The MXR M233 is an MXR boost pedal. Close alternatives include the MXR MC401 Boost/Line Driver and the Xotic RC Booster. It pairs well with the Marshall Bluesbreaker and the Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head.

MXR M233

MXR · pedal

The MXR M233 Micro Amp+ updates the long-running Micro Amp clean boost with a two-band EQ, low-noise op-amps and true bypass switching. It provides up to 26dB of transparent gain for driving the front end of an amp harder or lifting a solo, but where the original offered only a level control, the Micro Amp+ adds Bass and Treble controls that reviewers describe as unusually responsive -- close to an extension of the guitar's own tone controls, letting the boosted signal be warmed up or brightened rather than simply made louder. The low-noise op-amps keep it quiet even at extreme boost settings, and it sits in MXR's standard rugged enclosure. A staple among professional guitar and bass players for over two decades.

What stands out

  • “Build quality is consistent and reliable across the product range”

    — from the community notes

  • “mxr is one of the most trusted american pedal brands”

    — from the community notes

  • “The low-noise op-amps keep it quiet even at extreme boost settings, and it sits in MXR's standard rugged enclosure”

    — from the listing

  • “It provides up to 26dB of transparent gain for driving the front end of an amp harder or lifting a solo, but where the original offered only a level control, the Micro Amp+ adds Bass and Treble controls that reviewers describe as unusually …”

    — from the listing

  • “MXR maintains consistent quality with Dunlop's reliable American manufacturing”

    — from the reviews

Trade-offs

  • “s production quality”

    — from the reviews

  • consistent
  • american
  • treble
  • gain
  • bass
  • transparent
  • eq
  • bypass

Genres the MXR M233 is commonly used in

  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Country Pop
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Country
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Blues
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the MXR M233

Marshall Bluesbreaker

Marshall

33% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)

Marshall Bluesbreaker leans warm right where the bright tone needs it

Comes later in the signal chain

Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head

amplifier

30% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → warm)

Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head's warm balances out the bright tone

Comes later in the signal chain

Blackstar Unity Bass U250

Blackstar

tonal match
$519.45via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Run Blackstar Unity Bass U250 after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm

Marshall Vintage Modern 2466

Marshall

tonal match
$1199.99via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a transparent tone, Marshall Vintage Modern 2466 brings a pull toward low gain that's missing

Ampeg V-4

Ampeg

tonal match
$559via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Ampeg V-4 leans this transparent tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own

Friedman Small Box 50W EL34 Amp Head

Friedman

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a transparent tone, Friedman Small Box 50W EL34 Amp Head brings a pull toward high gain that's missing

ENGL Special Edition E670

Engl

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a transparent tone, ENGL Special Edition E670 brings a pull toward high gain that's missing

Hughes & Kettner Coreblade

Hughes & Kettner

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a transparent tone, Hughes & Kettner Coreblade brings a pull toward high gain that's missing

Pedals that stack with the MXR M233

Beetronics Overhive

Beetronics

19% match

Beetronics Overhive leans this transparent tone toward medium gain, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff

Electro-Harmonix

18% match
$76.18via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)

Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff leans this transparent tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own

Comes later in the signal chain

Electro-Harmonix Pico Platform

Electro-Harmonix

15% match
$100.88via Reverb

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

Electro-Harmonix Pico Platform leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator

pedal

15% 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.

Put Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere MKII The Analog Leslie Simulator after MXR M233 in the signal chain, clear of MXR M233's own gain stage

Comes later in the signal chain

Eventide Modulated Delay

Eventide

9% 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.

Run Eventide Modulated Delay after MXR M233 in the signal chain, clear of MXR M233's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

Boss

9% match
$134.65via 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.

Keep Boss DD-3 Digital Delay after MXR M233 in the signal chain, clear of MXR M233's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Dunlop Echoplex Preamp

Dunlop

tonal match
$135via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Dunlop Echoplex Preamp's smooth balances out the bright tone

Source Audio L.A. Lady

Source Audio

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Into a transparent tone, Source Audio L.A. Lady brings a pull toward low gain that's missing

Alternativessee all similar tone character →

MXR MC401 Boost/Line Driver

MXR

61% similarity
$121.09via Reverb

Shared character: staple, low noise floor, true bypass

Xotic RC Booster

Xotic

59% similarity
$196.91via Reverb

Shared character: low noise floor, boost, treble

Vox VXT-1 Accordatore a

Vox

56% similarity
$106.46via Reverb

Shared character: true bypass, bass

Xotic BB Preamp V1.5

Xotic

55% similarity
$180via Reverb

Shared character: boost, treble, gain

MXR Super Badass Distortion

MXR

54% similarity
$99via Reverb

Shared character: boost, treble, transparent

Analog Man King of Tone

Analog Man

52% similarity
$720via Reverb

Shared character: boost, treble, transparent

Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive

Boss

52% similarity
$59via Reverb

Shared character: staple, boost, bass

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

Ibanez

52% similarity

Shared character: original, true bypass, boost

Boss BD-2 Blues Driver

Boss

51% similarity
$99.99via Reverb

Shared character: boost, transparent, gain

Providence HBL-4

Providence

51% similarity
$159via Reverb

Shared character: transparent

Black Arts Toneworks -Skyboost

Black Arts Toneworks

50% similarity
$129via Reverb

Shared character: boost, treble, transparent

Electronic Audio Experiments Halberd v2

Electronic Audio Experiments

50% similarity
$239via Reverb

Shared character: original, true bypass, transparent

See all alternatives to the MXR M233 (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the MXR M233?+

The closest matches in character are the MXR MC401 Boost/Line Driver, the Xotic RC Booster, the Vox VXT-1 Accordatore a.

What pairs well with the MXR M233?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Bluesbreaker, Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head, Blackstar Unity Bass U250 — Marshall Bluesbreaker leans warm right where the bright tone needs it.

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