MXR eary 80's Commode..er...Command series pedals.

Brad · July 3rd, 2003, 03:16 PM

I bought a load of vintage guitars & amps from an old gentleman eight months or so ago. In the back of one amp was an old MXR Command series ( Cheap, ugly plastic ) overdrive. I threw it in my gig bag and forgot about. I was getting a cord out of the bag last night and saw the pedal. What the hay, I say...I'll plug it in and see what it does. I had been futzing around with settings on my Direct Drive, so I plugged in the MXR next to it. I must say I was very pleased with the tones that came forth from that cheap little box of plastic! The setting I liked the best is with the level set to 3:00 and the gain at 9:00. A great slightly overdriven blues tone that is very responsive to pick attack. I pulled it apart to check outthe components. Man, is this thing made on the cheap! A few resistors and a few caps. Ahh!.....but it does have the infamous TI4558P chip in it. Poor mans tube screamer I guess. I'm gonna give it a try Sunday along with the Direct Drive & Valve Tone. Who knows, I may have found a keeper!.

Joe Bonner · July 3rd, 2003, 03:33 PM

My first pedals were a Commande series distortion (overdrive?) and a phaser. I wish I still had them, but I think I got rid of them about the same time I sold a SF Champ, which I regret much more than the pedals!

Joe

July 3rd, 2003, 03:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
Brad Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 1,294	MXR eary 80's Commode..er...Command series pedals. I bought a load of vintage guitars & amps from an old gentleman eight months or so ago. In the back of one amp was an old MXR Command series ( Cheap, ugly plastic ) overdrive. I threw it in my gig bag and forgot about. I was getting a cord out of the bag last night and saw the pedal. What the hay, I say...I'll plug it in and see what it does. I had been futzing around with settings on my Direct Drive, so I plugged in the MXR next to it. I must say I was very pleased with the tones that came forth from that cheap little box of plastic! The setting I liked the best is with the level set to 3:00 and the gain at 9:00. A great slightly overdriven blues tone that is very responsive to pick attack. I pulled it apart to check outthe components. Man, is this thing made on the cheap! A few resistors and a few caps. Ahh!.....but it does have the infamous TI4558P chip in it. Poor mans tube screamer I guess. I'm gonna give it a try Sunday along with the Direct Drive & Valve Tone. Who knows, I may have found a keeper!. __________________ We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old becasue we stop playing.

July 3rd, 2003, 03:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
Joe Bonner Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Astoria, NY Posts: 333	My first pedals were a Commande series distortion (overdrive?) and a phaser. I wish I still had them, but I think I got rid of them about the same time I sold a SF Champ, which I regret much more than the pedals! Joe __________________ "The record company wanted a disco hit. We gave them Highway to Hell." -- Malcolm Young