Modulation

Best Alternatives To MXR Phase 90

The classic four-stage phaser. One knob, enormous character.

Reference price: £89Options from: £29Best tone match: 88%

The best alternatives to the MXR Phase 90, ranked by tone similarity:

  1. Electro-Harmonix Small Stone — £65, 88% tone match. More resonant, musical sweep than Phase 90. Equally legendary.
  2. Joyo Vintage Phase — £29, 82% tone match. Phase 90 clone at entry price. Very close character.
  3. Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter — £99, 80% tone match. More modes and control. Different character, more versatile.
  4. Strymon Mobius — £429, 80% tone match. 12 modulation types — phaser is one mode. Overkill if phase is all you need.
⭐ Top Pick

Electro-Harmonix Small Stone

£65 · 88% tone match · budget

More resonant, musical sweep than Phase 90. Equally legendary.

💰 Best Value

Joyo Vintage Phase

£29 · 82% match

All Alternatives at a Glance

AlternativePricevs MXR Phase 90Tone MatchBest For
Electro-Harmonix Small Stone£65-£2488%budget
Joyo Vintage Phase£29-£6082%budget
Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter£99+£1080%mid
Strymon Mobius£429+£34080%premium
BudgetBest value — gets the job done
Joyo Vintage Phase$37
Tone Match82%
Save £60

Phase 90 clone at entry price. Very close character.

Alternatives to Joyo Vintage Phase
Electro-Harmonix Small Stone$83
Tone Match88%
Save £24

More resonant, musical sweep than Phase 90. Equally legendary.

Alternatives to Electro-Harmonix Small Stone
MidSignificant step up in quality
Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter$126
Tone Match80%
+£10 more

More modes and control. Different character, more versatile.

Alternatives to Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter
PremiumBoutique / pro-level performance
Strymon Mobius$545
Tone Match80%
+£340 more

12 modulation types — phaser is one mode. Overkill if phase is all you need.

Alternatives to Strymon Mobius

MXR Phase 90 Alternatives — Common Questions

The best alternative to the MXR Phase 90 is the Electro-Harmonix Small Stone (88% tone match at £65). More resonant, musical sweep than Phase 90. Equally legendary.

The best budget alternative is the Electro-Harmonix Small Stone at £65 (88% tone match). More resonant, musical sweep than Phase 90. Equally legendary.

Pedals that sound similar to the MXR Phase 90: Electro-Harmonix Small Stone (88% match, £65); Joyo Vintage Phase (82% match, £29); Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter (80% match, £99); Strymon Mobius (80% match, £429).

Yes — the Electro-Harmonix Small Stone is available for £29 and achieves similar tone characteristics.