Dunlop MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD vs Dunlop MXR Distortion Plus
The Dunlop MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD and the Dunlop MXR Distortion Plus are both pedals sharing compressed, saturated, mid-forward. The Dunlop MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD leans transparent.
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Blended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.52% — moderately similar
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Genres both listings are associated with.- Classic Rock
- Rock
- Alternative Rock
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Derived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.- compressed
- saturated
- mid-forward
- warm
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.The MXR M78 Custom Modified OD, also known as the Bad Ass Modified OD, is a vintage-voiced overdrive from MXR by Jim Dunlop based on the 1978 MXR Distortion Plus circuit with additional Tone and Filter controls added to increase tonal flexibility. The 1978 vintage Distortion Plus is known for its warm, smooth clipping character and distinctive compressed saturation that works well into an already-driven tube amplifier. The M78 extends the original circuit with front-panel EQ control that was not available on the vintage unit, allowing players to shape the midrange and frequency balance without requiring external pedals. It bridges the original vintage MXR sound with modern usability.
The MXR Distortion Plus is the original MXR distortion pedal, introduced in 1973 and one of the most influential hard-clipping distortion designs in the history of the electric guitar. The circuit uses a single op-amp with hard germanium diode clipping to produce a compressed, warm distortion character with a distinctive midrange voice. The Distortion Plus is strongly associated with Randy Rhoads, who used it with Ozzy Osbourne, and with Slash on early Guns N Roses recordings. It delivers moderate-to-high gain distortion with warm, natural compression and a mid-voiced character that cuts well in classic rock contexts. The design has been extensively copied and remains in production as the M104.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Blues Rock
- Metal
- Hard Rock
- transparent