In a world filled with boutique builders and Klon copies and Deluxe Memory Man wannabes, MXR has been churning out quality analog greatness for decades and are still sort of flying under the radar.
The MXR M78 Custom Badass ’78 Distortion is another example of MXR greatness. While not completely original, the custom badass series wasn’t intended to be. While drawing from a “classic circuits”, the series offers factory-modded pedals to give players new sounds.
The pedal offers three simple knobs: volume, gain, and tone. Crank the volume and start with a low gain. You will get a boosted sound that surprisingly goes well with a tele, and I think pairs better than most OCD-type overdrives. Leaving tone at noon, this pedal would do well just being a boost. But, MXR gives you a bit more than that.
Turning up the gain, it gives you grit and hair reminiscent of the late ’70s rock acts for which it is named. The gain skips past overdrive tones and goes straight to the singing soaring lead tones. The distortion sounds better the higher up on the neck you play, giving the pedal more of ahead sound than a crunchy rhythm sound.
The tone helps you pair this pedal to your amp and guitar. Tip: want SANTANA tone? Turn tone down near 8-9 o’clock, volume where you want it, and gain up to give you the sustain you want.
Also, there is a “crunch” switch that boosts the harmonic content. While it is built for leads, leaving the crunch button disengaged gives you flat distortion perfect for backing up the band. Engage the crunch, and all your notes will stand at attention. Think of it as a teeny growth spurt for your notes!
I bought this pedal when shopping for a clean boost. It did exactly what I wanted form a boost (especially wi the tone and crunch abilities), but the distortion reminded me of the sounds coming from a loud rock amp. Touch sensitive and ballsy notes from my Les Paul while still befriending the tele was a instant sell.
And to think, you could spend around $70 bucks and get all that.
Oh, and it’s true bypass and all analog. Turn down for what?
Users: Linkin Park, Dillinger Escape Plan, Lamb of God, My Chemical Romance
Submitted by David O, Instagram
