The Mozztronics MD-1 Mew Drive is an overdrive pedal built around cascaded JFET Mu amps, a circuit approach that Pedal of the Day's 2022 review says gives "a totally different sound to the screamer pedals". Where a Tube Screamer style overdrive uses soft-clipping diodes, a JFET Mu amp stage shapes gain the way a tube amplifier stage does, which is why the Mew Drive is pitched at players looking for an amp-driving pedal or an original, unusual circuit1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Purr | Controls the gain in the first stage1 |
| Treble, Mid, Bass | The classic three-knob tone stack found in almost every amp under the sun1 |
| VOLUME | Adjusts the overall output level of the pedal1 |
The Purr knob is the gain control, and it works across a wide useful range. Pedal of the Day's reviewer described the low end of its travel this way1:
"Starting with the gain low around 9 to 10 o'clock, you will get amp like edge of breakup with a nice shimmer & touch of dirt"
At the other end of the range, the reviewer found that "even with the gain cranked there is excellent note definition in chords and sustain that lasts for days"1.
Where it sits in the Mozztronics range
The MD-1 Mew Drive comes in an orange enclosure, part of what the maker calls "The orange gems from Mozztronics"1. That orange housing is the Mew Drive's most visible family trait within the Mozztronics range, and it makes the pedal easy to spot on a board among more conventionally colored drives.
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Questions
Where is the Mozztronics Mew Drive made?
The MD-1 Mew Drive comes from Mozztronics in Australia. Pedal of the Day's 2022 review notes that the pedals arrive from there, and describes the Mew Drive as one of the builder's orange-enclosed designs alongside the rest of the range.
What does the Purr knob do on the Mew Drive?
Purr controls the gain in the first stage of the pedal's cascaded JFET Mu amp circuit. Turning it up pushes the first stage harder, while keeping it low, around 9 to 10 o'clock, gives an amp-like edge of breakup with a shimmer and a touch of dirt, according to Pedal of the Day.
What kind of tone stack does the Mew Drive have?
The Mew Drive uses Treble, Mid and Bass knobs, which Pedal of the Day describes as the classic three-knob tone stack found in almost every amp under the sun. That gives players the same kind of tone shaping they would find on a guitar amplifier rather than a single tone control.
How does the Mew Drive sound at low gain settings?
With the gain low, around 9 to 10 o'clock, Pedal of the Day's reviewer found an amp-like edge of breakup with a nice shimmer and a touch of dirt. Even with the gain cranked, the review reported excellent note definition in chords and sustain that lasts for days.
Sources (1)
- Mozztronics MD-1 Mew Drive, Pedal of the Day, 2022-02-21