MXR MC402 CAE Boost/Overdrive Pedal

£169.00

On the menu for January 2026 are the MXR Guitar Pedals, freshly added and carefully selected. These New units are available to order online with fast, secure delivery from trusted UK retailers. Read on for full details, specifications, demos, videos, reviews, and the best places to buy the MXR Guitar Pedals today.


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Description

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On the menu for January 2026 are the MXR Guitar Pedals, freshly added and carefully selected. These New units are available to order online with fast, secure delivery from trusted UK retailers. Read on for full details, specifications, demos, videos, reviews, and the best places to buy the MXR Guitar Pedals today.

The MXR MC402 CAE Boost/Overdrive is the ultimate pedal for guitarists seeking to add versatile drive and pristine boost to their rig. Designed in collaboration with Custom Audio Electronics, this compact pedal combines a dynamic, touch-sensitive overdrive circuit with MXR’s renowned clean boost/line driver, making it a flexible tool for both stage and studio. Whether you want to push your amp into creamy saturation, add a little sparkle to your solos, or simply reinforce your signal without colouration, the MC402 delivers outstanding tonal clarity and response.

With its intuitive controls and rugged build quality, the MC402 is perfect for musicians who demand reliability and sonic excellence. The overdrive section is exceptionally responsive to your playing dynamics, allowing you to shape your sound with your hands as much as with the pedal’s controls. Meanwhile, the boost section offers up to +20dB of clean, uncoloured gain, perfect for cutting through the mix or driving long effects chains without sacrificing tone.

Dynamic Overdrive and Distortion

The MC402’s overdrive section is designed to respond to every nuance of your playing. From subtle breakup to full-on distortion, it captures the expressive dynamics of your touch and picking attack, letting your guitar’s voice shine through while delivering a punchy, musical drive. This makes it an ideal choice for blues, rock, and fusion players who rely on expressive, dynamic playing.

Transparent Clean Boost

One of the MC402’s standout features is its transparent boost circuit. With up to +20dB of additional volume, you can lift your solos or push your amp’s front end without altering your core tone. The boost is uncoloured and highly musical, making it a fantastic tool for driving vintage amps, boosting effects chains, or simply adding more presence to your sound.

Simple, Intuitive Controls

Dialling in your perfect tone is effortless thanks to the simple, straightforward layout. The overdrive section features Output, Tone, and Gain controls, allowing you to fine-tune your sound from warm and smooth to bright and aggressive. The boost section is engaged with a dedicated footswitch and offers a single knob for precise control over your volume lift.

Built for the Stage

MXR pedals are known for their reliability, and the MC402 is no exception. Its rugged construction, true hardwire bypass, and robust footswitches ensure trouble-free performance night after night. Whether you’re gigging, recording, or practising, you can count on the MC402 to deliver consistent, high-quality sound every time.

Key Features

  • Dynamic Overdrive Circuit – Sensitive to your touch and picking dynamics, the overdrive section lets you express yourself fully, from smooth bluesy grit to aggressive rock crunch.
  • Up to +20dB Clean Boost – The transparent boost allows you to raise your signal without colouring your tone, perfect for solos, driving tube amps, or compensating for pedalboard signal loss.
  • True Hardwire Bypass – Maintains the purity of your guitar’s signal when the pedal is not engaged, ensuring zero tonal loss and maximum clarity.
  • Rugged MXR Construction – Built for reliability, the MC402 features sturdy hardware and a robust enclosure, making it ideal for demanding live and studio environments.

Specifications

  • Boost/Line Driver: Up to +20dB of uncoloured clean boost
  • Overdrive/Distortion: Dynamic, touch-sensitive drive circuit
  • Input Impedance: 1 kΩ
  • Output Impedance: Boost ON: 87 dB
  • Bypass: True hardwire
  • Controls: Boost Level, Overdrive Output, Tone, Gain
  • Current Draw: (manufacturer spec, TBC)

Dimensions & Construction

  • Compact, pedalboard-friendly enclosure
  • Sturdy footswitches for independent boost and overdrive
  • MXR reliability and build quality

Additional information

Weight 0.5 kg

Brand

MXR

MXR is a renowned manufacturer of guitar effects pedals and audio electronics, recognized for their classic designs and high-quality sound. Established in the 1970s, MXR has played a significant role in shaping the landscape of effects pedals, producing iconic units that have become staples in countless musicians’ rigs. The company’s pedals are celebrated for their rugged construction, intuitive controls, and versatile tones, making them popular among guitarists and bassists across genres.

MXR’s product lineup encompasses a wide range of effects categories, including distortion, delay, modulation, and more. Some of their most notable pedals include the Phase 90 phaser, the Dyna Comp compressor, and the Carbon Copy analog delay, all of which have earned legendary status among players for their distinctive sound and reliability. With a legacy of innovation and a commitment to quality, MXR continues to be a respected name in the world of guitar effects, inspiring musicians to explore new sonic possibilities and express themselves creatively.

Category

Guitar Pedals

Tags

Boost

Distortion

Distortion pedals take your clean guitar signal and transform it into something bigger, bolder, and full of attitude. By clipping the waveform, they add sustain, bite, and aggression, creating that thick, compressed tone that’s powered rock music for decades. From the growling crunch of classic hard rock to the tight, saturated roar of modern metal, distortion is all about energy and presence. It gives every note weight and authority, pushing your amp to its limits and beyond.

There are countless flavours of distortion, each with its own texture and edge. Some sound smooth and creamy, others raw and gnarly like tearing fabric. It’s the sonic equivalent of turning up the heat until the sound cooks — rich, sizzling, and perfectly seasoned to taste. Whether used for rhythm muscle or soaring leads, a good distortion pedal doesn’t just add volume; it adds personality, grit, and that unmistakable sense of power under your fingers.

New

This is brand new, fresh in, and a UK warranty is included. New Gear always comes from trusted UK music retailers.

Overdrive

Like a golden layer of melted cheese — warm, gooey, and just put it all over. It adds just the right amount of richness and grit, turning a clean signal into something smooth and savoury. Designed to mimic the natural breakup of a tube amp pushed to its sweet spot, overdrive delivers the flavour of classic rock and blues in every bite. From creamy mid-gain warmth to crisp edge-of-breakup sparkle, it’s the comfort food of guitar tone — simple, satisfying, and endlessly versatile. Whether it’s a mild crunch or a full-bodied roar, overdrive is where good taste begins.

Volume

Volume pedals control the output level of a guitar signal using a foot-operated treadle. They allow smooth volume swells, dynamic control during playing, and easy muting between songs. Volume pedals can be placed at different points in the signal chain to either control overall loudness or adjust gain and drive behaviour when positioned before distortion or overdrive pedals.

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