The Ashdown Lomenzo Mega Drive is a bass distortion pedal from Ashdown Engineering, developed with James LoMenzo. Ashdown describes it as more than just another distortion pedal: "it's a tone-shaping tool"1. Bypass mix, drive mix and drive level controls let you blend pristine bass tone with harmonically rich distortion, and sweepable high-pass and low-pass filters give precise control over where the distortion sits in your sound1. The maker says it delivers rich harmonic distortion with sharp, modern high-end drive1.
Where it came from
Ashdown developed the Mega Drive with James LoMenzo, and the maker's product page presents it as a pedal shaped around his playing: "with LoMenzo's full endorsement, the Mega Drive stands as a true extension of his sound and artistry"1. Ashdown also calls it "more than just another distortion pedal, it's a tone-shaping tool"1.
What it does to your sound
Ashdown describes the Mega Drive as delivering "everything from rich harmonic distortion to razor-sharp modern drive"1. The blending controls are the core of the design for bass players: rather than replacing your clean tone with drive, the bypass mix, drive mix and drive level controls let you keep pristine bass tone underneath harmonically rich distortion1. A unity input control, according to Ashdown, "guarantees seamless integration with the rest of your rig"1.
The two sweepable filters are the other half of the tone shaping. Ashdown describes them as providing "precise distortion focus"1:
- Sweepable high-pass filter: shapes the low end feeding the distortion
- Sweepable low-pass filter: shapes the top end of the driven signal
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bypass Mix | Blends clean bypassed signal with the driven signal1 |
| Drive Mix | Blends pristine bass tone with harmonically rich distortion1 |
| Drive Level | Sets the level of the distorted signal1 |
| High-pass filter | Sweepable, for precise distortion focus1 |
| Low-pass filter | Sweepable, for precise distortion focus1 |
| Unity input | Keeps integration with the rest of the rig seamless, per Ashdown1 |
Power, size and build
The Mega Drive runs on a 9V power supply with a 45mA current draw1. It measures 116.2 mm wide, 145.5 mm deep and 65 mm high, and weighs 0.9 kg1. Ashdown says the pedal is "housed in a rugged chassis" and "engineered to withstand years of touring"1.
The Mega Drive is a 9V pedal with a 45mA draw1. Make sure the outlet you assign it to on a shared supply can deliver that current.
Warranty
Ashdown states that all Ashdown products purchased include a 5 year warranty1.
Videos
PMTVUK
Questions
Is the Ashdown LoMenzo Mega Drive true bypass?
Yes. Ashdown lists the switching as true bypass, so when the pedal is off, your instrument's signal passes through without the distortion circuit loading it. That matters on bass especially, where the low end can suffer through buffered or hard-wired bypass designs. Combined with the bypass mix control, you can also run clean and distorted signal together when the pedal is engaged.
What power supply does the Mega Drive need?
Ashdown specifies a 9V power supply with a 45mA current draw. A standard 9V DC pedal supply with enough spare current handles it, but it is worth checking your daisy chain or isolated supply has 45mA available on the outlet you use. The maker's product page describes it as a 9V pedal.
Who designed the Ashdown Mega Drive?
The pedal was developed with James LoMenzo, the bassist known for his work with Megadeth. Ashdown describes it as the evolution of the company's Hyperdrive pedal, and states that with LoMenzo's full endorsement, the Mega Drive stands as a true extension of his sound and artistry.
Is the Mega Drive made for bass or guitar?
It is built as a bass distortion pedal. The bypass mix and drive mix controls let you blend pristine bass tone with harmonically rich distortion, which keeps low-end definition under drive, and the sweepable high-pass and low-pass filters let you focus the distortion where you want it in the frequency range.
How long is the warranty on the Mega Drive?
Ashdown states that all Ashdown products purchased include a 5 year warranty, and that covers the Mega Drive. It is one of the longer coverages among pedal makers, which is worth weighing alongside the pedal's rugged chassis, which Ashdown says is engineered to withstand years of touring.
Sources (1)
- Lomenzo Mega Drive, Ashdown Engineering
