50 YEARS OF 90 Five decades ago, the Phase 90 launched one of the most iconic music effects companies and established itself as the pedal by which all other phasers are judged. Released in 1972 as the first offering of the upstart MXR, Phase 90 has been a mainstay on the pedal boards of millions of players around the globe ever since—including a wide range of artists from David Gilmour and Eddie Van Halen to Tom Morello and John Mayer.