MXR Randy Rhoads Distortion+ Special Edition

Steal Away Metal’s Most Iconic Solo Tone

In just a few short years, Randy Rhoads revolutionized the art of the rock ‘n’ roll guitar player, merging fluid, classically inspired legato passages and melodies with searing, violin-like leads and super-saturated riffs. One of the most crucial components of this riveting sound was the MXR Distortion+—Randy harnessed its raw energy to slam his high-gain amplifier with a torrent of harmonics to create the sonic signature that would etch an indelible mark on music history.

We celebrate his monumental legacy with this recreation of his own MXR Distortion+. For the first time in 42 years, the Rhoads family unveiled Randy’s pedalboard for the MXR design team at the family’s music school in Los Angeles—the Musonia School of Music. There, history was made as the MXR design team carefully opened the pedalboard, closely inspecting and documenting all they could from this rock ’n’ roll artifact. The engineers painstakingly spec’d Randy’s vintage Distortion+, and created this signature model to produce the same overdriven tones heard on Randy’s most beloved hits.

Inspired by a supersonic airliner he flew on while on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, Randy designed a Flying V-style guitar with a white finish and a pinstripe accent. That iconic instrument is the inspiration for this special edition of the MXR Randy Rhoads Distortion+. Includes an exclusive collector’s booklet.

“We are very proud of and honored by this special signature pedal. It is a true tribute to Randy’s musical legacy.” —The Rhoads Family

The Randy Rhoads MXR® Special Edition Distortion+ is powered by one 9-volt battery (remove bottom plate to install), a 9-volt AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003/ ECB003EU, or an MXR Brick™ Series power supply.

Spec’d to match Randy Rhoads’s precise tonal preferences

Through close collaboration with sister Kathy Rhoads, Randy Rhoads’s personal Distortion + pedal was carefully sourced and studied by the MXR team, employing each nuance and faculty found within to spec the Randy Rhoads Distortion + pedal as closely as possible. The result? A near-exact sonic foundation harnessing the same tubelike tones that capture the knightly lead lines and scorching shreds for which Rhoads is known, all adjustable via Output and Distortion controls. Serving as a tribute to the seminal guitarist’s musical mastery and a formidable path toward his legendary guitar tones, the Randy Rhoads Distortion + pedal is primed to take any sound foundation over the mountain.

High-flying heat for any pedalboard

Wielding a pedalboard-friendly enclosure and seamless dual control structure, the Randy Rhoads Distortion + is as fit for the stage as its legendary namesake. Likewise, further appointments, including a red on/off LED indicator and hard-wired true bypass via footswitch control, make it just as easy to monitor and conserve your signal when performing onstage or recording in the studio. Of course, the Randy Rhoads Distortion + would not be complete without its signature white finish, accented by black pinstripes and gleaming gold fittings, commemorating the aesthetics of Rhoads’s instantly recognizable V-style axe.