The MXR Super Badass Distortion is an MXR distortion pedal, currently around $99. Close alternatives include the JHS Charlie Brown and the Colorsound Power Boost. It pairs well with the Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head and the Mesa Boogie Mark I.
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR · pedal
The MXR Super Badass Distortion is a versatile analog distortion with a three-band active EQ and a wide gain range, designed to cover decades of dirt from one box. With the distortion low it produces a bold, beefy clean boost and light crunch, and as gain increases it moves through classic-rock midrange grind into harmonically rich, saturated, scooped-mid metal roar. The Bass, Mid, and Treble controls reshape the voice dramatically, going from thick and beefy to bright and aggressive while staying tight rather than flabby. Notes remain clear and dynamic, responding to picking. Suited to rock, blues, punk, and metal, it is praised as a do-it-all distortion with warm, sustaining tone. Its only real coloration is a trace of modern distortion character across its range.
- distortion
- modern
- crunch
- eq
- clean boost
- metal
- scooped
- high gain
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the MXR Super Badass Distortion is commonly used in
Amps that pair well with the MXR Super Badass Distortion
Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head
amplifier
31% matchMarshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Mesa Boogie Mark I
Mesa Boogie
29% matchMesa Boogie Mark I pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward
Ceriatone HRM 50
Ceriatone
tonal matchFeed a scooped signal into Ceriatone HRM 50 and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Ampeg V-4
Ampeg
tonal matchAmpeg V-4 takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Harmony H650
Harmony
tonal matchFeed a scooped signal into Harmony H650 and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Ceriatone Overtone Special HRM Bluesmaster 50
Ceriatone
tonal matchStack Ceriatone Overtone Special HRM Bluesmaster 50 on top and a scooped tone tightens toward mid-forward
Peavey 112-6 1x12
Peavey
tonal matchPeavey 112-6 1x12 takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Roland Cube Street EX
Roland
tonal matchRoland Cube Street EX pushes a scooped tone toward mid-forward
Pedals that stack with the MXR Super Badass Distortion
Browne Amplification Gritador
Browne Amplification
26% matchBrowne Amplification Gritador takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Ibanez TS10 Tube Screamer Classic
pedal
25% matchIbanez TS10 Tube Screamer Classic takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Maestro Orbit
Maestro
20% matchKeep Maestro Orbit after MXR Super Badass Distortion in the signal chain, clear of MXR Super Badass Distortion's own gain stage
Wampler Cory Wong
Wampler
16% matchWampler Cory Wong's own clean boost character is the real reason this is worth trying
Catalinbread Epoch-Set
Catalinbread
13% matchKeep MXR Super Badass Distortion's crunchy voice out front: Catalinbread Epoch-Set goes after MXR Super Badass Distortion in the signal chain so its warm voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Boss RE-202 Space Echo
Boss
12% matchRun Boss RE-202 Space Echo after MXR Super Badass Distortion in the signal chain, clear of MXR Super Badass Distortion's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
DOD YJM308 Preamp Overdrive
Dod
tonal matchMXR Super Badass Distortion leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform DOD YJM308 Preamp Overdrive wants
Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer
Ibanez
tonal matchInto MXR Super Badass Distortion, Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end
Cheaper alternatives
Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive
Boss
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Behringer OD300 Overdrive Distortion
Behringer
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Fender Hammertone Metal
Fender
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion
Behringer
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Tone City TC-T38 Metal Storm classic British-style high
Tone City
96% similaritysimilar tone character
ProCo RAT 2
Proco
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027
Dunlop
75% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, boost, treble
Boss BD-2W Blues Driver Waza Craft
Boss
74% similarityShared character: boost, bright, crunch
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
74% similarityShared character: boost, treble, thickness
JAM Pedals TubeDreamer MK2
Jam Pedals
74% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, treble, bright
ThorpyFX Peacekeeper V2 Low-Gain Overdrive
ThorpyFX
73% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, voicing, boost
Dunlop Custom Badass
Dunlop
73% similarityShared character: boost, thickness, crunch
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
JHS Charlie Brown
JHS Pedals
75% similarityShared character: voicing, thickness, middle
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
75% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, boost, treble
Tech 21 Tri-O.D.
Tech 21
74% similarityShared character: middle, high_gain_settings, crunch
Maxon OD808
Maxon
73% similarityShared character: boost, middle, crunch
Fulltone OCD V2
Fulltone
73% similarityShared character: tight_low_end, voicing, high_gain_settings
Joyo Maximum Overdrive
Joyo
73% similarityShared character: tight_low_end, treble, middle
See all alternatives to the MXR Super Badass Distortion (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the MXR Super Badass Distortion?+
The closest matches in character are the JHS Charlie Brown, the Colorsound Power Boost, the Tech 21 Tri-O.D.. Budget picks: Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive, Behringer OD300 Overdrive Distortion, Fender Hammertone Metal. Boutique upgrades: Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027, Boss BD-2W Blues Driver Waza Craft, Xotic BB Preamp V1.5.
What pairs well with the MXR Super Badass Distortion?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head, Mesa Boogie Mark I, Ceriatone HRM 50 — Marshall JTM45 45W Tube Guitar Amp Head takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward.
How much does the MXR Super Badass Distortion cost?+
Around $99 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).