The Fender MTG:LA Tube Distortion is a tube distortion pedal voiced with what Fender describes as a late '80s Sunset Strip character, part of the Fender effects line1. Its circuit is based around a genuine, U.S.-made NOS 6205 preamp tube213, wrapped in an all-original analog circuit designed by Fender with the help of amp designer Bruce Egnater of Egnater Amplifier2. A footswitchable Boost adds volume, gain or both to make solos stand out21.
The pedal was designed in collaboration with Bruce Egnater, the amp builder behind Egnater Amplification1. Josh Smith demoed the MTG:LA for Fender, playing an HSS Stratocaster through a Fender '68 Custom Deluxe Reverb1.
A tube distortion with an American voice
MusicPlayers.com describes the MTG:LA as "a high-gain tube distortion pedal inspired by the late '80s sounds of the Sunset Strip"1. The tube at its heart is a NOS (new old stock) 6205, a U.S.-made subminiature preamp valve, and the whole signal path is analog21.
How the tube is fed is where the published sources disagree. MusicPlayers.com reports the 6205 runs at 55 plate volts, with an internal switch-mode power supply converting the incoming 9 volts up to 55 volts at the plate1. Guitar.com's review instead describes "a tiny 6205 valve running at 150 volts"5. Both agree the pedal takes 9V at the wall and steps it up internally to feed the valve; the plate voltage figure is simply reported differently by the two outlets.
The enclosure is a rugged, lightweight anodized aluminum housing in brushed orange, with blue LED lights in the knobs that can be switched on or off from a switch on the back1. At 3.75" wide it is not a compact pedal, so budget board space accordingly1. Guitar.com lists its dimensions as 127 x 103 x 62mm5. It carries Fender's standard parts and accessories 1-year limited warranty and includes a printed manual1.
Controls and connections
The control set is deep for a distortion pedal: eight knobs plus two footswitches5.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of distortion5 |
| Level | Controls overall distortion output level1 |
| Treble | High-frequency EQ5 |
| Bass | Low-frequency EQ5 |
| Tone | Overall tonal shaping5 |
| Tight | Tightens the low end5 |
| Boost Level | Sets the boost circuit's output5 |
| Boost Gain | Sets the boost circuit's gain5 |
Two footswitches handle bypass and boost. The boost is footswitchable and, per Guitar World's launch coverage, "adds volume, gain or both to make solos stand out"2. A switch on the back turns the blue LED knob lighting on and off1.
Connections are side-mounted. The input is high-impedance and suitable not just for electric guitar but for bass, acoustic guitars with pickup systems, keyboards and other instruments; the opposite-side output is low-impedance and feeds an amp or the next pedal in the chain1.
Power: no battery, bring your own supply
The MTG:LA has no battery option, because it drives the preamp tube at levels no battery could address1. It runs on a 9V center-negative supply drawing 260mA, and the supply is not included15. At 260mA it exceeds what most basic 100mA adapters supply, so it needs a higher-current adapter or a powered pedalboard supply.
Built on the MTG Tube Distortion, with Bruce Egnater
The MTG:LA is a variant of the valve-powered Fender MTG Tube Distortion, with a more American sound than the Marshall-leaning original5. Both pedals came out of Fender's collaboration with Bruce Egnater, whom JHS Pedals' Josh Scott has called "the famous amp designer, Bruce Egnater of Egnater Amplifier"3.
Guitar.com's launch coverage describes the differences concretely: "The LA version is voiced differently from its predecessor, with enhanced bass response and distinct drive texture being the primary differences"4. On Sweetwater's demo video, the team put it this way:
"this one's voiced a little more punchy in the lower mids, and it's got a slightly different flavor to the top end. It's a little more late '80s thrashy kind of voicing-wise."
The pedal was announced at Summer NAMM 2019 alongside five other Fender effects, and became available in October 2019 at $199.9942. MusicPlayers.com later listed it at $199 in October 20201; UK pricing was £159174.
What reviewers made of it
The two published reviews land in similar territory, each with a reservation about the low end15.
MusicPlayers.com's Matt Abrams reported the pedal was very bass heavy in use, with most of the bass EQ rolled off for many of the styles in the review, and above 3:00 on the bass knob the low end was overwhelming for guitar1. The review rated the pedal 3.5 stars overall1.
Guitar.com's Richard Purvis was more positive, scoring it 7/10 and concluding:
"A meaty overdrive/distortion with a useful boost option"
Sweetwater's demo video walks through the pedal's range with the Fender collaboration context, with Don Carr and Stan Cody discussing the lower-mid punch and the late '80s voicing6.
Videos
Sweetwater
Fender
Fender
News
Questions
Does the Fender MTG:LA run on a battery?
No. There is no battery option, because the pedal drives its preamp tube at voltage levels no battery could supply. It runs on a 9V center-negative power supply drawing 260mA, and the supply is not included with the pedal, so you need a dedicated adapter or an isolated power brick.
Is the Fender MTG:LA true bypass?
Yes. Both published reviews of the pedal confirm it uses a true bypass switch, so with the effect disengaged your signal passes through without buffering. The pedal also has a separate footswitch for its built-in boost circuit.
What tube does the Fender MTG:LA use?
It uses a genuine, U.S.-made NOS 6205 preamp tube, a subminiature type chosen so a real valve can live inside a stompbox. The tube's plate voltage is reported differently by different sources, with figures of 55 volts and 150 volts both appearing in the press.
How is the MTG:LA different from the original MTG Tube Distortion?
The MTG:LA is a variant of the valve-powered Fender MTG Tube Distortion with a more American sound than the Marshall-leaning original. Fender's launch coverage describes enhanced bass response and a distinct drive texture as the primary differences, and the Sweetwater demo team heard it as punchier in the lower mids with a more late '80s thrash voicing.
Does the MTG:LA come with a power supply?
No. The pedal is powered by a 9-volt supply only, and the supply is not included in the box. It draws 260mA at 9V center-negative, which is well beyond what a standard 100mA adapter or a daisy chain can comfortably feed, so plan on a higher-current supply.
Sources (7)
- Fender MTG: LA Tube Distortion Pedal, MusicPlayers.com, 2020-10-13
- Fender Introduces Six New Effects Pedals, Guitar World, 2019-07-25
- UNDERRATED OVERDRIVES, JHS Pedals
- Summer NAMM 2019 Video: Fender expands effects family with six new pedals, Guitar.com, 2019-07-19
- Review: Six new Fender effects pedals, Guitar.com, 2020-02-03
- 6 New Fender Pedals at Summer NAMM 2019, Sweetwater, 2019-07-23
- Summer NAMM 2019: Fender grows effects line with 6 wide-reaching new pedals, MusicRadar, 2019-07-18
