MXR Distortion+ low volume

Hi!
I just got a non LED mustard brown Block Logo MXR Dist + in a trade. The pots are dated 1979.
The guy who traded it got my Block Logo Dunlop Micro Amp and I got his Dist +.

Given that the Dist + usually go for around twice the price of the Micro Amp and more ‘round here – and not least given that I never used the Micro Amp – I didn’t hesitate to trade it for the Dist +.

The Dist + sounds good and after having played it shortly –only just a few minutes – yesterday night I feel like it is definitely a keeper! I especially like the low gain settings. But I have a question to you other Dist + users. With the gain knob at about 8 o’clock I must crank the pedal’s volume knob to match the output of the pedal with the clean signal. Is this normal procedure with the old Dist +’s?

If I turn the gain up the volume increases so that the distorted signal is hotter than the clean signal, but then on the other hand I go past the gain knob’s sweet spot.

Thanx!

That very well may be the case. 8 o'clock meaning you have it only slightly cracked open right (with 6 or 7 being off?) Having it dialed down that low would probably effect the overall volume.

That's normal. You pretty much have to use it more as an effect than a boost. On the plus side, the dist+ cleans up nicely when you roll the volume down and doesn't mess with your tone much.

...welcome to the club

...welcome to the club

Thanks! :razz:

I was a hang around in the early 90's, but I am glad and proud to be a member now.

These suffer a little from being a bit quiet - a common mod is to change out the 10k audio volume pot for a 100k audio pot - it will increase the pedal's output to a more acceptable level.