MXR 5150 Overdrive - Distortion Pedal - Grey

The iconic sound that has haunted guitarists for four decades is captured and housed in a box by the geniuses at MXR. With the 5150, Van Halen's signature 'Brown Sound' is finally within reach of your footswitch! Revolutionary. When the self-titled Van Halen album dropped in 1978, the music world was rocked. Guitarists suddenly found themselves customizing their Strats, mastering tapping, and trying to replicate Eddie Van Halen's massive sound, a colossal and unique tone now known as the 'Brown Sound'. The voice of its master. Originally, this sound was achieved using a modified Marshall amp through a Variac, which provided a slightly lower voltage, creating a fatter, softer crunch. Despite numerous attempts, the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive is the first pedal to earn Eddie's endorsement, a significant feat considering his high standards and DIY approach to gear. Unchained. Designed with input from Eddie Van Halen himself, in collaboration with Jorge Tripps of Way Huge and MXR, this pedal captures not only the original Brown Sound but also its evolved, compressed, and highly saturated tone. Adjust the three-band EQ to fit your guitar and amp, boost gain with the built-in booster, and quiet down background noise with the Smart Gate-derived noise gate.