MXR Distortion+

[WhoFan]

Re: MXR Distortion Plus

Re: MXR Distortion Plus

I have owned several oringinal Distortion pluses and 2 reiussues...the reissues are junk compared to an oringinal...thats just my opinion but Im sticking to it!

The Distoprtion plus had a cool tone (NOT tube like at all but cool) but it never had enough volume for me to get any real use out of it...even with the volume all the way up there was a slight volume drop betyween the pedal off and on...

As for the RR connection, first, Randy had a ****ty tone...no other way to say it but the way he got away with the Distortion plus is that he never turned it off...no joke, it was on all the time...also, don't use Randy's tone as a benchmark for the Distortion plus...he also ran an MXR 10 band graphic EQ with it (also on all the time) with a massive mid boost...Randy's tone is very different from what a Distortion Plus really sounds like.

As for the DOD 250, I had one for a while...didn't care for it...more of a preamp/booster than a distortion pedal but some guys really like them.

somewhere in a box of over 1000 tapes i have a cassete tape of Randy doing a guitar clinic in early 82 at a guitar store... Someone asks him when he has all his pedals on how does he keep it from feeding back.... He said it feedsback like crazy because he had so much gain on.... he turns on his pedals for a sample.... Randy said that during an Ozzy show if he stopped playing for a second it would feedback....

I love Randy's playing but have never been crazy about his tone. I Don't Know from Tribute has to be my favourite sounds he did

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: MXR Distortion+

I had an old Distortion+ as my main OD/Boost/Solo thing. I really didn't like it. The tone was the buzzy old Rat type distortion, and to top that off the affected signal bled through the pedal even when it was turned off. Keep in mind this was one of the old ones.

I can't say enough good stuff about my Barber Direct Drive. I'd highly recommend checking out Barber's stuff. Great stuff and they're not outrageously priced.

 

[nepalnt21]

Re: MXR Distortion Plus

Re: MXR Distortion Plus

I have owned several oringinal Distortion pluses and 2 reiussues...the reissues are junk compared to an oringinal...thats just my opinion but Im sticking to it!

The Distoprtion plus had a cool tone (NOT tube like at all but cool) but it never had enough volume for me to get any real use out of it...even with the volume all the way up there was a slight volume drop betyween the pedal off and on...

i had a similar expirience. its ok, but the volume drop is a problem.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: MXR Distortion Plus

Re: MXR Distortion Plus

somewhere in a box of over 1000 tapes i have a cassete tape of Randy doing a guitar clinic in early 82 at a guitar store... Someone asks him when he has all his pedals on how does he keep it from feeding back.... He said it feedsback like crazy because he had so much gain on.... he turns on his pedals for a sample.... Randy said that during an Ozzy show if he stopped playing for a second it would feedback....

I love Randy's playing but have never been crazy about his tone. I Don't Know from Tribute has to be my favourite sounds he did

LOL, oh the memories! When I first started playing guitar in '79 I had an Electro-Harmonix little muff, which was basically a box that plugged into your guitar's jack and it had an on off switch. I graduated to the distortion+ around '80 and the big thing about both those pedals? Horrible, squealing feedback the second you stopped playing. At least the D+ was a floor pedal with a footswitch.

Gotta admit I loved RR's tone on lotsa stuff, not so much on others. I still love the flat out distortion on the studio versions of I don't know, Crazy Train and Flying high again. I also dig his tone on the Mr. Crowley solo. Of course, I'm from that era, and that was the hot thing at the moment aong with Maiden and Priest among others.

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: MXR Distortion Plus

Re: MXR Distortion Plus

When I first started playing guitar in '79 I had an Electro-Harmonix little muff, which was basically a box that plugged into your guitar's jack and it had an on off switch.

Ha! I had one of those! That thing sucked! I had my guitar going thru a 20' cable to my Sabine ST-1000 then into the Muff Fuzz box into 3' cable that went to my amp. I also tried taping the Muff Fuzz to my strap and going to the tuner like that... I guess that thing was kinda OK when it worked- but it didn't sound anywhere near as good as any of my Big Muffs.

 

[HolyDirt]

Re: MXR Distortion+

I built and modded a D0D and it sounds UNBELIEVABLE. Maybe it's just my ears? It's a simple pedal, so it didn't even take much modding...

 

[Lava Man]

Re: MXR Distortion+

I used one for years growing up, and loved them. I don't use one now, because I have a great amp - Fuchs TDS 50. I decided to carry a few brande new ones my website recently, but that was a dumb idea as I have not sold a single one yet....

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: MXR Distortion+

Would the Distortion+ and the DOD 250 pedals be better if they were built on a different chip? Is the LM741 that they are based on the problem?

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: MXR Distortion+

Would the Distortion+ and the DOD 250 pedals be better if they were built on a different chip? Is the LM741 that they are based on the problem?

Todd, I think you would be better off with something that is good from the getgo.....Sparkledrive, Eternity, Barber etc. They all have good components and aren't one trick ponies. The DOD and the D+ are really not the greatest quality even if modded. Modding only will get you so far with them unless you change most of the components and that would be expensive and also try one's patience. Why not try shootin' a PM to John Spina, he knows all about the chips and mods. Take Care......................Joe

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: MXR Distortion+

Thanks, Joe. But, I asking the question because I'm wanting to get into pedal modding and maybe do some DIY building. I'm asking the question from a pedal design perspective. Just as a personal hobby.

It's not likely that I'm gonna buy a D+ or 250. The Sparkle Drive is at the top of the list but I'm curious now about the Barber and Zendrive pedals as well.

 

[B Bent]

Re: MXR Distortion+

I saw a Sparkle Drive go for $40 on ebay last week. :smack: I should have snagged it.

WOW! Lucky person that snagged a SD for that kinda dough. The SD has been on my list for quite some time now!!!

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: MXR Distortion+

Thanks, Joe. But, I asking the question because I'm wanting to get into pedal modding and maybe do some DIY building. I'm asking the question from a pedal design perspective. Just as a personal hobby.

It's not likely that I'm gonna buy a D+ or 250. The Sparkle Drive is at the top of the list but I'm curious now about the Barber and Zendrive pedals as well.

Why not mod a TS-7? Better than the 250 or D+ and probably cheaper to boot. I'm sure StratDeluxer would give you a pointer or two.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: MXR Distortion+

Why not mod a TS-7? Better than the 250 or D+ and probably cheaper to boot. I'm sure StratDeluxer would give you a pointer or two.

I want to build a pedal from scratch and the D+ and 250 both are basically the same circuit and relative to the TS pedals, and the the circuit for those pedals is relatively simple. But, I didn't want to waste my time building one of these pedals if they didn't sound good. But, based upon some posts by John from about a year ago the D+ circuit with some tweaks greatly improve these pedals.

I may give it a go. And I plan to buy a good pedal such as mentioned earlier in the thread. And I may mod a TS7 for fun.

 

[ES350]

Re: MXR Distortion+

Want to hear unadorned MXR D+? Listen to Husker Du on SST...that's what you're hearing. I gave mine away in 1984...

 

[JeffB]

Re: MXR Distortion+

"good" is subjective.

I personally loved Randy's tone. Different? absolutely. It would sound horrid for doing Van Halen covers. Not smooth, but absolutely crunched like hell, HUGE sound, and perfectly suited for the music he was playing. He had the right tone for the gig. But yes, more to it than the Distortion plus.

Dave Murray/Adrian Smith used D+ for gooses. I happen to love their tones.

If you are buying it as a "gain channel in a box", errm..prolly not a good idea.

If you are looking for the common def of a "good" overdrive box...smooth, clear...doesn't color the natural tone...again..bad idea.

But if you are going for a late 70s/Early 80s hard rock metal sound...they do great pushing a Marshall.

Pick the right tool for the job!

 

[Aceman]

Re: MXR Distortion+

I'm stunned at how much thread a fairly mediocre box is generating! Get the Sparkle and move on....

 

[WhoFan]

Re: MXR Distortion+

"good" is subjective.

I personally loved Randy's tone. Different? absolutely. It would sound horrid for doing Van Halen covers. Not smooth, but absolutely crunched like hell, HUGE sound, and perfectly suited for the music he was playing. He had the right tone for the gig. But yes, more to it than the Distortion plus.

Dave Murray/Adrian Smith used D+ for gooses. I happen to love their tones.

If you are buying it as a "gain channel in a box", errm..prolly not a good idea.

If you are looking for the common def of a "good" overdrive box...smooth, clear...doesn't color the natural tone...again..bad idea.

But if you are going for a late 70s/Early 80s hard rock metal sound...they do great pushing a Marshall.

Pick the right tool for the job!

I do have to say i love Maidens crunchy tones... I think,in hind sight, when it comes to those 2 Ozzy albums with Randy i think what bugs me is the over all sound quality of the albums, not Randy's tone really. i have the first cd's from the 80's... then the mid 90's remasters.... now i hear there are even newer remastered cd's out that were remastered a 2nd time.. Some of the Ozzy stuff i prefer the original 80's cd's over the mid 90's remastered cd's....

But still.... those early Ozzy solo albums are really high on my list of albums that i love!