30 Pedals in 30 Days: MXR Super Badass
Marc Johnson | Nov 15, 2013 | Comments 2
Don’t forget to check out the video at the bottom of the page.
MXR has been making pedals longer than many of you have been alive. Since 1973, MXR has been bringing players some of the most rugged and roadworthy pedals with a simple elegant design. Let’s face it. You don’t stay in business for 40 years if your pedals suck. For 30 Pedals in 30 Days, TheToneKing.com had a chance to check out MXR’s Super Badass Distortion pedal and see if it is truly badass.
Until recently, distortion pedals haven’t been getting enough love. Everybody and their mother loves overdrive, but distortion pedals had been seen as pointless in an era of two plus channel amps. That, however, is starting to change, and MXR is ahead of the curve on that change with their Super Badass Distortion.
Distortion pedals were seen as antiquated with the advent of amplifiers that were capable of delivering their own distortion, particularly with a separate preamp and power amp section that gave players more flexibility with volume. Instead of having to front end their distortion and use their heads as power amps, everything was all housed inside the amp.
Lately, though, players have been realizing that they have more flexibility with using distortion pedals at different points in their signal chain instead of relying solely on their amp distortion. Distortion pedals also give players the ability to add dynamic to their amps existing sounds. This has led to a re-appreciation for what a good distortion pedal can bring to the party. A good distortion pedal, should sound like an amp in a box.
The MXR Super Badass is a highly responsive distortion pedal that gives players a huge spectrum of distortion sounds to play with. Early ‘70s overdrive to “scooped” modern metal and every flavor in between, this pedal’s got it. Three-band EQ, Distortion, and Output controls make the Super Badass simple to use but versatile. Just about every MXR pedal doesn’t take up much real estate on your pedalboard, and the Super Badass isn’t any different. Of course, while it’s smaller than your average distortion pedal, it’s still housed in sturdy die-cast material.
The Super Badass is about as versatile as you’re going to get. Push the mids up if you’re looking for a Randy Rhoads in-your-face tone circa Diary of a Madman or scoop the mids and get the angry growl of modern metal bands like Mastadon or Deftones.
Probably where the MXR Super Badass works best is when it’s used in conjunction with a good amp. If you’re amp is missing a certain something, try turning down the gain on your amp and throw the Super Badass in the front end. Or, try combining the gain from your amp with the distortion from the pedal to open up different frequencies that were unreachable with your amp alone.
Experimentation is the key to finding your own signature tone.
Of course, if you prefer, you can tell the gain channel of your amp to go to hell. The glories of modern science have given man nothing if not options. Whether it’s in the studio or in a live setting where you want more control over your volume, you can use the MXR Super Badass as your preamp and the clean channel of your amp as your power amp.
MXR is among the manufacturing elite. There aren’t many manufacturers that have been building pedals for 40 years. That’s a long time. Players keep coming back to them for a reason. Continuing their legacy with the Super Badass, MXR is looking to prove to players that distortion pedals are anything but irrelevant. And, if you’re looking for versatility in your tone, a distortion pedal is a must have in your signal chain. We here at TheToneKing.com had a blast checking out the MXR Super Badass for 30 Pedals in 30 Days. Is it badass? Check out the video and see for yourself.
For prices on the Super Badass or any MXR gear, check out: Sweetwater.com
Click here to enter into TheToneKing.com’s 30 Pedals in 30 Days Randall Give-Away!
Official RD1C Give-Away Page: https://thetoneking.com/gear-give-away/2013-2/randall-rd1c-give-away/
Randall Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/randallamplifiers
Product Page: http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/m75-super-badass-distortion
Unboxing Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpcWnLkgOG0
Official Full-On Demo & Review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbvIa1IFN0c
[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbvIa1IFN0c’]
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