How do I keep my MXR Phase 90 from sucking my tone?

[Jerry]

I recently got my first phaser pedal, a EVH Phase 90 pedal and never having one, it sounds really good. Only problem is when the effect is engaged, it makes my actual tone sound thin and a bit trebly. Apparently I'm not alone in this since I've read that the MXR phase pedals are known to not be true bypass and to suck some of your tone. I've also heard you could mod it to make it true bypass; apparently cutting the R28 capacitor would help in this. Has anyone modded these to become true bypass and if so, how do you do so?

[starsailor803]

Get a true bypass looper from loop-master.com

[Noise...]

 

I recently got my first phaser pedal, a EVH Phase 90 pedal and never having one, it sounds really good. Only problem is when the effect is engaged, it makes my actual tone sound thin and a bit trebly. Apparently I'm not alone in this since I've read that the MXR phase pedals are known to not be true bypass and to suck some of your tone. I've also heard you could mod it to make it true bypass; apparently cutting the R28 capacitor would help in this. Has anyone modded these to become true bypass and if so, how do you do so?

 

 

The R28 won't do a thing for the bypass. Neither will removing the other two components that some R28 mods suggest.

 

You either have to mod it completely for true-bypass, put it in a TB Loop, or replace it.

 

Personally, I replaced mine because of the tone suckage and clipping.

[fly135]

With a 3PDT switch you should be able to make it true bypass.

[WarofGhosts]

Try putting a buffered bypass pedal (ie Boss etc) in front of the reissue MXR and that should help to relieve the tone suckage. A 3pdt is damn hard to fit in that dunlop case and you would have to dremel the circuit board to get it in there. You could buy the new 74 phase 90 reissue as it doesn't have board mount jacks/switches and could easily be rewired for true bypass. Oh and the sound kills the m101 phase 90. These folks even offer them pre true bypass modded for you at purchase

 

 

http://prmusicsupply.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19&products_id=37

[Wood Chuck]

Try putting a buffered bypass pedal (ie Boss etc) in front of the reissue MXR and that should help to relieve the tone suckage. A 3pdt is damn hard to fit in that dunlop case and you would have to dremel the circuit board to get it in there. You could buy the new 74 phase 90 reissue as it doesn't have board mount components and could easily be rewired for true bypass. Oh and the sound kills the m101 phase 90. These folks even offer them pre true bypass modded for you at purchase http://prmusicsupply.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19&products_id=37

[raj1988]

err...isnt the EVH phase 90 already true bypass??

[WarofGhosts]

 

err...isnt the EVH phase 90 already true bypass??

 

NO. None of them are but the 74 reissue would be the easiest to perform a true bypass rewiring/mod on.

[echodeluxe]

get rid of it because its a boring pedal. get a dod phaser, or even a boss one. way more tweakable, cooler sounding, and you wont sound like EVERYONE ELSE.

[andreas]

Wait a sec... if I read the original post right, the problem (thin and trebly sound) was with the pedal engaged.

I recently got my first phaser pedal, a EVH Phase 90 pedal and never having one, it sounds really good. Only problem is when the effect is engaged, it makes my actual tone sound thin and a bit trebly.

Yup, my eyes didn't deceive me

 

Apparently I'm not alone in this since I've read that the MXR phase pedals are known to not be true bypass and to suck some of your tone.

Changing the bypass wiring won't change the sound with the pedal engaged - it only affects the pedal's performance when the pedal is turned off. If you have problems with treble loss in bypass mode, modding to true bypass (very tricky with the EVH, custom shop script and regular reissue Phase90, far easier with the '74 reissue) will help. You could also make sure there's a buffered (Boss or Ibanez type) pedal in front of the phaser, which will help. But again - none of this will change the way the pedal sounds when it's turned on.

 

I've also heard you could mod it to make it true bypass; apparently cutting the R28 capacitor would help in this. Has anyone modded these to become true bypass and if so, how do you do so?

Like others have said, removing R28 will change how the phaser works, but it has nothing to do with the bypass system. Removing the feedback resistor will make the phasing more mellow, but it's not an option for the EVH model (as that's basically what the "script" switch does).

 

/Andreas

[Danne]

Wait a sec... if I read the original post right, the problem (thin and trebly sound) was with the pedal engaged . Yup, my eyes didn't deceive me Changing the bypass wiring won't change the sound with the pedal engaged - it only affects the pedal's performance when the pedal is turned off. If you have problems with treble loss in bypass mode, modding to true bypass (very tricky with the EVH, custom shop script and regular reissue Phase90, far easier with the '74 reissue) will help. You could also make sure there's a buffered (Boss or Ibanez type) pedal in front of the phaser, which will help. But again - none of this will change the way the pedal sounds when it's turned on. Like others have said, removing R28 will change how the phaser works, but it has nothing to do with the bypass system. Removing the feedback resistor will make the phasing more mellow, but it's not an option for the EVH model (as that's basically what the "script" switch does). /Andreas

if it sounds trebly and weak when engaged... just buy something else. If u dont have lots of money, I recommend the Ibanez Phaser. OMG thats an awesome phaser. But dont use batteries, use a 9v adapter.