The Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive is an Ashdown distortion pedal. Close alternatives include the Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord and the Ashdown James LoMenzo KegaDrive Bass Distortion. It pairs well with the Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-115 Combo Bass Amp and the Ampeg RB-110.
Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive
Ashdown · pedal
The Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive is a bass drive pedal designed with Megadeth bassist James LoMenzo, debuted at NAMM 2023 as an evolution of the Ashdown HyperDrive. It features sweepable highpass and lowpass filters for targeting specific frequency bands, a drive blend knob to mix clean and driven signals, adjustable input gain, and a VU meter for visual input monitoring. The circuit delivers a wide gain range from warm deep harmonic overdrive to bright cutting distortion, with full-spectrum frequency shaping rather than the HyperDrive mid-only approach. Suited for heavy rock and metal bass playing, it preserves low-end fundamental clarity while adding harmonic aggression on top. Used by James LoMenzo live with Megadeth as his primary bass drive.
- bass
- drive
- frequency
- filter
- live
- distortion
- metal
- mix
Genres the Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive is commonly used in
- Rock
- Metal
- Hard Rock
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Punk
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive
Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-115 Combo Bass Amp
Ampeg
27% matchThe Mega Drive's filtered bass distortion pushes the RB-115's massive, vintage voice into real, live-ready grit.
Ampeg RB-110
Ampeg
20% matchThe Mega Drive's filtered bass distortion gives the RB-110's practice-level preamp real rock grit at rehearsal volume.
Orange Little Bass Thing
Orange
tonal matchRun Orange Little Bass Thing after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Fuchs ODS II Custom 25/50 Combo
Fuchs
tonal matchRun Fuchs ODS II Custom 25/50 Combo after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm
Blackstar Series One 200
Blackstar
tonal matchWhere this leans bright, Blackstar Series One 200 answers back warm
Dumble Steel String Singer
Dumble
tonal matchRun Dumble Steel String Singer after it and the bright edge settles into something more smooth
Fender Prosonic
amplifier
tonal matchFender Prosonic's warm balances out the bright tone
Gibson GA-50
Gibson
tonal matchWhere this leans bright, Gibson GA-50 answers back warm
Pedals that stack with the Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive
Catalinbread SFT
Catalinbread
24% matchCatalinbread SFT's warm balances out the bright tone
Amptweaker Big Rock Pro
Amptweaker
23% matchThe Mega Drive's filtered bass distortion stacks with Big Rock Pro's own fat, modern boost for a heavier low end.
MXR EVH90 Phase 90
MXR
23% matchPut MXR EVH90 Phase 90 after Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive in the signal chain, clear of Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive's own gain stage
ThorpyFX The fat general
ThorpyFX
23% matchThorpyFX The fat general leans toward warm, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
FoxGear EchoSex
Foxgear
17% matchFoxGear EchoSex's ambient voice goes after Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive's own harmonically rich character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
pedal
16% matchKeep Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler after Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive in the signal chain, clear of Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Suhr Eclipse
Suhr
tonal matchAshdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Suhr Eclipse wants
Tone City King of Blues
Tone City
tonal matchTone City King of Blues is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive gives it exactly that
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord
Electro-Harmonix
76% similarityShared character: amp, hard_rock, definition
Ashdown James LoMenzo KegaDrive Bass Distortion
Ashdown
74% similarityShared character: high_end, grit, full
EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls V1
EarthQuaker Devices
74% similarityShared character: definition, grit, aggressive_playing
Ashdown James LoMenzo HyperDrive
Ashdown
74% similarityShared character: high_end, punch, filter
Carl Martin Bass Drive
Carl Martin
73% similarityShared character: clean_signal, grit, punch
Orange Bass Butler Bi-Amp Bass Preamp
Orange
73% similarityShared character: signal, grit, studio
Ashdown Jmy-dd
Ashdown
72% similarityShared character: definition, grit, aggressive_playing
DSM & Humboldt Electronics Sub-Atomic X-Over Cmos Bass Preamp
Dsm Humboldt Electronics
72% similarityShared character: definition, punch, mix
Ashdown Pro FX Retro Drive
Ashdown
72% similarityShared character: hard_rock, grit, full
Electro-Harmonix Blogger
Electro-Harmonix
72% similarityShared character: definition, grit, circuit
Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp
Aguilar
72% similarityShared character: amp, high_end, circuit
Ashdown John Myung Double Drive
Ashdown
72% similarityShared character: grit, subtle, response
See all alternatives to the Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive?+
The closest matches in character are the Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord, the Ashdown James LoMenzo KegaDrive Bass Distortion, the EarthQuaker Devices Scrolls V1.
What pairs well with the Ashdown James LoMenzo Mega Drive?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-115 Combo Bass Amp, Ampeg RB-110, Orange Little Bass Thing — The Mega Drive's filtered bass distortion pushes the RB-115's massive, vintage voice into real, live-ready grit..