MXR GT-OD

[Paul in Colorado]

I just saw this in the Sweetwater catalog. Has anyone tried it out? What does it sound like? What would you compare it to?

[studio1087]

imwjl has one. PM him. It's a nice sounding pedal. TS-808-ish. There were rumors that the MXR Classic Overdrive that Guitar Center was selling at affordable prices for a while is the same pedal inside.

You might find one of theses (cheap). Nice pedal. Will get you very close.....

[TeleBrew]

I used to have a GT-OD. I sold it when I decided that I didn't like overdrive pedals. But if you're looking for something TS-808-esque, then it's a good pedal. I just got an MXR '78 Badass Distortion that's way more versatile, and costs less than the GT-OD.

The GT-OD gives a volume boost whether you like it or not, and that's one reason I sold mine.

[theraygun]

It's a Tubescreamer type pedal with a significant mid hump. Has really cool tone though. You can get it cheaper as the MXR Classic Overdrive.

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by theraygun

It's a Tubescreamer type pedal with a significant mid hump. Has really cool tone though. You can get it cheaper as the MXR Classic Overdrive.

I have the GC/MXR Classic Overdrive and while I really like the sound (better than my old TS-9 or Boss SD-1, both pedals which this is based on...), it has developed a grounding issue which has made the pedal just not useable(It's a cheap pedal and I don't know how to fix it anyhow) and now I'm starting to maybe see the trade-off (price vs. build quality) you get between this pedal and the more expensive and better built MXR GT-OD. Just a "heads up!"
I use the GC/ MXR Classic Distortion as one of my primary OD's for lots of gigs; love this thing to death-hoping I don't get the same grounding issue with this one!

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by TeleBrew

I used to have a GT-OD. I sold it when I decided that I didn't like overdrive pedals. But if you're looking for something TS-808-esque, then it's a good pedal. I just got an MXR '78 Badass Distortion that's way more versatile, and costs less than the GT-OD.

The GT-OD gives a volume boost whether you like it or not, and that's one reason I sold mine.

I'm hearing (from demos) an awful lot of distortion (into metal territory...) from the MXR '78 Badass.

Are you stuck with that or can you get clean it up somewhat at lower Gain/Drive settings?- What's the "crunch" button do in terms of Gain and Tone change?

Curious as I am interested in this pedal, but the demos just show this pedal with the Gain always cranked... I'd like something affordable for some '70's rock Led Zep, Foghat, Foreigner, Heart where there is powerful distortion yes, but not buzzsaw saturated (NOT Boston!).....thanks!

[JoeNeri]

Originally Posted by theraygun

It's a Tubescreamer type pedal with a significant mid hump. Has really cool tone though. You can get it cheaper as the MXR Classic Overdrive.

I disagree. Although the GT-OD (yes, I have one) is supposed to be based on the TS808/TS9 circuit, it tonally seems to have all of the TS mods already incorporated into its design. Pretty flat (i.e, no mid-hump) EQ and can go all the way from almost clean boost to crunchy overdrive. An excellent and versatile OD pedal.

[JoeNeri]

Originally Posted by Chiogtr4x

I'm hearing (from demos) an awful lot of distortion (into metal territory...) from the MXR '78 Badass. Are you stuck with that or can you get clean it up somewhat at lower Gain/Drive settings?- What's the "crunch" button do in terms of Gain and Tone change? Curious as I am interested in this pedal, but the demos just show this pedal with the Gain always cranked... I'd like something affordable for some '70's rock Led Zep, Foghat, Foreigner, Heart where there is powerful distortion yes, but not buzzsaw saturated (NOT Boston!).....thanks!

Not so. It has a wonderfrul range from mild od to full-on distortion, but the distortion knob gives you a whole lot of gradual steps in between. Tone knob is really functional too.

I'm keeping the distortion set at about 2 pm for medium-high od, then crank it to 4 pm for some nice distortion. Crank it to the max and it sounds like an un-modded DS-1.

BTW, I'm lovin' the "crunch" button - really intensifies the mid to high harmonics and takes away a little of the distortion fuzziness.

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by JoeNeri

Not so. It has a wonderfrul range from mild od to full-on distortion, but the distortion knob gives you a whole lot of gradual steps in between. Tone knob is really functional too.

I'm keeping the distortion set at about 2 pm for medium-high od, then crank it to 4 pm for some nice distortion. Crank it to the max and it sounds like an un-modded DS-1.

BTW, I'm lovin' the "crunch" button - really intensifies the mid to high harmonics and takes away a little of the distortion fuzziness.

Excellent!

[JoeNeri]

I meant to also say...

Time will tell, as I only have a week or so with the '78D, but it has become my main dirt pedal.

Not to derail this thread, though - the GT-OD is my favorite pure OD pedal. (Although, I just sent my Distortion+ to JHS Pedals for their Yellow Hat mod. )

[zombiwoof]

The Classic OD has a switch inside that supposedly in one position is the GT-OD, in the other position it is the ZW-44 OD. I think it's cheaper because it's made with SMD components, whereas the Custom Shop GT-OD is regular through-hole component construction. Some people are modding the Classic OD to have the switch on the outside of the pedal to easily switch between the two settings.

Al

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by zombiwoof

The Classic OD has a switch inside that supposedly in one position is the GT-OD, in the other position it is the ZW-44 OD. I think it's cheaper because it's made with SMD components, whereas the Custom Shop GT-OD is regular through-hole component construction. Some people are modding the Classic OD to have the switch on the outside of the pedal to easily switch between the two settings.

Al

I think I may have caused my grounding problem with the pedal (see my earlier posting in this thread) by taking this pedal apart one time too many to "flick the switch"- I like the stock position better anyhow, and should have maybe just left it alone

edit: according to 11 Gauge the pedal is grounded by physical contact between the jack screws>box>jack contact points themeselves- Trying to understand this myself (sort of..) but he said it was a "cheap design"
Kinda sucks as this pedal sounds (sounded) great!!!

[Paul in Colorado]

Thanks for the reviews. I'm looking for something to replace my TS-5, which sounds great, but could use a better housing and switch and I'm too lazy to gut it and put it in another box.

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by Paul in Colorado

Thanks for the reviews. I'm looking for something to replace my TS-5, which sounds great, but could use a better housing and switch and I'm too lazy to gut it and put it in another box.

I used to have a TS-5 (nice sounding Tube Screamer), now imagine everything you like about that pedal : range of Tone control/Gain/and Level just opening UP! That's what the MXR (IMO) does!

[Paul in Colorado]

Originally Posted by Chiogtr4x

I used to have a TS-5 (nice sounding Tube Screamer), now imagine everything you like about that pedal : range of Tone control/Gain/and Level just opening UP! That's what the MXR (IMO) does!

Hmmm.. Twist my arm some more!

[Chiogtr4x]

^^^ Arm twisting done, but doesn't Sweetwater have a return policy if you don't dig the pedal? I guess that might be a hassle to deal with that, but you will like the GT-OD! ;-)

[Big John Studd]

Originally Posted by Chiogtr4x

I think I may have caused my grounding problem with the pedal (see my earlier posting in this thread) by taking this pedal apart one time too many to "flick the switch"- I like the stock position better anyhow, and should have maybe just left it alone

Bring that thing to the next FP gig. I bet I can fix it! It sounds very similar to a grounding problem I fixed on the input jack on my mexi-tele. The center pin on the (piece-o-crap) input jack was grounding out.

[Thighbanez]

Originally Posted by Big John Studd

Bring that thing to the next FP gig. I bet I can fix it! It sounds very similar to a grounding problem I fixed on the input jack on my mexi-tele. The center pin on the (piece-o-crap) input jack was grounding out.

Wish I could come out...

Wife prolly won't let me tho...

[Chiogtr4x]

Originally Posted by Big John Studd

Bring that thing to the next FP gig. I bet I can fix it! It sounds very similar to a grounding problem I fixed on the input jack on my mexi-tele. The center pin on the (piece-o-crap) input jack was grounding out.

Hey John, I'd be glad to bring it to you, get us a damn gig!

Truth is this pedal has such a great sound to it that it ticks me off to have this grounding issue- It was a cheap pedal and I guess this shows some compromise here on build quality.

Love to get this working again- tonally (as in actual EQ and the sound of distortion) this pedal beat out the following pedals I owned and was trying out to find the sound "in my head", to compliment the other "transparent" OD's I still use: stock TS-9, Keeley TS-9, Boss SD-1, Dano Drive V.1, Bad Monkey, Barber Direct Drive all very good pedals, but this was the ONE!

[samato]

I just traded my MXR GT-OD for a Boss GE-7 EQ pedal because I wasn't using the MXR anymore. I really liked it with some of my guitar/amp combinations but not so much with others. It definitely has a mid boost but more obvious than that to me is the fact that it filters out quite a bit of low end when active and there's nothing you can do about it.

Still, I think it's a cool sounding pedal and it worked well for me until I changed some things with my rig and my approach to getting sounds. I liked it when I used to run my strat or tele with the volume at max into my Pro Jr. at about halfway. Stepping on the GT-OD was very cool for a solo boost though a bit too much volume for rhythm playing (the way I had it set). Now I run my strats or teles with the volume around halfway into a clean amp (currently a SS Peavey Bandit 112 from the late 80's) then increase the guitar volume and/or step on the distortion side of my Visual Sounds Jekyl & Hyde for solos or distorted rhythm. Basically my current method requires distortion, not an overdrive.