MXR launches Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal in memory of Wayne Kramer

June 3, 2025 · 3 sources

MXR has launched the Jail Guitar Doors Drive, a distortion pedal honoring the late MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, who died in February 2024¹². The pedal was co-designed with Kramer before his death, along with Jimi Dunlop, CEO of Jim Dunlop, and Johnny Wator, owner of Daredevil Pedals¹²³.

The pedal has a single knob that controls output volume and gain, one footswitch, and top-mounted jacks for guitar cables¹. Under the enclosure, two different gain circuits work together; Guitar World reports the two circuits can "cascade" under the single control, which sets their combined output level and the saturation of the distortion¹². GuitarPlayer describes the knob as adjusting the output levels of both circuits and the distortion's saturation at once³. The enclosure artwork is by Shepard Fairey, founder of Obey Clothing¹²³. Guitar World reports the pedal comes in two forms, each with Fairey artwork².

The pedal is named after Kramer's charity, which supports the rehabilitation of incarcerated people; GuitarPlayer says it provides musical instruments and art workshops, and MusicRadar notes the charity takes its name from a song the Clash wrote in tribute to Kramer after he was sentenced to four years in prison on a drugs charge¹³. MusicRadar reports all proceeds go to the charity¹. It is available exclusively through MXR's official Reverb store, priced at $199¹²³.

Tom Morello, who recorded a demo video for the release, said the pedal was used on "Heavy Lifting," the title track of the MC5's 2024 album¹³.