John Frusciante’s MXR Phase 90

John first used an MXR Phase during the early days of the Mother’s Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik era. However, during the recording of the Californication album, he borrowed an MXR Phase 100. Once the band went on tour, John appeared to purchase a Phase 90 for himself, using it live from that point onward.

I have an Ibanez wah-wah pedal, because it has a wider range than the others. I use a Fuzzface and a Boss distortion pedal, and an MXR phase shifter, and that’s about it.

Guitar (UK), February 1991

It’s unclear whether this phase shifter was used exclusively, but it seemed to feature prominently on John’s pedalboard throughout the Californication tour. By the By the Way tour, however, he switched to a Moog MF-103 Phaser. In 2022, during the Unlimited Love tour, John returned to using the MXR Phase (see John Frusciante’s 2022 Pedalboard).