MXR M75 Super Badass Distortion review

The mean stompbox gets, err, meaner

  • £99
  • €127
  • $169
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You can employ the three-band EQ to up the mids for vintage bite or cut 'em for metal thrills

MusicRadar Verdict

MXR now has a Best Buy Badass on its hands.

Pros

  • +

    Three-band EQ. Gain range.

Cons

  • -

    Not much!

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Those soldering iron-wielding muthas at MXR have done it again. Not content with one Badass (the M78 Custom Badass '78 Distortion), they've one-upped it with the M75 Super Badass Distortion.

"There's a huge range of output on offer - unity volume lies at around 10 o'clock"

With everything set to 12 o'clock, the Super Badass's basic voicing is tight and crunchy - firmly in the British distortion camp. There's a huge range of output on offer, too - unity volume lies at around 10 o'clock.

The gain range is similarly impressive: three-quarters on the distortion knob yields a thick, chunky growl that will satisfy most genres of rock players.

You can also employ the three-band EQ to up the mids for vintage bite or cut 'em for metal thrills, all with impressive touch sensitivity and low noise levels. Crank the distortion level too much, however, and things get oversaturated - it's great for molten leads, but not so much for complex chords.

On the other side of the coin, the low-gain settings are very usable - sure, the Super Badass might not knock the Tube Screamer off your 'board, but it further highlights this distortion pedal's versatility.

Add in a partiality to both single coils and humbuckers, plus true bypass and solid build quality, and MXR now has a Best Buy Badass on its hands.

Michael Brown
Michael Brown

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.