Wanting a classic MXR Phase 90 sound

  • Thread starter Thread starter The Luke
  • Start date Start date
T

The Luke

Member
I have a Mad Professor Tiny Orange Phaser, and whilst it is a great phaser, it is too versatile. Apparently there is such a thing as too versatile.....
I really gravitate to the old EVH style phase tone and I cannot be bothered with the tweaking of mix and resonance pots all the time and not quite being there. (I am not looking for any other aspect of my tone to be Van Halen ish by the way). I just want a classic MXR style phase tone.

So, what phaser will do it better? MXR EVH90 or the '74 Handwired Script reissue?

(Additionally, suggestions for American boutique style phasers might not always be suitable - those things can cost a fortune here in England after they have been imported and taxed)

Thanks for any input :thumbsup:
 
I'm actually heading in the other direction. I'm not really that happy with my Phase 90 and I'm in the market for something a little more tweakable. Really had a hard-on for a Blackout Effectors Whetstone for a while, but I'm poor. I've been just tollerating the Phase 90 for now.
 
BeZo":ya6axffq said:
I'm actually heading in the other direction. I'm not really that happy with my Phase 90 and I'm in the market for something a little more tweakable. Really had a hard-on for a Blackout Effectors Whetstone for a while, but I'm poor. I've been just tollerating the Phase 90 for now.
Click to expand...
Try the Digitech Hyperphase. I feel its one of the most underated (and cheapest) phasers out there. It is VERY tweakable. Give it a shot.
 
Take a look at the Whirlwind Orange Box. Sounds like a phase 90 but maybe a little deeper sounding and it's true bypass, if that matters to you.
 
danyeo":9i76dizx said:
Take a look at the Whirlwind Orange Box. Sounds like a phase 90 but maybe a little deeper sounding and it's true bypass, if that matters to you.
Click to expand...
The whirlwind orange box is the equivalent of around $80-90 more expensive than the MXR '74 CSP026. Is it that much better?
 
nevusofota":ldfgfyy8 said:
BeZo":ldfgfyy8 said:
I'm actually heading in the other direction. I'm not really that happy with my Phase 90 and I'm in the market for something a little more tweakable. Really had a hard-on for a Blackout Effectors Whetstone for a while, but I'm poor. I've been just tollerating the Phase 90 for now.
Click to expand...
Try the Digitech Hyperphase. I feel its one of the most underated (and cheapest) phasers out there. It is VERY tweakable. Give it a shot.
Click to expand...

Great. Now I have homework to do. Thanks.

I'll look into it.
 
nevusofota":2aiqh5z7 said:
These two videos helped me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdmkC82pFsg
If you listen to the overall guitar tone (not the "phase" aspect of the tone) in this vid the one with the LED sounds overly bright and more harsh than the '74 handwired (the one w/out LED). Just not as full sounding to me.

This vid helped also. Again, I was paying attention more to the overall tone coloration each pedal had.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNCxWCjb ... ure=relmfu
Click to expand...
Thanks. I have seen both of those already, and it is contributing to my leaning on the 74 hand wired side of things....
 
Is it wrong I hoped the EVH would do a decent job because it has an LED and 9V input?

Hopefully get to try them on Wednesday
 
I was with ya on just wanting the simple EVH esque phase tone, so I bought the Custom Shop Phase 90 reissue. It's nice in that it's got the LED and adapter jack. Not true bypass, but that's life I guess....

W.
 
King Loudness":2365hk8b said:
I was with ya on just wanting the simple EVH esque phase tone, so I bought the Custom Shop Phase 90 reissue. It's nice in that it's got the LED and adapter jack. Not true bypass, but that's life I guess....

W.
Click to expand...
Is that the CSP-101 version? According to what I have read online, that is simply the EVH model in a different casing with the script / block button inaccessible from the outside
http://lycidas512.blogspot.com/2010/06/mxr-custom-shop-script-phase-90-is-evh.html
If that's the case, I'd rather get the EVH and have use of the switch - paint jobs on pedals don't bother me. I own the black label chorus :lol: :LOL:
 
I used to have an EVH Phase90 and last year changed to the Whirlwind orangebox phasor, which I really like. The Orangebox is smoother and doesn't affect my tone in bypass.

I almost went with the MXR '74 Handwired reissue, but if I did I would have gotten the LED, power jack, and True bypass mod. http://www.buyanalogman.com/ProductDeta ... hase901974
 
danyeo":116vxdgd said:
Take a look at the Whirlwind Orange Box. Sounds like a phase 90 but maybe a little deeper sounding and it's true bypass, if that matters to you.
Click to expand...
Totally concur...I use mine specifically for EVH-type phasing, and it's the most fluid, organic one I've ever tried. It is just so thick and juicy, it just salivates tone all over the place.

I went through 3 different MXR phasers first before I found the Orange Box...FWIW, I thought the Maxon PT-999 was fairly close the Whirlwind Orange box also.
 
blackba":39g60bsg said:
I used to have an EVH Phase90 and last year changed to the Whirlwind orangebox phasor, which I really like. The Orangebox is smoother and doesn't affect my tone in bypass.

I almost went with the MXR '74 Handwired reissue, but if I did I would have gotten the LED, power jack, and True bypass mod. http://www.buyanalogman.com/ProductDeta ... hase901974
Click to expand...
I am not sure it is great value getting Analogman modded '74 and having it delivered to England - After a $30 international shipping charge and paying another $50 in tax, it is not as good a buy. MIght be worth considering finding someone here to do the mods.

Turns out there is a shop here in England selling the Whirlwind, but it is too far away to try the pedal, and it is £150 = $240!!!
Whereas the MXR EVH90 and '74 are about £100 ($160)
 
I used to have another phaser and while it had a nice warm sound, it just wasn't deep enough for me. I put up with it for over a year and in the end traded it in.

I tried a standard MXR Phase 90 & their '74 reissue, side by side. The '74 was subtler than the normal Phase 90. But the normal version worked great on one side of a stereo signal, where the 'dry' signal would nicely balance the super richness and slightly overwhelming nature of it.
I tried the '74 like that and it was way too subtle.

So I took home the normal Phase 90, and use it in stereo. It works a treat for me!

I prefer this kind of phasing sound rather than the Eddie Van Halen stuff that the majority of this forum always go on about.


Spooky, hey!



Although I do think that both examples use a Phase 90!
 
I would go with the '74 :rock:

I modded a cheap MXR 90 and it sounds like a '74. :D

 
I had a shop price match and got the '74 new with four year warranty for a good price.

Arrived Thursday, gigged Friday, and it sounds great. Really what I was looking for, and is the sound I could never really get out of the Mad Professor. The Tiny Orange Phaser is great, it just isn't the same sound.

I had a battery clip adaptor that came with my PP2+, and A-B'd the sound with the battery. No difference. So I drilled a hole in the side of a replacement baseplate and am using that :thumbsup: ]

Saying all of this....a really really cheap EVH90 popped up on eBay this morning, so I bought it as well :lol: :LOL:

Thank you all for the input
 
The Luke":5pl973az said:
I had a shop price match and got the '74 new with four year warranty for a good price.

Arrived Thursday, gigged Friday, and it sounds great. Really what I was looking for, and is the sound I could never really get out of the Mad Professor. The Tiny Orange Phaser is great, it just isn't the same sound.

I had a battery clip adaptor that came with my PP2+, and A-B'd the sound with the battery. No difference. So I drilled a hole in the side of a replacement baseplate and am using that :thumbsup: ]

Saying all of this....a really really cheap EVH90 popped up on eBay this morning, so I bought it as well :lol: :LOL:

Thank you all for the input
Click to expand...
congrats on finding the sound you were chasing. I agree, the '74 was the way to go for me too. The website states that it has original '74 spec components and the others don't. Maybe thats why it sounds so classic. :thumbsup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top