NAMM 2018: MXR Sugar Drive Overdrive Pedal

MXR make some of the most iconic pedals on the market. I was excited to hear that this year at NAMM they've added several pedals to the line. Addmittedly, the pedal I most excited for is the MXR Sugar Drive. I'm a sucker for a transparent overdrive and this one seem to fit that description to a tee. In fact, several times, the guys at the MXR booth stop just short of calling it a Klone clone by name. So, if you like your pedals tiny and you are also a fan of MXR, then this is right up your ally. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there are some other pedals strikingly similar to the MXR (Tone City Bad Horse) but the MXR does have a bypass-able buffer, so there is that.

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This year, MXR is releasing its own take—dubbed the Sugar Drive—on a rare, beloved circuit from the '90s. Packed into a pedalboard-friendly mini chassis, the pedal provides a wide range of tones, from driving boost to lush overdrive.
The pedal's interface is clean, with only three knob controls—Tone, Drive, and Volume—and an on/off footswitch on its face. Despite its simplistic aesthetic, the pedal's finely tuned circuitry is a bit more dynamic than it appears.
Instead of a Drive knob that simply increases the pedal's intensity, it actually grabs your clean, unaffected signal and blends it with the overdrive as you turn the knob. Then, the pedal's "Charge Pump" increases headroom by increasing the operating voltage. This makes for a deeper, more progressive move from clean tone to affected dirty tone and allows your sound to open up more naturally.
On the side of the chassis, you'll find a selectable switch and corresponding LED indicator for choosing between true bypass or MXR's buffered bypass.

5 Best Pedals Of 2017

Happy 2018 everyone. I just wanted to take a moment to look back at the previous year and recognize some of the best things to happen to guitar pedals in 2017. This isn't everything that was great, nor is in any particular order. These are just the five pedal of last year that stand out the most. Starting with:

BOSS RV-500

Boss expanded their line of 500 series effects. In a somewhat predictable manner, Boss added to the well-received DD-500 with an equally impressive Reverb unit. BOSS loyalist have been long-suffering devotees to a brand that took its time to catch up, but many feel like the 500 series is BOSS's answer to Eventide and Strymon. Not only do BOSS fans have an answer to the huge do-everything-delays, but so do those that can't bring themselves to throw down the big bucks. At $350 these delays look like a bargain.

TC ElectronicFlashback II

2017 seemed like the year everyone was stepping up their delay game. TC was no different. Many love the Flashback delay, and for good reason. TC Electronic's Tone Print features are massive. How do you improve upon a pedal that you can update endlessly via a cable plugged into your computer? More functionality. Somehow TC crammed, even more, features into their Flashback II. The Smash feature is, for the most part, unprecedented. Now you can have an expression pedal built into your compact pedal. The Flashback II is a solid win.

Wampler Deluxe Tumnus

Wampler stepped up their game with the Deluxe Tumnus. Despite its recent release, it has taken over pedalboard everywhere. I follow tons of guitarist and guitar pages and it seems like nearly all the boards posted on the internet in the last few months have a Deluxe Tumnus on them. The Klone Wars may be over. Many guitarists want more out of their light overdrives, and the Deluxe Tumnus delivers.

EHX Green Russian OD

For the last few years, EHX has been the go-to place when looking for inexpensive pedals that deliver (especially if those pedals have a striking resemblance to another, rather iconic, pedal). Stopping short of making a re-issue, EHX opted to release a clone of an EHX classic. The Green Russian Big Muff is a copy of the Russian made Big Muff Pi. This isn't an original idea, but it's cool to see EHX reaching back to their roots. It doesn't hurt that it is inexpensive and compact.

MXR Carbin Copy Deluxe

I'll be honest. I've never really seen what was so special about the carbon copy. Analog delays are nice, but I've always like the expanded capabilities of digital delays. Not until I owned a Carbon Copy did I understand that it has a sound all of its own. The worst thing you can say about that pedal is that it is limited. The Carbon Copy does away with that complaint. The Deluxe is an improvement on the original in every way. This is a textbook example of how you update a fantastic original.

Ugly Guitar Truth: MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe

Whether you love the Carbon Copy or you passed on it. Nearly everyone's ears perked up when MXR/Dunlop announced the Carbon Copy Deluxe. Nearly everyone agrees that's the original Carbon Copy sounds great (or it is too dark). Whatever you think about the original, the Deluxe fixes some problems about the original and gives us everything that you could want, right? Let's take a look.


There's More To Love

So those that love the Carbon Copy have a lot more to happy about. A larger format allows for additions like Tap Tempo and moves the Width and Speed of the Mod to the outside of the pedal this time. We also get the bright mod added to the Deluxe. I glad they added this, that way we avoid the predictable Carbon Copy Deluxe (Bright). All this in addition to the neat add-ons like expression and instrument/line level options make this a well thought out pedal. So is it all roses?


It's Not All Roses

Yeah, The Carbon Copy is loved by many players, but is it really live up to all the hype? It's not an all-around type delay. Coming from the point of do-it-all digital delay, analog delays have a big gap to make up in way of value. There are no fancy tricks (well, not many) or dizzying specs. One could argue that an analog delay with 1.2 seconds of delay is a pretty good trick. Others would say that a mono delay just doesn't cut it anymore. With the addition of sub-divides, tap-tempo, and expression, one would difficult not to admit that the Deluxe is a serious step up for the Carbon Copy

It All Adds Up

Given the popularity of the Carbon Copy and the current trend of analog delays, the Carbon Copy Deluxe gives players looking for that sound even more. The sound that many of us love is still there, but now there is so much more to love. It is even in a top-jack format, which is more-and-more becoming my favorite format. The price of the original, to me, seems a little steep. Then again, I'm a penny-pinching, old so-and-so. The Deluxe, on the other hand, seems to fit well in the market for modern analog delays.

Conclusion

The worse new in this entire post might be for the original Carbon Copy (including the Cabon Copy Bright). There just isn't enough reason to buy the original anymore. There is so much more in the Deluxe that it would just make sense to make the leap. Does it do everything? Of course not. What it does do, it does very well.

Hands On Review On MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

For a long time, the Carbon Copy analog delay has been the darling of many analog delay users. It wasn't until recently that I was able to sit down and fully review one of this pedal. I've been going through tons of delay pedals recently and I was looking forward to really get to know this pedal. So with that in mind, let's get into it.


Solid

This pedal is compact. Messing around with the new line of TC Electronic's economy line has gotten my used to a bit larger format. Even a BOSS pedal make this pedal seem slender. It also has a lot of heft. The enclosure is thick. In fact, I took the screws out of the bottom and fit of the bottom plate was so solid, I almost had to pry it off. When you hold this pedal next to something like the JOYO digital delay, the differences are huge. Quality is evident even before you plug it in. MXR did an awesome job at building a super solid pedal.


It Does What It Does

There isn't a lot of extras with this pedal. Mono in, mono out, but what is cool is that it includes a mod buttons, so that's fun. There are three controls, but you do have internal controls to control the mod. That is good, because when I first engaged the mod button it was too present. Other than Tap Tempo and longer delay times (both are almost always limited on analog delays. Also, the carbon copy has longer times than the Echobrain analog delay.) This isn't a feature pack pedal, but what it does it does quite well.


The Sounds

I did want to compare the Carbon Copy to the other delays that I had laying around. I was excited to compare the Carbon Copy to the Echobrain. The Carbon Copy blew the Echobrain away. Delay time (which is a big deal for me) was a lot of it. The Mod switch just made the Carbon Copy so much more of a pedal. I also put this up against the Behringer EM-600 Echo Machine. I set a good tone on the Carbon Copy and tried to copy it with Echo Machine. It got 90% there. The Carbon Copy just has a way of not coloring your dry signal. When making a big ambient swell, other pedals cover up higher frequencies, but the Carbon Copy is a champ. I could hear delicate note despite the huge amount of noise behind the playing. Impressive.


Conclusion

This pedal I lovely. There is a reason that this pedal is so popular. Yes, it was trendy, but there is something to be said for when I pedal is done well. There is very little to complain about with it as well. You might want stereo operation or tap tempo, but that is still rather uncommon is a small format, sub $200 pedal. The only thing that really detracts this pedal is the price tag. I'm not saying that this pedal isn't worth $150, but that price point puts it next to pedals like the EHX Canyon, BOSS DD-7 and TC Electronic Flashback II. Yes, they are all digital pedals, but I am Ok with running digital if it sounds good. So for the analog loyalist, this is awesome pedal, but those that play the field might want to check out their options.

Ugly Truth: MXR Reverb

Can you believe that MXR has been making pedal for a million years and they've never put out a reverb? Ok, So maybe not a million years, but for a company that has been around as long as I've been buy pedals, its a wonder that they haven't made some type of Reverb just so that they have an option for the MXR loyal. Now they have, what do we think about it?

It's Limited

With features like 6 different types of reverb (with 2 shimmers!) you might not call it limited right off the bat, but look a little closer and you realize that when you compare it to the BOSS RV-6. It comes up wanting. This pedal is not stereo (unless it has a stereo input... which it does! So disregard) and there is no expression input(Edit: there is one! JK everybody.). Yep, looks like the RV-6 mops the floor with this pedal. Looking online and the only price I can find is $199. Seems like a bit much for a pedal that comes up lacking compared to the $150 RV-6 (or, you know, covers its bases compare it it...)

Other Things

Look, I like MXR. They have provided us with some great pedals, but sometimes you feel like some things are left overlooked. The power jack typically found on the top of most pedals are found of the side of most of MXR's (and not always the same side) The selection of the reverb type is done by pressing a button. This isn't a major make-it-or-break-it thing, but it is out of the ordinary. It's not like you can't fit six modes on a rotary switch (BOSS has 8!). So, what gives? Don't want to stray away from the three-knob motif established by the Carbon Copy? I mean, I dig motifs as much as the next guy, but this just doesn't make sense to me.

Conclusion.

I dig it. I want to hear these shimmer settings. They might be the only thing that saves this pedal from being too little too late. Reverb pedals are always exciting to try out. A subtle setting is important, but just as important is the limits of these pedals. Most any reverb will give a little verb, but they distinguish these pedals. The EHX Holy Grail adds a bizarre metallic sound when full tilt. The RV-6 by BOSS will drone and swell. Let's wait and see what this pedal will do when pushed.

Edit: I did here these two shimmers (pad and epic) They sound amazing... is it worth an extra $50... pretty darn close...

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Ugly Truth: Boss CS-3

In an attempt to be a well rounded guitarist, I picked up a compressor. Many respected player have this tool in there effect chains. I've ran comps before, but I've never liked what they did. I've used Visual Sound, Boss, Joyo, and more. I've never really liked what they did. Most the time my sound got completely covered up. If I ran more gain on the pedal they became noisy and If I turned up the amp then the levels with the effect off were too mismatched. As far as I can tell these things are a "darned if you do, darned if you don't" kinda deal. They level out your highs and lows and make you single notes sound fuller. On the other side, they squash your signal and can effect your tone in a unfavorable way.

It's The Standard

If someone runs a compressor, chances are they at least tried a boss comp. I picked one up to get my bearings on what comps can do. Single notes are great but the pedal falls flat with using chords. Too much input into this and you can hear your signal get squashed. Even running this pedal first in your chain with hot pickups can cause some unwanted effects to you level. If you adjust the level on the pedal you can minimize this effect but it will still be present. Not to mention that your level is probably going to be one of those things that you'll want to balance out without having to worry about hearing a pedal chomp down on your tone.

It's Not Very Subtle

I did a review of the Joyo PipeBomb Compressor. It was a good comp, but the effect was very subtle. I found myself cranking it up just to notice the effect. That's not the case with this effect. Setting the levels very conservatively will still yield very noticeable compression. I don't like a lot of compression, but I do like the benefits from using one. The problem is that you can't switch the effect on and off without adjusting other setting greatly. If it could just jump in when playing single notes to make a fuller sound then that would be great. The effect can weaken big chords. The CS-3 is a pretty big offender.

In Short

Compression can be a great thing. It may be something you have to experiment with before you really settle on whether or not you like/need it. Some find the Boss CS-3 to be a great tool. These people may be able to better tame this pedal better than I, or need a big squeeze for their sound. There is a trade off when using compression. You might get better sustain, but you will lose some touch sensitivity. When using a wide range of dynamics, you might not want to use anything more than very subtle comp. As for the Boss CS-3 I can't find a place for it. Boss has done a great job of revamping some of there more iconic pedals (DD-500, RV-6, TU-3). Maybe they could put a little work into the CS-3.

The Ugly Truth About The MXR Prime Distortion

So, I've always been a little confused about MXR's line of effects. I never quite understood their line up. The Three knobs were all familiar, but how did you discern how the classic distortion was different from the Plus, or III. Recently I've found myself with the Prime Distortion and some time, so I got know just what makes this pedal "prime".

Whats Not To Like

When first looking at this pedal, it is impressive. It looks like it means business. It's a painted aluminum case with pinstriping. Metal everywhere and really solid feeling knobs. It has a super solid feel and weight to it, so when you plug it in you expect great things. From the get-go, this pedal sounds familiar. This pedal has a hard clip that make me think of the 80's. For playing the songs of a time when hair was big and men wore fishnets, this pedal is pretty prime. However, if that is not what you are going for then you might find it a little troublesome to bring it down into something a little more subtle.

There Are Some Things Not To Like

The pedal it's self is pretty nice, but the effect is a little too familiar. What I mean by that is that it sounds like another pedal. Basically, the pedal could be a stand in for a Boss DS-1. I know there are fans of the orange box, but I've tried just about every mod for this (the DS-1) pedal and never really found anything that made it a keeper. I don't know for a fact that it is a clone of the DS-1, but it sounds so close that its uncanny. True bypass is a great addition, but you are paying for that switch. The MXR pedal runs a little more than the Boss unit. And then there is the matter of the power supply jack being next to the input. This is extremely bothersome to me personally. There most those that don't mind much, but it causes problems when arranging pedals on my board.

The Conclusion

If you are looking for something like the DS-1, but like to keep everything true bypass, then this might be what you are looking for, given that you don't mind have your 9-volt jack in an inconvenient place.

The Ugly Truth About MXR Super Badass Distortion

Recently I was able to sit down with a pedal that has had a lot of attention lately, The MXR Super Badass Distortion. The most notable feature that is present on this pedal is the Mid knob. Most pedals have a Tone knob. We are very familiar with a singular Tone knob, or even having  Low and High knobs, but having a three band Eq is surprising on a compact, sub-$100 pedal. This pedal has lots of knobs. This is great for those of us that love to tweak pedals. The controls are very amp-like. We have Level and Distortion that do exactly what you think they do. Then, you get your Low, Mid, and High knobs that do what they sound like they do as well. I am not the expert on MXR. I've played through most of their distortion boxes. I can't say that I'm super impressed with many of them. My local shop is a pretty big dealer of Dunlop (MXR's parent company) so when sitting down with my friendly, neighborhood, pedal-pusher he lined up a bunch of them and ran through them with me. I was unimpressed with most of the offering of the MXR line. This was rather underwhelming because I like the looks and features of most of the modern line. True Bypass and a rugged compact case are important to me. The Distortion+ was too fizzy and didn't offer enough range. It felt like I was playing around the pedal and not setting the pedal to how I wanted to play. The Classic distortion/ Distortion III was warmer and more usable than any of the other pedals. The one that stands above the rest is the Super BadAss Distortion

The Complete Spectrum of Distortion

If you believe what the manufacture description states about this pedal, then this distortion pedal does everything from clean boost to scooped metal tones. Let's start as the beginning, the clean boost is fair. This pedal probably cleans up better than nearly every other distortion I've played. Most pedals will just die when the distortion knob goes to zero. I guess in a pinch this pedal will work as a boost, but I don't think it will replace my GE-7 (modded to take care of the hiss that is associated with this pedal). Of course the most likely use of this pedal is going to include using gain. At 9 O'clock the pedal give nice soft clipping saturation. I'd describe this as, "Just beyond breakup". Straight up noon on the gain will give you large amounts of gain. This is about where the line is between rock and heavy rock. Past this point and you'll be flirting with metal tones. At 3 O'clock it's over saturated, heavy rock/metal. Scoop the mids and you'll find some lush nu-metal sounds that satisfy that niche. This is all pretty impressive, that this pedal can clean up all the way to "clean" boost. There is a down side to all that versatility. Cranking that gain will definitely give you more distortion, but it also comes with a little extra white noise. This is not much of a concern util after 9 O'clock, but pegging the gain is going to come with a cost. Also the pedal comes with a fair amount of compression. Many metal distortions will compress your signal, but as your increase the gain you start to notice that everything is getting squished. The whole range of gain on the pedal is accompanied by some compression, but it is the most noticeable at full tilt.

Does It Really Do Everything?

In a word: no. It is my opinion that no one pedal can do everything for you. Even if it peg every gain stage that you want to play at, you'd have to change your settings to get to more than one of them. Then there is matter of stacking pedals. You can push your pedals just like the front of your amp. If you were setting up a pedal board and had $100 to spend on your gain section, I'd recommend getting two of the lower cost options that cover that range instead of trying to get a single pedal that does "everything". The way your can combined and mix these pedals are going to be a lot more satisfying then trying to find one setting that works for anything. At the end of the day, one pedal can only make one sound at a time. $50 isn't a lot of cash to spend on a new pedal, but there are a lot of good options out there. Most of the Outlaw pedals are just under $50. Of course you can get the orange and yellow boxes from Boss, but if you like the MXR line then you might want things like True Bypass and such. You could get as many as 4 pedals for your $100 From Behringer. However, if you are typically a low gain player that needs to add flexibility to you board, but you don't want to buy a ton of new gear to make different sounds, or have little space to spare on you board, then the Super BadAss might be a great fit for you.