The Damnation Audio SILVER MBD is a bass overdrive and distortion pedal, and Damnation Audio positions it as the follow up to the company's original MBD-1 and MBD2 bass overdrive and distortion pedals1. Like its predecessors, it is built around the idea that a bass player wants grit without losing the low end, so the distorted signal runs in parallel with a contoured clean channel rather than replacing the clean tone outright. Damnation Audio's own claim for the pedal is a strong one: that the MBD is "one of the best bass overdrive and distortion pedals on the market"1.
The pedal is currently listed as sold out on the maker's product page, at a list price of $249.001.
What it does to your sound
The core of the SILVER MBD is a two-channel design: a distortion channel and a parallel clean channel, blended at the output. The clean channel is not just your dry signal passed through. Damnation Audio describes it as a contoured clean, with an emphasis on low end and a de-emphasis on what the maker calls disruptive mids and highs1. For a bassist, that means the foundation of the tone stays thick while the distortion channel supplies the grind on top.
On top of the base circuit, the pedal carries a boost footswitch with its own boost control, providing over 30dB of additional gain1. The boost feeds extra signal into the gain stages and does not touch the clean blend circuitry, so the character of the clean channel holds steady when you stomp it. Damnation Audio says the boost takes the MBD from distortion to close to fuzz territory, with the help of the depth control1. That puts it in the same conversation as dedicated fuzz pedals for players who want an extreme option on one board.
The controls
Damnation Audio documents four controls on the SILVER MBD1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Controls the output level of the distortion channel1 |
| Tone | Tilt-style tone control for the distortion channel, centered around 600Hz1 |
| Clean (Blend) | Controls the output level of the parallel contoured clean channel1 |
| Boost | Adds additional boosted signal into the gain stages; does not affect the clean blend circuitry; takes the MBD from distortion to close to fuzz territory with the help of the depth control1 |
The tilt-style Tone control is worth a note for players comparing circuits. A tilt EQ cuts one side of its center frequency while boosting the other, so a single knob sweeps the distortion channel from darker to brighter around 600Hz. The earlier MBD2 used the same tilt idea but with a Shift switch that moved the center between 300Hz or 600Hz depending on its position2; the SILVER MBD's tone control is fixed at 600Hz.
The Clean (Blend) knob is the parallel channel's level control. Because it sets the clean channel's output level rather than a simple wet/dry ratio, you can push the clean side harder than the distortion side, or pull it back and let the distortion dominate1.
Power: 9VDC, no battery
The SILVER MBD runs on a 9VDC power supply with a 2.1mm center negative (boss-style) connector, the same standard as most modern pedals1.
Damnation Audio pedals do not accept 9V batteries, so the SILVER MBD needs a wall adapter or a pedalboard power supply. Going above 9VDC may damage the pedal and void any warranties1.
Where it sits after the MBD-1 and MBD2
The SILVER MBD is the latest step in a line that Damnation Audio traces back through two earlier pedals. The MBD-1 MOSFET Bass Distortion came first; Damnation Audio now lists it as long discontinued, posted on the maker's site for posterity, and sold out3. The MBD2 MOSFET Bass Distortion 2 followed as what the maker called the long awaited follow up to the MBD-12. Damnation Audio's one-word summary of the MBD2's character is blunt: "SOUNDS MASSIVE"2.
The MBD2 shared the same basic architecture the SILVER MBD uses, with a Gain knob controlling the amount of gain in the distortion channel, a Level knob for the distortion channel's output, and the switchable tilt tone control described above2. The SILVER MBD carries the line forward as an overdrive and distortion pedal rather than a pure distortion, with the parallel contoured clean blend as its defining feature1.
For context on the maker's other bass distortion work, the Damnation Audio Spite Box and RED TEXT MBD have their own pages, and the broader categories of distortion pedals, overdrive pedals and bass pedals cover the surrounding territory.
Questions
What power supply does the SILVER MBD need?
It runs on 9VDC only, through a 2.1mm center negative (boss-style) power adapter. Damnation Audio pedals do not accept 9V batteries, so a pedalboard power supply or a dedicated adapter is required. Going above 9VDC may damage the pedal and void any warranties.
Is the SILVER MBD still available?
As of late October 2026 the SILVER MBD is listed as sold out on the Damnation Audio product page, at a list price of $249.00. The earlier MBD-1 is long discontinued and also shown as sold out, so the whole MBD line is currently off the shelf.
How much extra gain does the boost footswitch add?
The boost footswitch works with a boost control that provides over 30dB of additional gain. The boost feeds extra signal into the gain stages without affecting the clean blend circuitry, and Damnation Audio says it takes the MBD from distortion to close to fuzz territory with the help of the depth control.
What does the Clean (Blend) knob do on the SILVER MBD?
It controls the output level of a parallel contoured clean channel. This is your clean tone, but with an emphasis on low end and a de-emphasis on disruptive mids and highs, so the low end stays solid while the distortion channel handles the grit.
Where can I find the SILVER MBD manual?
Damnation Audio hosts its manuals at a public Basecamp vault, linked from the SILVER MBD product page as the download point for manuals. The same vault link appears on the MBD-1 product page.
Sources (3)
- SILVER MBD, Damnation Audio
- MBD2 MOSFET Bass Distortion 2, Damnation Audio
- MBD-1 MOSFET Bass Distortion, Damnation Audio
