MXR
DOUBLE-DOUBLE
OVERDRIVE
REVIEW BY SAM HILL
STREET PRICE $129.95
MXR is no stranger to
overdrive pedals, having
given us the excellent Il
Torino and 5150, among
others. The company’s latest
entry into the overdrive
category aims to double
your pleasure with two
distinct dirt flavors: a low
gain drive with enhanced
midrange, and a higher gain
mode that places emphasis
on highs and lows. If you’re
a fan of Tube Screamer
variants or the Fulltone
OCD, this pedal may be of
interest to you (hint hint).
Like all MXR products, the
Double-Double features a
straightforward and userfriendly layout. Treble and
Bass controls allow for tone
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GEAR REVIEW
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tailoring, and Level and
Drive knobs do exactly what
you expect. A toggle switch
selects between high and
low gain modes.
Low gain mode gives you
silky smooth, mid-hump
overdrive. I’ve always loved
Tube Screamers, as they
enhance the frequency
where the guitar tends
to dwell in a live band
mix. The Double-Double’s
sound in low gain mode
recalls a classic Screamer
vibe, with the addition of
Treble and Bass controls to
further sculpt your sound.
My favorite setting on
this mode was with the
Level around 1 o’clock,
and the tone knobs and
MXR Double-Double Overdrive
Drive around noon. That
yielded responsive grit that
glistened with light picking
all the way to a pleasing
rhythm crunch. In moving
the Drive knob up, there
is plenty on tap for leads,
especially in conjunction
with an amp set to light
breakup or full overdrive.
The Treble and Bass controls
are handy for matching with
various guitars, amps, and
pickup types.
High gain mode, as you
would correctly deduce,
has more gain. The low-end
emphasis is immediately
noticeable, and this mode
is fantastic for chunky,
substantial rhythm playing.
The additional amount of