MXR M83 Bass Chorus Deluxe Settings Guide
The MXR M83 Bass Chorus Deluxe is a chorus pedal that uses a crossover network to apply chorus only to mid and high frequencies while passing the low end through clean — originally designed for bass but increasingly popular with guitar players who find standard chorus muddy or low-end-heavy. The crossover approach produces a more articulate, clear chorus effect that works well in dense band arrangements where a conventional chorus would obscure the mix.
The best MXR M83 Bass Chorus Deluxe settings start with: Bass XO at 1/10, Rate at 3/10, Width at 5/10, Intensity at 5/10. Adjust from there based on your amp, guitar, and room volume. For Indie / Post-Rock: Bass XO 1/10, Rate 3/10, Width 6/10, Intensity 5/10.
⚡ Start Here — Recommended Settings
| Control | Starting Position | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Bass XO | 1/10 | Off → On |
| Rate | 3/10 | Slow → Fast |
| Width | 5/10 | None → Full |
| Intensity | 5/10 | None → Max |
These are universal starting points. Adjust based on your amp, guitar, and room. Scroll down for genre-specific settings and artist-documented positions.
What Each Control Does
Recommended Starting Settings
Safe starting positions for any style. Adjust from here based on your amp and room.
All values on a 0–10 scale. These are starting points — fine-tune by ear.
Settings by Genre
Moderate Rate and Width for indie chorus — the crossover keeps the low end clear while adding modulation to the mid and upper frequencies. At these settings the chorus adds width and movement to clean or lightly overdriven chord work without muddying the band mix.
Slow Rate with moderate Width — the subtle, barely-perceptible chorus that adds depth to clean guitar without announcing itself. The crossover at these settings produces an almost 12-string-adjacent width on clean chord work.
Standard chorus mode (Bass XO off) with faster Rate and higher Width — the more obvious, classic 1980s chorus effect. More watery and prominent than the crossover mode; suits the aesthetic of new wave and 80s clean guitar.
The crossover keeps low-string rhythm chunk unaffected while adding gentle upper-register movement, useful for funk rhythm parts that need width without softening the percussive low-end attack.
Slow Rate with high Width and Intensity produces a lush, enveloping chorus for ambient textures, while the crossover keeps the effect from turning to mud on sustained low notes and chords.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- The Bass XO switch is the defining feature of the M83 — with it on, the chorus effect is applied only to frequencies above the crossover point. This produces a more transparent chorus where the fundamental frequency of each note remains stable while the higher harmonics are modulated, resulting in a more natural-sounding effect.
- The M83 runs on standard 9V but sounds best at 18V (requires an 18V power supply or a doubler) — the additional voltage headroom increases the clean headroom of the wet signal and reduces harmonic compression within the chorus circuit.
- Because the pedal was designed for bass, guitarists using it primarily for the crossover clarity (rather than a vintage chorus character) generally keep Bass XO engaged at all times rather than switching it for different parts.
- Width and Intensity interact rather than stack cleanly — a high Width with low Intensity gives a wide but subtle effect, while the reverse gives a narrower but more upfront chorus; adjust both together to dial in a target character.
- For recording, this pedal keeps a chorused rhythm part from smearing the low end of a mix in a way a standard chorus can — a genuinely practical studio tool beyond its live-performance uses.
FAQ
MXR M83 Bass Chorus Deluxe — Common Questions
Best starting settings for MXR M83 Bass Chorus Deluxe: Bass XO at 1/10, Rate at 3/10, Width at 5/10, Intensity at 5/10. Adjust from there based on your guitar, room, and playing style.
For Indie / Post-Rock: Bass XO 1/10, Rate 3/10, Width 6/10, Intensity 5/10. Moderate Rate and Width for indie chorus — the crossover keeps the low end clear while adding modulation to the mid and upper frequencies. At these settings the chorus adds width and movement to clean or lightly overdriven chord work without muddying the band mix.
For Clean (Articulate): Bass XO 1/10, Rate 2/10, Width 4/10, Intensity 4/10. Slow Rate with moderate Width — the subtle, barely-perceptible chorus that adds depth to clean guitar without announcing itself. The crossover at these settings produces an almost 12-string-adjacent width on clean chord work.
Bass XO: Bass crossover — removes low frequencies from chorus modulation (Off to On). Rate: Chorus modulation speed (Slow to Fast). Width: Chorus depth / modulation amount (None to Full). Intensity: Wet chorus signal level in the mix (None to Max)
The Bass XO switch is the defining feature of the M83 — with it on, the chorus effect is applied only to frequencies above the crossover point. This produces a more transparent chorus where the fundamental frequency of each note remains stable while the higher harmonics are modulated, resulting in a more natural-sounding effect. The M83 runs on standard 9V but sounds best at 18V (requires an 18V power supply or a doubler) — the additional voltage headroom increases the clean headroom of the wet signal and reduces harmonic compression within the chorus circuit. Because the pedal was designed for bass, guitarists using it primarily for the crossover clarity (rather than a vintage chorus character) generally keep Bass XO engaged at all times rather than switching it for different parts. Width and Intensity interact rather than stack cleanly — a high Width with low Intensity gives a wide but subtle effect, while the reverse gives a narrower but more upfront chorus; adjust both together to dial in a target character. For recording, this pedal keeps a chorused rhythm part from smearing the low end of a mix in a way a standard chorus can — a genuinely practical studio tool beyond its live-performance uses.
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