Vintage MXR Distortion + Repair! Gray Bench Electronics

Joe from GBE here, welcome back to the bench!
Today we're going to diagnose and fix a ~1975 MXR Distortion +.
Enjoy!
electrosmash Distortion + article: www.electrosmash.com/mxr-dist...
Follow me on instagram: @graybenchelec
Business contact: [e-mail]
#mxrdistortion+ #mxrdistortionplus #distortion #overdrive #guitarpedals #diypedals #repair

[@waynegram8907]

GRAY BENCH, you should make a separate video about the slew rate distortion on the oscilloscope because the 70's 741 chips had different specs on the datasheets for the slew rate time and rise time. The new 741 chips are faster slew rate and rise time so you don't get that slew rate distortion. You can compared the older chips and new chips with a 2 channel Oscope to compare the slew rate distortion in a video lesson.

[@Jah_Rastafari_ORIG]

Always appreciate someone showing cohesive troubleshooting. The only thing I would have done differently, especially with old fragile traces like that, would be to put a socket in first. Then the owner can play with all that personality change stuff that others are discussing in the comments.

[@Joe-mz6dc]

I've got a few of these pedals. Three of the 2 knob version and one of the four knob AC version (aka MXR Distortion II) Which I bought new in the early 1980s. I can attest to the foam problem. It's a pain in the ass. But this one really looks good on the outside. And you did a great job cleaning it up. Rock and Roll!

[@ramencurry6672]

A masterpiece. Like an Indians jones archeological find and analysis

[@Bonedadyo]

I have a 78 block logo that had the exact same problem. I replaced the op with a newer Texas Instruments 741 until I finally found an older one that was an exact match to the original. They all sounded the same to my ears. The only reason I did it was to keep it looking stock as much as possible. Great video, thanks!

[@Zsigmund]

Great! I was gifted a broken Script Logo Distortion + and was just getting ready to repair it. Perfect timing! Thanks 👍

[@almostliterally593]

I recently got a dunlop one. Excellent pedal. It ſounds every bit as good as þe original, ſtill a germanium diode inſide.

[@daviderskine966]

I just repaired my Distortion + from 1981. I installed a new op-amp and it's now working ok. The problem I had when removing the internal wiring and hardware from the casing was old, dry solder joints. Every move I made broke a wire and I was forever resoldering the connections. My 1981 version has an LED and a power connector. Not sure if the LED was a modification from a previous owner. Thanks for the video.

[@robertkorn]

Brass gun cleaning brushes are great for cleaning the inside of jacks.

[@ben_popp]

Killing it! I’m starting my own effects company called Evil Eye FX after owning a guitar shop for the past few years. Your videos have really helped me learn the basics in pedal building and repair! Thanks man!

[@graybenchelec]

Glad to hear it, good luck!

[@axeljespersen8307]

Another great video! I really dig your attention to detail and the simplicity of your videos. It really shows how much the content matters and your content goes to 11 on a scale from 1-10.

[@graybenchelec]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@ablpedals]

Really enjoyed this, both entertaining and informative. I run a little mods and repairs shop in Scotland and regularly tune into your videos for more insights, keep up the good work!

[@ScottyBrockway]

They came with foam wrapped around the board originally, but it rots, eventually it turns to corrosive goo so anyone with old MXR pedals should remove it. The AC powered ones you can get rid of the goo on the back plates with some acetone. I use fish paper to insulate the boards in the small ones.

[@CullixYT]

what is the function of the foam?

[@Joe-mz6dc]

@CullixYT To insulate the circuit board from the metal enclosure.

[@CullixYT]

@@Joe-mz6dc thanks bro

[@Obradoom]

I love these videos man, keep up the good work.

[@iblesbosuok]

Those solid tantalum capacitors make this effect performs exotically. You can replace 741 opAmp with CA3140 or LF351 or LM301A or LM318 or TL071 for different personalities.

[@tomblake3780]

Thanks! Great walk through troubleshooting process

[@graybenchelec]

Thank you!

[@gregmize01]

cool! glad you got it fixed Joe!

[@graybenchelec]

Me too :)

[@joshfreeman7999]

I think i just watched all your videos in the last couple days. My new fav channel. I really like your guitar chords you play. Im about to start a pedal build with NO knowledge of anything. Could you show us some of your guitar playing?

[@ohpotatoesandmolasses]

This video's a bit more "ELI5" which I enjoy. Thanks!

[@2doobsmcjubes555]

My first thought was a socket for the OP amp but honestly now looking at it that might be too tall to put the backplate on. Fantastic vid!

[@ScottyBrockway]

A low profile socket will work actually, dyna comps had one many times.

[@graybenchelec]

Yeah, it is a good idea. I leaned toward keeping it looking original on this one though.

[@Andreas_Straub]

Encapsulate the board in some isolator and turn it upside down. Did that and could easily fit a socket .... Tried many different OpAmps, but all sound the same. The main producer of the distortion are the germanium diodes, not the OpAmp.

[@The_Weeezard]

Man, that jack has never been "cleaned" like that before.

[@sushimandaddi]

Another awesome video, did you get this off ebay? I may have bidded against you a month or so back haha! Very cool to see you go through the signal path with the scope, very helpful to understanding things.

[@graybenchelec]

Nope, this was from a viewer. Glad you enjoyed!

[@otimizandogeral]

my pedal is a distortion III, it spent a long time with the battery inside, which broke and stopped turning on the distortion. the two states (on and off) the led appears lit, while the switch when in the off state, the true by pass works, but when in the state that should be on, it does not output any sound. I will try to change the diode and capacitor to see if it comes back to life. I am sad...

[@thomaswilhelm3384]

The circuit looks very similar to the 1974 Ammeron distortion pedal without the circuitry connected to the offset pins and final buffer stage.

[@buddhamus]

Cool video. My first pedal was a script logo MXR Distortion + that I bought new back in the mid-70s. Still my favorite OD pedal. Wish I still had it. Do you know if the newer ones are the same as the original ones?

[@KarstenJohansson]

5:29 I had to roll over and have a smoke. Definitely brought some metal on those quarter inch jacks.

[@jstrat121]

Tape a penny to the top of the op amp to act as a heat sink.

[@bill.clifford.59]

Awesome! Were are you located? Can a ac plug be put in one?

[@augustusbetucius2931]

I'm subscribed, FYI. I have a basic understanding of electronics, but I'm wondering if you have any videos that would help me further that. I enjoy building, modding and working on pedals, but would feel better if I knew more about what I'm doing. Thanks!

[@andy1023]

Hi, great video. School explanation! I too would like to replace the foam. What material do you use to cover the pcb? Plastic, plexiglass or something else? What is this Boss-like cover for? Thank you

[@graybenchelec]

It was just bristol paper.

[@vincentpritchett1231]

It’s installed to insulate the board from the bottom cover.

[@VirtualAve]

Hello, Joe. What are you doing with the scalpel after applying the de-soldering wicker? Scraping the pad?

[@graybenchelec]

Hi! I was using that to just lift up the pins of the opamp. They were flattened against the PCB.

[@JulioNusdeoIII]

Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina!! What's what you sprayed into the pots? Thanks! Your channel is really great

[@graybenchelec]

That's Deoxit D5 caig.com/deoxit-d-series/. Some recent evidence suggests it might be better to use Dexoit fader though. caig.com/fader-f-series/

[@JulioNusdeoIII]

@@graybenchelec thanks for answering man. cheers!!

[@radiobobb22]

If you had to replace the battery connector in a vintage pedal like this, would you try to find a NOS one or whatever you had in stock?

[@graybenchelec]

Probably whatever I had in stock. Even if really cared how it looked, I'd be worried about the old plastic being fragile.

[@radiobobb22]

@@graybenchelec that makes total sense. Thanks!

[@cleekersneaker]

Are you going to keep the vintage “broken” op-amp IC?

[@graybenchelec]

No, I sent that back to the original owner.

[@augustusbetucius2931]

Mid to late seventies and it's fifty plus years old? Don't go ageing us prematurely dude! ;-)

[@graybenchelec]

Haha it's coming. Time stops for no one!

[@augustusbetucius2931]

@@graybenchelec You can live to be old, if you're lucky! Great video. I remember having one of these in the late eighties, and no one cared about them. Wish I'd never sold all my old MXR pedals. Had the D+, flanger, big yellow chorus, green delay and the rack mount pitch shifter. Hardly anyone builds with the quality MXR did on the 70s.