The MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion is an MXR distortion pedal, currently around $199.99. Close alternatives include the Revv Amplification G3 V2 and the Friedman BE-OD Deluxe. It pairs well with the Hiwatt DR103H and the Hiwatt Custom DR20H.

MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion

MXR · pedal

The MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive is a signature high-gain overdrive and distortion pedal created in collaboration with Eddie Van Halen, designed to capture the specific high-gain Marshall and 5150 amp tones associated with Van Halen's iconic playing across the band's catalog. The circuit provides powerful, articulate high-gain saturation suited to hard rock and heavy metal lead and rhythm playing, with controls for gain, tone, and volume in a compact enclosure.

What stands out

  • “The circuit provides powerful, articulate high-gain saturation suited to hard rock and heavy metal lead and rhythm playing, with controls for gain, tone, and volume in a compact enclosure”

    — from the listing

  • “The MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive is a signature high-gain overdrive and distortion pedal created in collaboration with Eddie Van Halen, designed to capture the specific high-gain Marshall and 5150 amp tones associated with Van Halen's iconic play…”

    — from the listing

  • “Eddie Van Halen's signature high-gain drive from MXR, widely regarded as one of the most accurate EVH tonal references in pedal form”

    — from the community notes

  • “MXR Dunlop construction is consistent and reliable”

    — from the reviews

  • “Works well for Van Halen-style hard rock lead playing with humbuckers or single coils”

    — from the reviews

  • high gain
  • articulate
  • hard rock
  • lead
  • saturation
  • overdrive
  • expressive
  • distortion
$199.99View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 25, 2026

Genres the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion is commonly used in

  • Hard Rock
  • Metal
  • Heavy Metal
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Progressive Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Djent
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion

Hiwatt DR103H

Hiwatt

24% match
$4900via Reverb

pushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)

Feed a high gain signal into Hiwatt DR103H and it comes out closer to tight

Comes later in the signal chain

Hiwatt Custom DR20H

Hiwatt

24% match

pushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)

Hiwatt Custom DR20H pushes a high gain tone toward tight

Comes later in the signal chain

EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo

Ebs

tonal match
$1044.89via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Feed a high gain signal into EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo and it comes out closer to tight

Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited

Aguilar

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Stack Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight

Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410

Gallien Krueger

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Feed a high gain signal into Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410 and it comes out closer to tight

Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo

Gallien Krueger

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Stack Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo on top and a high gain tone tightens toward tight

Gallien-Krueger MB210-II

Gallien Krueger

tonal match
$1149via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Gallien-Krueger MB210-II pushes a high gain tone toward tight

Blackstar Super Fly BT

Blackstar

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Blackstar Super Fly BT pushes a high gain tone toward tight

Pedals that stack with the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion

Z.Vex Super Hard On

Zvex

21% match
$189via Reverb

pushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → clean boost)

Z.Vex Super Hard On takes that high gain character and pushes it toward clean boost

Comes earlier in the signal chain

DryBell Unit67 Compressor

Drybell

20% match
$289via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.

DryBell Unit67 Compressor's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Walrus Audio EB-10 Black Edition

Walrus Audio

20% match

pushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → clean boost)

Walrus Audio EB-10 Black Edition takes that high gain character and pushes it toward clean boost

Comes earlier in the signal chain

MXR M83

MXR

17% match
$209.65via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put MXR M83 after MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion in the signal chain, clear of MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion's own gain stage

Comes later in the signal chain

Hungry Robot Moby Dick V2

Hungry Robot

15% match
$160via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → lush)

Hungry Robot Moby Dick V2's ambient voice goes after MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion's own high gain character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Hungry Robot The Borderland

Hungry Robot

14% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → modulated)

Hungry Robot The Borderland's modulated voice goes after MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion's own high gain character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

MXR CAE Wah

MXR

tonal match
$120.88via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put MXR CAE Wah in front of MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion: a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal

NuX Masamune Booster & Kompressor

Nux

tonal match
$115.07via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put NuX Masamune Booster & Kompressor in front of MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion

Cheaper alternatives

Wampler Mofetta

Wampler

54% similarity
$175.37via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, high gain settings

Suhr Riot Mini Black Edition

Suhr

50% similarity
$169via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, high gain settings

EarthQuaker Devices White Light

EarthQuaker Devices

50% similarity
$145.29via Reverb

Shared character: single coils, hard rock, high gain settings

Caline CP-14 English Man Distortion

Caline

48% similarity
$34.80via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, high gain settings

Electro-Harmonix Hellmaster Distortion

Electro-Harmonix

47% similarity
$176.66via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, high gain settings

JHS Pedals Hard Drive Distortion

JHS Pedals

47% similarity
$169via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, high gain settings

Boutique & premium upgrades

ThorpyFX Warthog Distortion

ThorpyFX

54% similarity
$265via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, high gain settings

Roger Mayer Spitfire Distortion

Roger Mayer

50% similarity
$406.31via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, lead

Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp

Friedman

49% similarity
$499via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, high gain settings, lead

Mad Professor Supreme Overdrive

Mad Professor

93% similarity
$272.05via Reverb

similar tone character

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Revv Amplification G3 V2

Revv

56% similarity
$223.01via Reverb

Shared character: hard rock, distortion, high gain settings

Friedman BE-OD Deluxe

Friedman

54% similarity
$229.49via Reverb

Shared character: volume, hard rock, distortion

EWS Eric Gales Brute Drive

Ews

52% similarity

Shared character: distortion, lead, overdrive

One Control Dyna Distortion 4K OC-DRD4K

One Control

51% similarity

Shared character: hard rock, distortion

JHS PG-14 Paul Gilbert Signature Distortion

JHS Pedals

50% similarity
$199via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, hard rock, distortion

Mad Professor Mighty Red Distortion

Mad Professor

48% similarity
$228.17via Reverb

Shared character: distortion, high gain settings, lead

See all alternatives to the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion?+

The closest matches in character are the Revv Amplification G3 V2, the Friedman BE-OD Deluxe, the EWS Eric Gales Brute Drive. Budget picks: Wampler Mofetta, Suhr Riot Mini Black Edition, EarthQuaker Devices White Light. Boutique upgrades: ThorpyFX Warthog Distortion, Roger Mayer Spitfire Distortion, Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp.

What pairs well with the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Hiwatt DR103H, Hiwatt Custom DR20H, EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo — Feed a high gain signal into Hiwatt DR103H and it comes out closer to tight.

How much does the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Distortion cost?+

Around $199.99 (live listing price, updated Oct 25, 2026).

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