MXR introduces Sugar Drive (it's a klone)

It's a mini-klone. It's $119. It looks really cheesy. Alternatively, it looks kinda cool. For more info, visit MXR.

The MXR Sugar Drive provides a diverse range of clear and transparent overdrive tones, from sauced up boosting to blown-tube distortion. It’s based on a rare overdrive pedal that has acquired a mythical reputation among fanatical tone-seekers thanks to its unique circuit design.

The key elements of that circuit design are the Drive control and something called a charge pump. First, the Drive control on this pedal doesn’t just increase the intensity of the overdrive pedal. It starts with your clean signal and then blends it with the overdrive effect as you turn it up, replicating the smooth transition of an amplifier going from clean to dirty. The charge pump increases overall headroom, which opens everything up nicely.

Of course, we had to put the MXR touch on this circuit. If you’re all about true bypass, then you’re in luck—this pedal uses it by default. The original used buffered bypass, though, and we know there’s a lot of players out there who don’t want to fix something that isn’t broken. They’re in luck, too—just flick the Buffer switch on the side of the pedal to enable buffered bypassing.

With a simple three-knob setup and an MXR mini housing, this is the go-to overdrive to have on your pedalboard. It’s versatile and it saves space, and unlike the original pedals it’s based on, it won’t cost you thousands of dollars.

MXR unveils Carbon Copy Deluxe

MXR will be releasing an upgraded version of their popular Carbon Copy analog delay. The new features are as follows:

- The maximum delay time has been increased from 600 ms to 1.2 seconds
- Tap tempo with four subdivisions (dotted 8th, 8th, triplet, and 16th)
- A "bright" button, which switches to the MXR Carbon Copy Bright circuitry
- "Speed" and "Width" knobs to control modulation, which were previously internal trimpots
- An input jack for an expression pedal

The MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe will be priced at $229.

New MXR pedals - Russian Pickle, Conquistador, more

Russian Pickle fuzz

The Russian-Pickle Fuzz dishes out smooth, creamy fuzz tones with a clear midrange to cut through the mix and a fat bottom end that keeps your sound thick and full. With a no-nonsense interface featuring Volume, Tone, and Distortion controls, you can quickly dial in your sound and get to playing. Bass players, take note—this pedal has enough low end to tremble the earth. Whether you’re going for ’90s-era grunge, swinging stoner grooves, or raw two-piece garage rock riffage, the Russian-Pickle Fuzz is the perfect comrade for your pedalboard.

Conqustador fuzzstortion

Want to know what the Conquistador Fuzzstortion sounds like? Take a giant Velcro strip and tear it apart with great vigor, and you’ll have your answer. This aggressive gated fuzz conquers sonic frontiers with ease and simplicity. Just use the classic Volume, Tone, Fuzz control setup to dial in your sound and then play a soundtrack to shred the space-time continuum. Even at extreme settings, the Conquistador Fuzzstortion remains musically pleasing in its onslaught of destruction.

Dyna Comp Mini Compressor

The Dyna Comp Mini Compressor combines the best of classic tone and modern convenience in a housing that’s nearly half the size of the original. anks to its rare CA3080 “metal can” integrated circuit (IC), this pedal yields quieter operation, greater transparency, and increased dynamic range. An all-new Attack switch toggles between slow and fast attack times.

Il Diavolo Overdrive

The Il Diavolo Overdrive, designed in collaboration with premier Italian pedal designer Carlo Sorasio, features a classic circuit that’s been hot-rodded for enhanced midrange and low end frequencies. Thanks to the Hi/Low switch, this pedal gives you access to a wide range of symmetrical and asymmetrical tones, from a smooth organic boost to sweet, smoky overdrive to full on-grind.

Sub Octave Bass Fuzz

The Sub Octave Bass Fuzz dishes out thunderous low end with earth-shaking fuzz. To create this sonic behemoth, MXR’s engineers combined the Growl section of the Bass Octave Deluxe with a long-forgotten fuzz circuit. With three separate output level controls for the fuzz, sub octave, and dry signals, you can create your own recipe of subterranean tones without sacrificing any of your instrument’s natural sound. Further versatility comes in the form of the fuzz section’s tone controls and two switchable voices—warm and compressed or bright and aggressive—along with the Mid Level control, which allows you to give your dry signal some more punch in the midrange.

Six Band EQ

The MXR Six Band EQ has been upgraded with noise-reduction circuitry, true bypass switching, brighter LEDs for increased visibility, and a lightweight aluminum housing. It covers all the essential guitar frequencies, with each slider ready to deliver +/-18dB of cut or boost for incredible control over your sound. The Six Band EQ can create scooped-mid rhythm tones with massive low end, add natural sounding warmth to a quacky acoustic pickup, eliminate onstage feed-back, and much more. You can also use the Six Band EQ in the effects loop of your amp for a huge, sculptable lead boost.

Ten Band EQ

The MXR Ten Band EQ has been upgraded with noise-reduction circuitry, true bypass switching, a lightweight aluminum housing, brighter LEDs for increased visibility, and a second output so you can run two separate signal chains. With ten carefully chosen frequencies and both input and output level controls, the Ten Band EQ will let you tune your bass or guitar rig to any room in seconds—create earthshaking low-end; restore punch, level, and treble response to a crowded pedalboard; warm up an amplified acoustic; and much, much more. For ultimate tone-sculpting ability in a bullet-proof enclosure, put the Ten Band EQ on your pedalboard.

MXR Phase 95 available for pre-order

Chicago Music Exchange has apparently put up the yet-to-be-announced MXR M-290 Phase 95 up for pre-order. The Phase 95 is a Mooer-sized pedal that allows you to switch between the 45 and 90 style-phasing, as well as between "block" and "script" styles.

The Phase 95 combines the Phase 45 and Phase 90 circuits in a mini housing with about half the footprint of a standard MXR pedal. The 45/90 switch toggles between the Phase 45 mode’s subtle two-stage phasing and the Phase 90 mode’s more pronounced four-stage phasing, while the “Script” switch toggles between two phasing styles. The Phase 95 is set to modern style phasing by default, which relies on feedback to create light harmonic distortion and gives the effect a more accentuated swoosh. Engaging the Script switch removes feedback for a lusher, more subdued sound with higher headroom and greater clarity. The familiar Speed control sets the rate of the effect.

• Combines MXR’s most iconic phase circuits in a single mini housing

• About half the footprint of a standard MXR pedal

• 45/90 switch toggles between Phase 45 and Phase 90 circuits

• Script removes feedback for a subtler vintage sound

New Dunlop, MXR and Way Huge pedals

Dunlop Manufacturing has unveiled several new pedals ahead of NAMM, which includes a new Echoplex delay, a new reverb pedal and smaller versions of the Green Rhino and Swollen Pickle. The new gear is already listed at their website.

MF Stupid Deal of the Day - MXR CSP-001X Variphase Pedal

Musician's Friend's Stupid Deal of the Day is the MXR CSP-001X Variphase Pedal. It's on sale for $79.99, down $120 from its regular price.