MXR MC402 Boost/Overdrive

This is one of those Dunlop manufactured, Way Huge designed MXR Dual function either/and/or boost/overdrive pedal.
0-20dB boost control, level, tone, and gain control for the overdrive section. I/4 inch input and output jack, 9 volt dc power supply jack. And of course 9 volt battery compartment.


UTILIZATION

You can either use it as an up to 20dB clean boost, or an overdrive, or both together.
Manual is not needed, this is as simple as chaining a clean boost into an overdrive pedal.
Personally I likely would prefer it if you could assign whether it's boost before overdrive or overdrive before boost.

SOUND QUALITY

The clean boost side is great for sending stuff over the top, like in a high gain situation. My preference is to use it on a vintage amp that is cranked and starting to break up for a bit of extra "muscle".
The overdrive side reminds me of a smoother, less noisy version of MXR Distortion plus Script logo era. It reacts okay to single coils but used with humbuckers is where this pedal comes to life. Into a high gainer like a Soldano Avenger with low output humbucker the overdrive side alone will give you a very smooth liquid Allan Holdsworth type legato lead tone.
Using it together with the boost will tend to fuzz out the input of high gain amps, at least it does for my taste. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing, just look at what amazing gain tones have been gotten with Fuzz boxes. With single coils or guitars with low gain humbuckers into a clean amp it'll get the notes to pop and sing.

OVERALL OPINION

What I like is the overdrive with high gain amp, and the boost with clean amps. I would've loved to have the boost after the overdrive on clean amps. This way the boost could have been used as a solo boost instead of an additional gain increase.
If you're longing for a pedal that will make for super smooth compression however having the additional gain increase of boost before overdrive this will be a pedal you should check out.
I believe they also sell a version that is only half the pedal, which if you're using it into a high gain amp with humbuckers might be a better fit.

Boost pedal and drive by MXR CAE
1 channel boost with 1 db setting
Channel 1 drive with 1 tone, 1 1 output gain
True bypass
9v power supply or battery

UTILIZATION

Mesa Mark V Mark I channel mode crunch pushed all, especially not Mark II or VI mode (High Gain) there is the cat, it blows and it is inaudible

SOUND QUALITY

I think the boost is the same as the MC401 was a type boost boost fat very neutral by pushing one arrives at a slightly fuzzy enough drive, I use mainly on middle drive gain or low gain there I admit that it does wonders for the lead out of the mix, from 13h was something interesting, it thickened very sound and there is no staining or other
the drive is a drive-type fuzzy there is absolutely no logic in TS9, again this is to enlarge a rhythm or lead mode by coupling to a middle drive gain, we get a view DS1 a RAT, we arrive at a rather nice distortion, there to lead more pronounced I found the perfect, it's still less than the vintage DS1 or RAT, but the result is quite satisfactory, knowing that I'm on a Mark V and have a sound like that it is rather surprising to see inatendue

OVERALL OPINION

For my part I am overwhelmed by this pedal, it has me cleanliness but I intend to kept because for Lead or thicken rhythm I think it does great especially with a middle drive gain, or TS9 SD1 sounded a bit feeble on the Mark V and added more breath so the combination was just average ... but this is good this is more than perfect ... I do more than to find one. ..

Boost analog overdrive in a rugged brushed metal shell. Side boost, a simple gain and overdrive side, there is a gain, tone and volume, and of course two activation switches. a 9v power supply, a jack in, jack out and roll youth!

UTILIZATION

It is essentially to find the right level for the boost and drive without ears and fart without losing sound. After it's pretty intuitive, nothing to lose. After a tone for the boost was not a luxury.

SOUND QUALITY

This is where it goes bad ... The boost is pretty clear but still saturates quickly, which we do not want to necessarily with this kind of effect. As for overdrive, distortion is a typical heavy metal ... So it was not what we were promised. Researcher a nice bluesy saturation, go home, there's nothing to see! And if you push too much distortion (more than half), we got all the sound was no more dynamic.

A typed object therefore we like it or not.

OVERALL OPINION

I used it a year or two (my memory fails), I tested many boosts and many overdrives, so I know whereof I speak, and the quality / price ratio is high.

So I do not advise to see what kind of effects. However fans of Iron Maiden and others may find something that suits them. We find the quality of manufacturing dunlop / mxr / custom audio electronics, but the sound is too closed in style.