Top Shelf Phasers

[Dudeman7]

I love phasers!

I've owned a Boss PH-3 (cool step function, but couldn't gel with the basic 4 stage phasing sound . . . just didn't sound right), MXR phase 90 (decent phaser) but eventually settled on a big box EHX Small Stone. The SS has a really nice, smooth sound for cleans that I haven't heard anything else beat. I ended up modding mine to make it switchable to sound more like a univibe (just need to swap out three capacitors to different values) and really liked that . . . so this year I picked up a Deja Vibe which has currently kicked the SS off my board. The Deja Vibe can cop very similar vibe tones at lower rate/intensity, but also does the univibe stuff really well.

Wasn't terribly impressed with the Boss PH-3 either. The concept was cool but they missed the mark tone wise.

I liked the Small Stone too. I had a Black Russian that sounded awesome but the size and questionable build quality led me to sell it. The newer, small ones interest me but I have read that they don't quite have the magic of their big brothers.

Vibe tones are a whole new level of phaser exploration too! I had been using a Voodoo Lab Micro Vibe for many years, then I found that the J Rockett Tranquilizer does a great 'vibe and it hardly takes up any pedal board space. Really, I think the Tranquilizer IS a Vibe. I haven't been able to get symmetrical, classic phase tones out of it but late in the chain, after dirt: total Hendrix and Tower territory!

The VFE Enterprise does a good Vibe too, but it isn't quite as natural sounding to me.

[Dudeman7]

I too was a Phaser junky. I had more Big Muffs, Phasers and Analog Delays than I knew what to do with. Have you tried a Whetstone or Quasar? I still have my absolute unit of a phaser, the ProphecySound Infinitphase.

A weird think happened. A had all these phasers including vintage Phase 90s, and a vintage Phase 45 I was tweaking and trying. Then I needed a simple, reliable one with 9V power for my board for my band. I put an EVH on there and it’s now my go-to in script mode. I want to get a Phase 95 to have the 2-stage tone as well, but EVH what I use now.

Big Muffs, phasers and analog delays are tops for me too. I have more of those things than any normal human should!

I haven't had the Whetstone but I have a Blackout Effectors Sibling on my bass board. It doesn't have nearly the settings as the WS but it does cool things that none of the others in my collection can do. The rate control goes fast enough that you can make that thing sound like a ring modulator.

I'll definitely check out the others. Thanks!

[Dudeman7]

My favorite is the good old MXR Phase 90. I have the custom shop script model. I used to have an EVH and then a Whirlwind Orange Box. Also great phasers. Wouldn't mind having those again just because.

I keep coming back to the Phase 90 too. The BYOC Classic Phasers that I built are the original version of the MXR. They use matched transistors and 6 single op-amps. Those kits are fun to build and you can dial them right in to suit your tastes.

That circuit is a classic and for good reason. I haven't had any CS MXR phasers but I did have a Whirlwind Orange Box until yesterday when I sold it. Honestly, I think the BYOC sounds better. It was hard to justify keeping it around when I have so many other, great Phase 90 variants.

[Dudeman7]

I really liked the Maxon PT9 Pro+

Those are incredible pedals! I had one a few years ago and I stupidly sold it to fund something else that probably wasn't as cool. I've been looking for a good deal on one ever since.

[ICTGoober]

For decades I used my ancient but dependable old Maestro Phaser.... Had a couple mods done to it to adjust the center frequency so I could use it for bass or guitar.


When it finally croaked I bought an MXR Phase 90 that served me well.
If you want to talk pedals, I had a BOSS flanger and an Ibanez Bi-Chorus (2 in one pedal) that I loved and only recently sold.

[Dudeman7]

For decades I used my ancient but dependable old Maestro Phaser.... Had a couple mods done to it to adjust the center frequency so I could use it for bass or guitar.


When it finally croaked I bought an MXR Phase 90 that served me well.
If you want to talk pedals, I had a BOSS flanger and an Ibanez Bi-Chorus (2 in one pedal) that I loved and only recently sold.

The old Maestro phasers were funky! In a good way too. I'm not aware of any other company that made a Maestro-sounding phaser, unless they were a direct clone. Heptode made one and the MojoHand Mister-O (see what they did with the name there?) are both pretty accurate representations of the models that only had the three switches for changing the effect parameters.

I have a Mister-O and it definitely is unlike any Phase 90 or Small Stone "classic" phase tone. Mine is mostly used with bass since it can do an almost auto-wah type thing for slapping and popping. Sounds great for that.

Lately, I've been selling off some pedals that I don't use. I'm sure that I'll regret letting some of them go (I'm looking at you, Boss DM-2 from 1981), but some of them aren't doing me any good just sitting on a shelf in my basement. I sold my DOD Phasor 201 this morning too.

[Mr. 80's]

My favorite is the regular MXR Phase 90 box logo.

[Dudeman7]

My favorite is the regular MXR Phase 90 box logo.

The current version?

[Mincer]

My favorite is the regular MXR Phase 90 box logo.

I don't think I could tell all the Phase 90s apart.

[Dudeman7]

I don't think I could tell all the Phase 90s apart.

It is pretty shocking how different they sound from each other when you line them all up. Some are mid-boosted and grainy, some are very clear with a vocal quality, some are deep and thick, some are chewy like a Uni-Vibe...... It goes on from there.

In all of my collecting and experimenting I have found that some phasers are better for clean and others are better for dirt. Also, some of them, (like the current block logo MXR), sound like an effect that sits on top of your guitar tone while others, (like the Retro-Sonic Phaser) blend with your guitar signal and are less obviously in your face.

I hope that makes sense!

[Mr. 80's]

The current version?

I'm not anal about them. I haven't used one of the newest ones yet but so far anything from the 80's to about 2008 (haven't played anything newer) are all great and IMHO the same sounding. They are all going to sound a little different form one another anyways even from the same batch. I don't compare new to vintage since time does its own thing with electronics and what the vintage one sounded like new is different to how it will sound today. I only like Phase with OD/distortion and don't use them clean at all. I lost my Phase 90 with a few other things about 5-6 years ago during a big cross country move so I need to get a new one someday. I guess it got donated accidently is the only thing I can figure. I will get a brand new one since I don't buy used effects or amps.

[Aceman]

I just received a VFE Enterprise and I currently have on my boards:

Welcome aboard Captain!






For Phasers I have a Behringer PH( (Vintage/Modern switch) which is more than enough has efor me, a Block Phase 90, and the Enterprise. I totally dig the 3 stage personally. That thing is 10x the Phase I'll ever need.


I feel you man - I'm the same way except with Tremolos.

[Dudeman7]

Welcome aboard Captain!






For Phasers I have a Behringer PH( (Vintage/Modern switch) which is more than enough has efor me, a Block Phase 90, and the Enterprise. I totally dig the 3 stage personally. That thing is 10x the Phase I'll ever need.


I feel you man - I'm the same way except with Tremolos.

That VFE Enterprise is something else! I didn't quite know what to expect from it and I just stumbled upon a great deal for one. The 3-stage mode and P/V settings are super cool.

It took some messing around with the controls for me to dial this one in. The Mix knob at noon seems to provide the deepest effect, which is counter to how most of them work. The VFE is incredible with bass too.

It's not the most vocal or transparent phaser I own but it is definitely fun! It might be the most thick and deep phaser in my collection.

[1neeto]

I love my phase 90, but sometimes I’d like to have something with mix control.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NegativeEase]

Question -does the top top shelf phaser sit on the bottom shelf of all other effects aside from Flangers?