by Jef | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes
MXR Power 50 Overdrive

MXR Power 50 Overdrive  ·  Source: Jim Dunlop

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Tom Morello’s new signature pedal is based on his Marshall JCM800 2205 head and Peavey 4×12 cab tone, and will be a lot lighter and easier to lug around. So if you’re aiming for that Rage Against The Machine tone, the MXR Power 50 Overdrive may be worth looking into .

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MXR Power 50 Overdrive

Tom Morello has a new signature MXR Power 50 Overdrive pedal, which complements his signature wah pedal nicely. It is based on his Rage Against The Machine tones that were created by a combination of a Marshall JCM800 2205 head and a Peavey 4×12 cabinet.

“The Power 50 Overdrive emulates the amp setup that I’ve used since 1988,” Morello says. “I’ve made 21 studio albums, and that amp, that head, and that speaker, and that tone has been on 21 of them. It’s been my signature identifiable sound since Day One of my career. If you want to have the sound that has been on those records, you don’t need to find an amp and speaker cabinet from 1988. You can get that sound with the Power 50 Overdrive, no matter what your setup is.” – Tom Morello

MXR Power 50 Overdrive

MXR Power 50 Overdrive pedal

MOSFET

The pedal uses MOSFET technology to imitate the ’90s guitar tones, and should get you pretty close to the sound Morello has been using for 30 odd years. The controls consist of full-sized Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, and Gain controls, and a mini Presence knob, so it should in theory ‘dial in’ just like an old JCM 800 head.

Effects Loop

Tom Morello normally runs all of his effects pedals through the JCM 800 effects loop. MXR has emulated this via an in-built effects loop on the Power 50 pedal. It runs before the Presence control and gives the user extra adjustment for their pedal chain at the main output.

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I like the JCM 800 tone, as I grew up with one as my first proper all-tube amp head. So I think that I could get behind this pedal. Having the effects loop is an added bonus and makes it versatile for more complex pedalboard setups.

The MXR Tom Morello Power 50 Overdrive is available to pre-order at USD 189.99

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Image Sources:
  • MXR Power 50 Overdrive pedal: Jim Dunlop
MXR Power 50 Overdrive

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