Looking for a phaser

[CheckBass]

Which phaser would you recommend me?

My requirements:
- must fit on my crowded board (mini pedal or top jack mounted)
- no low end loss
- no volume drop or bum
- available (no discontinued or impossible to get pedals)

On my radar:
MXR M290 Phase 95
MXR Deep Phase
Aguilar Grape Phaser v2

Any tips, recommendations?

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

I have used MXR Phase 95 and Aguilar Grape Phaser v2 extensively. Both work fine in different ways. To my subjective ears, MXR emphasizes high-mids, offering more articulation. Whereas, Aguilar emphasizes low-mids, offering more body.

My preference is MXR with a Sadowsky Modern and Aguilar with a Jazz Bass.

 

[jmattis]

I did not like the Grape Phaser. I have a strong preference for the MXR Phase 100 over it. That said, our guitar player has a Small Stone that I think is even better for bass. It's on my short list to grab one soon. I also have a DOD Phasor 201 that is great on bass, but it is by far the most subtle phaser of the bunch.

*reading comprehension edit*
...of course none of these fit your board requirement, but IME, I'd recommend going with the MXR over the Aguilar.

 

[bholder]

I love phasers on bass, but I prefer the ones with all the bells and whistles regardless of how much board space they take up, so I'm of no use to you:

 

[davedamage]

The Idiotbox Whataphaser is one of my faves and there's one cheap in the classies...

For sale Pretty pedals

Shipping conus included All work great Sushi Box Underground Accelerator $150 Broughton RFE $150 -SOLD Idiotbox Effects Whataphaser $100 3xD Prime Equinox clone $100 RCO Pedals Pepperbox Bass OD voltthrower clone $100 I will consider trades and bundle deals

• Bassjas (+132 /0 /-0)
• Aug 28, 2025
• Updated Sep 6, 2025
• Views: 540
• Reaction score: 3
• Comments: 1
• Category: For Sale: Effects and Pedals

$100.00 to $150.00

2 watching

Not affiliated.

 

[HolmeBass]

EQD Grand Orbiter. The resonance control prevents volume loss. Top jacks. I love mine.

 

[bholder]

Spoiler: <thread detour>

Kinda off-thread-topic, OP doesn't want big boxes, but I'm nuts about 'em - I've gotten so demented with it that I just bought a 2nd Pigtronix EP-1, so I can set them up in parallel / stereo, both tweaked for "maximum squonk", but with opposite sweep directions - kinda a hybdrid Mutron BiPhase crossed with an envelope follower! And speaking of demented, the KMA Machines Horizont is far over and beyond the line of obsession, deep into the back woods and hills of craziness. Thing's dangerous! hehe

 

[Lammchop93]

The spaceman explorer was my end all be all phaser. It sounded so good with bass. I did not like the phase 95 at all.

 

[Erithon]

Mask Audio Neck Brace (125B, top jacks, readily available)
Broughton Audio Carina (125B, top jacks, out-of-stock but these make regular appearances in the classifieds; plus if you post in the Broughton Superthread that you are looking for one, someone will almost certainly reach out to you)

The Spaceman Explore is popular, but I did not care for it. I found it thin sounding compared to my Chase Bliss Wombtone. Both of these phasers have side jacks and thus are not what the OP is looking for.

 

[mapleglo]

I like the TC Electronic Helix Phaser.

 

[bholder]

Not cheap and not small (but not huge), there's this beast:

Even has a CV / EXP input, so with an external envelope follower that puts out expression pedal control signals, and you have envelope control of either sweep or sweep rate! I have the pieces, but haven't gotten them together to try it. Yet.

 

[FretRiff]

Which phaser would you recommend me?

My requirements:
- must fit on my crowded board (mini pedal or top jack mounted)
- no low end loss
- no volume drop or bum
- available (no discontinued or impossible to get pedals)

On my radar:
MXR M290 Phase 95
MXR Deep Phase
Aguilar Grape Phaser v2

Any tips, recommendations?

A lot of this will come down to personal preference. I really like the Deep Phase.



Not on your radar is the Seymour Shape Shifter, which is also really cool. I think it came in two versions with different colored cases. It might not still be in production but they're used on Reverb for ~ $130.

 

[PhinDog]

If you like the sound of the MXR Deep Phase, it's on sale for cheap! No affiliation. It just happen to come up in my Reverb feed,
https://reverb.com/item/88051556-mxr-m279-deep-phase-phaser

 

[Sugarbear08]

I like the mxr phase 95 and broughton audio carina.

Phase 95 is small, has several voicing options, and is dead simple to operate. I really love the swirl on this one.

Broughton audio carina is a different proposition altogether, but once I figured out how to use it, it's really grown on me, especially when paired with an envelope filter. A very rich, chewy phaser.

 

[Topkat13]

Have you reached out to Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock?

 

[bholder]

A very rich, chewy phaser.

Mmmmm, tasty!

 

[monsterthompson]

Pigtronix makes a small box phaser with two knobs and side jacks. No experience with it though. They also have the Moon Pool which is a Trem & Phaser Envelope pedal.

 

[arepa_funk]

Mr Black Gilamondo should be available. Small, side jacks, very chewy.

 

[deepestend]

I have the Phase 95 and like it WAY more than I thought I would. I've had nicer phasers like a Mutron clone and a Broughton, this one is just very easy to adjust to get a good sound. And the script and 45/90 switches actually give you some nice options. It seems way to generic on paper, but it doesn't require a ton of fiddling and cuts nicely.

 

[triviani]

Not on your radar is the Seymour Shape Shifter, which is also really cool. I think it came in two versions with different colored cases. It might not still be in production but they're used on Reverb for ~ $130.

Isn’t that a tremolo?