MXR® BASS SYNTH

MB301

Designed by Ian Martin Allison—an educator and expert in low-frequency sound—the MXR Bass Synth is a powerhouse. It delivers thunderous sub-octaves, an expressive envelope, and rich modulation effects, all with exceptional tracking and sustain, plus every feature you need to sculpt every detail of your tone.

This pedal requires a 9-volt (330 mA) center-negative power supply. It can be powered by the Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter or by MXR Iso-Brick, Iso-Brick Pro, or Iso-Brick Mini power supplies. This pedal does not run on batteries.

THE FULL STORY

Turn your bass into an unbridled funk machine with the MXR Bass Synth. It serves up intergalactic grooves and vintage analog vibes, featuring a range of monophonic synth sounds reminiscent of hits by Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Parliament Funkadelic, and many others. Created by Ian Martin Allison—a teacher and low-end authority—this potent pedal offers earth-shaking sub-octaves, an expressive envelope, and lush modulation effects, all with outstanding tracking and sustain.

FUNK IT UP

Lock into your groove with a comprehensive suite of intuitive controls designed to shape every nuance of your bass synth sound. The Sub Mix knob adjusts the amount of sub-octave blended into the main synth signal, allowing you to dial in the massive, deep-end presence you desire. The Mod knob introduces liquid, shimmering textures—ranging from subtle, musical motion to bold, mind-bending pulses—while the Envelope knob governs the filter response, spanning from elastic, snappy bounces to slow, syrupy sweeps. The Mix, Cutoff, and Resonance knobs help you dial in the perfect sound and feel for your setup: blend your dry and processed signals, set the filter’s cutoff frequency, and boost that frequency for added punch.

Additionally, the Voice knob introduces extra harmonic oscillators for more complex textures, while the Shape knob lets you choose your preferred waveform—from a smooth, subtle triangle to a rich, aggressive sawtooth, or a bold, punchy square wave.

PRE-FUNK

If you’d rather jump straight into the action without the hassle of manual setup, the pedal comes with eight distinct presets—crafted by Ian Martin Allison—to get you into the groove immediately. Each one draws inspiration from classic synth sounds, ranging from Michael Jackson’s "Thriller" and Herbie Hancock’s "Chameleon" to Peter Gabriel’s "Sledgehammer" and Nine Inch Nails’ "Head Like a Hole." Simply press the Preset button to cycle through them.

GO DEEPER

For those who crave even greater sonic depth, the MXR Bass Synth offers a wealth of additional parameters—from oscillator and modulation mixing to compression and tracking styles. You can also run the pedal in stereo output mode, connect an external footswitch (such as the MXR Split + Tap or a Tap Tempo switch) to navigate presets, use a Volume(X)™ series pedal to blend between different configurations, and much more.

PLUG IN AND GET NASTY

Whether you’re playing pop hits in a cover band, holding down the low end at church, or heading out on a world tour, this pedal delivers instant synth-bass magic. Dive into the heart of the action with the MXR Bass Synthesizer.