The MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver is an overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the Colorsound Power Boost and the Knight Audio Technologies Kat-STB. It pairs well with the Marshall Bluesbreaker and the Dumble Steel String Singer.
MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver
Unknown brand · pedal
The MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa FET Driver is a signature overdrive designed with Joe Bonamassa, cascading an op-amp gain stage into a FET stage for a rich, creamy tone reminiscent of an overdriven tube amplifier. At lower gain it stays smooth and singing with a Gilmour-esque sustain, and pushed harder it verges on fuzz territory rather than staying merely crunchy. Hi and Low knobs cut or boost treble and bass, with a Hi Cut switch rounding off top end, and the natural-sounding dirt blends well with an already-overdriven amp for meaty lead tones. Some players find the low end can get boomy or hard to dial in at higher Low settings. It suits blues and rock players wanting a smooth, amp-like overdrive with real sustain for lead playing.
- bass
- stage
- gain
- treble
- lead
- overdrive
- boost
- meaty
Genres the MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver is commonly used in
- Rock
- Blues
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver
Marshall Bluesbreaker
Marshall
31% matchMarshall Bluesbreaker's warm balances out the bright tone
Dumble Steel String Singer
Dumble
31% 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
Orange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp
Orange
tonal matchOrange BT1000H Terror Bass 1000-Watt Bass Amp leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
Orange Terror Bass
Orange
tonal matchOrange Terror Bass leans warm right where the bright tone needs it
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
Pedals that stack with the MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver
Spaceman Explorer 6-Stage Phaser
Spaceman
23% matchRun Spaceman Explorer 6-Stage Phaser after MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver in the signal chain, clear of MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver's own gain stage
Catalinbread SFT
Catalinbread
22% matchCatalinbread SFT's warm balances out the bright tone
Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff
Electro-Harmonix
21% matchWhere this leans bright, Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff answers back smooth
Suhr Woodshed
Suhr
20% matchWhat Suhr Woodshed brings here leans toward transparent — that's worth building a pairing around
FoxGear EchoSex
Foxgear
14% matchFoxGear EchoSex's ambient voice goes after MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver's own bright character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Eventide Modulated Delay
Eventide
14% matchKeep MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver's bright voice out front: Eventide Modulated Delay goes after MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver in the signal chain so its modulated voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Orange - Vintage Distortion
Orange
tonal matchWhere this leans bright, Orange - Vintage Distortion answers back warm
SolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive
Solidgoldfx
tonal matchSolidGoldFX Commodore Breaker Overdrive leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
76% similarityShared character: valve_amplifiers, bass, singing
Knight Audio Technologies Kat-STB
pedal
75% similarityShared character: bass, solid_state, treble
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
75% similarityShared character: bass, treble, response
Benson Amps Preamp
Benson Amps
74% similarityShared character: players, boost, treble
Maxon TOD-9
Maxon
73% similarityShared character: solid_state, lead, response
Benson Amps Germanium Preamp (Boost)
Benson Amps
73% similarityShared character: bass, high_end, treble
Electro-Harmonix Spruce Goose
Electro-Harmonix
73% similarityShared character: bass, singing, treble
Sonicake MiniLane Blue Skreamer Overdrive
Sonicake
73% similarityShared character: response, bass, natural
Analog Man King of Tone
Analog Man
72% similarityShared character: bass, community_reviews, treble
Klon Centaur
Klon
72% similarityShared character: bass, response, stage
Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional MKII
pedal
71% similarityShared character: rich, community_reviews, stage
Ibanez WH10V3
Ibanez
71% similarityShared character: high_end, singing, bass
See all alternatives to the MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver?+
The closest matches in character are the Colorsound Power Boost, the Knight Audio Technologies Kat-STB, the Xotic BB Preamp V1.5.
What pairs well with the MXR Custom Shop Joe Bonamassa CSP265 FET Driver?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Bluesbreaker, Dumble Steel String Singer, Fender Prosonic — Marshall Bluesbreaker's warm balances out the bright tone.