After reviewing the new Mu-FX Mu-Tron 3X a little bit ago, we were blown away by what Mike Beigel and Co. have done with their new lineup, and couldn’t wait for more. One day, a magical box arrived at our doorstep, and what lay inside was an incredible 3-In-1 pedal that gives new meaning to an “always on” pedal: the Boostron 3 Boost Compressor Distortion box from Mike and Mu-FX.
The Boostron 3 is based on three distinct, vintage pedals – the Alembic Stratoblaster Clean Boost, the Musitronics/Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer Compressor and the Pro Co RAT Distortion. The Mu-FX Boostron 3 provides added functionality to these classic effects all bundled in a “mini-mu” housing. Made in the USA, the Boostron 3 combines visual and sonic cues from the past with a thoroughly modern, pedal board oriented approach.
The Blaster section is the boost portion of the pedal, with the Boost knob controlling the output level, a Blaster On/Off toggle to determine if the effect is on or off and a Bright knob to adjust the amount of treble boost present. The Squeezer section controls the compressor portion of the Boostron 3, with the Juice knob controlling the amount of compression, or “squash”, and Output to adjust the overall output level.
The Slacker section has a lot going on, and is the main distortion circuit for this sweet pedal. Gain controls the amount of, well, gain in the circuit, while Level controls the output level. A Bass toggle switch lets you select normal tonality, bass cut or bass boost options to sculpt and shape your overdriven tone, while the Mode toggle lets you select from 3 distinct distortion modes. Comp is a 2 diode symmetrical, or “limiting” distortion; Exp is a single diode asymmetrical distortion with lots of headroom, and Dist mode features LED plus single diode distortion.
Since the Blaster section is controlled by a toggle switch, the two footswitches here control the Slacker and Squeezer portions of the pedal, making for a whole slew of mixing and matching abilities all wrapped into the Boostron 3. Along with the normal Input and Output jacks on the back, there’s an FX loop Send and Return as well, meaning you can add other effects into the Boostron, and have them affected only by it, and no other pedals. This is always a fun feature, and one that again opens up more tonal and sonic possibilities, depending on which effects you want to experiment with.
Designed, built and tested in Encinitas, California in the USA, Mu-FX and Mike Beigel have re-invented the Musitronics name, and their first couple of offerings are just incredible, and we’re looking forward to more. The Boostron 3 is a unique take on some classic sounds, and being able to house 3 rad effects into a small and unique enclosure is a feat itself, but to have them all sound this good is just ridiculous. Be sure to head over to their new website and find out what other gems they’ve got waiting for you, and don’t forget to hear how this puppy sounds by checking out the video below. Cheers!
Specs:
1/4 ” True Bypass Switching Input Jack
FX Loop
1/4″ FX Send Jack – After BLASTER
1/4″ Return Jack – Before SQUEEZER
1/4″ Output Jack
9 – 9.6V DC
Dimensions: 6″ x 4.5″ x 2.25″
1 Year Limited Warranty
Made in the USA
GET EXCLUSIVE UPDATES, CONTEST INFO, SEE OUR LATEST DEMO VIDEOS AND MORE:
