Model Description:
There are probably few that would argue that the bright orange Phase 90 single‑handedly made the American effect company MXR Innovations famous. Most people with an interest in vintage effects will recognise it instantly. The word iconic is overused but in this instance, it is probably justified. It couldn’t be much simpler, a single knob controlling speed and a footswitch to turn the effect on and off. There is no ‘depth’ control, as featured on some competitor pedals. It’s also compact. Perhaps the old adage, ‘less is more’ applies in this instance. While most collectors will crave (sic!) the earlier scrawly ‘script’ logo version, the electronic circuitry of the early bold ‘block’ logo Phase 90 released c.1976/1977 is identical to its more esteemed predecessor – the only change being cosmetic. MXR co‑founder, Mike Barr, designed the all‑analogue 4‑stage ‘bucket brigade’ Phase 90 in 1974 and it was the debut pedal released by the new company and it proved to be remarkably successful debut for MXR. The Phase 90 rapidly became the benchmark for phaser effect pedals. What may be less well known is that the Phase 90 formed part of a growing range of (orange) MXR phase pedals. The other members of the family were the slightly more ‘polite’ 2‑stage Phase 45 and the more flexible 6‑stage Phase 100. In the early 1980s, MXR upgraded the modulation circuit, so the company took the opportunity to add a DC power input and an LED to indicate when the effect is switched on. There was a break in MXR manufacturing between 1984 and 1987, when new owner Jim Dunlop revived it. While modern reissues strive to capture the ‘magic’ of the original, even the Custom Shop models are similar but just not the same. For this reason alone, the old pre‑Dunlop MXR pedals are much sought after on the vintage effect market with increasingly higher prices to boot, particularly for the original ‘script’ logo versions of the classic stomp boxes like the Phase 90.
Pedal Description:
This 1977 MXR Phase 90 (MX‑101) with its familiar bright orange enclosure was manufactured in Rochester, New York. This transitional example of the 2nd generation model was made around the time of the facelift in c.1976/77 – the main enclosure carries the ‘new’ ‘block’ logo while the baseplate has the earlier ‘script’ logo – presumably using up existing stock parts. The single ‘speed’ pot dates the pedal to mid‑1977 perhaps indicating it was one of the first batches of ‘block’ logo Phase 90s to hit retail shelves. The only sign of modification is a hole on the right hand side, presumably to facilitate a 9V DC input, given its location and the fact that it predates the factory power input/LED. There is no internal remnant of the change and only the opening remains to spoil its originality. Other than the opening, the rest of the upper enclosure’s condition is not at all too bad for its age with a few surface scratches for its many years of use. The baseplate shows more signs of wear but only to the paint, not surprising given how the pedal is used. Most importantly, the electronics work perfectly and it still sounds great, just like it would have done when it left the factory. When something is right, it’s right and the balance between simplicity and tone makes it just about perfect for what it does. The basic controls, a ‘speed’ knob and the standard footswitch, convey just the right amount familiar swirl of charming warm phase shift. There are largely no ‘bad’ tones to be found here; how it is used is up to you. Generally, while phase pedals are not my favourite effect type, the Phase 90 gets close, along with its main competitor in the early days, the Electro‑Harmonix Small Stone. To be perfectly honest, my preference would be to go upmarket and go for the larger, more versatile Phase 100 (or its competitor, the Electro‑Harmonix Bad Stone). Despite its lower values on the vintage effect market, it would be unwise to ignore the early ‘block logo’ MXR Phase 90.
Features:
- Made in Rochester, New York, U.S.A.
- The ‘Speed’ knob controls the rate at which the phase effect cycles
- Standard footswitch turns the effect on and off
- ¼” input and output mono jack sockets
- 2nd generation ‘block’ MXR logo enclosure with 1st generation ‘script’ logo baseplate
- No LED or DC power supply input
- No box or instruction manual
Detail Gallery:
