAL!!!!!

I had a ten quid behringer phase 90 clone before - sounded MUCH better! MXR needs to get their act together and seriously lower their prices.

1 Knob for controlling the speed, very easy. It also has an internal pot for controlling the depth (stock is at 9:00, I increased it a little bit, about 11:00).

I've got the reissue. Out of the box doesn't sounded very well. When kicked on, the volume increased a lot due to a midrange kick. Not a subtle effect, not very vintage. Rate for stock is 4.

But I've done the R28+C11+C12 mod (the easiest in the world, it only takes 10 minutes) and the effect became glorious. The best phaser I've ever had, very subtle, very vintage sounding.

(Gear: Gibson SG's -->> Boss CS-3 (modded) >> MI Audio Tube Zone >> Ibanez TS-9 Tubescreamer >> MI Audio Crunch Box >> Boss GE-7 >> MXR Phase 90 >> Ibanez AD-9 Analog Delay -->> Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 1x12" + 1x12" Marshall cab loaded with a Celestion Vintage 30).

A tank, try to destroy it, you won't be able.

I've never contacted MXR/Dunlop, I don't know...

Remember: the mod is indispensable

1 knob, 1 switch, bright LED. It doesn't get easier.

Here's my rig:

Epiphone Sheraton II >> MXR DynaComp >> Vox 847A Wah >> MXR 10-band EQ >> BBE Green Screamer >> EH Big Muff Pi (Russian) >> MXR Phase 90 >> Boss TR-2 Tremolo >> EH Holy Grail Reverb >> MXR Carbon Copy Delay >> BBE Boosta Grande >> BBE Sonic Stomp

Before the mod, this was maybe a 5 (charitable) because it had an ugly mid boost and abrasive distortion if either at high volume or with any gain stomp boxes on.

After R28 mod (also clipped the two capacitors, I forget which at the moment) the mid boost and distortion was gone and the sound takes on a nice phased warble/shimmer (depeding on Speed). I like to use the Phase 90 with the EH Big Muff Pi, it has a very psychadelic, trance-like sound. (Worth noting that the R28 mod is about as simple as a mod can get; you simply remove a resistor and two capacitors. At the same time, it DOES invalidate your warranty, so be careful.)

The simplicity of the pedal is nice, however you do sacrifice a lot of control since you only have Speed rather than Depth control. This wasn't a big deal for me when I first bought it, but after a while it has become a slight issue; I have been considering a Phase 100 for this reason.

The Phase 90 is not true bypass (and I've heard that modding it to be so is a pain in the butt, for you modders out there) but I notice little tone difference in bypass mode.

Well built, like all MXR stuff it comes with a nice knob cover that allows you to adjust the Speed with your foot in a gig situation without breaking the knob off.

The switch it pretty sensitive, I have accidentally turned the pedal off immediately after turning it on and vice versa a few times. On the other hand, if you can develop a soft touch (or step, or whatever) this might help the switch last a little longer.

Not dealt with them

Can't get a much better analog phaser for this price.

I have been thinking about buying the EVH Phase 90 and using this as a backup; I recommend demoing both if you get the chance.

Well worth the price if you don't mind that it doesn't give you a lot of options to play with.

ultra easy

I got this pedal and took it to my strat+tube amp at home. Playing at regular volume sounded great. I was very happy. Took it to a rehearsal, with amps cranked up, and then when hitting the button, there it was! that mid boost that made it unusable. Came home disappointed and started reading this forum and others. Then, I learned about the r28,c11,c12 mod.
As the pedal was unusable for gigs, I took some tools, a diagram on the web, and proceeded to open the thing.
I have never done this before, but I read some horror histories on the web and I was very careful. The tricky part was to clip the little legs of the bugs. A nail clipper (not the biting part) did the trick. I took one leg out of each and left them pointing up (standing).
Put the thing back together, and WHAT A DIFFERENCE! The sound was clear, smooth and subtle. I could not let go of playing for the next 2 hours at least....with Mod this gets a 10, without mod 7

solid, build like a tank, will live forever

I destroyed the warranty by applying the mod....I would say 10 just for the dealer word of having it back if not happy.

Get this asap.

It only has one knob and it sounds way too good for me to care that it doesn't have more. It's way easy to get a good sound from it.

It sounds killer. The reissue is a hair more trebly and has a slight distortion and midrange addition to it when compared to the vintage 74 reissue but I love how that sounds. The pedal is all in all way more extreme sounding than the vintage 74 reissue. Don't believe me? Go to you tube and check out the shoot outs that people do. There's no need to spend a ton of money on a killer phase sound. People get way too caught up in the vintage nonsense. Listen with your ears and not your eyes.

I can totally depend on it.

I love it. It sounds great on clean or high gain settings. It's way more extreme than the script version. Listen to the you tube shoot outs and hear what I'm talkin' about. The reissue is the way to go for someone who wants an extreme phase sound. No need to break the bank for the more subtle reserved script version.

It's so easy to use. Press button once and effect is on press again and it's off. There is only one control knob on the pedal (speed.) Battery life is good. Doesn't come with a manual (why would you need one?) Many people don't like the block logo phase 90 but I think it's great. I don't use effects very often and I use this when I need a bit of character in my sound.

My setup is Shure PGX14 wireless to Fender HSS Strat/Fender 40th Anniversary StratGibson Les Paul/Fender Tele/Peavey T26 to Dunlop Crybaby Classic -> MXR Phase 90 -> Rocktron Banshee or homemade talkbox (changes nightly) -> Line 6 POD (for distortion only) -> Peavey Windsor head (for Rock/Blues) or 1970 Kustom K200B-5 (country/latin rock) -> Behringer BG412F 4x12 straight cab. It's only noisy if the battery is low (like all Dunlop/MXR pedals I have used.) The phase sound is very good. I set mine at 9 0-clock always. My band play Classic Rock, Southern Rock, Classic Country, Modern Country, Texas Blues, Bristich Blues, Latin Rock, Reggae, a bit of Disco, some Alternative Rock and Bluegrass. People seem to like the variety. I use this pedal on songs that need a little something more than a dry sound (we don't like using anything artificial). I don't like my POD's Flanging or Chorusing sounds so I use Phaser.

Very tough pedal. I don't have a backup phaser and don't think I'll ever need one.

As I said earlier we play just about ANYTHING and on the songs I use this it's great. It helps me get creative. If you want a great phase effect this is the one to get. People have been using this for 30+ years and it's still the standard and it's pretty cheap too!

It couldn't be any easier to get a good sound out of this little brick.

I'll give it a 9 because nothing's perfect, but I don't have any problems with this. It's a re-issue, and I think it sounds great, exactly what I was looking for.

Who knows? MXR stuff always feels like you could drop it off the roof and it would still work, but I had a Distortion+ in the 90s that crapped out on me after a few years of light use. Again, who knows?

Never had a need, and hopefully I won't have to anytime soon.

Frankly, guitar players get way too hung up on names, labels, "original" this, "better" that. "Oh, I would never play one of the re-issues", blah blah blah To me, that's all meaningless drivel. I have no interest in overpaying for an original Phase 90, this re-issue suites me just fine, and sounds great. I guarantee you that 99% of the cork-sniffing tone snobs out there wouldn't be able to tell the difference between this and an "original" in a blind test. But who cares, play what you like. Just don't look down your nose at players who don't need to project the boo-teek contents of their pedalboard onto the back wall so that everyone in the audience will be impressed. Hey, I love gear, and I love talking gear, but it just gets ridiculous sometimes. I've been playing for 25+ years and get regular compliments from the tone generated by my pocketbook-friendly rig: Am Std strat into various pedals (Barber Ltd, Rte 66, Digidelay, etc) into a Peavey Delta Blues.

One nob and a switch

5 before the mods 9 - 10 after.

I bought the pedal with a strong assumption that I would be doing the r28 mod, but played with it before doing so. I knew that unmodded it might not quite be what I was looking for, but, when I plugged it in it was far worse than expected. It not only added phase, which is what it is supposed to do, but it totally changes your tone and sound, adds a mid range boost, and that nasty distortion when hit hard etc... I have other pedals to color my sound, distortion pedals, wahs, equalizer etc... The last thing I need is unwanted unadjustable tones from my phaser!! - Kind of wierd why they build it this way.

Anyhow, the good news. Given the above, I clipped the r28 mod, and plugged it back in. This made a substantial improvement, greatly reduced the mid range color and pretty much eleminated the distorted tones. One snip turned the pedal into something useable and musical, but, it still wasn't quite the phaser sound I had in mind, it was still a bit too much on the bottom of the phase i.e. it washed the tone too much kind of like an extreme backed off wah setting.

So, I proceed to clip the C11 and C12 caps. After this it was really sounding good, a nice sweet phase that didn't change the volume or color the tone when kicked in, but even more tweaking was in order. In researching the mods I picked up suggestions to play with the internal pot adjustment, especially if you do the C11 and C12 mod. I did, tried it in different positions and found that turning the pot a little bit more clockwise added back a bit of deepness to the phase without adding any unwanted tone changes. - I am very pleased now, I feel like I got a nice transparent musical phase that is much more akin to what you get out of more expensive units for $70!!

Rock solid construction

It is a fantastic value after the mods. If you aren't willing to modify the pedal, at the very least the R28 mod, be careful, the stock pedal really adds alot more than just phasing to the tone, you may like it, but I really didn't.

If you have questions, you can pm me on the Harmony Central boards under Mickslick

It has one knob: Speed. Effects can't get any easier than this! If you can't figure out how to use this pedal... you need to give up on effects pedals all together. All you do is plug it in and click it on/off.

I love the way this effect sounds on a bass! It sounds great on guitar too, but I think it sounds amazing on bass. It adds a little bit of an "underwater" tone that is just enough to give you an edge. It doesn't rob the low end, and it adds a sparkle that can be great for a slow melodic lines while still being equally effective for a greasy funk riff. The first time I tried this pedal I knew I had to own it!

This thing is built like a tank. I don't abuse my gear, but if I did... I'd guess there would have no issues with this pedal. It is remarkably solid.

I've never had to engage them so I have no opinion.

I think all bassists should try this pedal. It sounds great on a bass! I've had several pedals come and go, but this one will always be on my pedalboard. I have only one complaint: I wish it was true bypass. That's the only thing this pedal is missing... other than that it is perfect.

This particular Phase 90 is the "script" model or "reissue" model. Beautiful pedal and MXR did a fine job in recreating an original. The only added feature that this model has is the red LED, which is a plus over the original.

Easy to use out of the box. One knob. Tone it to your preference (speed). That's about it. Not much to say. I normally keep it at about the 11-o'clock position. Perfect for me without too much of a phase effect.

I never played the original Phase 90 (script) pedal but have heard about its legendary tone from great artists like EVH, David Gilmour, and others. I was hoping to recreate the tone from EVH's "Unchained" version but with my wimpy setup of a stock Strat and a 60-watt Fender Cyber Champ, it proved difficult. Plus, EVH uses a harmonizer, modified amps, and a freakish guitar setup to get that sound. Close, but no cigar.

The pedal does produce some nice, wavy, phase tones, but in all fairness, my setup isn't what I consider a "professional" setup. Simple Strat hooked-up to a simple 60-watt Fender. I was expecting a bit more, but that may just be my high expectations.

Decent pedal. Not earth-shattering. Will take time to "tone in" my sound I guess.

Here's where this pedal failed me. Literally.

This pedal failed after 10-minutes of use right out of the box. I first ran it with a 9-volt battery and all was fine when suddenly, the pedal started to fizz-out and sound weak. The red LED was lit up, but the pedal sounded like crap. A few minutes later, no phase effect at all was coming out of it, so we figured it was a weak battery. Just to make sure it wasn't the battery, we plugged it into a MXR adapter. Same result.

Here's the scary part. A few minutes after plugging it into the MXR adapter, we started to sense a "burning electrical parts" odor. Augh! Sure enough, the pedal's electronics were fried! The pedals LED was still on, but no phase effect and the bypass still worked. Bottom line, the pedal was dead.

I immediately called MXR the next day and got a RA (Return Authorization #) to have it replaced. The guy on the phone at MXR was understanding and didn't question it other than "What power adapter did you use?". He issued me an RA number and told me to expect a replacement back in 2-3 weeks. We shall see. I will update this review after I get my pedal back...if I ever do!

As mentioned above...we shall see.

I play mostly classic rock like Led Zep, Boston, Cream, Pink Floyd, etc. Hoping to recreate some of the 70's sounds. Have been playing for about 10 years total (off and on).

Have tried other phase pedals but was disappointed by their tone. I was hoping this reissue would do the trick.

I'll give it another chance when I get my replacement. Only this time I'll put it thru a Les Paul and Marshall amp to see what it can do. As for the EVH sound, well...I don't have a monster rig so this will have to do!

Its one knob. Marked speed. If you have difficulty then there is something wrong with you.

Sounds great! I used to have a EHX small stone and before that a boss PH-2. The boss was too sterile: I can imagine wanting that kind of effect sometimes but its not really me; the small stone was ok, but the volume drop was a problem plus the colour switch down was too weak and the colour switch up too strong: the phase 90 falls somewhere between the two colour modes of the stone but without the volume drop: perfect! Nice and watery and very clearly analog, no volume loss (infact a bit of a boost! I'm told this can be got rid of with the R28 'script' mod). The distortion that people go on about is there, but its is NOT a big deal (Im told the R28 mod solves that too): I can only pick it up when strumming hard or when using a clean boost, its a small price to pay! I use it in the following setup:

Fender jazzmaster/Gibson les paul faded special--
-Barge Concepts BB-jr fuzz--Keeley proco RAT--Boss Blues driver--Loop Pedal (Loops in--Korg DT10 tuner--Boss PN-2 tremolo--EHX small clone--MXR phase90--)--Boss DD-20 giga delay--Fender Blues deville 212 60W combo

This pedal completes my setup... I want to stop spending money!

Never had an MXR pedal before last week...seems sturdy...wouldn't be suprised if I have to replace the footswitch in the future (its not true bypass at the moment...would probably get a good quality 3DPT footswitch when it comes up, but bypass isn't a problem as I loop all my modulation pedals anyway.)

Not a clue. Doubt they'd be much help, more important stuff to do than dealing with the cheapest pedal in their range.

I play indie/grungey/experimental rock along the lines of sonic youth, trail of dead, silversun pickups, sleater kinney, ikara colt, nine black alps, minus the bear etc etc. This pedal does its one trick beautifully and is all I'll ever need from a phaser, but if you're after a several-trick pony I'd go for a boss PH-3 or something similar. if you're more plug in and play then this is for you! I got interested in it not because of van halen (though my brother says it sounds perfect for playing ****** 80s metal) but coz thurston moore used it in the final 15 min noise part of 'the diamond sea', just after the final (quiet) chorus (8 mins in?) when he starts picking that em7/9 chord. Go listen. Thats the sound.

Nice and straight forward - plug in, one knob to twiddle and you're away! The knob has a large rubber bit around the outside (can be removed) which allows you to adjust with your foot while playing in a live situation - handy that!

Good analogue sounds with quite a lot of variation as you turn the knob. I go for about 2 - o - clock myself. Works well distorted and clean, and all points in between, though I'm rarely extreme. I use Marhsall heads, 4x12 cabs, a boost pedal and a tremelo, with a little reverb, using old teles, strats and SGs. All sorts of music covered from rock to punk to blues to alt country.

My only criticism is that the pulse gets too noticeable on a lot of settings. To me it has the one sweet spot, although the extreme stuff is great for short term efect.

Mind you, it's my third choice behind a 1977 Boss PH-1 and an electro harmonix small stone. Having said that, those are tough acts for anyone to follow, and I'd use no other than these three now(but not at the same time...).

Very reliable. Never let me down. Nice and small on the pedalboard as well, though battery access is a pain (4 screws)/

Not needed it!

Works well with a load of styles as long as you keep it in the sweet spot(though Eddie VH made it famous).

Works well distorted and clean, and all points in between, though I'm rarely extreme. I use Marhsall heads, 4x12 cabs, a boost pedal and a tremelo, with a little reverb, using old teles, strats and SGs. All sorts of music covered from rock to punk to blues to alt country, and I've been playing live for over 30 years.

1 Knob! if anyone gives this less tahn 10? whats going on :)

I have a 1982 Version and it sounds great! I get no distortion at all which people complain about with the re-issues :) I have never used the latest model? all I know is that I get a very warm and lush clean Phaser sound on whatever setting I put it on :) This nails Pink Floyd! well, Mr Gilmour used this pedal :) anyway, if you listen to dark side of the moon album, thats the sound I get out of this pedal! I don't know if the 70's script sounds any different? but this early 80's version is top notch, I don't think I will buy another Phaser pedal again :) I also own the Dunlop reissue MXR Phase 100! it doesn't match the quailty of my older phase 90! makes me feel annoyed! why don't they build the modern pedals with the parts they deserve to have! re-issue owners are missing out on something that should have never been messed with from the start! im not saying the new stuff is rubbish, you can mod a phase 90 :)! im just saying when the original MXR made something so great! why did Dunlop have to mess with cutting costs on parts etc! it stinks! I think people deserve to have what started the popularity in the first place! I will add that its good that Dunlop have added a DC input on the new stuff :) my pedal has something different? a small hole? one of those different type inputs for power

Can I say I think this is tougher than a boss! seriosuly, this thing is solid like a tank! no signs of weakness!

I own the 1982 version, this pedal gives me the phase sound I like :) I won't be selling it or buying another phaser :)

It's a one knob wonder. you twist the knob to a point where you're happy with the sound and you're set. It helps a lot that the pedal sounds good at almost all of the settings.

I'm using it in between an epiphone goth thunderbird bass and an ampeg b2r head. It sounds incredible with the knob at about 11:00, theres a nice slow wash, I use it on about 1/3 of all of my bands hard rock originals (www.myspace.com/ataraxia1). There isnt any noise or hiss.

It seems incredibly reliable and I've never had any problems with it. I would gig without a backup to it.

I bought the effect from Chris Chiandusse at Guitar Center who was incredible to deal with. Very friendly and definately stands behind the products he sells. If I ever had any problems with the pedal I would take it back to him before trying to go through MXR.

I play bass in Hard Rock songs in the same vein as Disturbed, Black Label Society, and alice in chains. The pedal fits in perfectly with a lot of the cleaner passages in our songs.

If it were stolen I would buy another one in a second from Chris at GC imidiately. The pedal definately plays a part in my creative process, It just sounds great.

Simple to use, one knob. Just plug in and kick the switch.

When I first tried it. I gasped! What the heck is the clipping and unwanted distortion from a $70 unit, it sounded like rig and my $2000 Les Paul cost $2.
Then I did some research about the R28 "script" mod, and tried not to panic. I thought, "if I use this live stock, my band will laugh at me" it sounds like *&%$.
First I toyed with returning it for the $130 EVH Phase 90...
Then I sucked it up, got ballsy and went ahead and did the R28 mod myself and removed the R28, C11 and C12 resistors.
I tried just the R28 first, but it still distorted for me, bummer. So I was even ballsier and removed the C11 & C12 also. I reluctantly put the orange beast back together, having thoughts of, Oh no! what did I just do! I though I just threw away $70. WRONG! I just successfully did the 'script' mod myself and it sounds better than ever, this is now the custom shop script for a third of the price, perfect!

It's built like a tank, compared to the cheap plastic weak Danelectro chicken salad "univibe" I just replaced the this MXR.

Don't Know

The rating went from a 1 "pre-mod" ...
to a ten "with mod" I lucked out big time and saved money.

One knob and a switch...ok? Ok...then let's begin.

I bought a stock one from Dunlop for the sole purpose of doing the famous R28 "Script" mod. I played around with it pre-mod to get a feel for it. The phasing was very upfront and syrupy...pretty cool overall. I didn't notice a whole lot of clipping or distortion that is a common complaint, but I didn't really pound this thing too much. There is plenty of range in the Rate control. I can't believe I didn't order one of these sooner.

So I pulled that bad boy apart, snipped the R28, C11 and C12 whatchamacallits and went back to work. This time, the swirl became broader but more subtle. At lower rates below 12 o'clock, the way the whole thing glides and turns over is fantastic. I really like the movement it adds to chords and single note lines alike. The signal was noticably cleaner.

While I definitely like it better post-mod, pre-mod it's excellent as well. I kind of wish the post-mod version had a little bit more depth to it, but I still dig it nonetheless. I think it's a winner whether you keep it stock or do the mod. I may even by a second one and keep it stock just to have it. My best advice is that if you like it well enough stock, it's perfectly respectable to keep it that way. If you want to clean it up a bit and bring the depth down, the mod is the way to go.

This thing has earned a ride on the pedalboard. I love it.

No issues here.

I've been playing longer than I haven't been playing and I've hit all styles at some point. I like Fender guitars and Vox amps. I have lots of other MXR effects and really dig them all.

This is one of the better effects purchases I've made in a while. I like having a lot of effects around to experiment with and suffer from G.A.S. the same as anyone, but this is something I can see myself using for a wide variety of things. I can definitely see the reason why this thing is considered a classic. At $70 it's a worthy investment.

The R28 mod is a hugely popular mod for this pedal, and it's very clear why. It does give it a vintagey old school sound that I imagine is pretty close to the original Script versions (I've never heard one in the flesh, but if the descriptions of the originals I've read and heard are accurate, this seems to get real close). But whether it's really all that necessary is up to you. This thing is great right out of the box.

one knob...can it get any more easy than that?!!!

the battery compartment is inside, and 4 screws must be removed. that can be a pain, i am sure if i play live with one of these and ran out of batteries, i would have to just unplug it. i may invest in a dunlop "brick" power supply.

oh, and if you are thinking about using that rubber knob grip that slides over the knob, do not use it, unless you are planning on leaving it on there forever! Because you have to use the wisdom of solomon and the strength of sampson to remove it!

sound quality. nice. you see, i have 2 of these. and that legend about the r28 mod is more than a legend, it makes it "script" just like they say! i have 2 phase 90s, and one of those was pre-modded when i bought it. and the bandwidth, and range of harminics is so much wider and more brilliant....GORGEOUS! i think i am going to do this mod to my other one!

2 of these pedals, set almost exactly the same, perhaps just a slight difference in rate, sounds INCREDIBLE! ANALOG BABY!!!

i see it as dependable. as i said previously, i think i want to get that dunlop "brick". a higher milliamp supply does improve the sound quality and reliability! i am not sorry i bought these!

follow the instructions and you should be fine. dunlop only will honor a waranty if it is the neglegance of them and not you. all i can say is, even if it does void the warranty, have the r28 mod done...it will be worth it still!

i am not with a band, per se. but, i do some home recording, writing songs, etc. i have been playing for over 20 years, longer than i havent, really. and i must say, so far, mxr and electroharmonix are my favorite manufacturer of stomp boxes!

Very easy to useEven with all the presets (kidding)

Any thing from EVH to Led Zepp,no Quarter

29 years and still going

Mine is a REAL MXR Phase 90 but Dunlop is pretty cool, They fixed my old Vox Wha for me back in 1989 for free

There is a way huge difference in a real vintage MXR, Has to be from the 1970's Some of the Dunlops can sort of sound OK,but with that red LED it does somthing to them,that why all great fuzz box's Never have a LED.So if you buy a new P-90 better check all in the store and try to get the best one.But if you want that EVH or Led Zeppelin sound,get out the visa and pay trew the nose for a Real one.And if you try to get one on ebay,be VERY careful,most are reissued ones from the late 1990's A real one will say MXR and the date and year on the POT,so be careful on ebay Beat to go to a vintage dealer or guitar show and pay the $150.00 to $200

Two jacks. One knob. Easy.

I use this with an SG and a Hotcake pedal through an old 70's Ampeg and I love the sound I get with it.
Admittedly, it's the only phase pedal I've ever used, but I think it's amazing. It never screws up my guitar's tone adversely, and if it weren't for the fact that it would sound silly, I would leave it on all the time.
I leave it on the lowest setting always and it doesn't do the typical HUGE sweeps that make phasers often sound stupid.

It's an MXR... steel case with one big rubber knob. These things would survive a nuclear blast.

I remember spending a lot on this pedal, but I will forever keep in in my effects chain.

Very easy. Mainly Because it only has one knob and a footswitch. You need a screwdriver to reach the battery, and the power input is awkwardly placed.

"It sounds terrible". I've used this pedal with a variety of guitars, and the single coils understandably suffer less than the higher output pickups. Hit your strings too hard on a guitar with humbuckers and the thing will distort your signal to shit. I'm not talking about about thrashing away at the strings, I mean anything above gentle picking. I tried this in the store beforehand with some old telecaster with low output pickups and didn't notice anything then. I haven't read the the rest of these reviews so I don't know if someone has mentioned it, but it's not a one off - I made a post on a guitar forum about this, and everyone who replied acknowledged the same issue with their own phase 90s. People who didn't notice this either don't have very sharp ears, or are playing through a shit amp/guitar anyway. Either that or MXR are extremley inconsistent.

One more important thing, is that when the effect is switched off, it will still alter your signal, distorting it in a way similar to when it's on but with a less noticable effect.

When it's not distorting your signal it souns pretty nice clean, not so good distorted.

I can't, or see how anyone else can, use this pedal.

If you have trouble getting "your" sound out of this thing you might want hang up your guitar and try the drums or something! One knob, easy as pie! The manual,like anything you buy from Dunlop is for a wah wether you buy a wah or not! Not needed with pedal anyway...

I'm using this with a silverface Twin Reverb (135watt) first into a Boss TU-2 tuner, Ibanez TS-9, Boss CE-5, MXR phase 90 and Boss DD-3, Finally (sometimes)into my Crybaby wah. Ultimtaely my tone comes from either a Les Paul studio or '72 telecaster deluxe. Okay with that said lets review this sucker: The phase is great,very warm and lush from really slow to fast modulation, however if you play percussive like I do,(reggae) your gonna hate this thing.I play mostly clean and do NOT want any extra distotion coming from anything but my tubescreamer! This thing breaks up (clips) like you wouldn't believe...stay away from this if you want maximum clean headroom...

Its brand new and its Dunlop so I'm sure its reliable and its built to last, just not for me!

N/A

Like I said I play reggae music and this pedal would be great for someone that plays dirty (distortion). For me I like to maintain tha max clean headroom I can i.e 135 watt Twin (no tube break-up) and this one aint for me. I read the reviews and shoulda listened...I'll stick with my PH-3 I guess

Classic MXR, easy to use pedal

I use a valve amp and humbucking guitar. Extremely warm tone.

Ive had mine for about 3 years, had problems with my boss delay and small clone and the phaser has outdone them all. Built in very solid casing, very very reliable pedal.

no need

versatile pedal for rock blues, cheap way to get an authentic van halen sound.

incredibly simple ....one knob!
s

I use very few effects, in addition to the phase 90 , I use only a crybaby.
I find the sound when playing clean to be extremely soothing, very well balanced.
When playing with heavy distortion the classic EVH sound can be recreated. rub a palm to the strings and you're the atomic punk!

Built solid!
I can't imagine any probs

never needed

I've been playing about 20 years.
works great with my strat and/or my vintage gibson sg
been using the pedal through a series of marshall amps from a valvestate up to a vint. plexi with mesa cabs
mostly play hard rock to a rock/blues mix

I love this pedal, and would replace in a second if stolen!
Don't even question buying it...just dig into yer wallet and git it done!!!!!

real easy. i got it used on ebay for 50 bucks without the manual and was able to get a good sound out of it just by adjusting the knob. since there's only one, you dont have to worry about combination and permutation. ;)

i have an epiphone SG-400 go into an MXR dyna comp, Maxon SD-9, this Phase 90 and then into a Vox Pathfinder (bedroom practice amp) and it sounds great. i usually have it on with distortion since the SD-9 is so cool i play almost everything with it on and i dont notice any extra "noise"

i think its sounds great. only complaint is that i wish it had a "level" knob to control the amount of phase effect comes out of it. In other words, I wish I could add a more subtle phaser sound (perfect for bridges in a song!). This was mentioned in another review when the person said it seems to "take over" the sound a bit.

otherwise, its awesome!

it feels solid...but i dont really do gigs. i jam with friends and so i'm not really in a position to rate this category.

never dealth.

if you can get a good deal on it, get it! even at 69.99 from music123.com (free shipping!) its a great deal.

I Don't think any pedal is easier to use. Plug in, turn the knob to adjust the speed. One knob that's it. Really there isn't much to say other than it's idiot proof.

I use this with bass. I Run Ibanez 5 string(Sxr505 and EDA905)>Tech 21 sansamp>a variety of pedals>Peavey T-Max head>Ampeg 8x10. Sounds great...nothing to adjust in way of tone or level controls, which sometimes could be a headache but with this pedal it's not an issue as it sounds great out of the box. One of my favourite pedals, however....

....The thing stopped working for no reason whatsoever. I used it one day it was fine, came back the next day plugged in and...nothing. I didnt drop it or do anything to it. I haven't taken it in to see what the problem is yet, but irregardless it's quite frustrating.

I'll tell ya when i get this thing repaired

When it was working it was one of my favourite pedals. And im sure when i get it repaired it will be back near the top. It's possible that mine just has a defect as i've seen alot of reviews saying these things are very reliable.

It's great for either a nice slow warm phase sound to fill out your sound or a fast "trippy" phase. I play Prog Rock so i need pedals that can work with a wide range of musical styles and this definately is one of those pedals.

No comment !

for clean stuff it can work but in mild overdrive or distrtion forget it the hights get to sharp, it boost6 your signal and compress the tone, very dissapoinnted with this..

I test it with my Strats, Paulas and Accustics, Marshall, Engl Amps,
2x12 and 4x12 caps.

!! I try the mod, play with the trim pot inside and nothing helps.
You want buy it ?? call me I sell it.

fat metal.

????

I play since 20 years, the last ten as Studio, session and pro player. Jazz, Blues,Country, Funk, Reagge, Rock, Metal, Alternative, Ethno....anything.

And I m not lucky with this one, maybe a volume knop can help but use it only in studio if i must.

Easiest pedal ever. This one didn't even have the intimidating AC jack or one of those creepy and power-draining Status LEDs. If you hear a swoosh it's on, if not step on the pedal; turn knob to adjust speed; play the hottest licks ever!

I'm writing this just months after modding my own 1992 model with the R28 pull. I'm reviewing my friend's script logo model that his dad bought and used for his band in the seventies. Sounds about a million light years from my Dunlop. Sound is "glassier" and more "liquid" whereas the reissue sounds "spacey" and "raygun-like". I attribute this to the ceramic caps in the original vs. the polyester-looking ones in mine, as well as those wonderful 741 opamps. Also much slower speed than mine. At it's highest setting it sounds like mine at about 2/3 up; the slowest setting yields nearly subliminal phasing, more like a vintage wah sitting in the sweet spot and moving so slow you don't notice, but sure as hell would if it was missing. Not any noticably noisier through the solid-state Fender amp I was testing through. Phasing effect was less deep but noticably sweeter, and would probably cause pants-wetness through the right tube amp.

This one has been in use since the seventies, first by it's orignal owner, second by his son. It's been kicked around onstage, is missing three screws, and has only three very small scuffs on the face to show for it. I don't know if it's been repaired but all the flying leads looked like they had their original (or professionally repaired) solder joints. My dunlop has had the switch and output jack replaced, and the cheaper and lighter paint is scraped consistantly around the edges. Bud box is lighter but seems as durable as the heavier MXR Innovations box.

That MXR has been out of business since '79 right? Customer support = own a soldering gun. Not my pedal though, don't know what company was like back then.

I try to play my guitar like a keyboard. Mainly fingerstyle, almost always rock. This pedal would suit my style if my wife would let me buy it. Alas, my friend would like to sell it now that he knows what it's worth. I shouldn't have told him! He likes it to get that "Lightning Crashes" sound, but would be just as happy with a newer or just plain other phaser. I will have dreams about this sound, and will probably try to build a 741-equipped clone into a homebrew multi-effects someday, but will settle for my dual-opamps for now. Any inquiries or requests of pictures can be directed to my email!

This is the simplest pedal in the world.
Just turn the knob as desired

:)


easy

See my Big Muff USA reissue review for full gear setup.

Basically i use a Strat plus(EMG DG20 pickups)into my effects chain, this sits after my Electric Mistress.

I use it for a number of different effects - on cleaner tones to get that uni-vibe effect (think "Breathe" from Dark side of the moon, or Have a cigar from Wish you were here).
I also use it with the Big Muff or overdrive, with no delay, to get a nice, warm pahse tone to my lead sounds.

I wouldnt say it was noisy, but it is loud, the effect overtakes a little, so you have to roll back the volume a little and control it. Otherwise you could experiment with it's placing in your effects chain.

The overall sound of this is great though, it's warm and squelchy and sticky and melty (!) and just sounds soooooo good.

seems to be pretty solid.

dont know

This is a great addition to my collection of Pink Floyd-a-like pedals. It has a really enjoyable sound and is unlike any other phaser i've used.

My only negative is that it is pretty dominant, and i sometimes wish i could lower the level of it a little. However, if you take time to place it correctly, set up your levels overall and use it effectively then this will become one of the best pedals you've ever used.
I havent done the mod thing, i think i like the slightly distorted effect, if you listen to a leslie rotating speaker in use, then that sounds a little distorted too (due to the volume fluctuations). Also, most of the time i use this i feel the added distortion (however slight) is what gives this it's unique tone, and makes it so much fun to mess with......... my only thought is that modding it may fix my volume concern.

Anyway....... i love it :)

oh.... and this doesn't sound particularly different from the original script versions, the old ones are a little bit mellower but that could be an effect of ageing on those old components, and if you EQ this a little i think they sound pretty much identical.

This pedal is very straight foward, just plug it in then power it up with either a 9V battery or a 9V AC adapter. The knob adjusts the rate of the Phase sweep, it does not however adjust the amount of coloration of the effect. This particular pedal that I bought from a local Guitar Center did not come with any instruction manual, just a warranty card and a booklet that advertises a variety of MXR pedals (also the plastic knob jacket was missing too, but who cares, I never needed to use one).

My current setup is a MIM Standard Strat (w/ Seymour Duncan SSL 1's 50's style sound with a slightly hotter brigde p/u) into a 535Q Dunlop wah pedal(with the 16db boost always ON) into a vintage ProCo Rat distortion into the MXR Phase 90 reissue into an Ibanez DE7 delay into either a Marshall mini (1/2 watt SS amp) or a Fender Blues Jr (15watt tube amp).
My decision to buy this pedal was mainly 2 reasons, one being that I got into Van Halen stuff within the last year, and two i wanted some kind of filtering effect in my setup for a larger variety of sounds. Something extra that I did with this pedal after purchasing it (thus voiding its warranty) was removing the R28 resister from the Phase 90's circuitry. This did make a noticable difference to the sound of the effect when used with my RAT and 16db boost from my Crybaby. What it seems to me from listening closely was that the strange mid range 'tubby' sound was diminished quite significantly. Although alot of owners of this pedal (or so I've read of in this review on Harmony Central) seemed to be content with just removing R28, I still thought that there was too much of that midrange tubbyness going on when being used with my RAT and 16db before that coming from the 535Q. So what I went ahead and did was remove the two capacitors C11 and C12. In turn I got closer to what I was looking for 'sound-wise'. It became more closer to the tones that I associate with early VH 1 passages in which EVH uses the phase shift effect. From what I hear on Eddies early stuff is that his Phase shift when turned ON, was arguably subtle in that it didnt sound too swishy or shooshy (with the exception when the rate was turned up), and more arguably didnt have such a pronounced mid range tubbyness. Although I have a very different setup from EVH's early days of Plexis and self wound humbuckers and the like from those days, I can argue that the MXR Phase 90 especially when used with any half decent overdrive or distortion can get closer to emulating the early EVH vibe because of the basic tone coloration that you get when using a phase shift effect.
So all in all, for the results that I got with this pedal after taking some components out from its circuitry I think that the pedal is more usable with distortion effects, well thats with my setup, everyone's is different. I think that if anyone is looking to buy either the EVH MXR phase 90 or the reissue MXR phase 90, to buy both and take them for a listening test, and see which one suits all your preferences then take the other back for a return. I actually prefered the reissue Phase 90 (after removing r28, c11, c12 ) over the EVH P90 because I thought this pedal sounded more 'univibe-like in the 12-2'oclock settings. Simply because I wanted to have Hendrix's Univibe woodstock type stuff on hand without having to buy an expensive Vibe unit. So that's that. This unit gets an 9 for doing nice phase sounds with and without distortion or overdrive (after the mods of course).

The orange box is all metal and solid, the only gripe is the orange peel paint job that seems to chip quite easily. The internal guts and circuitry is ALL done within one solid circuit board, even the jacks. The only thing about that is some ppl want to use true bypass DPDT mods but thats not going to be easily feasible with its current construction compared to the older (pre 82'?) MXR Phase 90's. This gets an 8 for the sake of repair purposes that the internal jacks and stomp switch are incorporated into the actual circuit board (not easy to service).

I havent turned in the warranty card that came with this unit because I voided it by changing some of the internal circuitry so I probably wont be dealing with the company in the future for any repairs or service.

Most of my overall view of this pedal is in the previous sections of my review. It has a nice phase shift effect for applications that I sought it for such as early day EVH type stuff and even Hendrix Univibe type stuff (with the strats neck PU). My advice is to buy the units that you are interested in (permitting they're not out of your ballpark cash-wise, and can be returned without fees) and try them out side by side to figure out which you prefer, then return the other.
This pedal gets a 9 because it does do nice phase shift's that sound appealing to me.

I am just updating my review. I found the Phase 90 schematic on DiscoFreq's site and I looked for something that connected like that. Blammo! A 20k resistor that looked like the culprit. Desoldered her out, and immediately ran to the next room for my amplifier. Results below!

WOW!!!!! What a vocal sound. Much less swooshy, more like a sweeping wah. The only boost or cut in volume I had was due to the non-feedback version's wider volume range from top of sweep to bottom. I didn't pull any capacitors out, and when I really bang the strings on the neck pickup of my Les Paul Spec., there's still a bit of breakup. But the breakup sounds more hi-fi. I sure do love playing with this thing clean. I know I'll miss the swoosh-fart of the block sound eventually, but would keep the capacitor *out* of the circuit if I had to choose. And until Radio Shack opens, I guess I'll have to.

no change

no change

When that thing gets put on a toggle, it'll be like I got TWO classic pedals for ten bucks at a garage sale. So GREAT VALUE!

This unit is very simple to use. Just plug it in and adjust the knob. The farther to the right, the faster the "swirling" tone. With the a Boss DD-3 Digital Delay, the tone is awesome. If you can chew gum and change your Tampax at the same time, you can figure out this pedal.

I use this pedal with a 2002 Peavey Wolfgang guitar and a 120 Watt Crate Amp. This peadal also works well with a DD-3 Digital Delay and the SD-1 Super Overdrive. This pedal has a warm and clean sound, no noise or buzz. Set it at 9 to 10 O'clock and you can nail the Van Halen Brown Sound.

This Phase 90 is built as solid as a German tank. I have had this pedal for 3 years and have stomped the hell out of it more times than anyone could ever count with no problems with the unit or the switch. I have 100% faith in this pedal.

I have never had to use any kind of customer suppport. This Phase 90 has worked perfectly from the day I took it out of the box.

The only thing I can tell others about this pedal is you do not have to spend twice as much for the new special red/black/white striped EVH Phase 90 pedal. All your doing is spending a lot more money for a fancy paint job and the EVH name. The original Phase 90 ( solid orange pedal) has the same tone and sound. I highly recommend this pedal. There is nothing really to dislike about it at all. I did not compare this to any other kind of phasers out there, because this one is the only one to have.

1 knob increases speed. In that respect easy, but you gotta watch your pickup volume so 8.

I use it with a 1993 double cut Les Paul Special (P90s) and 1967 Melody Maker (SG cut with wierd little single-coils); Ibanez TS5 and DD5, DOD FX50, Dunlop Crybaby, Sovtek Small Stone 2 different kinds of green Big Muffs, Ebow; and I run these into my Roland JC-50 or I record direct with either a Behringer V-Amp2, Zoom 505 (rarely), or the modelling in my bandmate's Korg D1200.

If you want to sound like Rod Stewart's "Tonight's The Night" you need that block logo sound. I, however, use it to make strange space warbles and also like it clean with the speed real high like a fast leslie.

It's very easy to get a good sound if you are using distortion after, or if you watch your volume on the clean stuff.

Which is why so many people do the r28 mod.

Basically you cut out the feedback resistor or stick it on a switch which is what I want to do, but my 1994 block logo reissue that has a different circuit board than the current reissue. The jacks and pot are connected by wires, not mounted on the pc board. All the opamps are in a vertical column down the center of the board which is labelled "MXR" and "101-3001-105". It does have an LED and AC in. I can't seem to find this layout anywhere on the net. I'd love to mod it myself. Maybe someone's seen this before? I have pictures and will happily email them.

I seem to remember fixing the switch and the output jack back in high school. Had to the switch in my crybaby a few times too, though. I wouldn't use the dunlop switch again. Wierd voodoo. I would probably gig without a backup as phasers are not a necessary part of my sound. If it didn't turn on, I'd just turn it back off again.

I haven't dealt with Dunlop. However I would love to talk to anyone who can help me mod this thing. I just need to figure out which resister it is, since mine ain't labeled like the new ones.

Please help me find my feedback resistor!

I just dug this out of the box again a few weeks ago. This pedal sounds like it's supposed to but doesn't get recorded as much as the Small Stone. Maybe with the mod? Hasn't seen much live use since high school when I was pedal crazy. I think I'm more inclined to use just distortion tone live these days. My bassist had one, and it worked much better than the Small Stone for his purposes.

Anyone who can help me mod my pedal, please let me know.

1 knob? Even a drummer could figure this out ;^)

My Phase 90 is a reissue block logo with the R28 resister desoldered. Before I pulled the R28 resister out of the circuit, this was a fairly nice phaser pedal which would drive the overall sound into slight overdrive. This made it tough to use for clean work so I pulled the resister and viola! -- a transformed pedal. Now this thing just sings and is an enhancement to my signal as oppossed to a hostile takeover of it. My rating is for the mod version I now enjoy so much. Knock off two points for the unmodded version.

Well, I've had it over 18 months and with daily use plus a disassemby, modification and reassemby and it works like a charm.

Never dealt with them, but I did get a wah pedal user manual when I bought the thing and I know others who got the same thing.

A wah pedal? This doesn't give me warm fuzzies if I ever do need them...

As modded it is an outstanding addition to my sound. Before that it was just "OK". What I have now is the sound I remember from the days of bell bottom jeans and tye-dye shirts. At $69 plus a set of wire cutters you just can't go wrong if your looking for a good sounding phase pedal.

One knob, one switch, easy as pie. While the classic Phase 90 pedal apparently uses a four-stage circuit to generate its phase shifting effect (see the Harmony Central article on phase shifting at harmony-central.com/Effects/Articles/Phase_Shifting/), it is as simple as an effects pedal can be: Input and Output jacks, an on-off footswitch, and a single Speed (i.e. rate) knob, which controls how fast the phase-shift notches sweep up and down over the sound frequency range.

The Speed knob has a removable grippy rubber cover. Since it was a garage sale find, I got no manual, but there is a one-pager (with a couple of rather helpful playing tips) on the jimdunlop.com website. And you don't really need it anyway. The previous owner had glued a cut-to-size Boss rubber pad on the bottom of my pedal, but I removed it and replaced it with Velcro patches for a pedalboard. Inside, he seems to have added a bit of extra foam to keep the battery from rattling around, but otherwise it looks stock.

The particular model I have is a transitional one, with the "block" MXR logo, not the "script" one, but also no M-101 model number, no status LED, and no AC adapter jack. (Imagine the photo from the Harmony Central review page, but without a light -- yes, even simpler than that.) You have to use a 9V battery, which means you must unscrew the bottom plate whenever you need fresh power, which is about the only usability complaint I have. And I shouldn't complain -- I got it in June 2005 for $2 Cdn (yes, two dollars) at a garage sale! The money I saved over a $100-200 newer or vintage model will buy a lot of batteries.

In a pinch, you can even leave it plugged in if the battery dies, since the footswitch appears to bypass the effect completely -- I was able to get un-effected signal through even without a battery inside. I assume, however, that like most footpedals, the battery will drain whenever the Input is plugged in, even if you're not using it, so you should probably leave that unplugged when you're away from your rig.

Unlike for more complex phase shifter effects (or even the two-knob MXR hase 100), the depth, sweep depth, and regeneration are fixed in the Phase 90's circuit design. If you like the sound it makes, as many do, that's quite flexible enough. Kick it in with the Speed knob far left, and you get subtle washy sounds that work well with clean or overdriven tones. Push it to 10 or 12 o'clock for a cascading Van Halen-y crunch or lead tones a la David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. Crank it all the way to play Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter" or for weird spacy gleeble-gleeble effects.

It's cool for bass, keyboards, or vocals too. I play it as the first effect in the chain on my pedalboard (so I can unplug it when not in use). The rest of my effects -- a Fender pedal tuner, a Danelectro Daddy-O overdrive, a Tech 21 SansAmp GT2 amp/overdrive simulator, and a Boss Bass Limiter/Enhancer (for when I play bass) -- run off AC power, and so can stay plugged in later in the line. They run into a mid-'70s silverface Fender Princeton Reverb (all of 12 watts, I think) with a Strat guitar, or a Yorkville Bassmaster XM100 bass amp (100 watts) with a Precision bass.

The phaser will, of course, phase any hum or buzz too, so it's best to keep it clicked off when your amp is open but you're not playing. As the Dunlop website suggests, the Phase 90 works best either as a subtle wash when playing clean or crunchy chords, or punched in for solos when used more aggressively. It can be a nice addition to your palette for a song's bridge or the latter part of a solo, to bring in a different sound from a previous, drier tone. If phase shifting is what you want, the Phase 90 is probably what you're thinking of.

It has the orange colour, heft, and solidity of a brick, and mine seems to have taken many years of punishment without flinching. The case and components are all metal and easy to tighten, adjust, or replace if you need to -- even the Speed dial is a standard black knurled knob, with a set screw, that you could replace from an electronics shop. The footswitch is very solid and clicks hard, and is apparently better than the newer models. (It's a bare switch with no pedal surface, so I advise shoes rather than bare feet.)

It's also not critical to my sound, so I'd use it without a backup. Of course, the most likely problem is a dead battery, since you can't use AC, so I'd bring spares.

No idea. Check the other reviews here.

I've spent my 16-year professional musical career as a drummer, but I started with guitar 11 years before that, when I was 8. I also dabble with bass. I play mostly oldies and British Invasion classic rock, or stuff in similar styles, although I listen to and play a number of other styles of music as a hobby. While I haven't used the Phase 90 at a gig, if I could find a way to use it with my drums, maybe I would. :)

I'd probably replace the Phase 90 if I lost it, but I'd hunt for a deal, even though it's unlikely another $2 garage sale find would come my way. A chorus or flanger, multi-effects unit, or a phaser with more controls might be more flexible, but the Phase 90's simplicity and obvious ruggednes appeal to me, and I don't have to worry about it. Even the orange colour is cute, and I'd go for that rather than the red-black-white stripey Eddie Van Halen model.

Its only flaws are the lack of an AC jack (available on current models) and indicator light (same, although whether it's on is obvious to the ear), and the awkwardness of having to remove four screws to replace the battery. Sound- and usage-wise, it's near-perfect for what it is, and it doesn't try to be anything it isn't.

The Phase 90 inspires me to play more guitar, so I guess it does its job.

One knob, the more you twist it, the faster it goes. Devestatingly simple.

Woooosh, Sounds great on every setting. Does a good leslie speaker, a nice fast wobly Scofield thing and of course the Van Halen stuff. It also does a 'dark side of the moon' impression an all! With distortion and a strat it sounds like Hendrix. Also good for retro Albert King/Buddy Guy style intros.

This is an old one, 20 years and still throbing

N/A

I play Jazz, blues and classic rock styles and this pedal will be in my case nine times out of ten. It's to be used on one or two tunes in the set just like most modulation effects otherwise it'll loose it's touch.

This review is for the MXR Phase 90 script logo.

I use this pedal on a vintage effects board, using vintage amps. I compared the vintage script logo Phase 90 with the Dunlop reissue. The Dunlop reissue is terrible. It is too distorted and not warm sounding at all.

The pedal is 30 years and still sounds great.

Called Dunlop looking for some parts for a 60's crybaby. We got in another discussion about the old MXR pedals. They gave me the name of a guy who specializes in MXR pedal repairs. Very helpful

I lucked out and got this vintage script logo Phase 90 in beautiful condition. It didn't cost much more, (maybe 10 dollars), than the Dunlop EVH pedal (which I'll bet doesn't sound as nice as the original script).

One Knob for speed ,easy to use with out three other knobs to distract you.

Telecaster,LP Spec>...Dunlop Crybaby>Bad Monkey OD> Phase 90>...Marshall JMC 800 50 watt combo.
No noise ,small amount of wave whoosh,but thats how the signal works.I don't understand reveiws for this or any pedal that complain about noise?That is From the sum amp!and it will boost your sig,but I do enjoy reading about the R28 mod ,Iam really enjoying this pedal as it sounds now.
Phase 90's I think have the best rotry sound ,I had a Boss PH-2 for years ,and it really sounded digital,this sounds like anolog ,7-12 o clock mild phase for rythm or solo.12-3 for a more rotry sound,and 5o clock for an almost leslie.
The sounds of Hendrix,Page,Gilmore ,Andy Summers,and Eddie Van Halen can all be had.

I have a Dyna Comp and owned other MXR pedals,but the foot swithch on this one is alittle cheaper than My Dyna Comp,and the knob can't be tighted by a screw on the side,so I guess Dunlop is cutting costs,
Would I gig with out backup ,yeah if it broke it's not my tone its a flavor,besides I don't have a guiat tech with 4 Phase 90 on the side of the stage.
If it breaks I will get it fixed ,if stolen I will have to get another.

OK ,Dunlop should really invest the time and money into updating their web sight,and put a 1800-support number for issues dealing with damage or repairs.The card to send in for the limited warranty ,(which they never tell you how long it will last)on the same manual I got my crybaby,please update that as well while your at it.
I,am on the East there in the West,
If it breaks I will get fixed ,but proably not wit Dunlop.

I have want a phase 90 for the last three years ,but on limited budget and owning a Boss PH-2 I never could justify buying it.So went to GC and just bought one the other day,the PH-2 is a great phaser,and I,m not going to knock it,but I really enjoy the sound of the 90 better.10 years ago I was in this band playing bass,our guitar player had Phase 90,and let me use it.The drummer and I just jamed Drums and bass w/ phaser we recorded it and it really sounded cool.I have always been looking for that sound ever since,so I got the Orange box that started it all (at least for MXR)
I have been reading about both the R28 mod,on this page and the new EVH Phase 90 w/ script mode,I'm going to check out upgrading my pedal like that some day,but for right now I enjoy its sound now

So easy to use apparently, they don't even come with a manual.

I bought this new at Guitar Center and it's broken right out of the box. Plugged it into my effects chain it made a huge popping sound when I turned the effect on. The popping stopped, but then there is no discernable phase effect at any setting. All I hear is a very pronounced leap in volume.

I play an '80s US telecaster through a Boss tuner>Boss super overdrive>Boss vibrato>Boss SuperPhaser into a Traynor YCV40 combo amp.

I was hoping to replace the super phaser with something more "organic"

These things happen, but I'm soured on ever relying on this pedal. I don't gig with back up gear except an extra guitar, so I'm not keen on sketchy gear.

Haven't dealt with dunlop. I'm assuming I'll get a replacement at Guitar Center or exchange it for a Small Stone without much hassle.

I play rock with a somewhat '60s, somewhat rootsy slant as well as more modern "indie rock" stuff. Thought this would be a perfect pedal to bridge that gap. I've been gigging regularly for about 8 years. Basically I wish the pedal worked. I don't know if I'll replace it or look for another phaser. I was pretty cavalier about not testing it in the store, but I figured if I didn't like it I could return it for a refund or replacement. Never thought it'd be DOA.

I'm rating this because I think it's fair to balance all the praise this pedal gets with a story about when it disappoints and doesn't live up to it.

How difficult can it be? One knob to control the amount of phase. There is no manual included, but to be fair, there is no need for one. Just plug it in, turn the knob to your desired setting and go. I first got into MXR when I bought a Micro Amp as a lead boost in the effects chain. The phase 90 follows the same principle with a neat rubber cover over the dial so you can adjust the phase as you play, just fantastic. You can ease the control back or forward with your big toe while playing to select your intensity. Truly versatile, whilst simple at the same time.

I first tried the pedal in the effects loop of my Cornford Hurricane and was a little disappionted. The pedal seemed to mush up and get lost in the drive of the amps high gain setting. The added distortion of the pedal contributed alot to the degrading of the sound. Instead of sending the pedal back, I did 2 crucial things. 1, - I did the R28 mod, to clean up the sound and 2,-I put the pedal out front of the amp, instead of through the effects loop - WOW! A monumental change for the better. The pedal reacts to the dynamics of your playing and interacts with the volume control of your guitar. Guitar flat out, gives a sweet phase sound, with an attack not too dissimilar to a compressor picking out every note you play. Back off the guitar volume and the subtleness of the pedal adds nuance to your clean chords. I work the pedal from around 8 o'clock for subtle chorus-like clean work, through 9-11 o'clock for chunky/funky rhythm chords up to 12-1 o'clock for Hendrix like phased distortion. All done through the roll of the dial with the foot. The pedal is a little noisy when engaged but I am running my amp at high gain with the volume rolled back for cleaner tones. I have tried the pedal with the amp running full clean and it is almost noiseless. There is a click when you engage the pedal at high gain, but in the midst of a stage environment it will nerver be heard.

The unit looks very robust. Having taken it apart to do the R28 mod, the circuit board is housed snugly within the metal casing without any chance of coming loose. The on switch is connected directly to the circuit board, but I don't see this as being a problem due to the tank like design. Haven't had it long enough to test the durability, but it is the same as the Micro Amp and that has lasted no probs.

Had no need to get in touch

I am not an effects freak with mountains of boxes on my board. I recently chucked my flanger & chorus pedal in favour of this one. The phaser sounds much better than both of these and I can go from subtle to intense without having to stop playing. I read various reviews and pondered on whether to do the R28* mod (Taking out the R28 resistor to give a less distorted sound) and I must admit the pedal works better for me that way. I have seen the various comments flying back and forth on who thinks which option is best, but I think whatever works for your sound is what you go for. For me the R28 mod gives fantastic clarity, and played out front of the amp takes on new dimension depending on how much signal you put through it.

For those who want to try the R28 mod, it is very easy to do. Access the main circuit board by removing it from the metal casing. Cut the horizontal resistor directly above the jack output. It is best to just cut one side and leave the resistor attached but with the signal broken. This way you can easily solder the point back if you don't like the result.

One knob? However, new, in the box, it comes with a rubber protector over the Pot that is a pain to get off.

Hmmm... Set-up?

Guitars:

Gibson Les Paul LE; Fender American Series Telecaster; PRS Custom 24 Brazilian LE; Rickenbacker 360 20/12; and Gibson Chet Atkins SST

Effects:

Guitar -> Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner -> Budda Bud-Wah -> Big Muff Pi -> MXR Phase 90 -> Dunlop Rotovibe -> Amp

Amps:

Marshall JCM-2000 DSL (w/1960A Cab); Marshall AVT-20; and Marshall AS-50R

I've been playing for 11 years and always try to buy quality instruments and accessories. The (Dunlop) MXR Phase 90 is no exception. It's very versatile and seems to add a little something to most of the music I play, but use it sparingly. I don't see why anyone would need to turn the dial completely, the effect starts to sound silly past the 1 o'clock position. I keep it at around 9 o'clock and its great for playing all kinds of alternative music, as well as some heavier blues and classic rock. Spend a few hours with it, and you'll begin to recognize it in a lot of your favorite music. I must say, however, when you've got the gain way-up and you're playing on a humbuckered guitar, the distortion becomes to sharp and it's easy to end on a bad note if you lose tempo. I understand that some people modify the effect by cutting loose a transitor to correct this issue. I won't bother, every effect has its limits. Besides, if you have the gain up that high, you might want to reconsider before adding another level of distortion to your sound. It sounds interesting with an acoustic as well--very liquid--but I don't go there.

Built solid!

Makes me think I should consider other MXR pedals.

Easy to use 1 knob !

Strat with EMG's + mid boost (Gilmore set)/ Teles - pedals - Fender Deluxe Reverb 65 Reissue (with Hot Plate). The amp set to 5 across the board......

A tip for new Phase 90 purchases...... Snip the R28 resistor, its true what the reviewers below are saying. Once this simple mod is completed you will hear the classic smooth, full sounding phase tone - think Gilmore / Police / Van Halen.....I cannot understand why Dunlop do not make them with this mod as standard. A fantastically fat dimensional tone that works great with my strat & Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue / Hot Plat combination....

MXR - solid

A wonderful phase tone - best I have heard (after R28 mod), better than my old Jap Boss PH1 phaser (which was pretty speacial !), my chain as follows:

Jeckyll & Hyde - Hot Cake Dist - Phase 90 - TU2 Tuner - Jap Boss BF2 Flanger - Boss DD20 delay (with ext tempo pedal) - 1965 Reissue Fender Deluxe Reverb / THD Hot Plate.

Cheers

MXR Phase 90 effect pedal:

1. very easy to use - only one knob to control speed

Phase 90 is very classic sounding phase effect, very similar to the small stone by electro harmonix. However, this doesn't sound like the phase from Ibanez that is very linear and up and down...the phase 90 sound a little more up and down and side to side

I'm using this with either my rock rig: 2 Fender twin reverbs , stereo, or with 2 roland cube 30's stereo

I use the phase 90 with alot of other modulation effects , plus a original TS-808 tubescreamer from Ibanez

Of course this is the effect on Van Halen 1 and 2...I don't really care for the effect with distortion, I prefer using the effect clean...this is the same effect as the mid 70's Nazereth tune "love hurts"

MXR , metal housing , nice solid switch

I've got a artist in residence with dunlop co. They have been very good to me and I'm grateful to have relationship with Dunlop/MXR

I'm contemplating get the R28 modification which was invented by Jayson Ocampo at Dunlop co.

Great classic effect, nice size, great reliability, I would replace this effect if stolen. MXR are some of the best effects on the market.

Everyone else has said it all, really. With just the one knob you can just let your ears be the guide as to how you want it to sound. Less definitely is more when it comes to the layout of this pedal because the design and the circuit is so good.

I play a Gordon Smith through a Fender Princeton 65. Effects vary as the mood takes me, but I normally have Boss CS3 then Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus and Danelectro Dan Echo. If I use a drive pedal it'd be a Marshall Bluesbreaker 2 or a Boss Hm 2. Most often I just end up leaving these at home and using the amp's overdrive. Now I've got the MXR I'm putting it after the compressor. It might take over from the Cool Cat, but think of the sounds I'd get with both on! It's already added so much more tonal variety and quality to my set up.
One of my favourite tones is the Jimmy Page phased sound (like Achilles' Last Stand). This pedal has that sound in it, but playing clean it's got some lovely funky sounds too. The pedal's also encouraging me to slow down more and to hold onto single notes and chords more. This definitely lets the pedal's tone just snake right out.
I've seen some manufacturers claim that their phaser pedals will get close to a Leslie sound. It's not too big a leap of the imagination with the Phase 90 to hear what they mean by that.

Haven't had it for long, but seems robust enough to me. Jim Dunlop's reputation is high anyway, and the design is superb.

I play all sorts of music. I'm happiest just acting the sideman, moving and pushing songs along. It's nice to take the lead once in while, though, and to really let rip. This really is a fantastic pedal which'll add a new dimension to rhythm parts and solos alike. I'd been thinking about getting a phaser for ages and there was only ever one choice. This thing hasn't got such a high reputation for nothing. If you're thinking of getting a phaser but think it's a bit of a luxury on the pedal board, try the Phase 90 for a while and then imagine living without it! It's not the chepest option but you really do get what you've paid for.

One knob. One switch.

First: Do the R28 Mod. Despite what others say, do the Mod. This gives you a much cleaner, non intrusive phase effect. Without the mod, there is a sharp edge or slight distortion to the sound. In other words, the box becomes a phase/distortion. If you need a phase distortion, use a separate distortion and let the phase just give you that vintage phase tone. The tone is a beautiful, full phase that does not take over your sound. The box is not noisy at all. Easy on batteries if you want to avoid the wall warts.

I'm primarily playing one of 2 setups:
American Strat > Ibanez WD7 Wah > Phase 90 > Digitech Bad Monkey > Amp

or

Strat > WD7 > Magicstomp > Amp

Amps are either Tech21 Trademark 60, Fender HotRod Deluxe, or 68Super Reverb.

I use a Digital Delay in the effects loop.

I have used it for years on the gig. No backup. Built very solid. However, I take good care of my stuff. If it goes out, I just don't phase until I hook up the MagicStomp at the next gig.

No idea.

This box does exactly what I need it to do and that is a full, beautiful sweeping phase. Do the mod. It's easy to do.

I have gigged regularly since seeing the Beatles live in 1966. Looked like a pretty good job to have. Playing rock, blues, classic rock, and jazz (solo and ensemble) ever since.

Response to Chris

The reason people are modding their reissue Phase 90 is due to the fact that the Reissue distorts your sound when we don't want it to. I buy a Phaser for a phasing effect, not for distortion. Try it. Set your amp to clean and play with and without the Phase 90. It boosts the mids and causes overdrive.

Chris

Sounds great for old-school phaser effects like Jimi would've used. You don't need anything fancy when it comes to a phaser - just a great sound, right? I play it through a tube amp and it breaks up nicely, makes me feel all crazy inside. Then I do bad things. Use it early in your effects chain for maximum satisfaction.

Made a little cheap. I don't know how you would break it, but I can tell the footswitch is directly connected to the circuit board like others have said. Don't let the nut unscrew from that baby!

For rock and roll this is just a must-have. Specifically I would like to comment on the modification that everyone makes on this pedal. Do not just cut the resistor, because you can just heat up the soldering point and pull the baby out, then resolder later when you realize that all these techies are full of shit and can't play guitar in the first place - and that's why they modded it. I did the mod out of curiosity and was not impressed by the difference. The reality is that when you play live (which most of the people on here don't do more than once a month) a lot of high-end is lost in the crowd and sound doesn't cut the same way. The harshness of the pedal cuts througb the crowd, and I know this because I have listened to recordings of my performances and can tell my sound sits fine in the mix. With the mod you have a weaker phaser (although not discernable to the drunk groupies that you should have by now), and I don't see why people are doing this other than the fact that it sounds more like the script logo pedal. Why do you think MXR would just add a resistor to their design, even though it was already popular? It wasn't to cut costs or ruin their reputation. It was to make the pedal sound better, you idiots! Stop messing with your pedals and learn to play better. 'Nuf said.

Give me a break--there's only one knob.

I use this effect mostly with a maple-neck vintage-style Fender Tele w/switch modifications to make it an Esquire (vintage single coil in bridge) and also use it with a 1940's Astatic microphone to play harp. The signal then goes into a '63RI Fender Vibroverb. Always a great sound--no matter what the speed setting. When set to a high speed (turn the knob up all the way and then back off about an eighth of an inch) you have a reasonable Leslie cabinet effect--with a lot less strain on the back and wallet! At those high speeds with some overdrive, it assumes an "airy" quality that really adds to the faux Leslie quality. At slower settings, you get a sweet atmospheric texture for rhythm playing. Only noisy when too much overdrive or distortion is cranked at the same time.

I've never had any problem with this unit. I bought it used for $25 at a pawn shop in 1996 (it is a late 70's/early 80's block logo unit without an indicator LED) and it had the original box and user's manual! I always use it without a backup.

Never dealt with the company on this unit, but I've had to contact them for other effects pedals (Jim Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Classic Fuzz and Original Crybaby) and they were good.

I play Texas Roadhouse music (combine blues/rock/outlaw country in varying amounts) and this unit is great for everything. I use the high-speed Leslie feature for blues and slow the sweep down for a Waylon Jennings-style phase ("Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?") sound. If I had to replace this unit, another Phase 90 would be the only one I would consider-period.

very easy to use because there are only 2 buttons!

Excellent. Great if you have a guitar w/ a single coil pickup. Don't use humbuckers though. You can nail the Gilmore parts on "breathe" and anything else you want. This pedal couldn't sound any better in my opinion. I'v got a marshall jcm 2000 tsl head and a 1960 av cab, a '57 reissue, a '62 reissue strat, a gobson '67 Flying V Reissue, and a Martin D28

I bought this pedal 3 years ago brand new from Musicians Friend (2001), it NEVER left the house and after 3 years it broke! Only 3 years! I took great care of it just like all my effects. What a POS! They really don't make things like they used to.

i'm getting this pedal fixed locally