Do all phasers "crunch" when you dig in?

[RockStarNick]

Been trying out a bunch of phasers on my board for my "rock" setup. MXR standard Phase90, EVH Phase 90, CMATMODs Phaser, etc.

Seems that almost all the phasers I've tried compress and crunch when using a bridge humbucker, at a particular part of the sweep.

Is this just part of the charm?

Sounds GREAT and whooshy when overdriven, but kinda nasty when clean.

 

[earthtonesaudio]

That's a common problem with JFET phasers. Try a different kind (OTA, optical, PWM, digital, etc).

 

[RockStarNick]

That's a common problem with JFET phasers. Try a different kind (OTA, optical, PWM, digital, etc).

Aahh.... so in other words, anything that's MXR-Clone-like will kinda do this?

 

[keepingitweird]

no...not all of 'em will...

 

[meterman]

I found my Dunlop/MXR Phase90 to be kind of gritty when I hit the strings hard, the R28 mod reduced some of this. There is a gnarly sort of midrange regeneration and distortion in the block logo circuit that doesn't seem to be in the script circuit.

After trying about half a dozen phasers (MXR, BYOC, Shannon, Red Witch, BJF, etc) I settled on the Retrosonic Phaser which is a script logo phase90 clone with some added versatility. Very smooth sound, almost hi-fi, no grit or crunch to my ears and it has a mix control which is nice if you want a more subtle effect, and a level control for a slight boost if you want it (I never use this actually).

 

[Rena Rune]

Well a Phaser is just a type of effect, there's nothing inherent to a comb filter sweep that causes that, so there are going to phasers that aren't like that.

I like my Red Witch.

 

[meterman]

I like my Red Witch.

amazing pedal, I want to get another one someday. Such a warm but clear sound, with incredible depth. At the time I found it too hard to dial in for live playing but I'm doing more home recording these days and would love to run the Red Witch Deluxe and mic up two amps in stereo

 

[Zounds Perspex]

try a Small Stone-type - Whetstone is king. this type of phaser sounds cooler after dirt, however.

 

[jkokura]

usually, when I fill up my bowl with pedals every morning, they seem to never get soggy no matter how long they sit in the milk. I find phasers always have that nice crunch to them.










oh... my sense of humour is a little silly at times. Answer is above.

jacob

 

[nohaybanda]

I have a Cmatmods, and it adds a bit of "crunch" on a clean sound with humbuckers, especially on the bridge position.
I'm considering the 1974 Vintage Phase 90 reissue (MXR CSP-026) . does it add crunch with humbuckers ?

 

[in_sherman]

the ph-350 i had didn't have it at all, although i don't have hot pickups, and i'm not sure what effect there would be if i did. the whirlwind orange box i had distorted just a tiny bit, and it was gorgeous and i missed it when i got the ph-350 even though the ph-350 is nice

 

[arthur rotfeld]

I had a Phase 90 that had a pronounced clipping with stronger pickups. Then I got a MXR EVH that doesn't have this issue.

BTW, the Mobius has an adjustable setting that can dial the headroom from low–high.

 

[voorhiessa]

Phase 90 clipped ugly with my amp. Got a ph2 and the resonance and depth knobs helped get rid of that.

 

[Heady Jam Fan]

No problem with my vintage Phase 45

Using PAFs

 

[arthur rotfeld]

^^^What pickups going into there? Usually not a issue with single coils.


Some of the distortion on Mick's guitar track could be amp, but some is certainly coming from the MXR pedal. Overall a great sound, but there's some of that trademark clipping.

 

[tnt365]

Retro-Sonic Phaser is a Phase 90 type that eliminates most of the "crunch". I prefer vintage Small Stones simply because of the sound, very, very swirly and swooshy (absolutely beautiful) and takes dirt very well (I prefer the Phase 90 with dirt, though). The old Small Stones used OTAs, I've owned a couple and neither of them crunched like some Phase 90 types. Right now I'm using a Subdecay Quasar DLX and it is kind of in-betweeen the Phase 90 sound and Small Stone sound to my ears, which I really like. Cleans remind me of the more present Small Stone, Dirt reminds me of the hotter, crunchier, fatter Phase 90.

 

[papersun]

Depth's always cranked on my PH-1r and I get no grit.

 

[cbpickin]

That is one of the reasons my Ph 350 has been on my board the longest of any pedal I own. It stays clean with every type of guitar I use with it.

 

[Theroyalconsort]

Try a V2 or V3 small stone.... (google sound clips and you'll find which one you want)

 

[ROKY]

Haven't noticed any crunch w/ my MOOG 6/12-stage, but it's the only one I've owned, so..

Great,great phaser, though .