PEDAL BENCH
by Stompbox Labs
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Distortion1973· MXR (USA)

MXR Distortion+

One op-amp, two germanium diodes, and a whole lot of Randy Rhoads.

⏳
Schematic pending verification

We don't ship reference schematics until they've been hand-authored against authoritative sources (manufacturer service docs, ElectroSmash analyses, GEOFEX writeups) and reviewed in the simulator. Until then, the BOM, signal chain, controls and mod notes below are accurate, and you can still add this pedal to a project — it just won't include a circuit yet.

About

A simple non-inverting op-amp gain stage with asymmetric germanium clipping to ground. Smoother and warmer than the RAT, hotter than a TS, and the foundation of the DOD 250 (which uses silicon diodes and a different op-amp for a brighter voicing).

Signal chain preview

4 stages
Input
Input AC-coupling cap
LM741 non-inverting op-amp gain stage (gain set by 1M Distortion pot)
Asymmetric 1N270 germanium diodes to ground
Output low-pass + Output pot
Output

Quick facts

  • Two knobs only — Distortion and Output. Set-and-forget design.
  • Germanium 1N270 diodes give a soft, slightly compressed clip.
  • DOD 250 is the same topology with a 741 op-amp and silicon diodes — different flavor, same family tree.
  • Randy Rhoads ran one in front of a cranked Marshall for his solo tone on Blizzard of Ozz.

Controls

  • Distortion (1M log)
  • Output (10k log)

References