MXR M75 Super Badass® Distortion

Product Information

The Boss DS-1 pedal should need no introduction really. This is one of the most famous, popular, and well-reviewed distortion pedals on the market, and has been for almost 40 years now. It’s an absolute classic, and is likely to continue as such for a very long time yet. So what exactly are you looking for? The problem with this is that it will depend entirely on the type of metal that you like to play, or think you’re going to play most often. Metal is a hugely diverse genre, more so than many people would initially think, which is why it’s very hard to say that there is one single metal pedal that sits above all others. Typically you’ll be using a distortion pedal for heavier styles of music, and it’s a common question to ask which is best for metal. We’d say it all depends on your particular genre of metal. There are a lot of different styles of metal and thus, a lot of different tones. So have a look at your favorite guitarist's pedalboard and see what they’re using for more inspiration.

The next important factor is the general shape of the distortion - and no, we don't mean the shape of the actual unit, but rather the sound of the distortion itself. If you’re after something more vintage-voiced, then Bogner and Friedman are solid options for you. If you need a more modern sound, then the Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box and Kirk Hammett's signature Dark Blood offer truly outstanding contemporary gain sounds. You get no less than five separate knobs on the Super Badass, allowing you to alter the output and distortion, as well as the bass, mids and treble. It’s perfect for sculpting tone, and we love the fact that you can get it do do pretty much whatever you want. Our only criticism might be that if you want maximum gain, this pedal might lose out to a more dedicated unit. OK, so the SF300 distortion pedal is unashamedly inspired by offerings from Boss, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and it certainly isn’t when you get this much pedal for such a tiny price. This thing is basically a catch-all for fuzzy distortion. It can do light 60s fuzz, from the time when overdrive was still seen as a bad thing by a lot of guitarists, to meaty, stoner fuzz that is super distorted.

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It is worth noting that distortion pedals are different from overdrive pedals, which are meant to push your amplifier past its headroom for a slight crunch or very subtle distortion. Distortion stompboxes offer extra grit or dirt to your signal without having to push your amplifier, giving you that signature distorted sound even at low volumes.

This unit hasn’t changed much on the outside since the 80s, and that’s no bad thing. It’s heavy duty, and we would not be surprised if it’s currently sitting on the pedalboard of some seriously famous touring musicians. Think next I'll need a new Dunlop wah and those we'll be the only two pedals I'll need for awhile and definitely will be getting some decent cord's. Finally, distortion pedals are often combined with other effects like chorus and reverb, or with wah-wah pedals. This is how you build a really nice distorted sound, but remember that it’s always worth fine-tuning your tone, then level of distortion, and then finally effects on top of that. It’s the easiest way of finding the right tone and ensuring that you can replicate it in the future. What does a Distortion Pedal do?A distortion pedal can be used anywhere in your effects chain to really give your tone an entirely new sound, and they’re really very easy to use. Unlike some effects pedals and other guitar peripherals, there really isn’t much difficulty to using one. The EQ section is brilliantly voiced, providing an impressively vast range of tones with nary a bad sound to be found. Boosting the bass control makes the tone bigger but never flabby or farty, and when it’s turned down it never gets wimpy or too thin. The treble control covers a palette from dark (but not muddy) to razor sharp (but not piercing). One of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to effects pedals, is “what is the difference between overdrive and distortion?”. In truth, they are quite similar, and the line is often blurred when people are describing the sound that they hear. Lots of guitarists themselves won’t even be able to distinguish between them in the middle of the mix, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t differences. Simply plug the distortion pedal in between your guitar and amp, dial some adjustments in, and you’re ready to go. From then on, it’s all about tweaking whatever options available with your particular pedal.

The sound quality of the MXR Super Badass is certainly not surprising as MXR has come up with other great sounding pedals. But what sets the M75 Super Badass apart from other alternatives is its equalizer which allows you to attain specific tones for whatever genre or songs you are going to play. We also love the crunch button, which unlike a lot of pedal buttons, does exactly what you’d hope it does, and more, to the point that the first time you try it out, you won’t want to switch it off. Ideal if you want a few more lows and highs to build out your sound. At the start of this rundown it’s probably the two former Super Badass editions that I’m most likely to acquire next - but we’ll see where I stand once I’ve completed the sweep-through. For more info on the differences between them all, read the study. Top Choice - Electro-Harmonix Soul Food For the price, there had to be some compromised somewhere, and they come in the form of the pedal’s construction. It’s by no means bad - everything is laid out and finished well, including the footswitch, but rather than the usual metal, the SF300 is made from high impact plastic. It feels fine, but there’s a reason touring musicians will buy only pedals with a metal chassis.

Customer Reviews

Although MXR pedals are known for their reliability and high quality, there are other great choices from its competitors such as the Boss DS-1, TC Dark Matter, and the Pro Co RAT. However, the M75 holds its own and is praised as one of the best sounding distortion effects in the market nowadays. Despite its pure analog circuit, the MXR Super Badass Distortion can pull off modern tones and is a great fit for any rig. This MXR Super Badass Distortion review will provide you with everything you need to know about the stompbox. Should You Get It? Would be cool if anyone can explain to me the distinction between Custom and Super and whether this is actually a proper subset of MXR or simply a marketing vehicle! What is not in dispute though is that these are some truly great sounding Overdrives, Distortions and Fuzz. And I’ve seen many a player cite the Modified Overdrive especially as one of their favourites of all tine.