MXR M113 Micro Amp Review – MXR's Little Bundle Of Gain

Controls:
Features:
Performance:
Value:

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Working with boost pedals was never meant to be complicated. These simple stompboxes had one job to perform, and most of the early ones had no problem with this. Newer ones, but tend to forget what the point of a boost pedal is, and are actively seeking to deliver more than your average user needs or wants.

A good boost pedal needs to do two things – give you more gain to work with, and do it without altering the signal. MXR M113 Micro Amp is sticking to the old ways, and delivering in all the right places. That is exactly why it is one of the most popular pedals on the market.

Features

As we have mentioned before, boost pedals are generally simple in nature. They are among the oldest effects pedals in existence, and their standard circuitry is as basic as they come. With that in mind, MXR M113 Micro Amp is an epitome of a modern boost pedal that is following the old ways.

The case is pretty simple but rugged design, able to take whatever abuse you throw at it. There is only one control on this thing, bar the stomp switch. Speaking of switches, the one on this pedal is plastic, which is a major let down by MXR.

Controls

When it comes to controls, MXR M113 Micro Amp is all business. There is literally zero fluff involved with this pedal, and it gives you just one single control knob to work with. The words Gain beneath it should be enough for any versed guitar player to know exactly what they are dealing with, and how this single knob is capable of completely altering their playing experience as soon as the pedal is activated.

Performance

Performance wise the situation is admirable. MXR really invested most of their time and effort into making sure that you get the necessary levels of boost with complete transparency. That is all you could ever ask from a solid boost pedal. Depending on your setup, MXR M113 can either give you more volume or push the tubes on your amp into that extremely light but tasty overdrive.

It all depends on how you want to use the pedal, and what type of sound you're after. A great thing about this pedal is that you can use it for whatever purpose you could think of within the realm of boost pedals.

Conclusion

MXR M113 Micro Amp is a perfect example of how simplicity is sometimes beautiful. It's a timeless classic by now, even though MXR started using plastic switches not so long ago. It brings down the reliability of the pedal, but the performance is still there. In terms of boost pedals, this one is as vanilla as it gets.

Some like this neutral configuration, but others might find it a bit dull. Whatever the case may be, MXR M113 Micro Amp is definitely one of the best boost pedals on the market, and it will probably remain so for the foreseeable future.

For more info about the MXR M113, click here.
For more boost effects pedals, click here.