Description
Most distortion pedals mangle everything they touch, but the MXR M181 Bass Blowtorch takes a smarter approach: it concentrates its overdrive right in the midrange, leaving your fundamental low end and top-end sizzle untouched. The result is a distorted mid-band that slices through dense mixes like a blade, while your low thump and high sparkle stay exactly where you left them. Dial it back for a warm, tube-like growl or push it hard into full-on high-gain territory — the range covers both ends convincingly.
Shaping that tone is an active 3-band EQ paired with a 3-position mid shift switch, giving you real control over where the grit sits in the frequency spectrum. A Blend knob lets you mix distorted and clean signal in whatever ratio suits the song, so you’re never locked into an all-or-nothing overdrive. Running on 18 volts internally means the Blowtorch has extra headroom to work with, translating to better dynamics, lower noise floor, and a distortion that stays articulate even when you’re pushing serious volume on stage.
When you kick the pedal off, true hardwire bypass takes over — no buffer, no bleed, just your clean signal exactly as it left your instrument. That makes the Bass Blowtorch a safe, transparent addition to any signal chain, whether it’s sitting on a dedicated bass board or slotted into a hybrid guitar/bass rig.
- Overdrive concentrated in the midrange — low end and highs stay intact
- Range from tube-like growl to aggressive high-gain distortion
- Active 3-band EQ with 3-position mid shift switch
- Blend knob for dialing in distorted/clean signal ratio
- 18-volt internal operation for extra headroom, clarity, and low noise
- True hardwire bypass for a transparent off state
- Includes 2 free 6″ patch cables
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