View source for MXR Distortion +

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[[File:1979 MXR Distortion +.jpg|thumb|An original [[MXR]] Innovations distortion plus pedal from 1979, block logo, without LED and battery-only operation (no AC Adapter).]]
[[File:Pedal Board - 0708....jpg|thumb|250px|MXR Distortion + on a [[guitar pedalboard]]. Distortion + is the yellow unit on front of the pedalboard.]]
The '''MXR Distortion +''' ("Distortion Plus") is a [[distortion (music)|distortion]] pedal originally designed in the 1970s by [[MXR]] Innovations.

The pedal uses a single op-amp and a pair of [[germanium diode]]s to ground (parallel-push) for clipping in a very simple configuration with only Output and Distortion controls, no tone control; the pedal uses no discrete [[transistors]].  Turning up the Distortion control increases the amount of distortion and at the same time boosts the treble in the signal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.electrosmash.com/mxr-distortion-plus-analysis#link2|title=ElectroSmash - MXR Distortion + Circuit Analysis.|website=www.electrosmash.com|access-date=2020-01-17}}</ref>

The pedal's crunchy [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] sound was featured by [[Randy Rhoads]] in his work with [[Ozzy Osbourne]].<ref name="gill">{{cite web |last1=Gill |first1=Chris |title=Out of the Box: Guitar World Celebrates the Time-Honored History of MXR Effect Pedals |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/magazine/out-box-guitar-world-celebrates-time-honored-history-mxr-effect-pedals |website=Guitar World |publisher=Future plc |accessdate=2018-07-31}}</ref> Jerry Garcia of the [[Grateful Dead]] used this pedal exclusively for distortion in the late 1970s.<ref name="gill"/> [[Bob Mould]] of [[Hüsker Dü]] also used the Distortion +.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cochran |first1=Kevin |title=Gear Blog: Bob Mould |url=http://acltv.com/2013/01/25/gear-blog-bob-mould/ |website=Austin City Limits |publisher=KLRU-TV, Austin PBS |accessdate=2018-08-01}}</ref> [[Dave Murray (musician)|Dave Murray]] of [[Iron Maiden]] has used Distortion + since the early 1980s.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bosso |first1=Joe |title=Iron Maiden: Out of Thin Air |url=https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/23207-iron-maiden-out-of-thin-air |website=Premier Guitar |publisher=Premier Guitar Magazine |accessdate=2018-07-31 |page=2}}</ref> [[Steve Wynn (musician)]] used it on the first couple [[Dream Syndicate]] albums. [[Thom Yorke]] of [[Radiohead]] has included the Distortion + for many of his signature distortion sounds. [[Rowland S. Howard]] (The Birthday Party/These Immortal Souls/Crime & the City Solution/Solo albums) also used this pedal across his career. Guitarist [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] has talked about using the Distortion + in his early guitar days to help define his tone.<ref>{{cite podcast |host=Marc Maron|title=Episode 952: Slash |website=WTF With Marc Maron |date=20 September 2018 |url=http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/tag/Slash |access-date=19 July 2022}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of distortion pedals]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Effects units]]
[[Category:MXR]]

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