Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

This is a great pedal to add to your gear it's fun to play around with. Built very sturdy and sound is awesome. It ranges in sound from a synth like sound to a great lead fuzz sound.. You won't be disappointed...

Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

This pedal gets some nasty, funky, low-fi sounds and I love it. Let it be very clear up front that this is not the pedal for anyone, nor is is the pedal for all uses. That being said, you can get some really cool old school video game sounds, thick sub-octave fuzz, gritty unstable fall-off, etc. This pedal has character for sure. Definitely not good for chording, though it can be interesting on power chords (pretty unstable, not for every song but I like it). The only knocks I can give it are a lack of controlls and a lack of cut in a full band set up. I typically run a tube-screamer or similar pedal after it to increase the cut. This pedal isn't a one trick pony, but it's not all that versatile and should NOT be your main fuzz pedal. That being said, I love it.
I love this thing, but as far as features goes, it's pretty minimal. It's got two knobs, a footswitch, and an LED. It doesn't really need any more features than that, but if there were a seperate fuzz control or aditional tone, I wouldn't complain.
It's MXR. It is going to be built like a tank at a reasonable price. The only think I've found is that a 9 volt battery can be a little hard to fit in and close the case all the way just because of the foam inside. Other than that, it's a really tough cast metal enclosure with a tough switch. It's not going anywhere.
I'm actually currently borrowing this pedal for an extended period of time, and I was going to try to buy the pedal off of my friend if he'd sell it to me. Excellent value.

Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

Overall, this thing is awsome! I'm a big fan of the bands cky, electric wizard, and deadsy so I was very happy to get a pedal with similar sounds to theirs. This pedal will bring a new sound to the table. I like the way it sounds with distortion added. If you've listened to the bands I mentioned then It won't be an original sound but to most it will sound very new and clean yet grunge and dark...music to my ears! Prepare to enjoy yourself if you decide to make the purchase!
Standard size pedal with the ability of Octave control that blows your mind!
The thing seems it could be a mortar how sturdy it is. Everything is tight and maufactured to the utmost quality.
I was very happy with my purchase of this monster of a pedal. It did more than I thought It would and was made very well so no complaints at all. I've seen way less go for way worse!

Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

There are few pedals that I keep on my pedalboard, and this guy has managed to do so. Although its use is limited, it can be used for some really awesome things. I don't think it's for everybody. But it definitely has a crowd of its own, and it does a pretty good job of what it does.
This thing has pretty basic controls, with only "Output" and "Blend" controls. Both are responsive, easy to use. The "Output" is pretty self-explanatory, and the "Blend" controls how much the lower octave is permitted into the mix. The lower octaves are fun to use, and the pedal has an "8-bit" sound to it. However, this is NOT a polyphonic pedal. Meaning, if you have the lower octaves in gear, you cannot play a chord without getting a chaotic mess coming out of your amp. Now, some people think that this is a wonderful chaotic mess, but that's to be left up to the listener. Basically, what this means is that you are limited to only playing individual notes, like in a solo, when the lower octave is put into the mix. If you have it set to just straight fuzz with no lower octaves (setting the "Blend" completely clockwise), you won't have this problem. The straight fuzz is alright, but with a lack of control as to how much fuzz you have in the mix, you're left with no wiggle room. You're stuck with the amount of fuzz they give you. While this unit sounds just plain beastly, these mistakes were big ones for MXR.
The Blue Box is a very sturdy little box, definitely meant to be taken for the long run. The LED is very bright, the input/output jacks are in there good and solid, and the control knobs are pretty clean. As mentioned before, however, the sound is meant for the experimentalist. It won't do the same thing twice. It sounds very big and and growling, great for solos. But if you're wanting consistancy, you're not going to find it here.
You'll be getting quite the bang for the buck with this pedal, and it's a really cool bang, too. I've had no regrets in purchasing this, and I think the price has quite a bit to do with that.

Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

If you really want to know what this sounds like, it was used in the guitar solo in the Led Zeppelin hit, Fool In The Rain, on the In Through The Out Door album. It's a one trick pony that may or may not meet your tastes.MXR pedals are top notch in quality. Amazing, considering their Dunlop ownership, but Dunlop seems to be improving their game across the board. MXR pedals are always simple, built very well, and last.

Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

This is probably the single strangest sounding pedal I have ever owned..I mean that as a compliment. You would need 2 or 3 pedals used at the same time to get the unique sound this one pedal achieves. The only thing I heard get a similar sound is the Moog Ring Modulator (costing hundreds more). Granted at some settings it sounds downright silly like an arcade game..but if you dial it in right..it is warped (think that is the best word to use). I have always been influenced by the experimental sounds of Robert Fripp & Brian Eno, & using this pedal is a step in that direction. Word of warning: this is not a sound that will appeal to everyone (sort of a distortion on acid..lol), which is why you will notice how the reviews are so mixed..but for me once again MXR with the combination of warm analog sound, price and simplicity and uniqueness..has created a winner.

Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

I bought one a long time ago, and really couldn't get it to perform to my expectations. The main problem with this device is that you can't really get a handle on managing the sound/tone. Tried it on both guitar and on a vintage monophonic synth, and it just doesn't cut it. What good is a device if the sound is not manageable?? The construction, like all other MXR devices, is solid.But I wish I could find something like it claims to be, that you have some control over the sounds...'Bought it once, used it for a couple of months, and ended up selling it.

Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

MXR makes products that are durable, high-quality, and very usable. The "Blue Box" is no exception. I was happy to find the controls to be responsive and varied, creating many tones and sounds. I don't know a reason not to buy this pedal; its inexpensive and open up your guitar tone to many different styles and sounds. Pick one up today-you won't regret it!

Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

The MXR Blue Box. This pedal is of acquired taste. I came across this effect looking for a great, classic, dirty octave effect.. and its exactly what you get. This pedal sounds great with the output all the way up, because it really pushes the sound of the effect out. Then, if you overdrive or boost with it, the volume increases substantially. Now, the amount of fuzz/octave is completely up to the player. It has great fuzz, and a great octave for thickening some riffs or solos up. Gig wise, it is one of those effects that you would probably not use more than once for a whole set, but it is so unique that it can leave persons in the audience in an awe of your axe work. The value on the effect is all up to the player, because, what you get is what you pay for, nothing less and nothing more. If you want something new, and something that will stand out, this is the great little secret weapon for you.

Comments about MXR M-103 Blue Box:

MXR has supplied musicians with some of the most versatile, portable and user-friendly effects for decades and the Blue box is no exception. For those of you who don't know this is a monophonic low octave fuzz pedal. A true old-school fuzz which will diminish the output volume a little but is the only way to achieve this tone (think the Stones "Satisfaction" riff for instance).Also the low octave effect is not polyphonic like modern octave units so it will glitch a bit on sustained notes and chords so if you are looking for a Clapton "woman" tone for example this pedal is NOT for you.I recommend setting the output level to 4 o clock and the blend control to 2 or 3 o clock for a sustained fuzz tone with some low Moog synth tone on the side. Remember that turning the blend knob counter-clockwise will enhance the low octave sound so even if you can't stand this sound just turn the knob all the way to 4 o clock and you'll have a decent fuzz tone to use.A wonderful supplement to any pedalboard, but try before you buy if you're able to. You'll either love it or hate it.