The MXR FET Driver is an overdrive and distortion pedal made by Jim Dunlop under its MXR brand. Introduced at NAMM 2014 and shipping from February 2014, it aims at the sound of an overdriven tube amplifier without using tubes: Guitar World's report from the show describes it as capturing "the rich, creamy sound of an overdriven tube amplifier by cascading an op-amp gain stage into a FET stage," delivering what the same report calls "Organic, amp-like overdrive and distortion."1
What it does to your sound
Voodoo Lab's demo, with James Santiago and Darrin Fox, describes the pedal this way: "The FET Driver delivers a fat 'full frequency' grind and can really pummel the front of an amp." In other words, it is built to hit the amp's input hard with a full-range signal rather than a mid-humped one, which is where the "amp-like" character comes from.2
MusicRadar reviewed the CSP265 Joe Bonamassa signature version of the pedal, which the site says is "based on Joe Bonamassa's favourite Chandler Tube Driver, as made famous by David Gilmour and Eric Johnson." That version, MusicRadar says, "is designed to thicken up lead playing, and its tones range from soft clipping to light distortion."3
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Hi | Cuts or boosts treble frequencies3 |
| Lo | Cuts or boosts bass frequencies3 |
| Drive | Sets the amount of gain, as you'd expect3 |
| Level / Output | Sets your volume level13 |
| Hi cut switch | Rounds off high frequencies3 |
Voodoo Lab's demo offers a starting recipe for the controls: "Set the Hi and Lo controls all the way down, crank the Drive, and adjust the Level to taste." The demo also passes along a tip about the high cut control, which can be turned off: "Turn off the FET Driver's high cut and add in a little more treble and hear how it opens up the delay repeats."2
The Tube Driver connection
The FET Driver sits in a family tree that goes back to the B.K. Butler and Chandler Tube Driver pedals. Voodoo Lab's demo notes that "The MXR FET Driver has long been an alternative to a vintage B.K. Butler Tube Driver used by David Gilmour and Eric John."2 The Tube Driver itself, as Guitar World's Trevor Curwen points out, came in both pedal and rackmount versions, and the original featured an ECC83 valve that users sometimes swapped for an ECC82.4 The key difference for a player is the circuit: the Tube Driver is tube-driven, while the FET Driver gets its gain from an op-amp stage feeding a FET stage, with no valves to wear out or heat up.1
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's verdict on the CSP265 Joe Bonamassa version was positive: "A pricey but worthwhile overdrive that suits both clean and dirty amps, especially for bluesy leads." The reviewer, Mike Astley-Brown, credited the collaboration directly, writing that "Bonamassa and MXR got this one right," and praised "a great range of sounds and a natural-sounding overdrive that suits both clean and dirty amps." He also noted the price: "It's not the cheapest overdrive on the shelf."3
Videos
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Questions
Is the MXR FET Driver true bypass?
Yes. Guitar World's NAMM 2014 report lists true bypass switching among the pedal's features, and MusicRadar's review of the CSP265 Joe Bonamassa version confirms that the pedal is true bypass. That means the pedal's circuit is removed from the signal path entirely when it is switched off, so it will not load your guitar's signal when bypassed.
What do the Hi and Lo controls do on the FET Driver?
The Hi and Lo knobs cut or boost treble and bass frequencies, according to MusicRadar's review. The pedal also has a hi cut switch that rounds off high frequencies. Voodoo Lab's demo suggests a starting point: set the Hi and Lo controls all the way down, crank the Drive, and adjust the Level to taste.
How does the FET Driver relate to the B.K. Butler Tube Driver?
Voodoo Lab's demo notes that the MXR FET Driver has long been an alternative to the vintage B.K. Butler Tube Driver used by David Gilmour and Eric Johnson. MusicRadar reports that the CSP265 Joe Bonamassa version is based on Joe Bonamassa's favourite Chandler Tube Driver. Unlike the Tube Driver, which is tube-driven, the FET Driver uses an op-amp and FET circuit.
When was the MXR FET Driver released?
Jim Dunlop introduced the MXR FET Driver at NAMM 2014, and Guitar World's report from the show gives a February 2014 shipping date, with an MSRP of $214.27.
Is the FET Driver an overdrive or a distortion?
Both, depending on who you ask. Guitar World's NAMM 2014 report describes it as delivering organic, amp-like overdrive and distortion. MusicRadar's review of the CSP265 Joe Bonamassa version calls it an overdrive, saying its tones range from soft clipping to light distortion and that it suits both clean and dirty amps.
Sources (4)
- NAMM 2014: Jim Dunlop Introduces MXR FET Driver Pedal, Guitar World, 2014-01-28
- David Gilmour Tone: Simple Pedal Setup Guide, Voodoo Lab, 2026-06-23
- MXR CSP265 Joe Bonamassa FET Driver review, MusicRadar, 2013-11-11
- Crazy Tube Circuits Venus review, Guitar World, 2025-07-14
Joe Bonamassa
