MXR M83 Bass Chorus Deluxe Pedal Reviews

Mxr has it down with switchable dress it's warm sound is real.

Great bass chorus pedal enough said BUY it !

Awesome tones love this pedal!

The only other bass chorus I've ever owned was the Tech 21 and I don't think they make it anymore. That pedal was tricky to dial in. I would turn the blend up halfway and all my low end would disappear.

This MXR is a different beast. The secret, at least for me, is to keep the depth and rate low and set the intensity knob to about 35% up. I keep the crossover on all the time. With these settings, I can leave this pedal on all the time to add a bit of glow.

The EQ knobs effect just the wet signal which is a big plus if you want to brighten just the chorus or thin it out.

The only down side is that it does boost your volume a little. At least the Tech 21 had a volume knob so you can balance it out.

Seems like you're getting two stomps for the price of one. The chorus has that distinct sound straight up 12 on settings. But the flanger button is what I purchased it for. Wide spectrum of waves. Loose to tight. Nice.

I was hesitant about bass chorus pedal but after months of back and forth I'm so glad I did it. I love this pedal and it stays on when I'm playing. This pedal is the best rig add on hands down.

It's just awesome

I had initially tried this at a store back in January and wasn't a fan. "Why isn't it doing the Dan Briggs chorus sound on Lay Your Ghosts to Rest?" "Why isn't it doing Peter Steele worship?" Unsatisfied but undeterred, I eventually bought this pedal based on the other reviews on Sweetwater and a couple demos I saw online (and the better versatility compared to similar bass chorus pedals). After a week, I understand that I made a worthwhile purchase.

Turns out it can do both Dan Briggs and Peter Steele, but it takes some time to dial in and the help of other pedals, namely the Fender Mirror Image Delay and it's double tracker feature. After I figured out that part, I noticed that it felt too "quiet" so I took a couple steps back from my amp and immediately got lost in the faux-tri chorus. This pedal needs distance to properly shine, something I was missing at that store earlier this year.

My only other concern when I bought the MXR was how well it would handle low tunings. See, three of of my biggest bass influences are Jeff Caxide of Palms and Isis the band, Dan Briggs of BTBAM, and Joe Rowland of Pallbearer, all of whom use chorus with very low tuned basses ranging from Drop B to G# standard. With my Fender Active Deluxe P Bass, EMG GZR PJ set, and Drop B tuning, I adore how the Bass Chorus reacts. With the onboard low filter and bypassable preamp, I can basically cut out all the low end for a super bright chorus, perfect for stuff like "Not in Rivers, But in Drops" by Isis, then disengage the preamp for a warmer "Lay Your Ghosts to Rest" by BTBAM vibe.

All in all, super versatile and I'm glad I gave it a second chance.

Greetings Bass Players,

I got a hold of this magic box (and the MXR M300 Stereo Reverb) and wanted to share some perspective.

First, if you are looking for that dripping over the top, I may use this thing every now and then and I'm not really all that concerned about how mushy my low end is rolling around the floor, then this BASS CHORUS/FLANGER is not for you!

If you perhaps are into having 2 band cut/boost EQ on your effect?, the ability to maintain solid fundamental and not be drowning your tone in ketchup, then this BASS CHORUS/FLANGER will be for you.

(We also all know that the Flanger works below the Chorus effect between 0-10 ms, in the same manner as the Chorus effect between 10-20 ms. does.)

I placed this into stereo mode inside, went through the features and application on a new track and found that crossover to be the magic in the box. It drops out the effect @ 100Hz and rolls the effect in above. Hitting a solid low G and then doing a climbing run with the higher harmonics associated adds what I call an "airy thickness" to the Bass. It's perfect. (I also use a Broughton Always On HPF further tightening the low end register, as well)

If you like your hamburger smothered and dripping in ketchup there are plenty of options out there for you to get a hold of at all price points. If you prefer some lean steak with salt, pepper and a lil butter on it while your cooking, then get a hold of this magic box!

Greetings Bass Players,

I got a hold of this magic box (and the MXR M300 Stereo Reverb) and wanted to share some perspective.

First, if you are looking for that dripping over the top, I may use this thing every now and then and I'm not really all that concerned about how mushy my low end is rolling around the floor, then this BASS CHORUS/FLANGER is not for you!

If you perhaps are into having 2 band cut/boost EQ on your effect?, the ability to maintain solid fundamental and not be drowning your tone in ketchup, then this BASS CHORUS/FLANGER will be for you.

(We also all know that the Flanger works below the Chorus effect between 0-10 ms, in the same manner as the Chorus effect between 10-20 ms. does.)

I placed this into stereo mode inside, went through the features and application on a new track and found that crossover to be the magic in the box. It drops out the effect @ 100Hz and rolls the effect in above. Hitting a solid low G and then doing a climbing run with the higher harmonics associated adds what I call an "airy thickness" to the Bass. It's perfect. (I also use a Broughton Always On HPF further tightening the low end register, as well)

If you like your hamburger smothered and dripping in ketchup there are plenty of options out there for you to get a hold of at all price points. If you prefer some lean steak with salt, pepper and a lil butter on it while your cooking, then get a hold of this magic box!

I bought the MXR Bass Chorus deluxe pedal to use with my Ibanez Gary Willis fretless bass. It gives me the "Maauh" sound I've been looking for. Easy to use and versatile. Solid construction. Highly recommended. Sweetwater sales followed up on my purchase. No better service anywhere!

Just purchased and as always MXR delivers another great pedal. Thanks Sweetwater!

I'll admit that I feel a bit overwhelmed by the variety of tones that you can select with this pedal. There's so much available to you for shaping your sound that I almost would prefer a more stripped down version. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it though! This is another quality MXR pedal that just really does the job it says it will. I notice that on lower tones I don't pick up as much of the effect, but that could just be the settings I've implemented. Creates that cool "playing underwater" sound so key to songs like "Come As You Are" and etc.

If you know what you want, this is a great effect and it compliments other pedals in my chain as well!

This is the best bass chorus pedal out there in this price range, or any other, in my opinion. It won't kill your tone, in fact it will enhance your tone to the point that you won't ever turn it off!

The MXR M83 bass chorus deluxe is buttery smooth, noiseless, versatile and packaged for battle in a solid enclosure that feels heavy-duty from the first touch. The knobs also feel very sturdy with resistance to keep them from moving.

The sound of this amazing little gem has transformed my rig more than any other device. I really like the ability to keep the lower notes unaffected while blending chorus to the higher notes with the x-over, bass and treble control.

From warm and subtle to totally trippy, this pedal is the tool that will improve your sound!

Sweetwater and CJ have done it again. Absolutely amazed at the sound I get from this pedal. Works well with my new p bass. Absolutely recommend!

This small compact pedal from MXR has a lot to offer! First off, it's small, so it doesn't take up hardly any room on your pedalboard. I can't say anything bad about how this pedal sounds. The chorus AND flanger settings are extremely usable and tweak-able. It's nice that there are bass/treble eq options as well. Having the X-over button is good to keep the low end in the sound. If you are looking for a compact, great sounding chorus and flanger in one pedal, you have to give this one a try! As always, the people at Sweetwater are helpful and polite!

Awesome chorus. After buying this, I felt no need to keep my Boss CEB-3 and BF3 (the bf3 especially was a hard beast to tame on bass because it could become very overbearing quick ). The tone compared to the bosses is very natural and organic to my ears (analog vs digital I guess ) but unlike most who have complained about it being subtle, I don't think that at all. Yes you can set it to be subtle but you also can go full on seasick with this and the flanger is pretty cool too. Plays well with other pedals too and the crossover defiantly is a great feature to have (especially when combined with an octaver). All in all, it's a great buy and great bang for the buck. I have found it a very usable chorus.

This pedal exceeded all of my expectations. The flanger can stay on while the chorus is turned off so that's pretty cool. It was easier than I thought it would be to dial in the perfect amount and sounding chorus. I was worried that it would be a pain and that I would constantly be trying to Dial in a sound and constantly dicking with it. That was not the case with in 5 minutes or less I had the sound I was looking for and never had to mess with it again . It proved out to be well wort the money.

Gives an amazing thick and warm chorus sound; the flanger is very slight but workable as well. The amount of EQing you can achieve with the chorus effect is really something, as you can have a slight chorus/reverb effect up to close to the classic 80's chorus sounds (dial everything right up!) Plus, it's all analogue and doesn't suck tone! Love it.

This pedal works better than I ever imagined.The tones through my tube bass amp are so strong with this pedal.Think Justin Chancellor (Tool).The flanger is a nice touch...turn it off if you don't like it.I love it,though.I can get all I want out of this without having to do too much with it.
X-over switch gives you the option to decrease modulation on the low end.Separate Bass/Treble knobs as well.

I have been using a Boss Super Chorus for over 15 years in my pedal board. It has its purpose in a few of the songs we do, but it kind of loses the low end when engaged. This MXR, with it's crossover, fills that gap! It gives subtle or heavy chorus effect very cleanly and musically. Yes, I am using 2 chorus pedals in my board. One for the more shimmery chorus ( Boss ) in the appropriate areas, and this MXR for the majority of my chorus in needs. At first, I was concerned with the actual footswitch, as it makes the physical "click" sound. I thought it may be heard in some way, but it's fine. You can't hear it in a live stage setting. This pedal is very versatile. If I need the flange it's there also. With 2 chorus pedals, I could use one for chorus and one for flanging, or I could reach down and with the push of a button, switch to chorus. Changing the battery requires one to remove the back plate using a screwdriver. A quick access door would be convenient, for those players who use battery power. Overall, this is a great addition to my pedal board, and I highly recommend this pedal.

I've been using my Boss CEB-3 for quite some time now.
But I was ready for a change. I was on the search for more of a fat analog chorus tone. My search was over when I discovered the MXR M83. I fell in love with the rich tone. And the crossover switch is a big help. OH...and when I found out it also had a flanger. Come on...2 pedals in one, for the price of 1? Ya can't beat that. So I basically replaced my Boss CEB-3 and BF-2 with the M83, on my pedal board.
I highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed ;)

Cleanest, most effective pedal I own. No coloration, no gain spikes, just shimmering chorus. Xover function is a +1, and flanger switch allows me to dial in some classic early 70's bass vibes. If this one got destroyed in the zombie apocalypse, I'd buy one when it cleared up, or go get one out out of the nearest abandoned music store.

If you're on the fence, get off it now and go get one.

Incredible!! No loss of Bass tone and the analog tone is incredible BUY BUY :-)

Usually chorus and flanger are not my taste. They sound too dated and intense or lack the versatility to make it sound unique.
The MXR BCD is extremely flexible and just sounds incredible. The rate has a wide range of speed. The width and intensity help get the right amount of warble/modulation. Both chorus and flanger are quality effects, not cheap imitations.

My biggest confusion before purchasing was what the knobs did on the flanger mode. Intensity controls the feedback, making it sound more metallic and dramatic at high settings. The width controls the frequency range of the sweep (at minimum it is parked at one frequency).

The X-Over makes the overall effect more subtle. Adding a lot of treble makes it a bit hissy. Adding bass gets very rumbly, but not muddy. Must be a Baxandall EQ.

Honestly I think I could justify having two for both chorus and flange. The pedal really nails both effects for me. Definitely a keeper.

This was my 2nd MXR purchase, and I'm 2/2... blown away both times. The pedal sounds great, and I love the 2-in-1 nature of it (chorus & flanger.) Both sounds are very usable & tweakable. The BIG PLUS on this pedal is the crossover feature, which basically leaves everything from low E up to high G uneffected, and adds the effect to the upper register... it just encourages me to explore the full range of the instrument because of the subtle timbre shifts. WORTH. EVERY. PENNY.

I knew I was going to like this pedal from the reviews I saw from NAMM, but I didn't realize it was going to be as good and versatile as it is. It's the first chorus pedal I've owned that I can actually turn up the effect because of the xover feature, it only effects the higher frequencies of my bass allowing my low end to remain intact and now swirl as well. I'll be keeping the pedal for the rest of my career. Built MXR tough and more then I could have ever expected. Oh and flanger in it is pretty nice too, even though I prefer the chorus. Hope this helps.

I've been playing around with this one for a few days now since it arrived and I am soooo happy with this pedal! Absolutely no popping or cracking when engaged/disengaged. The chorus modulation from light to heavy is perfect for whatever setting is needed. The x-over button is a nice feature as well but, what really makes me love this pedal even more is the optional flanger mode. In one word - Amazing. Highly recommended!

This is a good pedal and built well,its more subtle than I like but I knew it may be before I bought it from other reviews, reviews are helpful but you don't really know until you try a product if it'll work for you, if it does go with it, if not move on.

This pedal sounds killer my only point is, when using the fuzz mode the volume jumps to ten flanger works great also the expander does a good job aswel. A great chorus all around...

This is a must for your bass to have a fuller more interesting sound,

I love this pedal with all the different effects and tones it brings to my MM Stingray 5H!! I wish I would have gotten sooner!!

I chose this one based on quite a bit of research, including an awful lot of time on TalkBass... Getting here has been a months-long process. My quest was fairly specific: I wanted to be able to NAIL the effect of the bass heard on Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men". As far as I know, there has never been anything else put out that sounds even close to what's on that recording from way back in '67. I even asked Jed, my always-helpful Sales Engineer at Sweetwater, who was kind enough to check with his resources and came back with "flatwounds and a chorus pedal" as their best guess for how to replicate that incredible sound.

And well, if it isn't an exact match, it's pretty darn close.

It turns out that the MXR M83 has an internal switch that allows you to change the output to 'stereo', thus seriously enhancing the effect. you can get with this thing. Now, learning about that capability wasn't the most straightforward thing - the Dunlop folks don't help much here, either on their website or especially with the very minimal "user manual" that comes with the unit. In fact, it is almost like they want to keep the thing an insider's secret, literally. To get access to the stereo switch, you have to remove the back panel (four screws) and then guess that the minuscule device in there is the stereo switch. It is so tiny that there's no labeling whatever and you are absolutely on your own to figure out which position is which. One would think that a feature as significant as this would be explained and illustrated (if not trumpeted and heralded), but curiously it is not - and that's why my rating for this unit is not five full stars.

Okay, all that said, I am actually quite thrilled with it.

Sounds great! Nice chorus sound and the crossover button is perfect to help keep your low end solid. The flanger sounds super too, though getting to the small button in the middle of a set to switch from Chorus to Flange is a bit tough. I'm thinking about getting a second one. One for chorus, one for flange.

Exactly what I was expecting and it plays well with other pedals. Recommend.

sounds very good, easy to operate and I am very satisfied.
I would recommend the product.

If you want some more depth to your bass lines, this is the tool.
Nothing that blows your mind, it does the job that's intended to do; but I have to say that I seldom either use or like chorus in my bass so I guess that what I'm really saying is that it is the one I liked out of several I tried from my friends.
It does have some "magic" (not "wizardry") in the "WIDTH" knob...
Still: worth the price for sure and it is an EHX so it will last more then you.

Easy to use and gtreat sound.

I have been looking for a chorus pedal for my bass that would not bury my
attack or tone. This pedal is has a wide variety of tonal options, yet never sucks the life out of the instrument. The tone controls are a nice feature that keeps the attack and bottom end from being washed out. I also love the fact that pedal is mono. Almost any chorus pedal sounds good in stereo, but it takes something extra for one to sound this good in mono.

The sounds I get with my Jazz bass are okay but this pedal eats batteries. I've owned it a little over a month. Using it for my home studio. I'm on battery number three. I've been using MXR pedals since the late seventies so I don't leave anything turned on or plugged in. Yeah,yeah,I should have ordered the plug.