MXR releases Yngwie Malmsteen signature overdrive pedal

September 3, 2024 · 6 sources

MXR released the Yngwie Malmsteen Overdrive, a signature overdrive pedal, on September 3, 2024¹. The pedal is the result of a close collaboration with the Swedish guitarist, according to Guitar World¹.

The pedal has two controls, Level and Gain, and a single bypass footswitch¹. It comes in a red finish, with an exclusive yellow finish sold through Sweetwater¹. Guitar Player reports that the Level and Gain controls are "left extremely sensitive to the most minor of adjustments," and that MXR recommends turning both dials up for what the company calls the pedal's most authentic Malmsteen sound². According to Guitar World, the circuit is said to promise clarity, expressive dynamics and rich harmonics, optimized for fast arpeggios and dense vibratos¹. Gearnews describes it as a two-knob pedal and says MXR has not said much more about the effect or why it suits Malmsteen's needs³.

Reported prices differ. Guitar World and Guitar Player both give $129¹². Premier Guitar lists $129.99 street and $185.70 MSRP⁴. Gearnews lists the red version at $121 and a limited edition yellow version at $140³. Guitar Pedal X gives $129.99 and describes the pedal as largely a version of the DOD250 circuit, with the Randy Rhoads Distortion+ similarly a version of the MXR Distortion+⁵. Guitar Pedal X also reports that the Sweetwater yellow version appeared to sell out quickly⁵.

Guitar World notes that at first glance the pedal looks similar to Malmsteen's earlier Fender signature overdrive, which it says was the only overdrive on his pedalboard until as recently as 2022¹. Gearnews likewise calls it "suspiciously similar" to the Fender pedal³. In a later interview, Malmsteen said Fender stopped making its version because "there was no market," and that he then worked with MXR on the new pedal⁶.