MXR Vintage 74 Phase 90 review

Ruben · Post by **Ruben** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 1:53 pm

Just bought the MXR '74 Vintage Phase 90 (true bypass, LED, 9 volts plug) today and I must say: this is the best Phaser I've owned!

A little review:

I've had 3 old en new block logo's, did R28 mods, installed true bypass switches, clipped C11 & C12 etc. Still the sound was to middy and harsch to my ears. The effect was stil to dominant and the sweep wasn't right...to much low end and mid...

Also owned the EVH Phaser which I thought was pretty good but could't get the sweep right and the damn thing sucked tone when bypassed (to much for my taste)

I always used the 'Script' buttom, cause I thought the Block logo setting really sucked.

Then I owned 2 original scripts from the 70's. I liked them but they BOTH sounded worn out, you know what I mean? Like if the components couldn't deliver like they used to do.

Anyway, the vintage 74 beats them all. This is just the phase sound (alive, warm, never harsch and very subtile) I hear in Ed's early recordings. Very, very transparant to! A real musical tool!

Get one and find out for yourself! Very happy with this pedal

T.J.Fuller · Post by **T.J.Fuller** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:28 pm

hey thanks for that review Rueben!

I really wanted to get this pedal a month ago when it came out
hoping it was a correction for the last phase pedal they had, which was the same as the EVH phase 90 internally.

again this is cool news......you should post some clips sometime too!

blueboxer · Post by **blueboxer** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:44 pm

Ruben, I couldn't agree with you more!!! I've been working my '74 reissue for over a month now... I just love it.

Rickey_Dee · Post by **Rickey_Dee** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:38 am

are you talking about this pedal here?

http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page ... d_e_detail

or is there a special '74 reissue that's not listed on the website?

thanks
rickey

Namar · Post by **Namar** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:39 am

It's a special '74 vintage reissue not listed on their website. It's weird. The things been available for months now, but there hasn't really been any official release I've seen from mxr/dunlop.

http://www.musictoyz.com/guitar/pedals/mxr.php

I am very eager to try one, thanks for the review ruben. I was wondering if it was a subtle effect. I've been through 4 phasers over the years, keep mistakenly taking other peoples advice 'dude, this is the one, total van halen phase', get it home, plug in, and it sounds like cheezy 70's disco phase or worse. Can't even hear the guitar anymore through the phase!

I hope this one is better, I'm about to give up and route my evh phase pedal in a dang bypass loop with a volume pedal to control the mix level, heh... The only difference between script and regular mode is they filter the top and bottom on the script setting, and regular mode is a full freq phase. Too strong, nice sounding phase though, but too much for me.

Come on '74, please don't suck!

Rickey_Dee · Post by **Rickey_Dee** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 5:44 am

ok... so anybody knows where i can source that one in europe? haven't found anything yet.

the next pedal i'd like to have is a phase 90, but now i just don't know what to do... first i wanted to build a byoc phase. but buying a kit in europe will cost me the same as buying a mxr. so if the reissue is REALLY that good, i may buy one... i don't need everything built on my own.

(even though it's pretty much fun)

Ruben · Post by **Ruben** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:05 am

I don't think they are available yet in Europe....you can order them direct on line form the USA

Rickey_Dee · Post by **Rickey_Dee** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:53 am

Ruben wrote:I don't think they are available yet in Europe....you can order them direct on line form the USA

seems that i have to... spent half of the day searching for an european online store that could have those, didn't find anything... wonder how much they would be if they were available here... right now i would pay 119 euros, including shipping and taxes... that's about $170... damn...

can't somebody pick one up locally and send it to me "used, $10"?

if it's been tested before, i don't even need a bill... opened, without receipt, some shoeprints on it, missing manual, make the box a lil bit worn... i guess nearly nobody would call it "new".

the documents sent as standard letter... hmmm... would that be legal at all??

honestly ... i don't care, i'd pay 119 euros at all if i don't have another chance to get it... or i just ask somewhere if they'll be available here in the near future and how much they would be, as long as i don't need one "RIGHT NOW!". HEY!... it's your tomorrow.. right now COME ON, it's eeeeverything! ... *sing*... hehe.

well... *research*

Ruben · Post by **Ruben** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:44 pm

119 is a good price!

But maybe have it modded with TB, LED & 9 volts, really worth the extra bucks

JimiJames · Post by **JimiJames** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 12:33 am

Looks like the price is right. I'll see about getting one and doing some clips as well. I'm 99.9% sure this is the one I use to have.
I have a Phase 45(here) which I think is warmer and more trasparent but I don't think it's as thick...
I'll have to do a side-by-side...

Slammintone · Post by **Slammintone** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:00 pm

The day I purhcased a new EVH phase 90 I read this review. Then I tried the EVH, cant remember it being too spectacular sounding (especially since I once owned an original script phase 90 in the old days) but man it sucked tone when bypassed. Took it right back and ordered the '74 reissue which after a month finally is here. Damn what a good sounding pedal. THIS IS THE REAL DEAL FOLKS! It sounds nothing like the other MXR reissue phase 90s of which there are 4 now. It needs nothing modded to give up the goods either. I would say this is basically a NOS early 70s pedal with a true bypass switch installed. My only gripe is on account of my inquisitiveness I cant quite get the board and the foam protecter repacked like it was when I opened it! Note that this pedals circuit board is not hard mounted with screws or anything. Basically it's not secured at all and is just as the originals were. I forgot that small detail but keep that in mind if you order this pedal and open it and think "whats with all the foam??" I'm going to spend a few getting it packed right and then leave it alone. Again, this is a great pedal, a STEAL at the price and I'm so glad I checked here and found the thing is even being reproduced and available. Mucho thanks!

Ruben · Post by **Ruben** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:50 am

Looks like the hunt for an original Script and it's silly prices is going to stop

Why bother paying to much money when the 74 vintage sounds (in my case) even better, more reliable and costs less?

Slammintone · Post by **Slammintone** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:13 am

Hey Ruben, maybe it'd be a good idea to invest in 3 or 4 of these and keep them new in the box and unload them in 25 years. What a sound, with cleaner amp settings and the pedals rate turned up about midway it does a great Ten Years Gone by Led Zep and I think an old Phase 90 is what Jimmy Page used on that track. At the 9:00 setting on the pedal and a nice overdriving Marshall it really gets the Eddie + Phase 90 sound to a T. The other reissue MXR '90s only hint at this pedals greatness.

blueboxer · Post by **blueboxer** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:57 pm

The other reissue MXR '90s only hint at this pedals greatness.

I couldn't agree more. I think I'll buy a couple more just for backup.

The '74 Phase 90 absolutely "sings" through my JTM45!!!

matttornado · Post by **matttornado** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 12:23 pm

I just got one the other day & I love it. Sounds way better than my dulop version. It sounds just like my late 70s block logo.

can't wait to use it tonight at my gig with my 74 superlead cranked!