Modulation Dilemma

Personally, I'd say phaser, but then this is the type of question where the only answers you're likely to get will be exactly that, people's personal preference for phasers or choruses.

The real bottom line is which you'd use more in your gigs. Or if you aren't gigging, which one you think would be more fun to play around with.

 

Yup. What TheBigO said.

 

I've owned a few of each and at the moment I technically have two chorus pedals and two phasers. The choruses are a George Dennis Chorus Flanger and a Boss PS-3 which isn't truly a chorus but can be used that way in Detune mode. The phasers are the Pigtronix EP-1 Envelope Phaser and a Boss PH-3.

Here's my opinion on the two: I like them both, but I have found that finding a chorus I liked was much harder than finding a phaser I did. I've been pretty happy with most of the phasers I've tried, including the MXR Phase 90 that you mentioned. Personally I liked the EHX Nano Stone better, but that's just me.

With chorus pedals, the majority have sounded metallic to my ears and often give what I can only call a bit of a "dated" sound as they make me think of 80's stuff. My search was always for a more "organic" tone which I found with the George Dennis. That said, I find I use phaser much more so sadly that pedal will likely be up for sale in the weeks to come.

YMMV, but I just get more use out of a phaser. I'm sure there are plenty of people who feel the exact opposite.

 

I currently have both chorus and phaser on my board. I love them both. Judging by the way that I use them, and this is just IMHE, I would say that chorus can be used in more songs and add some color or shimmer to a lot of passages, but phaser is a much more dramatic effect and can really explode a section if you want it to.

 

I also use both. And just like TheBigO, I use a Pigtronix EP-1. Great pedal. Also, took alot of buys before I stopped trying different chorus pedals. I landed on the Maxon CS9-Pro. Lush, full range organic sounding stereo chorus. Neither was under $200. That's the problem, you'll see.

 

I found I could get some pretty "icy" chorus from the CEB-3 cus of the HPF. If Im correctly translating the word "icy".

I find chorus to be subtle no matter what, tho I can get crazy or subtle out of my phaser, depending on the effects rate/speed mostly.

Hope this helps

 

FWIW I use my CEB-3 mostly to get that '80s sound, which can be nice if you're not taking yourself too seriously, but it also does a pretty good job of turning my Blowtorch into a synth pad-type effect (again, pretty '80s!).

I do have a phaser on my board (DOD 490) but it only ever comes on for a bar or two.

 

If you want an icy, 80's sounding chorus, the Digitech Bass Multi-Chorus is as good as I've found. It might even cost a little less than the Boss, too. Good luck.