The MXR EVH Modern High Gain is a distortion pedal from MXR that aims to put the high-gain lead channel of Eddie Van Halen's 5150III tube amp head into a stompbox. MusicRadar describes it as based on Channel 3, the high-gain lead channel, from Van Halen's own 5150 III amp head12, and Delicious Audio calls it "Channel 3 of Eddie's 5150III head, stuffed into a pedal so you don't need a full stack"2. MXR itself describes the pedal as delivering "EVH High Gain tone in raw, uncompromised and crushing form. It's searing, it's intense, and it's razor sharp"3.
It sits alongside the earlier EVH 5150 Overdrive in MXR's range, following the same format but moving into higher-gain territory. Gearnews reports that it goes further than the previous EVH 5150 Overdrive pedal, focusing specifically on the searing high-gain characteristics of the amp's third channel4.
Channel 3 of the 5150III in a pedal
The circuit is modeled on the third channel of the EVH 5150 III amplifier head, the channel players use for high-gain lead work. Guitar Pedal X describes the pedal as based on the EVH 5150 III Amp's Red Lead Channel, following the format of MXR's 5150 Overdrive but adding gain, sear and saturation5. Gearnews quotes MXR's own description of the tones as "uncompromising and crushing," previously reserved for EVH's own 5150III amplifiers4.
Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio, who compared the pedal directly against the older 5150 Overdrive, framed the two as serving different players25:
"One's the legacy. The other's the weapon. Choose accordingly."
In his review, De Gregorio positions the Modern High Gain as a high-gain tool suited to down-tuned modern metal, in contrast to the legacy character of the 5150 Overdrive2.
The controls: EQ, Bass Shift, Gate and Boost
The pedal carries a full control set: Gate, Output, Bass, Bass Shift, Mid, Treble, Gain and Boost, with a single footswitch toggling the effect on and bypass (a red LED indicates on)35.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| GAIN | Adjusts the amount of distortion3 |
| OUTPUT | Adjusts overall volume of the effect3 |
| BASS | Adjusts low-end frequencies, ±7 dB at 30 Hz3 |
| MID | Adjusts midrange, ±5 dB at 700 Hz3 |
| TREBLE | Adjusts high-end frequencies, ±6 dB at 10 kHz3 |
| BASS SHIFT | Selects the bass corner frequency: 55 Hz or 80 Hz35 |
| GATE | Engages the noise gate and sets its threshold; knob illuminates blue when active3 |
| BOOST | Adds gain to the front end and the final gain stage3 |
The Bass Shift switch is a feature the 5150 Overdrive does not have. On Premier Guitar's NAMM 2026 demo, Bryan Kehoe explained that the switch focuses frequencies from 80 Hz to 55 Hz: 80 Hz tightens the low end up, 55 Hz gives more of it6. Delicious Audio's reviewer put it more colorfully:
"See that 55Hz/80Hz switch? The 5150 doesn't have one. 55Hz gets you earthquake fat. 80Hz punches holes through the mix."
The manual's measurements back this up: at the 55 Hz setting the mid-shift response reads 0 dB at 30 Hz, while the 80 Hz setting reads -3 dB relative at 30 Hz, all controls at mid position3.
The Boost switch also differs from the 5150 Overdrive's. On the Premier Guitar demo, Kehoe noted that the 5150 Overdrive has an input boost only, while the Modern High Gain "still has the input boost, but it has an output boost at the end as well"6. The manual specifies +3 dB at the preamp gain stage and +3 dB at the final gain stage, adding saturation at the front end and extra uncompressed clipping plus a volume boost at the end. With the GAIN knob set low, the manual says boost mode adds clarity and punch; at higher GAIN settings it adds rich sustain3.
The noise gate
The onboard gate is a key part of the design for a pedal at this gain level. MusicRadar describes it as controlled by a mini-dial to keep unwanted noise to a minimum1. On the Premier Guitar demo, Kehoe said the gate's design is similar to that of Dunlop's Smart Gate, starting at the high end rather than acting as a hard clamp6. The manual's measured noise floor, A-weighted with all controls at mid and Boost off, is -76 dBV with the gate open and -93 dBV with it closed3.
Delicious Audio's reviewer found it effective in practice:
"The Modern High Gain's gate is a hired killer, lets the chugs through, then slams the door on silence."
Power and specifications
The pedal runs on 9V DC, from a Dunlop ECB003/ECB003EU adapter or an MXR Brick Series power supply, or from a single 9-volt battery behind a bottom-plate door3. Current draw varies with what is engaged: 15 mA bypassed, 16.5 mA with the gate on, 20.5 mA with boost on3.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Input impedance | 740 KΩ3 |
| Output impedance | 1 kΩ3 |
| Nominal output level | -22 dBV (all controls at mid)3 |
| Maximum output level | 0 dBV3 |
| Noise floor (gate open) | -76 dBV, A-weighted3 |
| Noise floor (gate closed) | -93 dBV, A-weighted3 |
| Bypass | True Hardwire3 |
Guitar Pedal X notes the circuit is an SMT (surface-mount) build and suggests it could have fit a more compact enclosure than the single-footswitch format it ships in5.
History: designed with Eddie Van Halen
The pedal comes out of MXR's long-standing partnership with Eddie Van Halen. The manual states it was designed in direct collaboration with him in 20153, and Gearnews describes it as designed after a long-standing partnership with the late guitar legend4. On Premier Guitar's demo, Kehoe said the circuit was being developed with Ed at the same time as the original 5150 Overdrive, with the releases staggered6.
The pedal was developed in direct collaboration with Eddie Van Halen, designed in 20153, and Jim Dunlop describes it as coming out of a long-standing partnership with the late guitar legend4. On That Pedal Show, the circuit's history came up: it was being developed with Ed at the same time as the original 5150 overdrive, with the releases staggered6. Premier Guitar reported at the show that it would not ship until spring6, and by April 2026 Gearnews reported it as officially announced and orderable4.
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio's September 2026 review is the fullest published assessment, contrasting the red Modern High Gain with the black-and-yellow 5150 Overdrive. De Gregorio found the Boost "compounds gain on gain until harmonics feed back" and judged the pedal a high-gain weapon for down-tuned modern metal rather than a legacy-flavored overdrive2. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley, covering the NAMM announcement, called out the onboard gate and the Channel 3 lineage but noted the price: "It ain't cheap at £279/$269"1.
On Premier Guitar's NAMM 2026 demo, Kehoe and John Bohlinger walked through the Bass Shift and Boost differences against the 5150 Overdrive and the Smart Gate-style noise gate design6.
Videos
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jimdunlopusa
R.J. Ronquillo
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Questions
Does the MXR EVH Modern High Gain have a noise gate?
Yes. The GATE knob engages an onboard noise gate and sets its threshold, and the knob illuminates blue when the gate is active. On Premier Guitar's demo, Bryan Kehoe described its design as similar to Dunlop's Smart Gate, starting at the high end rather than clamping hard. The manual lists the noise floor at -76 dBV with the gate open and -93 dBV with it closed.
Is the MXR EVH Modern High Gain true bypass?
Yes. Jim Dunlop's manual lists the bypass type as True Hardwire, so the signal passes through without processing when the pedal is off. A single footswitch toggles the effect on and bypass, with a red LED indicating the effect is on.
Can the MXR EVH Modern High Gain run on a battery?
Yes. The manual specifies a 9-volt DC power supply, but the pedal also runs on a single 9-volt battery accessed through a battery door in the bottom plate. Current draw is 15 mA bypassed, 16.5 mA with the gate engaged and 20.5 mA with boost engaged.
How much does the MXR EVH Modern High Gain cost?
The list price is $269.99, as reported by Gearnews in April 2026. Earlier press coverage put it at $269 to $270 in the USA, with UK pricing of £279 at Andertons and €289.00 at Thomann in Europe.
Sources (6)
- MXR's high-gain Eddie Van Halen collab headlines Jim Dunlop's fresh pedal drop, MusicRadar, 2026-01-22
- MXR EVH Modern High Gain Distortion, Delicious Audio, 2026-09-22
- EVHMHG.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2026
- MXR EVH Modern High Gain Pedal: Order now at Thomann!, gearnews.com, 2026-04-30
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-01-23
- Dunlop - MXR EVH Modern High Gain Pedal, and More! I NAMM 2026, Premier Guitar, 2026-01-25
