MXR 6 Band EQ Review – Going Back To Basics

Controls:
Features:
Performance:
Value:

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They say that guitar effect pedals are a standard case of ‘you get what you pay for'. Even though there's a lot of truth to this claim, there are some exceptions which break the narrative. In the realm of EQ pedals, that is going to be the MXR 6 Band EQ. This affordable little box of power belongs to the very tight group of EQ pedals that just work.

It is not flashy, it doesn't come with a plethora of features, but the performance it does offer is more than enough to get the job done with the level of quality you deserve. What we are going to do today is introduce you to this awesome tool, and show you how you can get a lot of tone shaping capabilities on a budget.

Features

When MXR designed this pedal, they didn't just slap together a bunch of components and pack it into whatever case they had laying around. No, they went the extra mile and designed a very attractive body whose appeal comes straight from its simplicity.

One look at the top panel reveals that we are dealing with a graphic EQ, which is pretty standard in the affordable range, but yet pretty hard to do right. There's 18 dB of cut or boost available, so this isn't a weak hitting unit either.

Controls

Controls are another area where MXR chose to go for simple solutions. The entire control cluster consists of six sliders which are dedicated to specific frequency bands. Markings next to each one are not all that precise, but you can definitely dial in a proper tone and remember what the values are.

This is great should need to apply two or more different configurations during a single performance. Overall, it's a no-nonsense EQ in terms of controls, and one of the most popular pedals in general.

Performance

Nothing is better than paying a reasonable amount of money for something, only to find out that it punches way above its price range. This also happens to be a great way to describe the performance MXR 6 Band EQ brings to the table.

Consistent boost that is clean but not clinical, combined with enough additional gain to push a tube amp into overdrive. What more could we ask for? The fact that it doesn't come with a true bypass is a bit disappointing, but that's nitpicking at this point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR7K60Zh8Q0

Conclusion

MXR is known for delivering good performing affordable pedals. This is a fact that has been true for decades now. However, the case of their 6 Band EQ goes beyond that. To clarify just how capable this thing is, we will just say that a lot of users prefer this rather basic model over MXR's 10 Band EQ.

That should tell you all you need to know. Sure, saving up to buy the best EQ pedal available is always the preferred way, but those who simply aren't ready to lay down a couple hundred for a guitar effects pedal will love the MXR 6 Band EQ.

For more info about the Boss MXR 6, click here.
For more EQ Pedal Currently On The Market, click here.