MXR unleashes Raijin Drive overdrive and distortion pedal

MXR has unveiled the Raijin Drive, an overdrive and distortion pedal designed in collaboration with Japanese amp and pedal designer Shin Suzuki, who was also behind 2016’s Shin-Juku Drive.

The Raijin Drive aims to reinvent two iconic Japanese stompboxes in one pedal, adding greater tonal range and usability.

MXR promises a “smooth, fat and wide open” overdrive, plus an “aggressive, harmonically rich punch” with the distortion channel.

Controls span the usual level, tone and drive, as well as a distortion/overdrive toggle. True bypass switching and 9V power supply or battery operation round out the spec.

The Raijin Drive is available now for $129 - see Jim Dunlop for more info.

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.