MXR Distortion+ (Or Is It???)

[Brent Hutto]

OK, couple more hours of playing around. I've a third conclusion to share.

It'll get REAL LOUD. Like seriously loud. It'll also get totally 100% saturated with distortion, more like just noise if you turn the "Distortion" knob all the way up.

OK, everybody knows that. That's why I said it's a "conclusion" and not "big surprise".

 

[Brent Hutto]

A few years back, I took one of the current version apart and compared it to my vintage D+. Aside from the status LED and the power supply jack, the only difference I could find was the new one used film caps, in place of the vintage pedal's ceramics. I think the difference some hear might have to do with using a power supply instead of a battery. Anyway, it might be something to experiment with. Also, as the D+ has no tone control, using the guitar's tone control can be a must. My settings are distortion around noon and output loud enough to ride the guitar's volume.

I spent a half-hour trying the Distortion just past noon (12:30-ish) and moving the Output knob around. There's a spot with Output pretty high that gets very loud but if I back off my Tele's volume pot to get back to normal loudness it's a great sound.

I love playing up the neck on the higher strings in that setting. With the pedal on and guitar volume rolled off it gets that sweet, flutey, chimey tone or I bypass the pedal, roll the volume knob and switch to purer straight tone. Or if I'm feeling adventurous, I can keep the pedal on and bring the volume up a little to really make it sing out!

 

[Blackmore Fan]

MXR makes solid pedals, and most are quite affordable. I don't own a Distortion +, but if I stumbled on one I'd buy it--its a classic.

 

[cousinpaul]

Another D+ type pedal I'm fond of is the Machine Head Pedals Fairlane Mod. A Boss DS-1 is re-wired into an OD 250/Dist+ circuit and a tone control is added. I went with 1N4148 clipping diodes to nudge it in the OD250 direction. I've owned a couple of 250's and this pedal comes very close with the bonus of a tone control. If you've got an old DS-1 laying around you might consider it.

I've also struggled with the Zen Drive. I really wanted it to work for me because it's used by so many top-tier players. I eventually I found a "voice" control setting I mostly liked and hardwired it into an SD-1 pedal for, IMO, an improved 3 knob overdrive.

 

[Brent Hutto]

After a few more days with distortion+ here's my latest so-called conclusion.

For the sort of slow, contemplative melodies I spend most of my time playing, I'm usually going for a tone that sounds "nice" or "pretty". So not too bitey or bright, nothing aggressive about it, plenty of smooth sustain if I can get it. When I do play a few chords or double-stops I like to hear the notes kind of blend their overtones together sweetly.

But that's not really distortion+'s thing, is it? I won't say it sounds ugly but it sounds the opposite of sweet or pretty. That's kind of the role I'm finding for it. The same little tune or improvisation can have a different feel to it just playing through my clean amp with a little slapback delay versus adding distortion+ and using a more extended tape echo type thing to smear it all together.

My only previous overdrive pedal was MXR Timmy. It's much more flexible in terms of EQ or choosing how much clipping to apply. But unless I turn Timmy up so much that it starts getting fizzy and buzzy, it leaves my nice, pretty tone still nice and pretty.

There's something kind of primitive about the layer of grunch that distortion+ adds, like I say it's not ugly but it un-pretty-fies my sound in a way that's mood altering.

 

[Bluego1]

After a few more days with distortion+ here's my latest so-called conclusion.

For the sort of slow, contemplative melodies I spend most of my time playing, I'm usually going for a tone that sounds "nice" or "pretty". So not too bitey or bright, nothing aggressive about it, plenty of smooth sustain if I can get it. When I do play a few chords or double-stops I like to hear the notes kind of blend their overtones together sweetly.

But that's not really distortion+'s thing, is it? I won't say it sounds ugly but it sounds the opposite of sweet or pretty. That's kind of the role I'm finding for it. The same little tune or improvisation can have a different feel to it just playing through my clean amp with a little slapback delay versus adding distortion+ and using a more extended tape echo type thing to smear it all together.

My only previous overdrive pedal was MXR Timmy. It's much more flexible in terms of EQ or choosing how much clipping to apply. But unless I turn Timmy up so much that it starts getting fizzy and buzzy, it leaves my nice, pretty tone still nice and pretty.

There's something kind of primitive about the layer of grunch that distortion+ adds, like I say it's not ugly but it un-pretty-fies my sound in a way that's mood altering.

 

[11 Gauge]

There's something kind of primitive about the layer of grunch that distortion+ adds, like I say it's not ugly but it un-pretty-fies my sound in a way that's mood altering.

That is ultimately how I got into fuzz pedals, really - a very useful, non-pretty sound. Kind of like the rhythm parts would use an OD pedal for the simmering stew, but the fuzz was for flash frying, or getting a quick sear on a steak.

I know that some players can harness a distortion or fuzz for pretty sounds, but that's just not a world that I live in, personally.

Since I mostly just play rock-based stuff, I'm not really making 'pretty sounds' most of the time, anyway. I like sounds that convey energy and excitement. Maybe the surf stuff is about as pretty as any of that gets (from me)...

 

[Brent Hutto]

That is ultimately how I got into fuzz pedals, really - a very useful, non-pretty sound. Kind of like the rhythm parts would use an OD pedal for the simmering stew, but the fuzz was for flash frying, or getting a quick sear on a steak.

I know that some players can harness a distortion or fuzz for pretty sounds, but that's just not a world that I live in, personally.

Since I mostly just play rock-based stuff, I'm not really making 'pretty sounds' most of the time, anyway. I like sounds that convey energy and excitement. Maybe the surf stuff is about as pretty as any of that gets (from me)...

Adding a Fuzz Face today I have my "not pretty sounds" covered (or at least I will once I teach myself how to dial in the darned thing, it really sensitive).

But I'm using a med-low Gain setting on Distortion+ into a fairly high Gain setting on the Clean channel of Katana as my "pretty" tone. Distortion+ puts a nice edge on everything and makes bass notes and full chord kind of rumble nicely. I think those two together are my equivalent of an "edge of breakup" amp type of thing.

Then stick the Fuzz Face into that and let 'er rip.

 

[1 21 gigawatts]

Adding a Fuzz Face today I have my "not pretty sounds" covered (or at least I will once I teach myself how to dial in the darned thing, it really sensitive).

But I'm using a med-low Gain setting on Distortion+ into a fairly high Gain setting on the Clean channel of Katana as my "pretty" tone. Distortion+ puts a nice edge on everything and makes bass notes and full chord kind of rumble nicely. I think those two together are my equivalent of an "edge of breakup" amp type of thing.

Then stick the Fuzz Face into that and let 'er rip.

Fuzz Face is simple to dial in. Set volume to unity (which is usually maxed out on a Fuzz Face), set the fuzz to just a hair under max, and control the amount of fuzz with your guitar volume knob. It needs to be the first pedal in your chain.

 

[Brent Hutto]

Fuzz Face is simple to dial in. Set volume to unity (which is usually maxed out on a Fuzz Face), set the fuzz to just a hair under max, and control the amount of fuzz with your guitar volume knob. It needs to be the first pedal in your chain.

Thanks, that's pretty much how I have it set up now. As it turned out I did figure out after posting last night about the "just a hair under max" like you mention. The Fuzz Face is kind of like my guitar's volume knob, there's a noticeable difference between like 100% max versus 95% max.

If I dime the guitar Volume and dime the Fuzz knob the whole thing is pretty much uncontrollable. Just a wall of fuzz and I can't really even pick out specific notes. But back off to like 9-1/2 on the Fuzz and work the guitar Volume between 6 and 9 and there's a whole world of sounds to choose from.

Most of the "teach myself to dial in..." is probably going to be dialing ME in, in terms of playing. To get things to sound good I need to control my touch on single notes vs. chords (firmer vs. more finesse).

BTW, I actually like backing off the Volume on the Fuzz Face to slightly less than unity gain. Because I'm playing Fuzz Face into Distortion+ it gets the sound I want when the Fuzz Face is pushing the distortion pedal a little less.

 

[1 21 gigawatts]

What I found interesting is that running my Fuzz Face into an overdrive actually tames it (compresses and smooths it out). Running it by itself makes it more splatty and unpredictable (which is fun with a fuzz).

 

[Brent Hutto]

What I found interesting is that running my Fuzz Face into an overdrive actually tames it (compresses and smooths it out). Running it by itself makes it more splatty and unpredictable (which is fun with a fuzz).

Yes, I think so too.

Either my Distortion+ (set to med-low distortion) or my MXR Timmy (set to more like a cleanish boost/EQ) will smooth away that splatter from the Fuzz Face. But they don't seem to mess with that intense, reedy Fuzz tone in the upper register.

So it's kind of cool. I can have the Fuzz on and basically use overdrive stomp box to cut the splatter off and on but it still sounds like Fuzz! I could get addicted to that extra intensity on single-note lines up the neck a ways...

 

[Fiesta Red]

I have never really liked distortion with single coil pickups; I don’t know why, it’s just not pleasing to my ear when I mix those two…it sounds good in other people’s hands/rigs/style, but just doesn’t work for me.

When I wanted a “distortion” sound, I’d just mix an overdrive and a fuzz; it had the effect of a distortion without the negatives (to my ear).

But the MXR Distortion+ is one of those exceptions to the rule. The few times I’ve used one (either in a store or a friend’s pedal), I like it.

I wasn’t aware of how the pedal attenuates certain frequencies (I’m not aware of much, outside knowing “I like what I like”). Maybe that’s why I like the Distortion+…

I promised myself no more pedals for a while…dangit. Now I have to force myself to stay away from any MXR retailers.

If y’all can’t tell by the pics below, I like MXR pedals—vintage, reissue and new creations:

 

[Brent Hutto]

F‘Red,

I will admit between having MXR’s Timmy and Distortion+ and the Dunlop Fuzz Face Mini it’s a little tempting to go ahead and get a Phase 90, Dyna Comp, and who knows what all MXR.

But only a little, I really do try to limit myself to pedals I will actually use and I’m pretty sure most other effects are not in that category for me at the moment. Especially the compressor, not for me.

…but that would be classic wouldn’t it? Fuzz Face into Distortion+ into Dyna Comp into Phase 90. Hello 1979! Back when I had hair.

 

[J-fish]

Been messing with the Distortion+ just recently, again.
It has that something in the frequency response that I really enjoy, it retains a nice, full sound with distortion set up to 12-14 on the dial, provided that you use it in front of an already overdriven sound (pedal, amp and/or such). In my experience it really doesn't behave the same way if you use it in front of a cleaner sound, unless you leave it with distortion set at zero, for a "slightly dirty boost".

I find the distortion itself grainy and saturated, quite like some high gain channel of some amps.

Having said that, to me it still falls short as a high gain distortion sound. It doesn't have the smoothness and focus for that. The Proco Rat is better for that sound, to me, in some applications at least.
Nor, it seems to provide a nice fuzz sound like proper fuzz boxes.

However, it still has a nice distorted sound, which, in a peculiar way, provides both complex, amp-like as well as quite dissonant harmonics to the sound.

 

[Brent Hutto]

Been messing with the Distortion+ just recently, again.
It has that something in the frequency response that I really enjoy, it retains a nice, full sound with distortion set up to 12-14 on the dial, provided that you use it in front of an already overdriven sound (pedal, amp and/or such). In my experience it really doesn't behave the same way if you use it in front of a cleaner sound, unless you leave it with distortion set at zero, for a "slightly dirty boost".

I find the distortion itself grainy and saturated, quite like some high gain channel of some amps.

Having said that, to me it still falls short as a high gain distortion sound. It doesn't have the smoothness and focus for that. The Proco Rat is better for that sound, to me, in some applications at least.
Nor, it seems to provide a nice fuzz sound like proper fuzz boxes.

However, it still has a nice distorted sound, which, in a peculiar way, provides both complex, amp-like as well as quite dissonant harmonics to the sound.

I was getting quite fond of it in front of a clean Katana patch but then I switched to a lowish-gain “Crunch” patch on the Katana and it gave the sound a more solid core. With Distortion+ off the amp hardly has any distortion but it breaks up slightly on chords.

But I am running the pedal with Distortion set just above 9:00 so not nearly as high gain sound as you prefer. I add the Fuzz Face when I want something more aggressive than that medium-gain pedal+amp sound.

One cool thing about it I’ve noticed. Even with the gain (Distortion) knob at 9-ish it’s still saturates and starts compressing quite easily, I think. if I’m playing along and happen to hit one chord a little harder than I mean to it just distorts more, but doesn’t really get hardly any louder, which is cool. I like that kind of pedal and amp saturation affect much better than using a compressor pedal.

 

[aFewGoodTaters]

A buddy of mine has been using a Distortion + as his main (and usually only) drive stomp box for decades now. He is a great player, and his tone is always amazing and consistent. He's played in quite a few classic rock and variety bands and covers quite a bit of ground with that little yellow box.

Edit: just read OP's posts regarding the non-pretty sound of the Dist+. Have you tried running a compressor either before or after it? May help smooth out the spikes a bit.

 

[Brent Hutto]

A buddy of mine has been using a Distortion + as his main (and usually only) drive stomp box for decades now. He is a great player, and his tone is always amazing and consistent. He's played in quite a few classic rock and variety bands and covers quite a bit of ground with that little yellow box.

Edit: just read OP's posts regarding the non-pretty sound of the Dist+. Have you tried running a compressor either before or after it? May help smooth out the spikes a bit.

Yes, I have a Source Audio Atlas and I've tried a couple of different modes (a dual-band and a Dyna Comp-like patch) on it after the Distortion+ as well as doing the dual-band one in front of the Distortion+. I'm one of those people who can't seem to dial in much sweet spot with a compressor. The dual-band comp would definitely smooth out the distortion but not until I had it so high it kind of steamroller'd everything, if you know what I mean.

But let me clarify or expand on the "non-pretty" comment...

I consider my "pretty" tone to be neck pickup, guitar volume and tone wide open, Katana clean channel with not too high gain and neutral EQ settings. I have a couple of nice-sounding delays I stack on it and just a touch of bias trem from my Source Audio Vertigo.

That gives me chime, harmonics, clarity and a kind of full-range sound with plenty of treble and bass but only slightly scooped mids. That's the mode I played in for my first year learning electric guitar.

So now that I'm going for a "non-pretty" tone, I don't mean ugly or bad sounding. I just mean kind of dialing back the clarity, rolling off a little of the brightest trebles and getting a bit less sweetness and light, more shades of grey and grit.

Hope that makes sense. Words always fail to describe tone, I know. But I like the kind of rawness that the Distortion+ adds. It's not screaming heavy grind, just a little rough around teh edges in a good way. But I don't think of it as "pretty".

 

[aFewGoodTaters]

^^ Yeah, that makes sense to me. The Distortion + is a hard clipping box and has a fairly immediate attack from my recollection. Not a lot of sag and warmth, but for being just two knobs, it has a surprising amount of flexibility packed in.

 

[Alamo]

This, straight into the amp with just a bit of distortion = bliss!
love it.