MXR ZW90 Wylde Phase

MXR has released yet another Zakk Wylde signature pedal. This time, it's an effect he barely used throughout most of his career. As if we needed another Phase 90, they decided to release one with his fancy graphics on it. The pedal itself just has one knob, like the original Phase 90 that everybody knows and loves. Turn it until you like it, and then leave it. This also has an LED, which is helpful, but aside from that, it's not much different from the classic Phase 90.

UTILIZATION

The peda itself is housed in a strong and sturdy housing that can withstand tons of abuse. It's solid enough to where it can take touring without any issues at all. The thing is SUPER simple to use. You turn the knob until you get the rate you're looking for and then leave it. The graphics on this are pretty gaudy, and I don't know how you could like how this looks, but that's a matter of personal taste, I guess. It's not really a fault with the pedal itself. The manual is useless on this thing because it's such a simple pedal to use. I've never read it, and I doubt you'll need to.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound is pretty much like all of the other Phase 90s that MXR has on the market. There are some subtle differences between the models, but for the most part, they generally sound the same. This one is close to the script version, I guess? It's hard to remember. I personally use a custom shop MXR Phase 90 on my board as I felt those are the best sounding Phase 90s that MXR has to offer, aside from the real deal, old school 70s ones. I like to set the level a bit low and use this on leads to give a neat effect. It's subtle enough to where it doesn't overwhelm the guitar, but it adds this slight flavor that makes it sound interesting.

OVERALL OPINION

The pedal is decent, but you can find a normal Phase 90 for cheaper on the used market. I don't really recommend getting this unless you're a huge Zakk fan who needs to have all of his pedals. I'm not really a fan of signature gear in general, so I might be a bit biased. The pedal itself is decent, but there are better, cheaper alternatives out there.