MXR Flanger fun and woes

[cestlamort]

I've probably (certainly) rambled on for too long about how I love my vintage MXR Flanger: despite the wonky switch, dedicated power, weight, no LED, etc.

I've been trying to replace it (or at least prepare to replace it) for years now, and nothing quite gets it right. Yesterday I did a comparison (I'm not going to say "shootout") of the old MXR, reissue MXR big box, MXR micro flanger, and my attempts and mimicking it with the Eventide H9. All sounded good, but only the vintage one sounded extraordinary. I'm not sure how to describe it best, but the character of the sound (waveform, filtering, weight) is something special. (Not unlike the difference between an old fender amp, the tone master version, and an amp sim)

Over the years, I've tried and found wanting (in reverse chronological order)
MXR 117R. Sounds fairly close, super noisy at idle. Just as heavy as the original. Less volume drop.
Boss HF-2. Sounds good, but more chorus-y than deep swooshy.
PastFX Hot for Flanger. Kinda in the same ballpark but it sounds fundamentally different than the MXR ones to my ears. Still more chorus sounding. Lots of features (level, volume, "Waldo" switch --> I would have vastly preferred a "permafrost" switch instead!)
MXR Micro Flanger (reissue). Decent, sounds a bit better than the big box reissue, but limited in controls. Only Rate (speed) and Regen. Comparing it to the reissue, it seems like the invisible manual control is maybe 9:30 and the width is around 11:30. But sounds pretty good throughout the range, even if it can't quite do the super wacky. Light and small. Volume bump.
Eventide H9 Flanger (Modfactor). I can get this in the ballpark, but I haven't been able to get the turnaround on the waveform right and the filtering seems different. It can totally do HF-2 sounds and EHX Electric Mistress ones, however. No ability to play with the dials, of course. Or at least with out programming them / mapping to exp pedal. Hint: Turning down the EQ on the Diamond comp upstream actually makes the HF-2 and H9 sound a bit closer to the MXR filtering (Note to self: I could probably play with an EQ pedal to get even closer).
ADA PBF Flanger. The one I had sounded like everything I hate about flangers: thin, warbly, pitch shifting not in pleasant ways. It's been a few years, so maybe I'd be better at dialing it in now, but it just seemed "thin" overall.
Boss ME-5. Some good sounds but (obviously) Boss family.
Boss BF-2. Sounds good at what it is. Which is a metal storm drain (rather than the MXR's self excavated tunnel from under an avalanche)
Ibanez UE400 (FL301 circuit?) Sounds pretty good, but not full bodied enough.

Basically: I'm considering having my vintage one modded to address functional issues. (That said, it works fine in a bypass loop and even finer in the loop of a Boss LS-2 -- it just makes an already big and heavy pedal effectively bigger and heavier)

• Power jack

• New switch

• (maybe) LED

• (maybe) volume trim or something to address the drop out

• (unlikely) weight relief

Any recommendations or experience with people who mod these?

I hesitate to send it off to some random tech because I love it so much (and that's exactly why I'm even considering the modifications in the first place!).

[OffYourFace]

have you tried the EVH one? I kinda liked it tbh. you could repaint it

otherwise, if you're going to mod it, might as well go true bypass too.

I say yes to TB (so new switch obv) and LED (easy with 3P3T sw.) for sure.

I don't know about the slight gain drop. There could be an easy 1 resistor mod but not sure.

Re: power & weight, removing the psu transformer inside and going for a Boss style power jack will make it a bit lighter.
When I used one on my board years ago, I just gave it a shorter AC cable and used a TB loop box. But I only had 5-6 pedals on my board, including a big box DMM with another TB loop box.

How's the condition of your pedal? I have one that is super beat-up with almost no text left. I've thought about modding it in a similar way but I don't use it enough to justify it.

[cestlamort]

Thanks. It's somehow still in good shape despite the years (I've had it since the early 00s so it's lived an okay life).

Putting it in a loop on the Boss LS-2 works really well (LED, reliable switch, volume control), just adds to the bulk. (And I have one eye on doing some more "agile" shows in the future, so want to keep weight in check; it all adds up).

I was pretty hopeful for the M-117R reissue one. It does sound pretty close but it has an "EHX Clone Theory" noise level when on. I just got it used and it looks to be an older reissue so something may have drifted over the years (there's always a reason that someone sold a piece of gear; guitar center return policy means I'm potentially out only $10 or so). And, honestly, the Microflanger is way more than decent and does the job. It's just that the vintage one has a "something" that I've only experienced in an a few pedals (big box DMM, Ibanez AD80) that is really nice. Maybe it's the chips or there's a certain filtering in some old pedals (cutting some highs, smoothing things, thickening other things) that is really pleasing/musical/whatever. I've done some more research and the FXDoctor seems to have some good testimonials/reviews.

I'll hunt down one of the EVH ones and maybe another reissue. And I'll keep on with the project of dialing it in on the Eventide H9. (At least I've gained some real world learning about stacking different wave forms and comb filtering from delaying and offsetting the LFO.)

Tangent 1: I've started thinking of the Eventide stuff as analogous to Linux: It can do pretty much anything/everything but you have to work at it / know what you're doing. But: at Apple/Mac price levels.

Tangent 2: I had seen the PRS Wind through the Trees in the case at store (kinda cool name, but: is that some Hendrix reference?). Could be interesting: two flangers with a blend control (and shared regeneration level). Or, as one Youtube commenter put it: "I already have a boss ls-2 and two flangers." I've really only used the LS-2 as a switcher and haven't tried blending two modulation pedals. Could be fun.

[BlixaFan]

i own a vintage one that i bought on vacation in Mexico, but if i hadn't come across it, i likely would have gone for the EVH one, as I believe that may be the one that sounds closest...

[JVG]

I’ve had a modern EVH version for several years, and it’s a great pedal. I’d be interested to hear it against a vintage unit.

I actually like the sound of the MicroFlanger even more, as it had a mid-range push that i enjoy, however it’s not as versatile as the bigger unit.

MXR still make great pedals.

[cestlamort]

i own a vintage one that i bought on vacation in Mexico, but if i hadn't come across it, i likely would have gone for the EVH one, as I believe that may be the one that sounds closest...

I’ve had a modern EVH version for several years, and it’s a great pedal. I’d be interested to hear it against a vintage unit.

I actually like the sound of the MicroFlanger even more, …

Cool. It seems that the EVH is a great option.

I did more A/B with the vintage and the reissue (which looks like an old reissue fwiw) and the RI could get pretty close, although with more of a warble than the smoothness of the vintage one. (Small tangent: the Boss LS2 is a totally underrated utility pedal, just practical and useful).
The reissue I have is really noisy, so I may cycle it back to Guitar Center and try another.
The microflanger actually more than holds its own vs the reissue (within the overlapping range) and is an amazing value for sound per dollar. (At $60 used or so).
I also continue to dial in the H9 flanger. Closer every time (definitely none of the original’s magic but expression pedal options mean it can do some neat things too). Sounds better in stereo than in mono. Also nice to assign the expression pedal to sweep through a parameter while dialing it in.

Current status:
Vintage on the board (in LS2 loop)
Reissue going back (noisy)
Microflanger still in the running for stripped down board
H9 probably the choice if going even more stripped down (I use it for other effects too).

[Jaguar018]

A MXR black reissue flanger was on my board for a bit. I never quite got it to sound the way I wanted.

I have been chasing my damn 'ideal' flanger sound forever with Maxon, Moogerfoogers, and numerous others. Currently my Foxrox TZF2 has the trophy. I dialed it in and got just what I've been wanting for decades!!!

...until something happened and some of the knobs and switches got messed with when I flipped the board over to organize the cables or whatever.

Now it doesn't quite have the magical swoosh I love, and that's the thing about flangers for me: all of the knobs have this alchemical reaction that I've never quite been able to figure out.

[marqueemoon]

Madbean Pedals made/makes a MXR 117 clone PCB called the Collosalus. The boards are now out of stock.

Might be worth doing a saved Reverb/eBay search.

If one pops up it will likely be cheap, and a good platform for any further mods/features you might want.

[fuzzjunkie]

Madbean Pedals made/makes a MXR 117 clone PCB called the Collosalus. The boards are now out of stock.

Might be worth doing a saved Reverb/eBay search.

If one pops up it will likely be cheap, and a good platform for any further mods/features you might want.

Hmmmm. I was going to recommend the Collosalus last week, but I thought they’d been discontinued for a while - and that finding a pre-built one on Reverb would be the only option?

A few years back people thought it was the closest thing to vintage.

[cestlamort]

Update: I found a beat up EVH Flanger on GC online. I haven't a/b'd it yet with the old one, but it seems to be the closest candidate to date. (Maybe the M-117R would have been good other than the noise). No noise, silly EVH button, ugly paint.
It seems though that the rubber knob gaskets are attached to the knobs (?!), which are split shaft.

[fuzzjunkie]

It seems though that the rubber knob gaskets are attached to the knobs (?!), which are split shaft.

It’s possible the original owner glued them onto the knobs?

The Sweetwater site shows them as separate pieces that can be added to the knobs. Or perhaps it’s a really tight fit?

[B.T.]

I’ve had a modern EVH version for several years, and it’s a great pedal. I’d be interested to hear it against a vintage unit.

I actually like the sound of the MicroFlanger even more, as it had a mid-range push that i enjoy, however it’s not as versatile as the bigger unit.

MXR still make great pedals.

I have an original 1970’s and a MicroFlanger. I feel the MF does everything I need, sounds great, and isn’t as noisy. But the vintage has a few tricks up its sleeve and I couldn’t let it go for years but now I need to cut down my hoarding and it sadly has to go. I need that type of flanger on my board so the MF shall stay.

[cestlamort]

It seems though that the rubber knob gaskets are attached to the knobs (?!), which are split shaft.

It’s possible the original owner glued them onto the knobs?

The Sweetwater site shows them as separate pieces that can be added to the knobs. Or perhaps it’s a really tight fit?

Oh, thanks. It took some work, but I got them off (with only minimally scraped knuckles). Much better now, especially since the insides were dir-ty.

I’ve had a modern EVH version for several years, and it’s a great pedal. I’d be interested to hear it against a vintage unit.

I actually like the sound of the MicroFlanger even more, as it had a mid-range push that i enjoy, however it’s not as versatile as the bigger unit.

MXR still make great pedals.

I have an original 1970’s and a MicroFlanger. I feel the MF does everything I need, sounds great, and isn’t as noisy. But the vintage has a few tricks up its sleeve and I couldn’t let it go for years but now I need to cut down my hoarding and it sadly has to go. I need that type of flanger on my board so the MF shall stay.

I'd keep it, personally.

I'll do some a/b/c'ing with my vintage one, recent microflanger and the EVH. The Microflanger is pretty great, but the range isn't quite right for dialing in my favorite settings from the bigger one. And worth noting: I play almost always with no dirt, so I'm only interested in how it sounds in a McGeoch / Robert Smith / post-punk / etc. spectrum. So: hairspray and black clothes rather than hairspray and bright colors.

I've been seriously considering sending the vintage one off to get a power jack and a new switch (not sure if I need a light, really). I haven't fully vetted the folks who do this, and I wanted to make sure I had a viable backup in any case.


Current status:
Vintage on the board (in Boss LS2 loop) (may send off to get modded)
Reissue went back (too noisy)
EVH now in the running
Microflanger still in the running for stripped down board
H9 probably the choice if going even more stripped down (I use it for other effects too).
Boss HF-2 sounds kinda cool but not the same thing at all
Boss BF-2 sounds like a BF-2, so not even same ballpark