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Introducing The EVH 5150 Overdrive

Introducing The EVH 5150 Overdrive

EVH 5150 OVERDRIVE, demo by Pete Thorn

EVH 5150 OVERDRIVE, demo by Pete Thorn

MXR

Description

Looking to stir an "Eruption" on your pedalboard? Co-designed with Edward Van Halen, the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive puts the coveted blue channel of the 5150 amplifier at your feet. From the raw “brown sound” grind of David Lee Roth-era Van Halen to the high-gain, hyper-articulate roar of modern 5150 rigs, this stompbox covers the full spectrum. Hand-adjusted multi-stage MOSFET circuitry feeds an intuitive panel with Output and Gain plus a 3-band EQ (Bass, Mid, Treble) for precise sculpting. Hit the Boost switch for extra compression and saturation, then use the dedicated Gate control to tame hiss when you’re running hot. Whether you're looking to "Light up the Sky" or seeking the full-throttle saturated tone of "Humans Being," the 5150 Overdrive arms you with the best of both EVH worlds.

Control and Clarity from Clean to Crushing

The EVH 5150 Overdrive isn’t just about more gain—it’s about usable gain. Back off the Gain and dial the EQ for crisp crunch, or push it for tight palm-mutes, searing harmonics and singing sustain that still cuts through a mix. Meanwhile, the onboard Smart Gate keeps high-gain noise in check without choking your dynamics, so rests stay silent and riffs stay razor sharp. 

Stage-Ready Design With Signature EVH Style

Built for the road and dressed in EVH’s iconic stripes, the 5150 Overdrive features true bypass switching and a rugged enclosure. Power it with a 9V battery or standard pedalboard supply and drop it into any rig—into a clean amp for full pedal drive, or in front of an already hot front end for stacked saturation. The bottom line? With the MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive on your board, you’ve got Van Halen’s evolution of guitar tone at your disposal.

Open Box MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Guitar Pedal Level 2 197881431853

Features

  • Overdrive pedal co-designed with Eddie Van Halen and MXR engineers
  • Patterned after the blue channel of the EVH 5150 amplifier
  • Multi-stage MOSFET circuit delivers authentic 5150 high-gain tone
  • Three-band EQ plus Boost switch for expanded tonal shaping
  • Built-in Smart Gate keeps high-gain noise under control
  • True-bypass switching and rugged road-ready housing with EVH artwork
  • Powered by 9V battery or external adapter for pedalboard integration

Specs

Type
  • Pedal type: Overdrive effects pedal
  • Analog/digital: Analog
Controls
  • Control knobs: Output, Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble, Gate
  • Boost: Yes
  • Noise gate: Yes
  • Bypass: True bypass
Connectivity
  • Input: 1 x 1/4"
  • Output: 1 x 1/4"
Power
  • Power requirement: 9V battery or 9V DC power supply (not included)
Construction
  • Dimensions: 5" x 3.75" x 1.5"

Featured Articles

Reviews

4.5

22 Reviews

86%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend

Most Liked Positive Review

5

The sound in MY head!

I went through a ton of pedals to find the sound that I was looking for, from cheap distortions to pricy drives, but none of them satisfied me. I narrowed my search down between this and the Friedman BE-OD. They both sounded good from samples but I ultimately went with this because of the gate, boost button, and wider EQ options. I'm glad I did! This sounds absolutely beautiful with my Strat through my 1x12 cab, and I finally got that gain and saturation balance that I had been searching for on stage. It also pairs magnificently with clean boosts and transparent drives in front of it; I've used a Seymour Duncan 805 and JHS Super Bolt into it (separately) and they both worked wonders with this thing. The gain knob has good range and it cleans up well with my guitars volume knob. I highly recommend this for rock, metal, or blues if you like it with some gain.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

3

EVH 5150 pedal

The 5150 pedal sounds great with almost any amp. Chords sound great, full and well overdriven; but individual notes, when playing lead, tend to sound a little loose and fuzzy, almost as if playing through a solid state amp. However, this may also depend on the amp you're using. Better to get the 5150-50watt amp instead:)

Filters
Best Uses
  1. Performances8
  2. Home Studio6
  3. Outdoor Events / Games5
  4. Professional Recording5
  5. Amateur Recording3
Cons
  1. Limited Selection Of Effects3
  2. Poor Sound Quality3
  3. Not Durable1
  4. Not Responsive1
  5. Won't Make Me A Sandwich1
Describe Yourself
  1. Experienced7
  2. Professional Musician2
  3. Novice1
Pros
  1. Excellent Sound Quality7
  2. Versatile7
  3. Responsive6
  4. Compact5
  5. Good Selection Of Effects1

Reviewed by 22 customers

  • Great Pedal

    5

    Verified Buyer

    submitted10 months ago

    byJim

    fromNW Indiana

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    Great pedal, sounds realistic and sounds plenty of gain!

  • Not what I was looking for

    2

    Verified Buyer

    submitted2 years ago

    byJohn

    fromBrownsville,TN

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    I watched videos and researched thoroughly, at least I thought I did. I received this item and it was nothing like had seen and researched . Total waste of my time. Definitely not for me

  • EVH 5150 Overdrive

    4

    Verified Buyer

    submitted2 years ago

    byClyde

    fromLansing Michigan

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    Good pedal everybody probably knows already but it's a distortion not an overdrive.

  • Immediately returned to the store

    2

    submitted3 years ago

    byRock Guy

    fromDallas

    I honestly don't know how the online video reviews of this item get this effect to sound good enough to make me want to buy it, but it sounded shrill and terrible through my Marshall DSL5C tube amp, the overdrive from the amp sounds way better than the output of this pedal.

  • So glad I bought this

    5

    Verified Buyer

    submitted4 years ago

    byBrian S

    fromMassachusetts

    This fills the niche between my high gain and fuzz 108.It's versatile due to the powerful EQ.Mine is dialed in clean/raunch chords sing through hums & singles.

  • Killer pedal!

    5

    Verified Buyer

    submitted4 years ago

    byFrank

    fromHuntersville, NC

    I have a Boss Katana 212 amp,it's a solid state amp. It offers many cool effects & It also has a brown channel which sounds good, but I was looking for something a little more out of the tone. I wish I could afford a 5150 amp, but can't. This pedal delivers even w/ a solid state amp!

Q&A

Have a question about this product? Our expert Gear Advisers have the answers.

  • submitteda year ago

    asked byNancy the Newbie

    fromMurrieta CA

    Will this pedal work with a boss katana 100w artist series combo amp? And will it sound good?

    Open Reply - Gear-Support
    Yes, it will. 2) Yes, it will.

  • submitted5 years ago

    asked byMatt

    fromTexas

    Does it come with a wall outlet adapter?

    Open Reply - Beau
    This effects pedal does come with a power supply included.

  • submitted6 years ago

    asked byVictor E.

    fromDeerfield IL

    The Gate Control has stopped working. My signal is gated and it creates an on/off pattern even at low volumes. How can I fix/repair this noise gate?

    Open Reply - Kenneth
    Please contact a Customer Service Agent for trouble shooting inquiries