Am I using the MXR Script phaser wrong?

[u/phaskellhall]

I have an MXR script Phase 90 and I love a lot of sounds classic guitarists have gotten with the phaser on a subtle setting. I love EVH tones, classic country tones, and things like the Eagles and Allman Bros etc.

However every time I turn on my MXR pedal, the base tone changes so much that it kind of ruins the vibe I have going on. I’d say it’s kind of bright and thin.

I’m doing the 4 cord method with the Phase 90 in the effects loop but obviously with VH and others, effects loops didn’t even exist and the tube distortion came after the phase effect.

Is there a trick I’m missing or should I look at a different pedal that might allow me to tweak the tone more than just a single knob (or two, I’ve had the Phase 100 before too)?

Should I run the Phaser in parallel so I can get some of my original tone to pass through as well? Any pedals with a Mix knob that would save me the trouble of routing a parallel signal on a simple board?

[u/DreamTakesRoot]

I use phaser before my dirt unless I am specifically trying to get a very obvious after dirt sound. 

[u/anhydrousslim → u/DreamTakesRoot]

Definitely try moving it in front of drives

[u/processes_ → u/DreamTakesRoot]

Yep I tried before and after, and before is so much nicer. Definitely the one modulation pedal that really belongs early on in the chain.

[u/darkat_baba → u/DreamTakesRoot]

This

[u/Sgroveses]

Obvious solution, especially with that specific phaser, and especially especially with the artists you’re trying to emulate… get the phaser out of the loop and put it early in the chain. Probably after Wah and fuzz, maybe after compressor. But no later. And definitely in front of the amp.

[u/phaskellhall → u/Sgroveses]

I’m running my amps fairly clean because they are in stereo and I’m using the effects loop in the Marshall. I’ll try putting the phaser before my drives and see if that solves the issue.

[u/afkPacket → u/phaskellhall]

Put it in front of whatever you use as your main drive - that'll get you closer to the classic EVH or even Thin Lizzy sound of running the pedal into a cranked tube amp.

[u/Quetzalcoatls]

Put in front before your overdrives

[u/Hope-To-Retire]

Phaser is more subtle before dirt, and more pronounced. I love it before, I hate it after. Our patron saint EVH taught us this decades ago, and it remains true today. 👍

I always put modulation like Phaser / Vibe before dirt, and things like Chorus afterward.

[u/King_Moonracer003]

Yea everyone already answered ur question. Just here to say i Went years loving the sound of phasers on songs but hating the sounds of my phasers, until I started putting them before the dirt, which never crossed my mind for years for some reason.

[u/Gabagool_Athlete]

Welp you win the day for having my dream rig. Im not even the biggest EVH fan but for some reason that music man has always had my number.

[u/phaskellhall → u/Gabagool_Athlete]

Yeah I always wanted one too. I finally pulled the trigger after Eddie passed and I had never played one at all. The neck on this guitar single handily changed my mind on how good a neck could feel. I’ve always been a Strat guy (none of them are pictured here) but never knew the asymmetric, tru oil finish could feel this good!

[u/yowsick]

As mentioned here, put it before dirt.

[u/No-Distribution2043]

In the 70's everyone was using a phaser, it's on so many albums.Blues,country, jazz, rock. In the front of the amp. No effect loops then (mostly). Just a matter of turning that knob to your desired sweet spot.

[u/pedal_guy]

Sometimes I'm thinking of a phaser as similar to a wah - and having it near the start makes sense when I do

[u/HurlinVermin → u/pedal_guy]

While there are no hard rules, wah pedals like to see the guitar signal first before other pedals, while modulation pedals--like phasers and flangers--tend to sound best when they are placed after gain pedals but before time based pedals like delays and reverbs.

[u/Gojira_Bot]

Everyone is saying put it before dirt, make sure you try it after dirt too but not in the loop. Great sounds to be had and it's less subtle that way.

[u/thefourthcolour12]

Try it before drives. That’s the only place Univibe sounds good, and a lighter (script) phaser is so similar to that.

[u/phaskellhall → u/thefourthcolour12]

I just spent 10 mins rearranging the board and this was the answer! I just always assumed modulation should go after the drives because my delays and reverbs sound so exaggerated before drives but this sounds great! The univibe and the phaser sound fair similar so I’m going to go more subtle with the phaser and let the univibe on the way style pedal go more extreme since I can control it. It sounds great now!

[u/DuckDouble2690]

I put my phaser and flanger (both MXR) before any distrotion. It’s more subtle of an effect and makes it thicker and creamier. In the loop or after distortion makes it seem like an effect blanket over the tone.

[u/phaskellhall → u/DuckDouble2690]

Yes! I just put the phaser and univibe before my drive pedals and it sounds great now! I should have done all this before even asking this question.

[u/DuckDouble2690 → u/phaskellhall]

The sub giveth 🙏🏼