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MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive Guitar Pedal
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Introducing The EVH 5150 Overdrive

EVH 5150 OVERDRIVE, demo by Pete Thorn

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.

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
- Pedal type: Overdrive effects pedal
- Analog/digital: Analog
- Control knobs: Output, Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble, Gate
- Boost: Yes
- Noise gate: Yes
- Bypass: True bypass
- Input: 1 x 1/4"
- Output: 1 x 1/4"
- Power requirement: 9V battery or 9V DC power supply (not included)
- Dimensions: 5" x 3.75" x 1.5"
Warranty
Featured Articles
Reviews
4.5
22 Reviews
86%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend
Most Liked Positive Review
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.
Most Liked Negative Review
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:)
- Performances8
- Home Studio6
- Outdoor Events / Games5
- Professional Recording5
- Amateur Recording3
- Limited Selection Of Effects3
- Poor Sound Quality3
- Not Durable1
- Not Responsive1
- Won't Make Me A Sandwich1
- Experienced7
- Professional Musician2
- Novice1
- Excellent Sound Quality7
- Versatile7
- Responsive6
- Compact5
- Good Selection Of Effects1
Reviewed by 22 customers
Great Pedal
Verified Buyer
submitted8 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
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
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
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
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!
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?
Yes, it will. 2) Yes, it will.submitted5 years ago
asked byMatt
fromTexas
Does it come with a wall outlet adapter?
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?
Please contact a Customer Service Agent for trouble shooting inquiries


